Specification for an ideal PVR

[ACTCMS]

Having started off down the Yellow Brick HTPC road a couple of months ago and being the type of person who needs to know the internal workings of any technology with which I am tampering (some say 'inquiring mind', some say 'obsessive/compulsive', while others just shake their heads and say 'sad %@$!@() ' )... anyway while browsing around on things DVB-T I found on Wikipedia this bit on Freeview Playback Receivers AKA PVRs designed to be used with UK DVB-T (I've got one of those BTW... it's called gbpvr, appropriately configured of course)... anyway, the bit I came across was (at 26 June 2007):

Features
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[SIZE=1]This article has been tagged since April 2007.[/SIZE]

All Freeview Playback receivers are required to include the following features:-
It is understood that receivers are required to include the following features, although this has yet to be officially confirmed.

• 8 Day Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) instantly available from start up. There will be no need to wait for the receiver to download EPG from the signal)
  
• Series Link (one timer to record whole series)
  
• Record split programmes as one programme
  
• Offer to record related programme
  
• Record alternative showing if there is a time conflict
  
• Schedule changes updated in standby (e.g. scheduled recording starting early)
  
• Accurate recording (e.g. setting a timer for a program will record the program regardless of when it starts, not what happens to be on between 20:00 - 20:30)

Now...[INDENT]depending on the accuracy of the quoted article,[/INDENT][INDENT]and bearing in mind that it is focused on recording and playback of program content (rather than live TV),[/INDENT]...there may be clues as to how the broadcasting industry (certainly in the UK) view the future of EPG delivery (the current Zap2it problem shows the importance of this issue)

Anyway, any opinions? (I think I may have spotted one feature which is unlikely [at this time anyway] to be technically possible as well as one which looks like we've found the holy grail)

If anyone does feel that they want to comment though, please first be clear about the status of the quoted Wikipedia article...

This article needs additional references or sources for verification.

gbpvr rules!

[sub]

Sorry, but what is the question?

[ACTCMS]

Sorry if post was inappropriate but I suspect that most UK recent newcomers to HTPC (probably DVB-T users) are currently not affected by the Zap2it issue because we use the DVB-T EPG (after all, it's so easy to setup) and we (cited users) need to be aware of EPG problems in the more general sense. I just hoped that the post might stimulate more users like me to think about the issue,

please feel free to remove any post I have made - absolutely no criticism about gbpvr or it's author(s) or any plugin developers or any aspect of the forum or it's moderators (and anybody I might have left out)

so, no question as such - just hoped that a few UK gbpvr users might consider looking at some of the sites I have looked at... and consider some of the issues

[sub]

I didnt take it as criticism - I just couldnt work out if you were trying to ask a specific question?

I think the requirements listed above are a subset of those a set top box manufacturers needs to meet if they want to be certified, and in turn get the ok to put the 'freeview' logo on the front of their device. These specific features are probably only of interest to those manufacturers who want to show the logo - lots of set top box manufactures will provide different sets of features those listed.

[ACTCMS]

I think the requirements listed above are a subset of those a set top box manufacturers needs to meet if they want to be certified, and in turn get the ok to put the 'freeview' logo on the front of their device. These specific features are probably only of interest to those manufacturers who want to show the logo.

Indeed, but the fact that most of the features refer to EPG provision and usage surely affects all of us since the EPG provision will surely be targeted at and specified to those manufacturers?

[sub]

The DVB standard fully covers the carrying this listing information. In GB-PVR you can use the DVB EPG option to get these listings, though admittedly its not 100% with the UK flavor of DVB, so you'll end up with some gaps.

The UK Freeview system did a good thing by deciding to transmit a week or so of listings (though I think some of the freeview broadcasters after only doing three days?). A lot of other DVB systems, particularly satellite ones, only carry the now/next show info instead of the full info Freeview decided to provide. I dont think you UK guys will ever have problems with lack of listings.

[ACTCMS]

The DVB standard fully covers the carrying this listing information. In GB-PVR you can use the DVB EPG option to get these listings, though admittedly its not 100% with the UK flavor of DVB, so you'll end up with some gaps.

The UK Freeview system did a good think by deciding to transmit a week or so of listings (though I think some of the freeview broadcasters after only doing three days?). A lot of other DVB systems, particularly satellite ones, only carry the now/next show info instead of the full info Freeview decided to provide.

I've done a bit of research on the (UK version of the) DVB-T standard and as I understand it all the broadcaster available listings are transmitted on each mux and that the restriction to next/now as apposed to 7 (or whatever days) are down to the STB manufacturers. I use gbpvr's DVB-T EPG facility for my test HTPVR (nothing in production yet) and I also use XMLTV and TVGuide to 'search for content' and I don't see a lot of differences in data (apart from the occasional gaps you mention)