[mythtv-users] How to properly configure identical but time shifted channels?

Yeechang Lee ylee at pobox.com
Fri Jul 9 22:15:52 UTC 2010


Shawn Asmussen <shawn.asmussen at gmail.com> says:
> What is the correct way to setup the callsigns for the channels in
> this case for proper scheduling to occur?

I use the same naming method myself, which originated from Tribune
Media, the owner of the data SchedulesDirect distributes. As you
yourself imply by tweaking the Syfy channels' callsigns, callsigns can
be anything you want. The scheduler only uses callsigns to know which
channels are exactly the same (say, the CBS HD channel that is
available both over-the-air and cable for me), and which aren't, so it
can intelligently allocate tuners as needed. That's it. They are not
used for getting schedule data from ScheduleDirect; you could give the
Syfy channels the callsigns FRED and GINGER but as long as their
XMLTVIDs are correct they will get the proper data.

> or is the mythtv scheduler actually capable of understanding the
> time offset of the channels, and would function better if I actually
> were to make the callsigns for 50 and 750 identical as well?

The scheduler is in fact capable of shifting a channel's schedule data
to accomodate time-zone differences; see mythtv-setup.

In this case, though, setting aside the Pacific/Eastern shift, the
channels aren't the same; one offers programs marked with the HD flag
and the other doesn't. Look at your lineup and you will see that the
two channels' XMLTVIDs--the codes that mythfilldatabase uses to match
MythTV's channels with those on SchedulesDirect--are different. This
holds for CNN and CNNHD, too. While nothing stops you from using the
same XMLTVID and callsign for the SD and HD versions of CNN, you run
the risk of a) the HD flag, or lack thereof, causing inaccurate
priority weightings and custom-recording rules, and b) the two
channels' lineups someday being genuinely different.

I never use SD channels if HD versions are available, so mark them as
not visible from within MythTV.

-- 
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Q: "Record HD cable/satellite?" A: Hauppauge HD-PVR, $200 @ Newegg
Q: "Can't change Live TV channels w/multirec!" A: Hit NEXTCARD key
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