[mythtv] Brainstorming a new idea for the program guide

[Robert McNamara]

On Tue, Sep 22, 2009 at 12:51 AM, Simon Kenyon <simon at koala.ie> wrote:
>
> your question provoked a response. good for you.
> i suggest you code up your solution and *then* we can have a debate about
> bandwidth
> --
> simon

*sigh*

This is about the worst thing he could do.  This kind of "shoot first
and ask questions later" sort of action would be a great way of
putting our one and only open source of TV graphics out of commission
for good.  A little context:

I have written every single line of non-grabber code currently in
MythTV pertaining to TheTVDB artwork, fanart, and banners.  I have had
discussions with the TVDB owners about the state of their bandwidth
and have personally done all the work to integrate their site with
myth over the past 10-12 months or so.  I figure if anyone knows how
stretched-to-breaking they are, it's me.  What's more, I'm the one who
will be writing the code to more completely integrate TheTVDB into our
Watch Recordings screen for .23.

TheTVDB is practically unusable on weekends due to load.  I have real,
grounded-in-experience fears about their ability to cope even with the
amount of load we are about to put on them just for MythVideo and the
Watch Recordings screen.  There is a real possibility that what we are
*already* about to do to them will cause them real operational
problems.  TheTVDB is not even covering their operating costs at the
moment, in spite of Google ads and donations.  They are in real,
legitimate danger.

If any code is written, it *must* be done with their endorsement and
with a real solution worked out in advance, with them.  Armchair
quarterback suggestions mentioned here by people who simply want to
see someone else complete some code they would like are *not* adequate
pre-planning.  Please, please, please (and now I am asking the OP with
all sincerity) do *not* just write the code and then figure out
whether it is feasible to get the data from the source.  Go, and talk
to Scott over at TheTVDB.  I can say with some certainty that he will
express to you what I have been attempting to-- that their site, which
is already nearly buckling under the weight of the pre-Myth load,
simply cannot manage what you are looking for.

So I am asking the OP not to listen to the peanut gallery, and if
necessary, not even to listen to *my* opinion.  But I am begging that
he not release code without a full, ringing endorsement from the
source of data, as I am quite convinced that if that happens, we will
end up with no source of data at all.

Robert