Feature Request: Notify when there is a tuner conflict

Channels DVR Server
#6

As do Windows Media Center, MythTV (IIRC), and most all cable company DVRs. The difference is that they all assume they have exclusive access to the tuners, and nothing else will try to grab or utilize them. That is not the situation with Channels. By its nature and the way it accesses HDHomeRun tuners, it cannot guarantee any tuner will be available; a tuner it sees now may not be available to it 30 seconds later.

For the former, the reason is above. The latter is a result of the buffer being tied to the client, not the server. That is a much more involved change that is not likely to happen, either. Again, the aforementioned DVRs handle their buffers server-side; Channels has a more client-focused approach.

The question you have to ask yourself is are the missing features important enough to drive you to other software.

#7

No I love Channels has too many great features but it does not hurt to ask to implement some kind of Conflict resolution assuming that all tuners will be available this prevents over Scheduling. I understand the LiveTV buffer but I have lost many a buffer accidentally so there is room for improvement in that area.

No there is no big enough reason for me to leave Channels DVR. Thanks for your input.

2 Likes
#8

The current thinking is to just throw hardware at the problem. Just spend $200 and add another HDHomeRun device with 4 tuners. Works for me :wink:

1 Like
#9

My Solution is to let Channels DVR handle all distribution of tuners To Plex Emby SageTV and of course ChannelsDVR. 2 Quatro Connects/TVE is enough to handle all these different DVR software.

#10

I don’t see what would be so hard. You have two tuners, If they are both destined to be in use at the same time shouldn’t Channels be aware of it?

#11

I understand why Channels cannot manage recording conflicts in the unknowable environment. Channels need not resolve conflicts, only communicate them better and let the user resolve them.

Can Channels show me a "simultaneous recording alert" in some way? Scrolling through the Guide looking for conflicts is near impossible with more than 20 or 30 channels. Scrolling through the scheduled-recording list is better, but not quite satisfactory.

I propose Channels generate a tabular graphic whenever the schedule changes. It should be a guide showing only scheduled recordings and conflicts. All scheduled shows are in row 1 (priority 1 recordings) with the timeline in the columns just like the guide. Row 2 is used only for shows that conflict and are priority 2, etc. No show data in the table.

Attached is a sample graphic.

RecordingConflictTable
RecordingConflictTable1351×335 37.4 KB

1 Like
#12

i recall Window Media Center had a notice of when it started to record something and you were also watching something. I think it had some sort of tuner conflict system. I recall it would pop up when i tried to set a recording in the guide and it said it conflicted with another scheduled recording.

Indeed would be nice if Channels managed multiple and simultaneous recordings better.

#13

Interesting how only the cable DVR knows it has exclusive access to it's tuners where all these other software don't know but still include conflict resolution. And I bet it is around 98% of people are only using 1 server app that access the tuners so the claim that the Channels team can't add conflict resolution seems flat on it's face. They could always add an indicator in settings to use it or not.

#14

You have it backwards. The software that offer conflict resolution have exclusive access. Software using the HTTP API to access HDHomeRun tuners (SiliconDust's DVR, Channels, Plex, etc.) do not have exclusive access, and they are those that do not offer conflict resolution.

True, most users are only using the single DVR app, but not all. And I never said they couldn't add conflict resolution; what I said was that the situation is much more complicated than it appears on its surface.

Also, I did indicate that I have been wrong about the direction the developers may take in the past. Some level of conflict resolution could still be forthcoming; but it is not as simple as most believe, and that is why I said it is not likely.

#15

What are you talking about? SiliconDust doesn't provide any other means to access their tuners other than the HTTP API so the others that are providing conflict resolution are also using the HTTP API! No software has exclusive access to the tuners.

#16

No, they still offer and support their previous UDP-based library for accessing their tuners. They may have stopped using it for their own DVR/viewing software, but the library for UDP-based access is still around and supported. (Tvheadend uses the UDP library exclusively; I believe MythTV offers both.)

#17

We are having a heated discussion on a problem that can be solved by buying a $200 worth of hardware. Is it the best usage of our time?

#18

sdust, I thought you were joking with your previous comment. Buying hardware doesn't solve the problem. Four tuners can be tied up easily. And six, and eight if there are kids in the house. A tuner can be tied up by any TV or tablet on the network with no warnings given. If you can see it coming, you can at least yell and use a squirt bottle.

1 Like
#19

So did I, but then I saw that the first post in this thread was marked with that reply as the “solution.” :roll_eyes:

#20

If you are consistently needing more than 8 tuners then you could get another device to add 4 more tuners. At some point your problem will be solved. I don't think my grandchildren ever watch OTA live TV. They will watch OTA recordings or Youtube videos. They think only old people would watch live TV. For me 8 tuners available solved my conflict problem.

#21

That does not solve the problem .... Why can't Channels DVR if it has a device with 4 tuners allocated to it ... and I add a pass for the same time frame when all 4 tuners will be in use ,,, Why can't channels DVR simply alert me to this.... The way it is now you think your pass will record when in fact it will not. If it alerts me I can make a smart decision and maybe reset priority of passes.

Channels DVR AI is not that smart.

#22

So I forgot that sdust used to have the rtp/udp library access which is basically irrelevant since neither tcp nor udp will provide exclusive access to the tuners.
Personally, it doesn't bother me as much as it did originally except when I forget to check the schedule.

#23

I always made sure to set the priority of my passes when I created them. But after I added another 4 channel tuner, I just don't ever have any conflicts. I would agree some conflict indication would be nice, but I think my solution is better.

#24

common. no kid is going to tie up your old antiquated ota/cable tuner, be realistic. the kids in your house must be the only kids on earth that will channel surf or actually take up their time to sit and use one of your tuners. do they also yell at you for tying up the phone line?

dad, i cant watch howdy doody! someone is taking up a tuner!!!

image

With that said, for those of you who need to record EVERYTHING, some kind of notification is important, I would just buy more tuners since they are cheap, But this thread is full of old people's problems :grinning:

p.s. im in my mid 40's, so im middle aged so calm down :wink:

1 Like
#25

I doubt there is a such a thing as DVR AI. The DVR server simply tries to record when the time comes and hopes for the best regarding tuner's availability. Providing the feature you are asking for is just not viable from the company perspective if a solution is just $200 away and use cases are rare. As much as I like to complain about the software this is where I am willing to give them a pass.
Keep in mind the same complaints could be directed at Silicon Dust. Why doesn't HDHR device provide more than 4 streams if some of them come from the same physical channel? Because of the limits of the physical network interface of 100Mbps?