[mythtv-users] tuner priorities

[Tim Draper]

On 23 December 2011 17:50, David Engel <david at istwok.net> wrote:
> On Fri, Dec 23, 2011 at 12:25:10PM -0500, Michael T. Dean wrote:
>> On 12/23/2011 11:57 AM, David Engel wrote:
>> > On Thu, Dec 22, 2011 at 04:51:16PM -0500, Michael T. Dean wrote:
>> >> On 12/22/2011 04:34 PM, Tim Draper wrote:
>> >>> i have DVB-T, and DVB-S2 tuners in my BE.
>> >>> the DVB-T is fairly poor signal with intermittent blocking so my
>> >>> preference is to use the DVB-S2 tuners if at all possible.
>> >>>
>> >>> both the DVB-T and DVB-S2 have overlapping channels (eg: BBC One), and
>> >>> i have both inputs allowing all channels.
>> >>>
>> >>> i have set tuner priority of the DVB-T as -2. (DVB-S2 is 0)
>> >>> i have also enabled 'avoid conflicts' in the FE settings.
>> >>>
>> >>> when i watch liveTV, it will default to the DVB-T input, which is not
>> >>> desired behaviour.
>> >>> the DVB-T tuner should only be used when a channel is only available
>> >>> on the DVB-T source, OR both DVB-S2 inputs are inuse.
>> >>>
>> >>> i think i've asked this before (or atleast seen another thread), but i
>> >>> cant find the info anymore. in the past i've configured it so DVB-T
>> >>> only channels are available on that source, but i cant remember if
>> >>> this was for convenience, or a technical reason.
>> >>>
>> >>> can this be done?
>> >> Input priorities ("tuner" priorities) are evil--they tell MythTV what to
>> >> record, not where to record it, so they don't do what people expect they
>> >> do.  Also, priority /never/ has any effect on capture card/input chosen
>> >> for Live TV.
>> >>
>> >> Therefore, you probably shouldn't be using input priorities.  (Please
>> >> read all of http://www.mythtv.org/docs/mythtv-HOWTO-12.html for details
>> >> on how priorities work.)
>> >>
>> >> Instead, "Delete all capture cards" (won't affect channels--but will
>> >> reset everything so you can configure it correctly and without input
>> >> priorities), then re-create capture cards and re-connect inputs.
>> >>
>> >> Create capture cards in the opposite order you want them used for Live
>> >> TV and make sure you keep "Avoid conflicts..." enabled.  (So, sounds
>> >> like you want to create the DVB-S2 cards first, then DVB-T cards.)
>> >>
>> >> /Then/ connect inputs in the order you want them used for recordings.
>> >>
>> >> And note that the capture card order need not be the same as the input
>> >> order...
>> >>
>> >> And don't ever set any input priorities, again.
>> > I'm going to ignore the live TV issue for a moment.
>> >
>> > If I understand Tim correctly, his situation is the main reason input
>> > priorities exist.  He has an input which is less desirable than other
>> > inputs in all cases.  Even later showings on the other inputs are
>> > preferred over earlier showings on the undesired input.  Using a lower
>> > priority on the undesired input will accomplish that.
>>
>> Ah, OK, I misread his post, thinking he was saying he just wanted to
>> control which is used for Live TV.  And, yes, input priorities are a
>> good way to say, "I'd rather record this show later/possibly miss this
>> show than use this input."  (I even thought about adding a bit to say
>> they're only useful for bad tuners/signals, but left it out thinking it
>> would only confuse the issue.)
>>
>> > Now, back to live TV.  Live TV always been an after thought in MythTV
>> > and so it's configuration is pretty arcane.  The procedure Mike
>> > described above is the current way to have MythTV try to avoid
>> > conflicts on the good inputs when live TV is entered.  If you want
>> > live TV to use the best available card, you need to configure the
>> > tuner cards in the desired order instead of reverse order.
>>
>> And disable "Avoid conflicts..."
>
> Yes, Avoid conflicts would only be used to add the new values when
> upgrading the schema.  After that, only the values given by the user
> would be used.
>
> David
> --
> David Engel
> david at istwok.net

thanks for the info all.

> I'm taking off work next week and have been considering a small MythTV
> project or two to work on.  Providing more explicit control of input
> ordering for scheduling and live TV is one thing I've been
> considering.  Is there any interest in that?

live tv seems to be the issue. schedule recordings appear to work fine
and as desired using the preferred tuners.
as we've established above, if livetv tuner usage honoured the tuner
priority values like schedule recordings does, surely thats the way
forward? in other words, livetv should honour both rules, but use the
tuner priority values above avoid conflicts.

at the moment i've just disabled my DVB-T channels than are duplicates
of the DVB-S2 channels, and i'll get round to applying the changes
that Michael suggested sometime over Christmas.