NEW: On Later (DVR pre-release feature)

tmm1 · September 10, 2018, 10:32pm

We're really happy to announce a preview of a new feature we've been working on: On Later!

The Channels app began its life with the On Now tab, which provided an easy new way to browse all the great content on Live TV at any given moment.

With Channels DVR, we want to make it just as easy to discover all the great shows and movies available to you for recording. That's where On Later comes in. The On Later feature is currently only available on the web UI while in preview mode, but our goal is to bring it to all the client apps once we've got the backend working well.

We've been testing this feature with our own CONNECTs and PRIMEs, but would like more feedback from different users in various regions and with different numbers and types of channels coming in. We're also very interested to find out how it works for our international users. Once you upgrade, take a screenshot of how your On Later looks and post it here with your location/provider. Give us all your feedback on what you like and don't like about the new views, and especially if you notice shows you would expect to be there or shows you would prefer were hidden in the results.

NOTE: Results are influenced based on favorited channels and previously recorded shows.

To try it out, update to the latest DVR pre-release by holding down SHIFT on your keyboard and clicking Check for Updates on the DVR web UI.

Here's how On Later looks on my OTA DVR:

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chDVRuser · September 11, 2018, 4:40am

I like where you're going with the categories.
Initial observations;
-some of the posters are too wide (shows, not movies)
-not sure how the selections are made (seem random) are they all channels, favorites only, how are they sorted
-why does On Tonight only have 8 items
-why does On This Week only have 3 items
Only played with it for a few minutes.

Would be nice to be able to select seeing more posters in a given area (scaled down more).

Also would like to be able to choose how displayed results are sorted, by airing date/time, by channel, alphabetcally, etc.

How it looks here on my Prime.
edited to add Channels DVR Version 2018.09.10.2243, Browser Firefox v62.0

Screenshot_2018-09-10%20Channels%20DVR

Screenshot_2018-09-10%20Channels%20DVR(1)

Screenshot_2018-09-10%20Channels%20DVR

Richard_smith · September 11, 2018, 6:37am

A Javascript error has occurred!

Please refresh the browser after reporting this issue on Channels Community or to [email protected].

TypeError: Cannot read property ‘length’ of null in OnLater in t in t in div in Layout in t in t in App in t in t in t in t

carterbunch · September 11, 2018, 2:12pm

Getting the following error. Error
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Here's some information from the log:

2018/09/11 10:17:15 [SYS] Starting Channels DVR v2018.09.11.0643 (darwin-x86_64) in /Users/parents/channels-dvr/data
2018/09/11 10:17:16 [HDR] Found 2 devices
2018/09/11 10:17:16 [SYS] Started HTTP Server
2018/09/11 10:17:17 [DVR] Recording engine started in /Volumes/ChannelsDVR/recordings
2018/09/11 10:17:17 [DVR] Waiting 8h12m42.366913258s until next job 1536705000-1 NBC Nightly News With Lester Holt
_RegisterApplication(), FAILED TO establish the default connection to the WindowServer, _CGSDefaultConnection() is NULL.
2018-09-11 10:17:17.779 channels-dvr[22124:31057956] CGSRegisterConnectionNotifyProc([center connectionID], menuBarDrawingStyleChangeNotification, kCGSServerMenuBarDrawingStyleChanged, center) returned error 1000 on line 909 in id createMenuBarStyleSubsystem(NSWorkspaceNotificationCenter *)
2018-09-11 10:17:17.779 channels-dvr[22124:31057956] CGSGetActiveMenuBarDrawingStyle((CGSConnectionID)[NSApp contextID], &sCachedMenuBarDrawingStyle) returned error 268435459 on line 46 in NSStatusBarMenuBarDrawingStyle _NSStatusBarGetCachedMenuBarDrawingStyle(void)
2018/09/11 10:17:18 [SYS] Bonjour service registered with carterkids.local
panic: runtime error: invalid memory address or nil pointer dereference
[signal SIGSEGV: segmentation violation code=0x1 addr=0x28 pc=0x46cdab2]

goroutine 117 [running]:
_/Users/fancybox/source/channels-server/dvr.(*Group).RefreshMetadata.func1(0x0)
	/Users/fancybox/source/channels-server/dvr/group.go:182 +0x32
_/Users/fancybox/source/channels-server/dvr.(*Recorder).UpdateGroup.func1(0xc4205b0620, 0x4ac4988, 0xc4205b0620)
	/Users/fancybox/source/channels-server/dvr/db_groups.go:40 +0xa2
github.com/coreos/bbolt.(*DB).Update(0xc420586000, 0xc420577a78, 0x0, 0x0)
	/Users/fancybox/source/channels-server/.go/src/github.com/coreos/bbolt/db.go:668 +0x90
_/Users/fancybox/source/channels-server/dvr.(*Recorder).UpdateGroup(0xc420436000, 0xc420b16930, 0x9, 0xc420577b88, 0xc420504520, 0x48e07e0, 0xc4205045c0)
	/Users/fancybox/source/channels-server/dvr/db_groups.go:38 +0x97
_/Users/fancybox/source/channels-server/dvr.(*Group).Update(0xc420b504b0, 0xc420577b88, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0xc4200d1040, 0x0)
	/Users/fancybox/source/channels-server/dvr/group.go:77 +0x4e
_/Users/fancybox/source/channels-server/dvr.(*Group).RefreshMetadata(0xc420b504b0, 0x0)
	/Users/fancybox/source/channels-server/dvr/group.go:181 +0x1b0
_/Users/fancybox/source/channels-server/dvr.(*Group).BackfillMetadata(0xc420b504b0)
	/Users/fancybox/source/channels-server/dvr/group.go:205 +0x40
_/Users/fancybox/source/channels-server/dvr.(*Recorder).RunProcessor(0xc420436000)
	/Users/fancybox/source/channels-server/dvr/recorder.go:405 +0x592
created by _/Users/fancybox/source/channels-server/dvr.(*Recorder).Run
	/Users/fancybox/source/channels-server/dvr/recorder.go:149 +0xa9
2018/09/11 10:17:25 [SYS] Starting Channels DVR v2018.09.11.0643 (darwin-x86_64) in /Users/parents/channels-dvr/data
2018/09/11 10:17:26 [HDR] Found 2 devices
2018/09/11 10:17:26 [SYS] Started HTTP Server
2018/09/11 10:17:27 [DVR] Recording engine started in /Volumes/ChannelsDVR/recordings
2018/09/11 10:17:27 [DVR] Waiting 8h12m32.597191064s until next job 1536705000-1 NBC Nightly News With Lester Holt
_RegisterApplication(), FAILED TO establish the default connection to the WindowServer, _CGSDefaultConnection() is NULL.
2018-09-11 10:17:27.531 channels-dvr[22160:31058416] CGSRegisterConnectionNotifyProc([center connectionID], menuBarDrawingStyleChangeNotification, kCGSServerMenuBarDrawingStyleChanged, center) returned error 1000 on line 909 in id createMenuBarStyleSubsystem(NSWorkspaceNotificationCenter *)
2018-09-11 10:17:27.531 channels-dvr[22160:31058416] CGSGetActiveMenuBarDrawingStyle((CGSConnectionID)[NSApp contextID], &sCachedMenuBarDrawingStyle) returned error 268435459 on line 46 in NSStatusBarMenuBarDrawingStyle _NSStatusBarGetCachedMenuBarDrawingStyle(void)
2018/09/11 10:17:28 [SYS] Bonjour service registered with carterkids.local

carterbunch · September 11, 2018, 3:11pm

Is there away to downgrade? This update, 2018.09.11.0643, has my DVR in a constant reboot loop from the error in the previous post.

I have restarted the machine to see if this fixes the error. No luck.

tmm1 · September 11, 2018, 4:19pm

Yuck. The easiest way to downgrade is to run the Mac installer and uninstall/reinstall. Then open http://127.0.0.1:8089/restore to restore you existing data into the new install

tmm1 · September 11, 2018, 5:24pm

A new build is available (v2018.09.11.1626) with fixes for the issues reported above.

johnluber · September 11, 2018, 6:07pm

Neat idea. I used it earlier today to schedule new fall season shows. Not sure that I will use it much beyond that though. If/when it makes it into the client I’d prefer a setting to turn in on/off. We tend to like a simplistic view and are a bit traditional in what we prefer as well. In fact, it’d be nice to have a setting to toggle the 'On Now" view as well.

carterbunch · September 11, 2018, 6:31pm

Where does the new installer install channels dvr? I am still havimg the error after the reinstall.

Richard_smith · September 11, 2018, 6:40pm

On tonight has only 5 shows
On this week has 9 shows
movies is improved
Not seeing the little red circle to notify a recording is set

timstephens24 · September 11, 2018, 7:43pm

It’s a neat idea, but I don’t think I’ll be using it that much unless clicking the + button shows all of the movies (or whichever section) in the guide. The hard thing with movies is scheduling them or knowing that they’re coming on within 2 weeks, and right now I’m only seeing out to 5 days.

carterbunch · September 11, 2018, 11:58pm

Build v2018.09.11.2225

I like where this is going. Especially when this gets migrated to the other clients. It will help towards discoverability of upcoming shows and better management of passes on clients. I did most of my pass creation from the web UI since it had better options under search to find upcoming programming.

Is there a specific order in which shows/movies are displayed in the different categories? Like channels you watch more often or shows you have seen in the past? Or is it just date driven?

I do see recording indicators to let me know that this show has already been queued for recording.

OTA 30068

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ImNotSerious · September 12, 2018, 2:26am

#1 in the search tab, I see “innovation nation with mo rocca” in new seasons, but not under new seasons in this on later view.

#2 I would love to filter out the words “court”, “pet” and anything classified remotely as “reality”.

#3. When clicking on a movie in the top movies to read the description, the clicking back, lost my position and the + expansion state. Kinda annoying.

This is good if I’m stuck with 2 weeks of guide data. What I would like to see is the ability to schedule shows for the new seasons that start in October just by searching their names so I can get the series Id into the DVR. When my HDD died, I lost my scheduled recordings. Being able to restore that list from a cloud backup would be awesome.

chDVRuser · September 12, 2018, 2:37am

Was about to reply and ask how you got 6 posters horizontally, then I saw there was a new version and just grabbed it. Much better use of browser screen real estate! Thanks @tmm1

If I knew how it was sorted or determined what drives it maybe I could figure it out, but for me having to scroll through pages of images just doesn’t help. The eye candy is nice, but guess I’m old school and go by show names, synopsis, episode names and descriptions. The poster art is much nicer when it doesn’t take up so much space if you have to scroll through pages of them.

I’ll keep testing and see if it help me find new material but so far everything I’m interested in I have already watched, recorded, have a season pass or advanced pass for.

I noticed there is no way to tell if something is in HD or SD. I have a few SD channels selected in my Prime lineup, but don’t want to see recommendation for movies on those SD channels.

I’m also curious how much your favorite channels come into play and in what categories.

Thanks for the preview, will keep looking…

I would like to see a selection criteria where you could limit the categories to a specific channel, your favorite channels, HD channels, SD channels, all channels, etc. Also being able to choose how they are sorted, because to me the sorting seems totally random.

chDVRuser · September 12, 2018, 3:15am

I do this using an advanced pass that searches by Title. I compare it to what TiVo calls a Wish List.
Setup a new Advanced Pass
Use something like Channel == CH# or Tags == New since a new advanced pass needs an == to save.
Then add Title == Show Name (Capitalization matters)
or Title CONTAINS Show Name (Capitalization matters)
Save it, then delete the Channel == or Tags == and save again.

Example;
Screenshot_2018-09-11%20Channels%20DVR

Once you see it found something in the EPG you can then set a Series Recording since the Series ID will be available.

tmm1 · September 12, 2018, 5:42am

I would like to be able to preload new shows and seasons into the guide search atleast 30 days in advance. There are some ways for us to pull lists of new shows from our guide provider, but we don’t necessarily know which of them will be airing on your channels and we don’t want to flood everyone’s index with international and cable shows they’ll never be able to record.

We can probably atleast do it for the major networks somehow. I will investigate.

chDVRuser · September 12, 2018, 6:01am

Yep, seems like these days even if you can get 30 days guide, it all comes down to the last week, day, minute on what actually airs. Imagine it’s gotta be fun for the guide provider, especially with all the U.S. FCC channel re-packs going on.

chDVRuser · September 12, 2018, 6:53am

Would be nice to at least get the Series ID for a show, if nothing else…
Not sure how reliable that would be though.

rog889 · September 12, 2018, 4:02pm

Agree. Showing Series ID in Manage Pass and in Advanced Pass would really help.

DebbieFL · September 12, 2018, 8:00pm

I’ve tried multiple times over the last 2 days to update.

All I get is:

Version 2018.09.06.1912
Downloading 2018.09.11.2225update…

Which after awhile returns to …xxx.1912 Check for Update.

Tried from Mac, Win10 PC, Surface Pro…using Safari, Chrome, Edge. DVR both: at Idle & Recording

This behaviour was evident on the last update until all of a sudden it worked. Never had this problem in the past…Thoughts?

Edit: FYI…happening on both Qnap & Win10 DVR installations