[mythtv-users] LiveTV problem

[Mike Perkins]

On 21/11/11 15:48, Kris B. wrote:
> On Monday, November 21, 2011 3:31 PM, "Tim Draper"<veehexx at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>> what are you classing as a 'bad' channel?
>>
>> i have weak signal on some channels and it can sometimes result in
>> heavy blocking and audio glitching. i dont exhibit the issue the OP
>> reports.
>> however, i do have channels hidden from my tv listings, and there for
>> unable to tune into them
>>
>> i'm wondering if you need to hide the problematic channels, or if this
>> issue only presents itself under certain conditions on, what should
>> be, working channels.
>
> I am not the original poster, but I do get this problem as well, however
> it is rare (1 or 2 times a year).
>
> There is a channel that is local to me, but when it rains heavy just
> right, I will get severe blocking and only a partial lock.  However, it
> is the closest station to me (albeit off axis from my main antenna
> receive lobe), and has the best local news for me for storms and such.
> I can live with it not always being there, so I leave it on my regular
> listing, and since it is 95% signal most of the time, it isn't a real
> issue.  It is an NBC affiliate, but I get another NBC Affiliate without
> this issue from another market where the antenna is pointed.
>
> If I tune into that channel and lose the lock, myth will lockup and boot
> me out.  When I try to watch livetv again, since the channel won't lock,
> it fails and will kick me out again.  It doesn't even really give you a
> warning what is happening, all you get is a black screen.  Sometimes you
> don't even get kicked back to the main menu, you just get a black screen
> with no information, schedule guide info - or anything.  No matter what,
> I will be stuck in that loop.  Occasionally I can tune into another
> channel when the channel with the partial lock will slightly lock for a
> nanosecond, I can type another channel number in quickly and go about my
> business.  If not, then I have to go into mythsetup (not stopping the
> backend), reset the starting channel number on that card, and I am good
> to go.
>
> The fix, I guess, would be if there is no lock after 10-15 seconds, go
> up a full channel number and give a warning that previous channel failed
> to lock.
>
That solution works fine for LiveTV, but not so good if the system is attempting 
to record something...

Remember, LiveTV is just a specialized kind of recording anyway. Would you 
rather your scheduled recording be aborted and rescheduled, or would you rather 
have a recording of something random from an arbitrarily selected channel?

I think in these circumstances, an abort back to the menu should be the only 
response available. For LiveTV, a means for the user to pre-select the channel 
might be the way to then deal with this issue.

-- 

Mike Perkins