[mythtv] RFC on proposed scheduler patch re: hdtv dups

[David Shay]

On 7/28/07, Bruce Markey <bjm at lvcm.com> wrote:
> David Shay wrote:
> > On 7/28/07, Bruce Markey <bjm at lvcm.com> wrote:
> >> David Shay wrote:
> >>> I would like some quick comments on acceptability and/or direction
> >>> before I go much further with some code work.
> >>>
> >>> I would like to add an additional check into the scheduler so that it
> >>> would consider the hdtv flag.  Basically, I would like to be able to
> >>> record both the standard-def and high-def versions of a program and
> >>> not have them considered dups.  Yes, I know you can transcode them
> >>> down, but if you have enough tuners, why not record both, and the
> >>> networks have already done the appropriate pan/scan and format
> >>> conversion for you...
> >>>
> >>> Anyway, here were the basic thoughts:
> >>>
> >>> * Add an additional flag to the scheduled recording class for duphdtv,
> >>> add options on recording screen for ignore hdtv/quality or consider
> >>> hdtv/quality.
> >>> * Add hdtv flag to oldrecorded table.  Set existing entries to null in
> >>> dbcheck.cpp
> >>> * Add logic in scheduler.cpp to do additional checks based on duphdtv setting
> >> The idea of allowing the user to choose to record an alternate
> >> backup version of the same episode is a good idea but enforcing
> >> HDTV as the exclusive criteria for this is limiting. The desire
> >> to have an alternate recording is not exclusive to HDTV and what
> >> you describe sounds as if it would enforce duplicate recording
> >> for ever HDTV show.
> >
> > What other duplicate desires are out there? I'm not sure I understand
> > the desire for duplicates by sourceid.  I'm sure there's a good
> > reason, but I can't remember coming across it on the lists.  If there
> > is some way to make it more general, I could do that.
>
> In Europe the same issue would exist but with DVB and terrestrial.
> Real world for me is that I receive my local CBS affiliate on ch 8
> and digital cable 128. I record "Big Brother 8" from the set top
> box on 128 but I've also added manual rules to record the same
> time slots for ch 8 on a coax input on a different host. Here my
> interest in more in having a backup in case the STB freezes or the
> host or mythbackend fails.
>
> The point is that I understand that you are thinking of wanting to
> do this for your hdtv shows but the program.hdtv flag is not filled
> in for the rest of the world, may not always be correct (known) may
> or may not be available or have the same meaning in the future and
> may not be the true distinction that someone else needs. Therefore,
> I think a more generic solution would better in the long run.
>
> Without getting too hung up on implementation details, if you were
> going to make a distinction on whether or not the hdtv flag is set,
> instead make the distinction whether or not the sourceid is the same.
> The HD version should 'win' on input order, input preference, HDTV
> preference, etc then allow one other showing from another sourceid
> to record.
>
> You can drop the part of my suggestion of chanid if only one source
> but the question remains of what happens if there is only one showing
> of the episode on one (sourceid|hdtv state)? Does it not double
> record or does it make a second recording on any available input
> even if it is the same source/chanid.
>
> --  bjm
>

The sourceid thing could work if the duplicates are on at the same
time, which is one of the cases I was trying to solve for.  There is
another case, however, that I also wanted to solve for.  Take, for
instance, a Discovery Channel series such as "Miracle Planet" or
"Planet Earth".  These *don't* air at the same time in their HDTV and
SDTV versions.  Ultimately, over time, they air repeats of all of
them, and I would like to have once copy of both versions, without
dups.

That's why I was thinking of saving the format/hdtv flag in
oldrecorded and using it as a part of dup detection.  If you tried to
do that with source ID, that would not seem right.  SourceIDs change
over time as you uninstall/reinstall/reactivate cards, etc.

In terms of your last question, for my original purposes, I was not
thinking that it would record additional copies of the same format,
since that would be considered a "real" duplicate then.  When you try
to extend this to these other use cases, however, that becomes
murkier.