[mythtv-users] Myth very slow to change channels.... (DVB-T)

[Jonny B]

On Tue, Aug 26, 2008 at 12:46 AM, migmog <andrew at migmog.com> wrote:
> 2008/8/26 Brian Wood <beww at beww.org>:
>> Why on earth would I want to watch something with
>> commercials, at a fixed 1X speed ???
>>
>> beww
>
> In some parts of the civilized world, live TV comes without
> commercials. We also have quality programming where half of the show
> is not hooks and recaps for all the channel hoppers.

Hooks and recaps? Like the first and last minute of most US primetime
shows? the average half hour show is only 22 minutes anyway. But we do
have PBS. I must say though, with the increase in channels, I've seen
a decrease in quality shows on all of them. Gotta love stockholders
and their huge dividends. Probably the downfall of a great many
corporations. Guess that I'm getting a bit off topic now though.

> This (channel switching time) is the main reason I bought a commercial
> PVR when my frontend died. One day I will try to fix it, because apart
> from this, myth is superior.

And this is something that will never get full agreement.
Channel surfers, by definition, are wasting time. If they wanted to
see particular shows, they would schedule the recordings, and watch
them when was most convenient for them, (be it right now - it's
recording, or later when said people had free time) rather than when
they air. This is the reason I think that most people look for a PVR.
Sure, rewinding a live sportscast is cool too, but it isn't a driving
reason I would desire a PVR device.

So, to recap the millions of responses to this question. (I'll save
you a trip to the archive) Don't watch live tv. Flip through the
program guide, set the recordings that you want to actually watch, and
go find something else to do, or watch something else you've recorded.
This isn't the answer you want. It wasn't the answer I wanted when I
was trying to make that change faster for the other users of my myth
system either... but after some contemplation, it really is the best
answer. There are technical difficulties in the recording/channel
changing process that cannot easily be overcome by software. Most
industrial PVRs solve this problem with special hardware.

If you don't like that answer, you have 3 options.

a) don't use mythtv (or don't use it to watch live tv)*
b) figure out how to make the software more efficient (though, you
will find limitations)
c) buy a commercial PVR and pay their outrageous monthly fees to have
instant channel changing and limited space and features.

*(with a, you could do what I did, and split the coax, so they can
channel flip to their hearts content on a true 'live tv', and if they
really wanted to save something, set it to record later on, in myth. I
have found that there are very few shows that aren't aired at least a
couple times, so this solution works especially well for many
'flippers')

I don't foresee channel flipping speeding up much in myth any time
soon. There isn't any demand for it from any of the developers, and
the general users that want it are unable to program. Also, it seems
like one of those things that people just forget about as they get
more used to using myth the way the developers intended, and not like
a basic PVR.

~Jon