[mythtv-users] Zap2it Labs: Temporary scale-back to 3 days of listings

[Jay R. Ashworth]

On Sat, Feb 11, 2006 at 12:08:21AM -0600, Zap2It-Labs wrote:
> > Tom: we've moved our download to 5 pm, in an attempt to avoid 
> > the networks screwing us on last minute primetime updates.
> > 
> > a) Is that actually a worthwhile strategy, and 
> > 
> > b) have you considered any sort of "just the changes, just for today"
> > sub-feed that might address that particular issue, without 
> > the even-worse load problems that would probably occur if 
> > *everyone* switched from 3am to 5pm?
> 
> We update the database once a day, so the time of day you download within
> the 24 hour span is immaterial.  You won't get anything new at 5:00 p.m.
> (just before primetime) as opposed to 5:00 a.m.

Hmmm.  I can see how, no matter what time of day that update actually
*is*, it could interact poorly with a) when people retrieve and b) when
networks update.  Cause, no, I don't think it actually *is* immaterial
when we download.  If it's *just before* you update, we lose an extra
day's currency.

> We have considered the "diff" model and recognize that it would drastically
> decrease the bandwidth consumed.  However, because of the degree of
> customization we offer, and because DataDirect is a very CPU-intensive
> application to begin with, the "diff" model is a tricky one to implement.
> Essentially, everyone would have a different diff.

True.

ISTM, though, that if you just rolled in the updates you might receive
whenever you get them, that would ameliorate that problem, somewhat:
people could set their retrieval to just before the daypart that
*they* are most interested in, and they'd know they're getting the most
accurate data *you* have.

> Speaking somewhat off-the-cuff, if we do make a real change to the technical
> approach of DataDirect, it would probably be to offer less customization and
> allow us to do more caching.  This would cut down on CPU utilization (or
> allow us to "pre-calculate"), rather than doing expensive diff-type
> calculations for every user.

Hmmm.  Is there discussion going on in detail, anywhere, on this topic?

And for what it's worth (just so my position is clear), you guys *rock*
for doing this at all (much less for free).  :-)  I'd just like to help
all involved to make it work even better on both sides.

Cheers,
-- jra
-- 
Jay R. Ashworth                                                jra at baylink.com
Designer                          Baylink                             RFC 2100
Ashworth & Associates        The Things I Think                        '87 e24
St Petersburg FL USA      http://baylink.pitas.com             +1 727 647 1274

	A: No.
	Q: Should I include quotations after my message body?