make EPG based recording schedule updates optional

[guma]

A suggestion regarding the way recording scheduling is handled:
Make automatic recording schedule updates based on EPG data optional. (Either as a general or a per recording setting).

Reasons:

(1) Automatic EPG based recording schedule updates are catering mainly to a use case where the hardware allows for multiple parallel recordings. As soon as multiple parallel recordings are not possible, the automatic updates result in all sorts of unresolvable conflicts and, more importantly, in a fairly unpredictable recording behavior unless some fancy conflict handling management is introduced.

(2) EGP updates may result in 'no show details'. If this happens to a slot the user scheduled for recording, the recording is canceled. This problem cannot be solved by introducing recording conflict management.

From my point of view the main issue here is not the lack of conflict handling management but the lack of predictable behavior when it comes to 'dynamically' scheduled recordings. As currently implemented, NPNV recording scheduling is designed for a use case that assumes (1) perfectly reliable EPG data and (2) multi-recording capable hardware. While this use case certainly is a valid one, I would suggest to make the software more robust by taking into account less 'happy' use cases too.

Seeing that a 'manual recording' schedule mode is already implemented and that this works completely independent from EPG data, the option to create a statically scheduled recording from the TV Guide should be easy to implement by just pre-filling the manual recording form with EPG data (once, when the recording is set up) and treating the recording as a 'manual recording' afterwards.


P.S.
It would be nice to have a documentation of the recording (scheduling) behavior in the WIKI:
- automatic updates based on EPG
- what happens in case of recording schedule conflicts?
- how is padding treated when scheduling conflicts occur?
Unless I missed something, there is currently no way to find out about these things other than experimenting with settings and/or consulting this forum.

[mvallevand]

If you are comfortable with editing sqlite tables (I know that is a big if) you can convert an EPG recording to a manual in a few clicks so this is probably a change to the update function that sub could do.

I do have accurate guide date, so often that I have been begging the option to have no padding but to have add 5 seconds for me tuner to tune.

As for the wiki, get an author account and update it as you find out more.

Martin

[guma]

If you are comfortable with editing sqlite tables (I know that is a big if) you can convert an EPG recording to a manual in a few clicks so this is probably a change to the update function that sub could do.

Most of my job is SQL programming, so I had a quick look at the database.
Unfortunately this database is set up in a rather non-textbook fashion. There is no explicit property for recording types (as in: manually vs. program guide based scheduled). The software just assumes that recordings with an empty scheduled_recording.[event details] field are manually set up recordings. Thus you can't get the software to permanently treat all (newly) scheduled recordings as manually scheduled by 'fixing' something in the database. A permanent fix would have to be introduced in the code itself. Emptying the event_details field is trivial and works but offers no ergonomic advantage compared to just setting up a manual recording from the GUI.

As for the wiki, get an author account and update it as you find out more.

The problem is that without having access to the code you can only speculate how the software behaves and, to be honest, I have neither the hardware nor any intention to spend too much time trying to figure out how the program behaves in certain use cases. Documentation should come from the developers themselves.

Seeing that this is freeware please note that I'm not complaining here. This is the wishlist sub forum ....

[mvallevand]

Most of my job is SQL programming, so I had a quick look at the database.

The XML fiels are definitely something that only sub appreciates, but you can work with them. You should be looking at the recurring recording table, and all you have to do is edit hour the EPGTitle block and the next time through I think they will be manual.

Code:

<Rules>
  [b]<EPGTitle>The Americans</EPGTitle>[/b]
  <ChannelOID>7955</ChannelOID>
  <ChannelName>FXCHD</ChannelName>
  <StartTime>2013-02-28T03:00:00.0000000Z</StartTime>
  <EndTime>2013-02-28T04:00:00.0000000Z</EndTime>
  <PrePadding>2</PrePadding>
  <PostPadding>1</PostPadding>
  <Quality>0</Quality>
  <Keep>0</Keep>
</Rules>

Martin