[mythtv] idea: channel groups

[Nigel Pearson]

	Hi Chris. Let me join in on your brainstorm!

1) Grouping of channels can be thought of as
    imposing a hiererchy on them, but is one
    level of hierarchy enough?

2) Navigating a list can be hard if it is long.
    Jumping between levels in a hierarchy can be
    hard in a different way. Easy in a GUI with
    a mouse, but harder with just a remote,
    especially if you don't want too show a menu
    (e.g. In LiveTV and you want a channel change)

3) We currently have "the list of setup channels",
    and favourites under that. It sounds like we need
    at least a "New Channels" group to be added soon?


	I also would like to be able to group channels,
but mainly from the point of view of better navigation.

a) I have been thinking of having up/down go between
    groups at the top level, and then left and right
    iterate through that group's items. e.g.:

Genre    Channel ID
Kids     1003, 1004, 1012, 1017
Comedy   1008, 1022, 1031, 1037, 1044, 1049, 1055
Drama    1002, 1018, 1026, 1039, 1040, 1041
Shopping 1007, 1009, 1010, 1011
News     1000, 1001, 1040
Shares   1006

If I am watching a comedy channel, "down" would go
to the first channel in the drama group, and then
to shopping, then the news, and then to shares.
(I suspect there is nowhere more depressing
  to go from there :-)

b) If I have any favorites set, changing group
    would start with my favorite in that group


	Of course, the problem with coding this up is
that it won't suit everyone - heck, it doesn't even
suit me. I actually want something like:

Network/ChannelID  Channel/PID
ABC/1003           SD/512, HD/2307
TCN/1001           SD/512, HD/577, Guide/619
NBN/1002           SD/513, HD/577, Guide/609
TEN/1004           SD/512, HD/514
SBS/1005           SD/161, HD/162, Guide/163

to cope with the weird Australian digital TV system.
(each current "channel" would be a group of DVB channels)

--
Nigel Pearson, nigel at ind.tansu.com.au|"Its not easy having a good time
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