[mythtv-users] Guide data

[Bruce Markey]

MacNean C. Tyrrell wrote:
> Is there a way, i'm can program some, to make the guide data overlay 
> live tv just like TIVO.  Like the channels are listted on the left side 
> of the screen and while you're over a channel what's playing is on the 
> right, but because it doesn't display details, just time and show name 
> you get to see alot into the future.  I really like how that is 
> displayed on tivo while watching TV.  Is there a way to do this on MYTHTV?

MythTV has two existing ways to display program schedule info
while you are watching live TV. You may want to use these for
a while to see if it is worthwhile to add another type of display.

In live TV you can press MENU (defaults to "M") to see the full
EPG grid with the TV in the upper right corner. From here you
can even go to sub screens with the audio still running. The
other is Browse mode ("O"). This shows the program info for the
current show. Pressing up and down shows program info for other
channels and right and left changes the time with the current
program continuing to play the whole time.

You can find more info about the keys to control these features
(and other familiar and unfamiliar features) in "keys.txt" or:

http://www.mythtv.org/docs/mythtv-HOWTO-11.html#ss11.1

Outside of live TV, you can get a simple column list of all shows
per channel with TV->Schedule Recordings->Search Listings->
Channels.

If, after some time, you still believe you need to add another
mode, you may want to start from the existing Browse mode code
to see how it formats things for the on-screen display.

> Also, just for my own curiousity, how many people leave mythtv on live 
> tv while their not home or sleeping or not watching tv?  I used to just 
> leave tv in TV mode, but am a little nervous to do that with mythtv as i 
> don't want to have to reboot and such.

I for one never do. Having used several DVRs for a few years,
I've learned to record a lot more shows that I like than I could
even watch so I always choose pre-recorded shows whenever I turn
on the TV. I never watch shows from the ringbuffer and only use
live TV to test audio and video and experiment. If I spot a show
that I want to watch to the end, I press "R" then watch the
recording.

In myth, the ringbuffer doesn't run all the time. The live buffer
is started when the player starts so if you ever exit, you lose
whatever had been recorded. It's better to record something and
watch the recording than to be stuck in the ringbuffer.

--  bjm