[mythtv] Small show overlap schedule conflict resolution strategy

[Rob Comstock]

This is continuation of a thread from the mythtv users list.

In the case where the schedule of two conflicting shows overlap a small amount (less than 5 minutes or therabouts)
it should be possible to add a recording option to allow overlap between shows of "n" minutes. I have seen where ER starts at 8:59
and runs till 10 and another show I want to record runs from 8 to 9. Current system makes me choose between the two. If the overlap
mins fall below the threshold then both shows can be captured with the following show having its minutes trimmed from its beginning.

If the overlap exceeds the limit Myth recording behaves as it does currently to prevent conflicts. Default allowable overlap shall
be 0 minutes.

Comments on this?

The following response came from Joseph A. Caputo:
An alternative approach would be rather than put the burden on the user to figure out how many minutes of overlap to specify, why
not add an option to the Conflict Resolution screen.  Allow me to explain:  let's say I want to record 'Friends' from 20:00 - 20:32
(damn NBC!) and 'Crank Yankers' on Comedy Central from 20:30 - 21:00.  Since
they overlap be 2 minutes, I'd normally have to choose one or the other.  But, if we add an option for 'partial recording', we could
do the following:

--------- Conflict Resolution Screen --------------
The following scheduled recordings conflict with each other.  Which
would you like to record?

(checkbox) Remember this choice and use it automatically in the future
(checkbox) Record non-overlapping portions of conflicting program(s)

(item) Friends - Thur 20:00 on Channel 10
(item) Crank Yankers - Thur 20:30 on Channel 26

-----------------------------------------------------------

If you check the box marked "Record non-overlapping" and choose  'Friends', it will record all of Friends (20:00 - 20:32) and the
portion of 'Crank Yankers' from 20:32 - 21:00 (missing the first 2 minutes).  OTOH, if we check the box and choose 'Crank Yankers',
it will record Friends from 20:00 - 20:30 (missing the last 2 minutes) and
all of 'Crank Yankers' from 20:30 - 21:00.

Now comes the fun part -- discussing how best to implement this!