[mythtv] Two Bugs in Mythtv v0.11 & Two Usability Requests

[Roy Hooper]

thor wrote:

>On Tuesday 26 August 2003 07:00 pm, Todd Greene wrote:
>  
>
>>(2) (Using PVR250): If mythtv is recording a program on a channel that has
>>no reception (i.e. the antenna is unplugged for example), the result is a
>>small mpeg file that causes problems with the Mythtv.  When scrolling
>>through the "Watch Recordings" menu, the UI hangs for ~10 seconds or more
>>on each of these recordings. 
>>    
>>
>
>	At the risk of sounding ever so slightly sensible, perhaps you might want to 
>avoid trying to time-shift white noise? Data compression is a bit of a CPU 
>burden when the input source is completely random. 
>  
>
I doubt that I would ever intentionally record static, but this will 
happen in real life use, especially with other members of the household 
using MythTV.  Additionally, some people lose TV signal under all sorts 
of conditions, such as rain, snow, troublemakers 
(children/housekeeper/wife/husband) unplugging things, and last but not 
least, failed ot pay bill.  I do not think that the suggestion is 
without merit, albeit its a low priority suggestion.  For usability 
sake, MythTV should handle this situation seamlessly.

>>(1) When choosing a menu option (especially "Watch Recordings", or
>>"Weather") there is usually a long delay (~5-7 seconds) before the next
>>screen is displayed.  (This may also be exaggerated because my backend is a
>>Pentium 3/450).  When a menu is selected, it would be nice if Myth would
>>make a sound, and possibly even put up a message that says "loading." so
>>the user knew that their button-click was registered.
>>    
>>
>	Yeah, that would be great. There are actually many comments in the current 
>source that say, "If I had a way to ring a bell, I'd do it now." Now ... let 
>me think ... why hasn't this problem already been solved .... hmmmmm .... 
>  
>
Being new to MythTV, I don't understand what the problem is and why it 
hasn't been solved.  This is something that I was planning to bring up 
in my eventual usability review and/or patches.  This is something, 
again, that although *I* know whats going on, my wife will get annoyed 
by it.  Again, on my radar to investigate, but low priority until I have 
solved all my various issues getting MythTV running as a Tivo 
replacement list.

>>(2) The ability to pop-up a help menu during TV/recording watching so
>>people could remember the keyboard commands.  It would be nice if this was
>>configurable with a custom jpg, this way people could put pictures of their
>>own remotes and show the key mappings that applied to their setup.
>>    
>>
>	You know what would be even better. If myth could figure out my exact 
>intentions and then read my mind. That way, I'd only really need one (2?) 
>buttons on my remote. Plus, I would never have to remember anything.
>  
>
Once again, this is something *I* personally have wanted many times 
while working with MythTV.  Eventually, I wont need this, but any 
newcomer to MythTV will benefit from such a feature.  The help idea with 
a customizable remote layout view is a really good idea, although 
admittedly, a lower priority.

>	Er, uhm, /dev/null
>  
>
While I understand the reasons for the grumpiness towards the 
multiposting and crossposting, newbies will ask dumb questions, do 
things wrong, and ask questions that have been asked before.  
Fortunately, a project like MythTV will have enough people around at any 
given time that someone will be in a good enough mood to help a newbie 
with a question... I urge everyone to pause a moment before answering 
newbies with snarky or rude responses.  Repeat offenders, sure, but 
newbies?  Everyone is at some time, a newbie to any group, list, 
technology, etc.

Cheers,
Roy