[mythtv-users] Enabling multirec borks usability a bit.

[Simon Hobson]

mugginz wrote:

>The original behavior could always left in and presented as an option for
>those who do not wish to have the new functionality.

Therein lies the route to code bloat - and all the additional 
complexity and testing/debugging issues that go with it. Not long ago 
the devs sounded out the list regarding the removal of a large number 
of config options for just that reason.

mugginz wrote:

>So buy a PVR for LiveTV and use MythTV for recording?
>
>I guess it has a certain logic.  It's probably the most robust work around yet
>suggested, though a little expensive.

Assuming a PVR can get all the channels people want to watch.

It's easy to lose sight of what other people want/have. I think you 
are in the same situation as me, a small set of DVB-T muxes with 
multi-rec available. Don't forget that some people have a combination 
of services - a mix of terrestrial (digital and/or analogue), cable 
(digital or analogue, clear or encrypted, directly receivable or 
requiring an adapter box), satellite (similar to cable).

So it's perfectly feasible for someone to have channels from two, 
three, even four different types of sources - so it makes sense to 
load all your tuner/receiver options into one Myth system and watch 
them through that. Now we've gone digital, mother has finally been 
forced to learn that she must pick up the grey digibox remote to 
switch channels, not the black one which is now only used to adjust 
volume - and we've only have the box several years ! Being able to 
watch any channel with one remote/user interface is a huge advantage 
for this sort of person.


Now, back to the original issue. I suspect the code originated when 
TV was mostly a case of "one or more analogue tuners/encoders all on 
the same sources and with only one channel available from a tuner at 
one time". In that case, needing a free card to channel hop makes 
sense, and trying to piggyback off an already tuned card does not.
And now that most of the key developers are happy with recorded mode, 
I can fully understand them not wanting to spend time revisiting a 
function they don't use.

Whatever new functionality someone comes up with, it's got to cater 
for a wide variety of setups. At one extreme, those of us with just 
DVB-T might have one tuner per mux and multi-rec. At the other 
extreme, someone might well have some analogue capture cards hooked 
up to cable adapters (no multirec), plus some digital cable, and 
satellite. It may well be that some channels are available from more 
than one source - for example, here in the UK, **most** of the 
channels on Freeview (DVB-T) are also on freesat (DVB-S), but there 
are differences with some channels only available on one or the other.

To me, the logical way of handling it would be to make input/tuner 
switching automatic - ie you just have a list of channels, and the 
system will take care of finding an input for each when you want to 
watch it. If you have multirec, then prefer an input that's already 
tuned to the right mux, otherwise find another input that's capable 
of receiving that channel. If there isn't an input available, then 
show something along the lines of "channel not available, input(s) in 
use".
As Scottie would say, "yer cannae defy the laws of physics" - if you 
run out of inputs/tuners, then you can't do everything you want.

If a recording starts that means the channel can no longer be 
displayed, then tell the user before showing the "not available" 
message. That's almost what the PVR downstairs does - it puts up a 
message that a recording is about to start, and then if there is a 
recording already using the other tuner, you find yourself watching 
the channel being used for the last recording to start.
It's not that big a deal to be honest.

Alternatively, allow the admin to select Live TV priority in which 
case the recording doesn't happen - and if it's not recordable by 
resheduling, then tough; add another tuner, re-assess your personal 
priorities, or just live with it.

-- 
Simon Hobson

Visit http://www.magpiesnestpublishing.co.uk/ for books by acclaimed
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