[mythtv-users] [mythtv-commits] Ticket #3295: Scheduler schedules recordings on channels it doesn't receive

Michael T. Dean mtdean at thirdcontact.com
Wed Apr 18 21:22:25 UTC 2007


On 04/18/2007 01:25 PM, Adam Brewster wrote:
>> On 04/11/2007 05:56 PM, MythTV wrote:
>>     
>>> #3295: Scheduler schedules recordings on channels it doesn't receive
>>>
>>>  I've found a little problem with the way mythtv schedules programs.
>> .
>>     
>>>  If more than one capturecard is connected to a single inputsource, mythtv
>>>  assumes that it can receive every channel associated with the inputsource
>>>  on either capturecard.  Normally this is probably true, but I've found at
>>>  least one case where it isn't.
>>>
>>>  I've got a cable box connected by firewire (dct-6200) and a DVB card
>>>  (pchdtv-5500) both connected to the same feed.  The cable box can get any
>>>  channel, but the DVB card can only get a subset of the channels.  I can't
>>>  set up two different input sources because mythfilldatabase changes the
>>>  datadirect lineups, and I end up with no data for a bunch of channels.
>>>  The result is that mythtv schedules recordings on channels it doesn't know
>>>  how to tune, and these recordings fail, so I miss a bunch of shows.      
>> Adam, the right way to configure your system is to use two different
>> video sources /and/ two different DataDirect lineups.  If you can't
>> create 2 lineups (i.e. DataDirect prevents you from creating multiple
>> lineups using the same "source"--i.e. your local cable company's digital
>> package), you have two choices:
>>    a) use a different nearby zip code where the provider has the same
>> channels
>>    b) create and use a second DataDirect account.
> Thanks for your help.  I didn't see your first message, as you may
> have guessed I'm not on the mailing list.

Yeah, normally I BCC the reporter of the ticket just in case, but I 
couldn't find your e-mail.  I got part of your e-mail from the Trac 
page, but couldn't get the domain, so I searched to see if you had ever 
posted to the list using that e-mail or if your full name had come 
across on the list, but found nothing, so I crossed my fingers and hoped 
that you were subscribed or that you would check the archives for 
replies to your ticket (i.e. searching on "#3295" (no quotes)).

>   I apologize for misusing
> the trac system, from the page http://svn.mythtv.org/trac/wiki it
> looked like that was the preferred way to submit things like this.
>   

Basically, Trac is the preferred way to submit /confirmed/ bug reports.  
:)  The mailing list is the preferred way to confirm that a behavior is, 
in fact, a bug and not simply a misunderstanding.  The vast majority of 
things that users see as bugs are often misunderstandings of proper 
configuration.  (I would guess that more than 50% of the tickets 
submitted so far have been invalid tickets.)

And, the mailing list is the place where discussion of why tickets were 
closed should take place.

> As I said before, I can't use a nearby zip code.  I don't know why, I
> assume it's because the neighborhoods around here all have the exact
> same lineup.  When I try to add another lineup from a nearby zip code,
> it says that "This provider has already been selected."
>
> As for using a different account, that's a good idea that I haven't
> heard before.  It means I have to take the survey twice every time I
> renew my account(s), but that's a minor inconvenience.  They may also
> not appreciate a project like mythtv recommending that many people
> sign up for multiple accounts.

Well, we just need to ensure we fix it in a way that does not break any 
of the assumptions on which Myth is designed.

> Either way, I don't see how sanity checking in in the scheduler is a
> bad thing.  If the scheduler knows that a recording will fail (even if
> it's because the user is/am an idiot), shouldn't it refuse to schedule
> it?

Sanity checking isn't a bad thing.  The reason it's not required here is 
due to an invalid assumption.  From your original ticket description:

> If more than one capturecard is connected to a single inputsource, 
> mythtv assumes that it can receive every channel associated with the 
> inputsource on either capturecard. Normally this is probably true, but 
> I've found at least one case where it isn't.
>

By definition, a MythTV video source is a unique identifier for a source 
of programming.  The video source must be "connected" to one or more 
card inputs (on one or more capture cards) to allow capturing 
programming from that source.  A video source must also have one or more 
channels that are used to specify what programming is available through 
that source.

Since the channels on a video source specify the programming available 
through that source, /all/ channels associated with a video source must 
be accessible through all inputs that are "connected" (i.e. 
mythtv-setup's input connections) to that video source.

Or, a little more concisely (and not quite so precisely) said, the video 
source is used to specify a unique collection of channels available to 
an input.

So, if different channels are available through 2 different inputs, 
MythTV requires 2 separate video sources (to provide the bounds within 
which the inputs can record).

This is by design.

The reason why ticket #3295 is invalid is because it attempts to reuse 
one video source for multiple, er, video sources.  :)  Since the 
available channels are different for the two different inputs, we /need/ 
two different video sources.

I think the issue you really want to fix is MythTV's current 1:1 mapping 
between video sources and DataDirect lineups.  Currently, Myth requires 
that each video source use a different DataDirect lineup.  But, to allow 
the reuse of DataDirect lineups, the video source must be decoupled from 
the lineup, which ticket #3299 ( http://svn.mythtv.org/trac/ticket/3299 
) does (and, as I read the code, seems to do so correctly--even without 
breaking "--remove-new-channels" or mythfilldatabase's not adding new 
channels to digital sources).

> P.S.  I'm still not subscribed to the list, so I'd appreciate a cc/bcc
> to me if you reply.  I'll check the archives, but if it's in my inbox
> I can give you proper reply (with an "In-Reply-To:"  and everything)
> instead of creating a new thread with a subject of "Re:...

Hmmm.  I'm wondering how you got this post to the list...  I thought 
only subscribers could post.

Mike


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