[mythtv-users] Live TV playback frustration

Joseph Fry joe at thefrys.com
Sat Aug 25 08:12:42 UTC 2012


> Reserving a tuner is far less wasteful than recording two copies of the
>> same program...
>>
>
> How so?


Well... live tv, as it stands, uses a tuner AND records a second copy of
the same program when tuned to the same channel.  Simply reserving a tuner
and playing the recording would have the same impact on the tuners, just
removing the overhead of the recording.... true it's not much overhead, but
it is there.

Additionally, using a recording already in progress when tuning to one in
"live tv" mode would allow the user to rewind to a time prior to tuning
that channel... an awesome feature in my book.


>   additionally, it can potentially free that tuner for use in
>> the event that the system needs it (with appropriate prompting to the
>> user,
>> as livetv does now).
>>
>
> But the user should /tell/ MythTV that he's foregoing Live TV control of
> the tuner so that MythTV can plan for most efficient allocation of tuners.
>  You say it can ask when it needs the tuner, but when does it need the
> tuner?  If a one-hour recording starts in 10mins and there's another tuner
> free, then I presume you want MythTV to use that other tuner instead of the
> one that's already reserved just in case the guy who's watching a recording
> decides to channel surf or something.


But I don't think it's appropriate to reserve *a particular tuner*... the
only requirement I see is that a tuner capable of tuning the *currently
watched* channel be left free so that if the recording being watched ends,
it can start recording the next program so the user has an uninterrupted
"live tv" experience.


> A far simpler solution (IMHO, the only reasonable solution, all things
> considered) is to just ask the user to relinquish control of the tuner if
> she /really/ wants to watch the already-recorded version.  Then, everyone
> knows the plan, MythTV can again schedule tuner allocation efficiently, and
> no one is surprised at the results.
>

I disagree that this is the only reasonable solution... but it is certainly
the easiest to implement.

I believe that removing the notion of "Live TV" with a tuner dedicated to
the user, and treating all channel browsing as just another scheduled
recording, albeit a schedule that may change quite rapidly, would be just
as reasonable. It would work like this:

1. user selects watch tv
2. system schedules recording of the set channel for the next X hours using
a highly optimized scheduler for fast results (only need to look at the
next 12-24 hours, no rescheduling for later dates/times, etc).
3. system starts to record/playback
4. user changes channels
5. system deletes scheduled recordings, stops recording
6. system schedules the new channel to record the next X hours of shows on
the new channel.

Because the recordings are managed by the scheduler... the system can
adjust the tuner allocation the same way it does for any other scheduled
recordings (with some tweaking of some of the priorities and
rules regarding recording later showings).

Playback would simply be a playlist of recordings... if the user pauses
playback for an hour, they would still be able to play straight through
each recording as they catch up... same as they do now... even though the
system may have switched tuners several times to work around scheduled
recordings.

I actually think Live TV in its current form is the only way Live TV can
> exist--anything else isn't Live TV.
>

I disagree... if I am watching what is being broadcast, as it is being
broadcast, it's live in my book.  I just don't believe that the idea that a
user owns a tuner is a good one... and that ideology has already been
broken by the automatic tuner switching when browsing channels from
different sources... why shouldn't the system switch tuners at each channel
change, or when a show ends and the next starts, does it really matter?


> Oh, and as you see, there are already disagreements about what the
> definition of "The Right Thing" is, which makes it really hard to make
> MythTV just "Do The Right Thing"
>

Honestly, I am not complaining one bit about mythtv... but I do have a
vision of how it could be even better (for me), but if my vision is never
realized I'm still thrilled with what I have.  Thank you MythTV developers!
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