[mythtv-users] Minimum recording time or proper start time?

Bruce Markey bjm at lvcm.com
Tue Jan 2 21:16:32 UTC 2007


Mark J. Scheller wrote:
> Is there a way with MythTV (running 0.20 from atrpms) to only schedule 
> recordings over a certain length or perhaps starting at 'normal times'?  
> I have found that some of the children's programming my 2 year old loves 
> so much to watch over and over and over again are coming up with a 
> duration of only 5 minutes based on the download from zap2it.  Watching 
> some of these 5 minute recordings have shown that they are actually a 
> chunk out of the middle of an actual program.
> 
> For now, we have gone through the list of upcoming recordings and 
> selected 'Don't Record' for any of these programs that don't start on an 
> hour or half hour and this seems to be working.... but I'd like to 
> automate this process and not even schedule these snippets if possible.  
> Either '30 minute minimum' or 'start at :00 or :30 only' kind of 
> scheduling rule is what would help.

Both can be done. Pretty much anything is possible with Custom
Record rules.

http://www.mythtv.org/docs/mythtv-HOWTO-12.html#ss12.5

I'm using "Dirt" for testing because it is on tonight, has
showings that are and are not over an hour and do and do not
start on the hour.

mysql> select starttime,endtime,title,subtitle from program where title = 'Dirt' order by starttime;
+---------------------+---------------------+-------+----------+
| starttime           | endtime             | title | subtitle |
+---------------------+---------------------+-------+----------+
| 2007-01-02 22:00:00 | 2007-01-02 23:02:00 | Dirt  | Pilot    |
| 2007-01-02 23:02:00 | 2007-01-03 00:04:00 | Dirt  | Pilot    |
| 2007-01-03 01:04:00 | 2007-01-03 02:06:00 | Dirt  | Pilot    |
| 2007-01-05 23:00:00 | 2007-01-06 00:02:00 | Dirt  | Pilot    |
| 2007-01-07 22:00:00 | 2007-01-07 23:02:00 | Dirt  | Pilot    |
| 2007-01-09 22:00:00 | 2007-01-09 23:04:00 | Dirt  | Blogan   |
| 2007-01-09 23:04:00 | 2007-01-10 00:07:00 | Dirt  | Blogan   |
| 2007-01-10 01:07:00 | 2007-01-10 02:10:00 | Dirt  | Blogan   |
| 2007-01-12 23:00:00 | 2007-01-13 00:00:00 | Dirt  | Blogan   |
| 2007-01-14 22:00:00 | 2007-01-14 23:00:00 | Dirt  | Blogan   |
+---------------------+---------------------+-------+----------+

First, I want to find episode where the end time minus sixty
minutes is still more than the starttime:

Rule Name: Dirt over 60

program.title = 'Dirt'
AND program.starttime <
    DATE_SUB(program.endtime, INTERVAL 60 MINUTE)

This does not match the last two showings which are exactly
one hour and don't qualify.

For you, you need a start time less than or equal to the end
minus thirty. You may want to use this several times. I'd
suggest making a "Stored example" so you can add it to the list
of examples and just click to add it again and again. Enter this
on the custom page:

Rule Name: 30 minute minimum

program.starttime <=
    DATE_SUB(program.endtime, INTERVAL 30 MINUTE)

Click the "Store" button then 'Store "30 minute minimum"'.
This will now be the last item in the list of pre-set examples.
So now let's say you want to record "Clifford the Big Red Dog"
when it is at least 30 minutes.

- Find it in the listings and press "E"dit. This will bring up the
custom editor with "Clifford the Big Red Dog" already filled in.

- Press the left arrow to find "30 minute minimum (stored example)"
then click "Add this example clause".

- Click "Test" to verify that it matches the right showings then
ESC to get back to the custom page.

- Click "Record" to see the recording options page and set your
options just like any other rule.


The other approach you asked about was showings that start on
the hour and half hour. You can make this a reusable example
clause too:

Rule Name: On half hours

(MINUTE(program.starttime) = 0
     OR MINUTE(program.starttime) = 30)

Again, click "Store" to add this to your list so you can simply
click to use this in the future.

Hope this helps,

--  bjm




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