[mythtv-users] Using MythTV without scheduling data (XMLTV or DataDirect), with a daily recurring recording schedule for known local channels.

[chris at cpr.homelinux.net]

On Fri, Jul 21, 2006 at 10:04:06AM -0700, Matt Harmon wrote:
> >>   The channels, start times and duration of the
> >>programming I would like to record are all known and
> >>could be provided as a "dummy" schedule. Or the data
> >>could be entered into the database manually.

In your situation I would run Myth without any Zap2It/XMLTV type 
service and enter all of the recording rules as "Manual" recording 
schedules using either a front-end or MythWeb.  You can schedule 
the manual recordings to run daily.  You pick the show title and 
Myth can fill in the subtitle with the date and time of the 
recording.  Set up autoexpire using either max-episodes per rule 
(record new, expire old) to keep the collection managable or else 
let them run wild and hope that the global auto-expire keeps you 
safe.

The only problem with manual rules is they don't account for 
schedule changes.  It would be much easier if you used Zap2It or 
XMLTV because then you could write a few power rules to catch all 
the news shows and Myth would track them if they moved.

Of course, if the evening news is delayed because of a baseball 
game or something then there's nothing you can do about it with 
*any* technology approach unless your cable signal includes dynamic 
listings.

>  Also, the D-VCR applications that I've seen
> so far are either text based on Linux (scheduling by
> cron - sadly, I'm the only IT guy around and I would
> prefer not be be stuck with scheduling requests)

Unlike a cron-based D-VCR, with Myth you could simply delegate the 
work of managing the recording schedules to the people who actually 
watch the shows.