[mythtv-users] An idea for detecting changes in digital cable channel map

[Kevin Kuphal]

Mark J. Small wrote:
> Hi everybody,
>
> I've got an Aver A180 that I've been thinking of installing, but I've been 
> scared off by the possibility of my cable provider changing frequencies on me 
> without any notice.  After a couple of years with almost no changes, my 
> provider has been on a bit of a channel adding spree lately.   Every time a 
> couple of new digital channels are added, some of the existing ones change 
> frequency.
>
>  I'm a little worried that I will miss recordings if I rely on a digital card 
> to record some of my favourite shows.  
>
> What I'm suggesting is this:
>
> Once a day, or maybe an hour before the first QAM-based recording of that day, 
> mythtv will scan for channels and check to see if the number of available 
> channels on each frequency has changed.
>
> If it stays the same, then the digital tuner card stays as highest priority 
> device.  
>
> If it has changed, then the digital tuner card becomes the lowest priority 
> device.  Analog cards hooked up to cable boxes  would do most of the 
> recording.
>
> After the channel editor is run (somebody manually checks to see if something 
> has changed) the digital card becomes highest priority device.
>
> I imagine that some folks think that I am a little paranoid about channels 
> changing frequency, but my cable company tends to add channels a few days 
> before announcing them, and missing recordings would totally kill my WAF.
>   
Why not just use the existing scan tools to scan for channels, output a 
channels.conf and diff that with a baseline channels.conf and email you 
if changes happen.   It is probably error prone to try to have Myth do 
anything automated to fix and this simple script gives you the 
notification you want.

Kevin