[mythtv-users] MythFrontend 0.21: What is a watch list?

[Bruce Markey]

Mike Perkins wrote:
> Bruce Markey wrote:
> [snip]
>> Note that the statistics are kept for your rules and recordings no
>> matter which list you choose when you watch your recordings.
...
> As someone else remarked, nice summary. But my question is, is the
> watch list a global "preference" setting, or is it per-front end,
> say. For instance, the viewing habits of husband, wife, offspring are
> likely to be wildly different...

This is a good question and the short answer is 'yes' and
I have used different preferences on different frontends.

You chose to not snip a relevant point which is that the
statistics are gathered whether or not anyone ever looks at
this list and this information shows up elsewhere. I added
four new stats for this;  next_record, last_record, last_delete
and avg_delay and these are new used elsewhere. The Program
Details page shows "Last Recorded:" and/or "Next Recording:"
if the show matches a rule that has recorded or will record.
On the Recording Priorities page, 7 will sort you rules by
how recently they recorded. 8 sorts by the average amount
of time from when the episodes are recorded until they are
watched. In 0.22 this last stat can be used to prioritize
scheduling decisions based on the user's habits whether or
not the user ever looked at her Watch List.

The "Watch List" name can be in the left column and can be
ignored or there is a setting to not include it in the list
at all. Also, cpinkham added a popup to allow you to quickly
change what is or isn't included in this list. Press "M"enu
then click "Change Group View". One option is "Show Watch List"
and another new one is "Show Searches" which makes groups for
search rules where the titles of the recordings from the rule
don't match.

The stats are global but the options for the Watch List are
per host, so it can display differently on different frontends.
The list is a sorting of the current Group Filter. If the filter
is "All Programs", the Watch List is selected from everything.
If "Default" is used, it won't include things from recgroups
other than "Default". When I first started recording HDTV, I
put PBSHD series and specials in an "HDTV" along with things
from HD Theater, MOJO, and so on. When I switch to the HDTV
group I will see the Watch List sort for just those recordings.
If someone's son had a frontend in his room and his recording
were in a "Billy" recgroup, he could see a Watch List for just
his shows (but let's face it, it is more likely that Billy would
be the one setting up a "Parents" recgroup ;-).

Now to the heart of your question. If Billy is the only one
watching skate boarding on FUEL the scores for his shows will
reflect his habits. If two or more family members watch a show
recorded from the same rule at different times then, yeah, the
stats would be funky. The first question is how do they know
when each person has watched the show and when is it okay to
delete. This is a whole other issue beyond the scope and has
been discussed elsewhere.

In TV Settings->Playback there is a checkbox for "Include the
'Watch List' group". As mentioned this bit can be flipped from
the "M"enu popup. When checked, the per host options are shown.

At this point I could retype what I've written in the help text
about what these options do. While clueless, do nothing, inept
delusional, self righteous, losers (who haven't offered you any
capabilities for your DVR) may not think to read the simple
help text for simple options, I've added something that I find
useful and I've documented what these options do in case anyone
else is interested. Many sane people do use MythTV but the whiny,
wannabe know-it-alls can go screw themselves* ;-).

The brief text in the help box for "Include..." was an attempt
to quickly describe this feature. While I can think of a half-
dozen or so names of people who will probably never have anything
to offer to make myth any better, perhaps someone clueful could
offer a better phrasing for a one or two sentence description
of this feature.

--  bjm

* This isn't exactly Brad DerManouelian's suggested tactic of
'sarcastic messages that explicitly answer questions asked [so
that I would] feel good about myself.' but I feel better now. ;-]