NPVR/GBPVR and padding.

[yyeoh]

Hi,

I've been having a recurring problem where if I'm recording a show on channel A from 8:30 to 9:30 and another show on channel B from 9:30 to 10:30, NPVR/GBPVR will decide to use the same tuner that was used for the first show for the second show despite having 2 other free tuners available. This results in the first show not having an ending and the second show often missing the beginning since the start/end times often aren't accurate.

Is there a way to force padding to behave as though the show were infact 20minutes longer(with 10 minutes on both end) so that the tuner remains unavailable during the padding period? Or perhaps to force the alternating of tuners for different channels?

Alternatively, is there an equivalent of pending.log for npvr where I can check which tuner has been assign for recording? While using GBPVR I used that to check if the same tuner had been assigned to back to back shows on different channels and could cancel and reassign recordings to avoid this problem.

Thank you for any help you can provide.

[sub]

This is a known problem. Its on my todo list.

[yyeoh]

Ok, thanks for letting me know and keep up the great work!

[Deev8]

This is a known problem. Its on my todo list.

That's really good to know.

[roy]

I know this is on the todo list, and I hope it is near the top. I add 90 minute post padding for baseball games. When another recording is scheduled at the actual end time of the game, the tuner will start recording the new program, even when other tuners are available. However, the guide and recordings screen show the game as still recording even after the tuner is recording something else. Causes me despair when I check and see that it is still recording during padding, but when I watch it there actually is no padding (and I miss the end of the game).

[Reddwarf]

Isn't it prohibited to record sports events with npvr? That may be why...

[roy]

Where is that in the wiki?

I know, but I can no longer watch 4 hour Red Sox games in real time, when I can click through the recording in 20 minutes.

[smiffypr]

Looking at this issue, trying to be logical, I THINK this is what should be happening. I'm not a programmer, so you'll have to excuse the way its written. If it is unhelpful, please ignore.

1) When a recording is being started, (at the start of its pre-padding period):

2) Is a tuner currently tuned to this frequency? If yes, use this tuner.

3) Otherwise find the highest priority tuner which is not in use, and use it.

4) If no unused tuner can be found, wait until the end of the pre-padding period and try 2 and 3 again.

5) If a tuner is still not found, find a tuner which is in use but recording is in the post-padding period, stop that recording then use that tuner.

Smiffy

[hasso]

In my rig I've got three DVB-T tuners. For my workaround I enable all the channels for one frequency on the first tuner card (unchecking the rest), enable all the channels on another frequency on the second tuner (unchecking the rest), and leave all checked on the third tuner. Since most of my recordings take place on only channels on those two frequencies, very seldom do I run into the ignored padding problem.

[smiffypr]

Excellent plan. I'll do that too. I'll do it for all three tuners. Thanks.