Can't record adjacent programs

[jrothlis]

Example:

Wednesday nights, Simpsons @ 7:30, Malcolm in the Middle @ 8:00. If I tell GB-PVR to record The Simpsons, I then can't get it to record Malcolm; even though it lets me go through the motions, the space for Malcolm doesn't turn red, and if I go into the recordings section, Malcolm is not scheduled.

This only occurs if I select "Record Season (all episodes in this timeslot, this channel)".

If I select "Record Season (all episodes on this channel)" then it does work.

Also, I have a question: you know how you can specify pre and post-padding for a recording? What if I want to record say from 7:30 to 8:00 on TV2 and then from 8:00 to 8:30 on TV3? What will happen with the second recording? Will it remove the post-padding from the first recording and the pre-padding from the second (i.e. so the switch occurs exactly on the hour)? Or will it Record on TV2 until 8:02 (assuming I gave it 2 minutes of post-padding) and then switch to TV3?

Cheers!

[sub]

I'll have to try this myself tonight.

On the pre/post padding: GB-PVR will try to obey any pre/post padding as long as it wont conflict with any other scheduled recording. For the two adjacent programs you describe above, with two minutes pre and post padding, the first recording will start at 7:28 and finish dead on 8:00 (no padding, it would conflict with another recording). The second recording would record from 8:00 to 8:32. I hope that answers you question?

[jrothlis]

Excellent! That's what I was hoping was the case (re. the pre and post padding).

[Peter K]

I usually find it easier to just set up a manual recording that spans the appropriate time and just split up the MPEG file later. (which I usually do anyway to remove commercials)

Although it's nice that GB-PVR handles this kind of situation quite well, the problem is that some broadcasters are notorious for not starting and ending their programs right on time this creating the need for pre and post padding in the first place.

On the other hand, if you're not recording something you want to keep, then I guess it's not critical if you miss the first few seconds of a program so knowing how the software behaves in this case is definitely a good thing.

Cheers,
     --Peter

[jrothlis]

Peter, I agree that setting up a manual recording is a possibility. However, as a PVR newbie I find the ability to record a programme with a couple of clicks quite intoxicating -- it is just so effortless! I have found myself recording stuff that I would never be bothered recording before. And watching is better, since the ad skipping is so much quicker than on a VCR.

Question about editing the MPEG files: what software do you use? And how long does it take you to edit say a one hour program to remove all the ads?

Cheers,


--John

[Peter K]

I use Womble MPEG-VCR. (http://www.womble.com)

It has a fairly straight-forward interface and lets you even go frame-by-frame with the keyboard.  There are other programs that can do this sort of thing as well.  A similar program comes bundled with the PVR 250/350 but I prefer Womble.

--Peter

[bitter_old_man]

My favorite editor is VideoReDo.

VideoReDo

Like Womble, it's very fast. If you cut on I-frames, no re-encoding is necessary. If you do frame accurate cuts, on a few frames are re-encoded at the cut point.

The keyboard can be set up so that navigation is quite easy without ever using the mouse. I have mine set up so that the cursor keys move 1 frame, shifted cursor keys move to the next I-frame, CTRL+cursor is move 1 second, and CTRL+SHIFT+cursor is move 10 seconds. This is all configurable.

If you record from VHS, VideoReDo is the only editor that I (and others) have found that will produce files for a DVD with the audio and video in sync.

It's also cheaper than Womble and the support is unbeatable.

Its the best $50 that I ever spent on software.

A very satisfied customer,

Barry

[Peter K]

I will have to have a look at videoReDo. Thanks for the lead on what looks like an excellent program.

The specs look very interesting and the multitide of configuration options make this program not only powerful, but I can rationalize keystrokes between this and Vegas which I use for DV editing.

I'll have to download a demo and give it a test try.

--Peter

[sub]

Quote[/b] ]Wednesday nights, Simpsons @ 7:30, Malcolm in the Middle @ 8:00. If I tell GB-PVR to record The Simpsons, I then can't get it to record Malcolm; even though it lets me go through the motions, the space for Malcolm doesn't turn red, and if I go into the recordings section, Malcolm is not scheduled.

I've fixed this now for the next release.

[jrothlis]

Excellent! =)