Problem with Pausing live TV for extended period of time

[sub]

I've done some testing and can understand what is happening. I'm still trying to decide the best way to handle it (since it'll require multiple files to change, so not just an easy updated dll)

[Lao Pan]

Admittedly there is only about 2 people that used EPG-based timeshifting, so it gets very little testing. It used to work when it was originally implemented, but absolutely could have broken somewhere along the way since then (when implementing some other change).

I have a suspicion this will only happen with recordings of the first file in EPG-based timeshifting session.

I have used EPG based timeshifting since it became available, For some time now there have been a few hiccoughs, although not using it often, I had forgotten about them.
Problems include pressing the record button after a program has started and continuing to watch the same channel - when the next program starts, the recording gets deleted. Also I think while watching in time shift the program stops at the scheduled end time, not the end of the show.

[eastavin]

I think I can see what is happening. Can you try with 'use legacy NPVR TSReader and Microsoft Demultiplexer' ticked on the Settings->Decoders screen to see if it makes a difference?

Ok I will try it out this coming weekend.

[sub]

Ok I will try it out this coming weekend.

I don't think that'll help. I know what is happening though - just got to find the best way to fix it.

[eastavin]

I think I can see what is happening. Can you try with 'use legacy NPVR TSReader and Microsoft Demultiplexer' ticked on the Settings->Decoders screen to see if it makes a difference?

Ok my weekend came early I tried time shifting with EPG mode both with and and without the legacy npvr trsreader & MS demux. With this legacy reader the EPG timeshift fails completely just as it did before. No evidence that I even pushed CTRL K. Without the legacy reader it "mostly" works properly.

I was pleasantly surprised to see the EPG mode of timeshifting actually record a complete show in the default mode of unticked legacy tsreader/demux provided I did not mess with it while it was recording. So call that a Success.

Where it failed was in the unlikely event a trouble maker like me starts the CTRL K recording then after a few minutes goes to cancel it but then a few minutes later changes his mind.

To do this I go the TV GUIDE, find the red recording show, select it and then choose CANCEL and leave the LIVE TV stream going. In the background it stops recording and then successfully deposits what was recorded into the filing system for me to watch later. This part is perfect and expected.

SO what fails? Well lets say my wife says … drat I wanted that show recorded honey... so being on the LIVE TV I hit CTRL K a second time.. the screen says RECORDING a second time in the top right but after the show is over there is only the original segment from the above paragraph in the buffer. There is no evidence in any of the RECORDINGS windows that I actually tried to record the show a second time.

This is not a big deal.. as I am sure this scenario would not happen too often... I suppose a fix for it would be to do something to at least pop up a correct message... like "you cant ask EPG to record the same show a further time after you cancelled the first EPG attempt to record it. Unsupported."... rather than displaying RECORDING.

Hope I helped.

Edward

[sub]

Leave the legacy reader turned off.

I know what is going wrong with recording in EPG mode. I'll have to provide the fix as part of the next release, since I have to change several files to make this change. In the meantime, you're best to leave it set to 'time based'.

[mvallevand]

Sub, does this impact Kodi (other than Kodi support may have broken it)? It is working well for me.

@Edward not sure your test is correct, I think in Kodi testing one of the testers tried your scenario. Basically there is no extra recording file created, it is just a flag that gets turned on and off indicating whether we keep the EPG buffer or not. So if you turn it on then off then on again the show will be saved from the beginning.

Martin

[sub]

Sub, does this impact Kodi (other than Kodi support may have broken it)? It is working well for me.

I don't think it effects Kodi, but I haven't tested it there.

[eastavin]

Sub, does this impact Kodi (other than Kodi support may have broken it)? It is working well for me.

@Edward not sure your test is correct, I think in Kodi testing one of the testers tried your scenario. Basically there is no extra recording file created, it is just a flag that gets turned on and off indicating whether we keep the EPG buffer or not. So if you turn it on then off then on again the show will be saved from the beginning.

Martin

I am using NPVR standalone (no Kodi). In my test of EPG mode if you only hit control K once during a show it amazingly appears as far as I can tell to get saved correctly from start to finish as per the TV Guide (which in my case is free zap2xml). No problem (caveat I did not test anything over 1 hour). File is there to prove it in the designated LiveTV buffer directory.

However if you cancel the recording and then attempt to reestablish it... it tells you its recording but then does not save anything further to watch. (This is what was happening last year with the older software when I first hilited the issue on the first attempt with ctrl K. never mind any 2nd attempt.)

It was the only issue I could come up with in the "no kodi" mode. So I was pleasantly surprised that EPG mode in standalone NPVR mode seems "mostly" ok. I don't know what else could wrong at this point if anything... other than the fact sub says something is. I can take his word for it.

I also tested the legacy reader only in my stand alone mode because sub asked for it in a message above and I was curious. I expected it would fail like it did a year ago or so and it did. I have no use for the legacy reader now that npvr is modernized so not a big deal for me.

If you are using Kodi with NPVR your experience may be different. So your reporting what you see is helpful.

Edward

[eastavin]

Oddly the standalone EPG mode recording has stopped working. It still shows "recording" when you hit ctrl K but nothing gets saved to watch afterwards. So I have returned the setting to timebased as you recommended Sub.