Non-broadcasting channels

[martint123]

The fix via xmltvgui (if that is the source) sounds like a good idea (it is the same frequency as it is a mux'd service, just the PIDs change. I think commercial freeview boxes display a teletext page if you try to view at an out of hours time.

[imilne]

This main risk is that'll you'll have a recording start prior to the channel coming on, ie starting the pre-padding a few minutes before the channel starts, and it'll get the wrong details passed to that recording.

Yes, that's always been a problem with the time shared channels, even with GBPVR. If you started a recording at 7pm (switch over time) it never worked. Luckily, there's never anything on at that time that we'd record.

I don't think what I'm proposing solves that problem anyway.

My plan is for NPVR's internal ChannelMapping objects to get changed so that the offair channels contain the details for whatever is onair, hence making Live TV always work. The database is only changed temporarily until the reload is done.

For recordings - as far as I can tell - the Scheduled_Recording table doesn't store the tuning data, so it must only read it when it's time to start the recording? Therefore, because the DB is still correct, it should be fine for making recordings (switch over time problem aside). As as long as the "fake" channel details are on the same multiplex as the actual channel, it shouldn't cause issues with tuner allocation either.

I know it's going to be fiddly, but at the end of the day it's for WAF points, and they're worth their weight in gold

[sub]

Yes, that's always been a problem with the time shared channels, even with GBPVR. If you started a recording at 7pm (switch over time) it never worked. Luckily, there's never anything on at that time that we'd record.

NPVR should be able to handle the situation where it starts recording a channel before its transmitting. When the channel later starts transmitting, then the recording will start writing data to disk. If the tuning information is wrong at that time, then that recording wont work though.

For recordings - as far as I can tell - the Scheduled_Recording table doesn't store the tuning data, so it must only read it when it's time to start the recording?

Its read from the database when the recording starts. So if a recording starts on BBC Three a few minutes before the switch over, then it'll use the tuning information that was in the database at that time.

[imilne]

The fix via xmltvgui (if that is the source) sounds like a good idea (it is the same frequency as it is a mux'd service, just the PIDs change. I think commercial freeview boxes display a teletext page if you try to view at an out of hours time.

I'm not sure I follow what the fix is. Do you mean merging the two channels into a single continuous one (as far as NPVR is concerned), showing say, CBeebies content during the day, and BBC Four content in the evenings?

From the database, the tuning information for them isn't the same though - the service IDs are different. I guess NPVR pays attention to that now, whereas GBPVR ignored it.

Code:

<tuning>
  <type>DVB-T</type>
  <locator>
    <frequency>786000</frequency>
    <bandwidth>8</bandwidth>
  </locator>
  <service_id>4544</service_id>
  <tsid>4220</tsid>
  <onid>9018</onid>
  <service_type>1</service_type>
</tuning>

<tuning>
  <type>DVB-T</type>
  <locator>
    <frequency>786000</frequency>
    <bandwidth>8</bandwidth>
  </locator>
  <service_id>4672</service_id>
  <tsid>4220</tsid>
  <onid>9018</onid>
  <service_type>1</service_type>
</tuning>

[imilne]

NPVR should be able to handle the situation where it starts recording a channel before its transmitting. When the channel later starts transmitting, then the recording will start writing data to disk. If the tuning information is wrong at that time, then that recording wont work though.

Its read from the database when the recording starts. So if a recording starts on BBC Three a few minutes before the switch over, then it'll use the tuning information that was in the database at that time.

One (or two) less things to worry about then. Thanks for the info sub.

Iain

[imilne]

Plugin done

It needs some more testing before I'm sure, but it seems to be behaving itself, and makes channel flicking a much nicer experience.

If anyone else wants it, just let me know. I'm not really sure if it's worth releasing it properly (on the wiki) or not. It was one of those little things that was annoying the hell out of me, but most people probably couldn't care less.

Iain