explicitly specified padding not honored

[johnsonx42]

I'm in trouble with the wife again over GB-PVR. I scheduled it to record the Oscars, and also added a 30-minute end pad to the recording since the Oscars always run long. I told it to cancel the shows that it said were in conflict, and figured all was well. Of course, the show went long and GB-PVR did not honor my padding request, so she missed the end of the show. Immediately after the show's scheduled end time, there was a recurring recording scheduled; so it recorded a re-run of the Simpsons at 8:30 rather than finish recording the Oscars (my other tuner was already in use).

This is an error in the scheduling logic. Padding explicitly specified in a one-off recording should be hard padding; it should take precedence over all other scheduling concerns. I shouldn't have to try to out-think the scheduler to get my program recorded.

[bethanyrayne]

As far as I know it will only honour padding if no other show is scheduled to be recorded on that tuner, as it will treat another programme as priority over padding, as it should.

It's a computer and you have given it two tasks with but one resource. it can't be expected to think let alone out think your intentions or priorities.

[martint123]

I think it has the priority the right way - i.e. record the shows that you wanted it to record - padding is only there if nothing else gets in the way.

In circumstances like yours, I usually ask it to record the following program, then if there are any conflicts they show up.

Or, make it a manual recording with the start and end times of your choosing.,

[johnsonx42]

My point here is that if I schedule a single recording, and explicitly ask for padding, what else could I possibly mean except that I want the recording padded? I'm not making a polite suggestion, that maybe it kinda could pad the show a little if it has nothing else to do and is feeling ok about it, I'm telling the thing I want the extra recording time, period.

[sub]

Its always been that way - padding is concidered 'nice to have, but optional'. It'll try its best to make sure that padding is added to the recording, but it wont do it at the expense of another recording.

If you've really want it to record from time X - Y, your can use a manual recording since this doesnt use padding.

[speising]

maybe the padding time could be considered in calculating the conflicts when entering a recording? so the user would instantly see if padding and scheduled recordings overlap and had the option to cancel them.

[johnsonx42]

I suppose I should have made this a wishlist thread, since I do realize I'm asking for it to do something different than it does now.

Padding would be a much more useful feature if GB-PVR had a concept of both 'soft' and 'hard' padding. Global padding specified in Config should be soft, any other padding specified in a scheduled recording should be hard padding.

[Etacovda]

Ive had many battles with this myself, and i can tell you that if you ABSOLUTELY have to see the whole show regardless, a manual recording is the best way to do this. WAF went up 3 fold when i started using a manual recording for her 'must watch' show.

[stustunz]

multirecord no more padding issues
although if i had sky pay tv then that would be back to padding issues

[Deev8]

My point here is that if I schedule a single recording, and explicitly ask for padding, what else could I possibly mean except that I want the recording padded?

But the problem is you have also explicitly asked that The Simpsons be recorded on a recurring basis, and GB-PVR can't satisfy both of those requests.

It's certainly an issue, and one that I've tripped over from time to time - but it is one where the software can't please all of the people all of the time.