[mythtv-users] Multiple frontends watching the same backend program.

Robert Denier denier at umr.edu
Wed Jan 19 06:20:31 EST 2005


Apparently I have asked something that turns out to be more complex than 
I thought.  Bear in mind I have no idea to what is actually going on in 
the myth system yet, but this is basically how I thought such a thing 
would work ideally.  I'm not saying this idea has any chance of being 
implemented or even that its a good idea.  I just thought that since I 
brought up the idea I should at least contribute what I could.

1) All myth backends do is compress a data stream and send it out.  They 
have no need to store any data, at least with respect to Live TV.
2) The first myth frontend to request viewing a channel sets the Live TV 
parameters (compression) that subsequent must use.  This is necessary 
unless one wants the backend to be potentially compressing to multiple 
formats.
3) It then begins sending out packets of video to each frontend that is 
online.  Ideally one would think some form of multicasting would be 
desired.  I have never seriously looked at multicast packets on linux so 
I've no idea if thats feasible.
4) Each frontend collects the video packets and starts its own history 
of the packets on  its hard drive.  This allows each frontend to have a 
different delay and skip around live TV.

Again, its just my 2 cents.  If I get a massive amount of ambition and 
free time someday I may take an actual look at the mythtv code, but 
something tells me it would be a lot of work to get to the point of 
actually being helpful that way.

What allowed frontends could do (eventually).
-------------------------------------------
1) Each backend would have a list of stations or a wildcard pattern on 
stations allowed to preempt control of the tuner.
2) Allowed frontends that are the second or later to join watching the 
channel to be able to change the channel.  (This should be one of the 
easier changes since you can do this with something like ssh backend 
/usr/bin/channel_change 333.)
3) Allowed frontends to eventually allow changing the live TV settings 
to be encoded.  The original frontend that selected the format is forced 
to either change as well, or use a different tuner.

-Robert








Cecil Watson wrote:

> David Whyte wrote:
>
>> Aaaaghh!  Another reason to have a user based system in myth.  Then
>> things like this can be stored against the user.
>>
>>  
>>
> Who wants to log in to watch TV (perhaps bookmarks based on the 
> hostname of the frontend...)?  If you have multiple tuners, then yes 
> multiple frontends can watch the same station.  Multiple frontends can 
> watch the same recorded program at the same time.
>
> Regards,
>
> Cecil
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