[mythtv] Default duplicate check method

[Michael T. Dean]

On 09/17/2007 12:49 PM, Stuart Morgan wrote:
> Subtitle then Description would work just as well in this case.
>
> I'd forgotten that "Subtitle then Description" was made the default when it 
> was introduced and that due to complaints it was switched back. I think the 
> decision to switch back was made too quickly (there is resistance to all 
> change). I'll accept that even though I think the method is superior, 
> convincing people of that might be difficult.
>
> It comes down to an argument over incorrect positive and negative matches. If 
> you have excess disk space and several tuners, then you might not mind 
> recording lots of duplicates if it means you never miss an episode. If you 
> are short on disk space or tuners you probably don't want to record any 
> duplicates, because you will lose recordings to the auto-expirer or 
> conflicts.
>
> I'm coming around to the idea that instead of changing the default, we could 
> just remember the preferred setting. My dilemma is that I dislike adding new 
> settings, IMHO there are already too many. We could instead just remember 
> the 'last used' setting as in most cases people won't be changing the method 
> that often.
>
> Otherwise, we just have to wait (again) until someone can figure out a better 
> solution.

Not to speak for Martin, but I think (and please correct me if I'm
wrong) he was talking about a sort of "Rule Groups" (to keep the
"Groups" terminology going ;), which--like Playback Groups--allows you
to specify a "group" of default recording rule settings with a name. 
With that approach, on creation of a new recording rule, one could
either specify individual settings for the rule (i.e. record on any
channel at any time with the Default recording profile at +5 priority
using subtitle then description duplicate matching in the whatever
Recording Group to be stored in the whatever Storage Group and starting
1 minute early and ending 1 minute late and ...) or could simply choose
the "default" or "Parents" or ... Rule Group (which automatically fills
in the values for all the individual recording rule settings and allows
"overriding" any settings through the normal UI).  So, the Rule Groups
work are kind of the MythTV recording rule equivalent of a browser's
"saved forms" functionality--it just pre-fills the form and allows
changes.  And, this approach doesn't create any new settings (users who
never create Rule Groups get one--the "default" group--which has the
same defaults as are used currently (possibly, though, changing the
default for dup matching :).

BTW, I'm not (yet) volunteering to write this code (as I have something
that's higher on my priority list to do for Myth), but in time I may do so.

Mike