Plasma Bigscreen, a shell designed for televisions and large displays, has received a significant revitalization thanks to the dedicated efforts of KDE developer Espi. Originally developed for navigation via remote control, the project had fallen into a state of limited development and had been dropped from mainstream Plasma release cycles and many Linux distribution repositories.
Espi, a regular contributor to Plasma Mobile, undertook a week-long effort to improve Bigscreen. His work aimed to bring the interface closer to the original Breeze Ocean mockups and enhance its overall usability.
Key Improvements
The revamp by Espi introduces several notable enhancements:
- Refreshed Home Screen UI: The user interface now boasts a cleaner, flatter design, incorporating a dynamically expanding clock widget.
- KRunner-based Search: A new KRunner-based search tool has been integrated to facilitate faster application discovery and launching.
- Rejigged Settings Interface: The settings menu has been redesigned with a sidebar layout and utilizes vertical scrolling stacks for toggles and content. A custom-made component library was developed for building TV-focused UIs, which can be reused by other contributors.
- Under-the-Hood Changes: Extensive internal modifications include QML library updates, module fixes, and greater integration with existing Plasma components.
Testing and Compatibility
Espi successfully tested the updated Bigscreen by compiling it on postmarketOS and running it on a Raspberry Pi 5. The project demonstrated compatibility with an Xbox controller as a remote substitute and supported various applications, including the Aura web browser, Flathub apps like VacuumTube (a YouTube client), Kodi, and even SuperTuxKart.
Future Challenges and Direction
While the progress achieved in a single week is commendable, Espi acknowledges remaining challenges for Plasma Bigscreen:
- Virtual Keyboard: The absence of a virtual keyboard with arrow navigation is a key issue, though a separate Plasma project is planned to address this.
- Remote Control Handling: Improved handling and configuration for modern TV remotes are necessary.
Espi has returned to his work on Plasma Mobile but will continue to review merge requests for Bigscreen and assist new contributors. The long-term future of Plasma Bigscreen is dependent on increased community involvement and the establishment of a clear development roadmap. Reconnecting with the main Plasma release cycle is also crucial for broader adoption and feedback.
Currently, interested users can access Plasma Bigscreen by compiling it from the source code on KDE Invent or fetching it through KDE nightly repositories, pending the availability of pre-built packages.