Multiple sources same program, same channel: how does Channels handle failed source?

[markmarz]

Been recording TCM on YTTV for quite some time, now I'm migrating off of YTTV (but not indefinitely) and on to Spectrum. The channel number for TCM is the same for both YTTV & Spectrum, which is as expected (I think!).

Soon my YTTV subscription will expire, so the only valid source will be Spectrum. How will Channels handle this? Will it, for example, attempt to record on YTTV, fail, and then attempt on Spectrum? Or will it abort recording completely when it fails on YTTV?

I could delete the YTTV source, but I really don't want to do that. It's always been working for me, but not for everyone (see 2FA), so whatever I'm doing I don't want to screw up if I have to start over. I'm assuming that if I reactivate my YTTV subscription that my current configuration will just work.

I've researched the possibility of setting TCM as a favorite in the Spectrum lineup and not in the YTTV lineup, reasoning that the priority rules will try Spectrum first. But I'm not sure that's the case when the channel number for TCM is identical on both sources.

Thanks!

[chDVRuser]

Make your Spectrun source a higher priority than your YTTV source in the dvr web UI.
When recording, the DVR looks for Favorite channels first, going through the sources in priority order and through the channels in each source from highest to lowest channel number.

[markmarz]

Ah, I didn't see that you could change the priority of sources! So the highest priority source is at the top of the list?

[Note that TCM has the same channel number in both sources.]

Assuming that's the case, then Channels will look for favorite channels (TCM marked favorite in Spectrum, not in YTTV), find a hit in highest priority source (Spectrum), and stop looking. Right?

(edited: corrected channel -> source, bracketed same channel number note]

[chDVRuser]

@markmarz

So the highest priority source is at the top of the list?

Correct

[chDVRuser]

@markmarz

Assuming that's the case, then Channels will look for favorite channels (TCM marked favorite in Spectrum, not in YTTV), find a hit in highest priority source (Spectrum), and stop looking. Right?

Is Channels DVR smart enough to pick the tuner that picks up the strongest signal?

Which channel is used for recording depends on -source priority set in the DVR web admin (not clients, see NOTE) -channel favorites set in the DVR web admin (not clients, see NOTE) -whether a channel is SD or HD -channel number When Channels DVR is going to record a program from a pass, the channels are searched in reverse numerical order (higher numbered channels come first) on each source as follows until it finds one airing the program Favorite channel on source#1, then source…

[markmarz]

Thanks, but the reference you cited is not really on point. Not discussing passes, and the channel number is the same in both sources. Unless you say otherwise, I'll assume this is correct:

Channels will look for favorite channels (TCM marked favorite in Spectrum, not in YTTV), find a hit in highest priority source (Spectrum), and stop looking.

[chDVRuser]

Doesn't matter if the channel number is the same in two source.

@markmarz

I'll assume this is correct:

Channels will look for favorite channels (TCM marked favorite in Spectrum, not in YTTV), find a hit in highest priority source (Spectrum), and stop looking.

Correct. In that case it doesn't matter which source has priority since it picks the first favorite channel it finds (in the order it searches) with the airing being recorded.

[markmarz]

Thanks again!

[chDVRuser]

For what you're trying to do, I would make sure to set Spectrum to a higher priority than YTTV, in the dvr web UI.

@chDVRuser

NOTE: The DVR scheduler and recorder use the source priority and channel favorites as defined in the DVR web admin, not the clients.