[mythtv-users] MythTV channel buffer

[Michael T. Dean]

On 04/14/2006 02:00 PM, Josh Burks wrote:
> On 4/14/06, Felix Rubinstein <felixru at gmail.com> wrote:
>   
>> Once again, I don't want just to watch TV but instead to watch TV under
>> MythTV, what if I watch TV and switch my receiver to another channel,
>> instead of seeing the new channel right away, I wait for 4 secs new channel
>> to appear.
>> People don't you ever thought that it's merely a showstopper? My point was
>> that it's the first time I was shamed Windows outperformed Linux and why,
>> because no one ever took some time to think about more optimal algorithm.
>>     
> If you have a way to record 4 real time seconds of video in 2 seconds
> time, then please share.

I'm almost there, but I have a few issues with my Flux Capacitor.  I got 
the idea for how to start recording before I tell the Myth box to record 
when I was standing on my toilet trying to hang a clock and I slipped 
and bumped my head.

The FC seems to be working, but I'm having trouble convincing the 
government to allow me to use a plutonium-powered nuclear reactor to 
power it--after all, who would want to pay power-company prices for 
1.21GW of electricity on every channel change.  Imagine the cost of 
channel surfing.  (Although, I guess it might make people start to use 
Myth the way it was designed to be used...)

Once I get a blanket waiver for Myth users, I have to figure out the 
best way to get the Myth box moving at 88mph.  I seem to be getting too 
much signal loss on my really-long coax cable...

Also, it's taking about 10 seconds to get the sled moving at 88mph, so I 
had to adjust the FC to take the box back 12 seconds to get the 2-second 
speed up I wanted.  The final version should allow users to configure 
the way-back setting to account for really slow capture cards, etc.

Once I notice a second Myth box appear, I know it's time to change 
channels, so I hit the chan-up or chan-down button.  This has been 
invaluable at making channel surfing a truly mindless endeavor--I no 
longer have to decide when to change channels; I just respond to the 
appearance of another Myth box.

Then I just disconnect the present Myth box and re-connect the future 
Myth box (that went back in time), and I have my fast channel change.  
Switching cables is currently taking about 60 seconds; and once I didn't 
get the cables disconnected from the present Myth box before it blinked 
out of existence, taking the F-connectors with it, so I had to 
re-terminate my cables.

I'm trying to speed up the reconnect and minimize the chance of taking 
too long to disconnect cables by ensuring the sled always ends up in a 
docking area by the home-theater--so I don't have to run to the location 
it decided to stop.  Since I have to deal with a present and a future 
Myth box, I have two docks and the Myth boxes alternate positions on 
channel change.  This time-saving pair o' docks has definitely improved 
the situation.

Anyway, I'll keep you all posted as I work some of these issues out...

Mike