Custom timed recording for a channel with no guide data

[Thehagamancs]

I've searched and searched and found a couple instructions to set advanced recordings, or setup guide data from odd sources but nothing quite fits my issue.

I have three custom sources that come from Coax to IP converters into HDHome runs as cable channels.

Obviously they have no guide data and that's usually not a big deal. However I want to setup a custom record of a Zoom meeting from x time to x time on the "Media Channel" and I can't get advanced to work because matching on channel 3.1, 3.2, or 3.3 (see screenshots) doesn't seem to work unless there is an underlying guide on those channels. It just doesn't record.

How can I record my "Media" channel 3.1 from say 8pm to 11pm at night on a set day?

[trakz]

One of my favorite wishlist items for Channels: https://community.getchannels.com/t/rolling-channel-record/25456/27

[racameron]

There is an existing thread with details on how to implement this, as well as several examples. It is not the easiest process to implement, but it is quite doable, especially if you use a script to automate it. The shortcoming with this, though, is that there is no means to handle it on a recurring basis; each recording must be separately scheduled (although, with creativity, that could also be scripted, too).

Here’s the thread for you to peruse—and I recommend reading it start to finish to avoid some common errors and pitfalls:

How to create a Manual Time/Channel based recording job

Stumbled around a bit until I got it working. [Screenshot_2020-09-27 Channels DVR(1)] Using curl from Windows command line. Curious just how minimal the post has to be. I'm specifying; Name Time Duration Channels Serial:0 Airing.Source:"manual" Airing.Channel Airing.Time Airing.Duration Airing.Title Airing.EpisodeTitle Airing.Summary Passing these as null Channel DeviceID Error FileID RuleID Airing.Raw and setting these to false Failed Skipped

[Thehagamancs]

Thanks @racameron, I did find that thread. Not at all what I was looking to do. My DVR and server are fairly walled in so scripting is out I'm afraid. This has to work from the GUI level. I guess I'll have to figure out another option. I'm getting closer with Plex. I found a XML datasource for the guide that will break it in to one, two, or three hour program chunks so I can click and record the chunks I need.

[racameron]

@Thehagamancs

My DVR and server are fairly walled in so scripting is out I'm afraid

The script doesn’t have to run on your DVR server. Any computer that can access your DVR over a local connection can send the request payloads to the endpoints at your DVR server. I believe one user has created an Automator workflow and droplet on their Mac to facilitate easy manual scheduling.

However, if a GUI is necessary for your needs, I would either suggest waiting until Channels has this functionality exposed; or perhaps find different software that allows this feature.

(You can use Tvheadend which has an interface for manual recordings of this sort. You can even feed Tvheadend with your Channels DVR’s sources, and save the recordings into a directory for Channels to import it into its library. Of course, this is just one possibility as a workaround …)

[Thehagamancs]

Its ugly but I found a solution to get a custom HD Homerun channel to record in one hour blocks.

I just added the Spectrum digital guide for that tuner and mapped my custom channels to the first three Music channels. They are blocked out in one hour blocks. I lost my channel id/name and the recordings have to be manually renamed later but its better then nothing.

I'm tempted to offer a reward for anyone that can program out a EPG guide that's one hour blocks for 3 channels that are named by the hour block they represent. For example the block from 6pm to 7pm would be "6pm to 7pm" in the guide block.