[mythtv-users] Simple Remote

[Brian Wood]

On Thursday 17 September 2009 15:03:07 bit maelstrom wrote:
> On Thu, Sep 17, 2009 at 1:56 PM, Brian Wood <beww at beww.org> wrote:
> > Could you just call a shell script to play a file? I'd think the $RANDOM
> > shell
> > variable might be useful.
>
> Yeah, something like that. I would like it to stay in MythTV if possible.

I don't think Myth has any method for selecting a "random" recording. I can 
think of a couple of approaches, rotating the names of a few selected files 
(or, better, links to files), or rotating the actual name that's selected.

I'd guess that as long as a different file comes up each time, with a rotation 
of at least 12 or so files, would accomplish what you want. You might even 
base the selection on time of day or day of month, perrhaps not random but as 
long as a different show comes up each time it would probably be acceptable.

>
> Actually, "a non-statistical pseudo-random recording" is possible, probably
>
> > not a truly random one :-)
>
> If she complains, I'll explain the difficulties of true randomity.

If she could truly understand the explanation she would be smarter than most 
of us.

Actually I can see such a feature being useful to many folks. Often the TV is 
used to "fill time", and it might be nice to have a button to just pop up a 
more or less random show, from a selection of not-too-bad ones. This could be 
modified to prefer shows that will expire soon.

-- 
Brian Wood
beww at beww.org