[mythtv-users] Live TV channel restrictions

Michael T. Dean mtdean at thirdcontact.com
Fri Feb 26 18:49:31 UTC 2010


On 02/25/2010 12:13 PM, Mike Perkins wrote:
> Michael T. Dean wrote:
>> Really, I think the only new feature your code adds (though I haven't 
>> had a chance to go through the code, yet--this just based on 
>> description I've heard here) is the ability to go from a "later" 
>> tuner (i.e. virtual tuner 2 on physical tuner 2) in use for Live TV 
>> back to an "earlier" tuner (i.e. virtual tuner 2 on physical tuner 1) 
>> when changing to a channel on an already-tuned-for-a-recording mux in 
>> LiveTV.  And this would further complicate things, as the show you 
>> want to watch in LiveTV may be a 1hr show ending in 45 minutes and 
>> the show that the scheduler has tuned for a recording may be a 
>> half-hour show ending in 15 minutes--meaning that the scheduler may 
>> have already planned to change the channel/mux tuned by that physical 
>> tuner in 15 minutes.  That would mean that the user watching LiveTV 
>> would be interrupted in about 13 minutes with a dialog saying that 
>> the tuner is needed for a recording and asking whether to cancel the 
>> recording, watch the same show as it records, or exit Live TV.
>>
> I think a lot of the conceptual difficulty that some of us have is 
> this: all preselected recordings represent *scheduled* events, whereas 
> by it's nature, LiveTV is an *unscheduled* event. I would even go so 
> far as to say unschedule-able.
>
> However, your point above, may be solved in a straightforward (note: 
> does not say simple) way, that is, whenever a channel change is made 
> in LiveTV why not force a reschedule? That would enable the scheduler 
> to take notice of the fact that resource availability has changed, and 
> allocate resources required for forthcoming recordings according to 
> latest availability.
>
> I note this would /not/ be optimal for your average channel-surfer, 
> because you'd trigger a reschedule every few seconds. Perhaps a timer 
> which delays a reschedule for perhaps 1 minute would suffice to ensure 
> that the user was actually watching the channel. i.e.
>
> LiveTV channel change --> start 1 minute timer
> Timer completes --> Force reschedule

This already happens.  However, tuner selection still occurs as 
configured--meaning you'll either get booted from LiveTV when the next 
recording starts or you'll "waste" a physical tuner by tuning a capture 
card to a mux that's already tuned by another card.  Either way, people 
complain.  :)

Mike



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