Recordings start before show starts (and other things)

Channels DVR Server
#1

The Tonight Show for example. NBC says it starts at 11:34:30. Channels starts recording at 11:34, but the show isn't actually starting until 11:35:30ish. So I get 1 min of the news before the Tonight show. I have several shows where this kind of thing happens. This is TVE and I might have read that this is the cause of the issue.

I want to start the tonight show 1 min late. Personally, I've never come across a show that starts early, but many many that start late. Why isn't there an option to start late when padding?

MCEBuddy strips out the minute when it processes it, but in Channels comskip leaves that min in as show.

On another note, I watch in Edge on windows. If I pause a show it will unpause itself at some point. There is no consistent time of how long it takes. I've been in the other room and it's unpaused, had the browser minimized and it unpauses. I've now gotten in the habit of just stopping the show instead of pausing.

One more, the browser player size. it's either full screen or the size of a post card. I tend to split my monitor between multiple windows. If I do this the video is really small. I can make it full screen, but then I cant use an other windows. I haven't seen any other player that work like this. Am I missing an option somewhere?

Thanks!

EDIT: feature has been added! (2021.04.30.1941)
"Hi,
I've added the ability to set negative padding on the web UI under the advanced editor for passes. This is available in the latest pre-release.
To update, please click the dropdown icon next to Check for Update on your DVR web UI settings page, then select Prerelease .
—
Aman K"

#2

This is correct. Web streams tend to run 30-60 seconds behind “live” so you have a little extra on the front. I skip ahead once or twice, so it’s never been a big deal for me. One other thing to keep in mind with this. If your authentication token expires and channels has to get a new one that process can take some time, maybe 30 seconds or more. The additional start padding helps this not be a big deal when it happens. If it wasn’t there you might miss the first little bit of show, which would be a worse result, in my opinion. I actually just set my default start padding to a minute before for this very reason recently.

#3

Yeah, like I said, I've never come across a program where I needed to start the recording early, but come across many where I wish I could start the recording late so I don't catch to extra minute at the beginning.

I do mind having to fast forward that 60 seconds. There is an option to start the recording 60 (-60) early. My entire issue would be solved if the padding options also allowed to start the recording 60 (+60) second late.

#4

I agree and have noted this same thing a long time ago. I think Channels should just automatically compensate for the fact that TVE airs on a delayed schedule. Recordings should start slightly late and end slightly late if recording from TVE, without manual intervention. Some shows are not always on the same channels. So there is no way to manually compensate for a pass that has some shows airing on TVE and some on OTA.

#5

I have experienced this issues as well. The problem for "fixing" it is that some channels start late, others start later and some are on time. My work around has been to pad shows and then adjust the pass once I get a feel for how the channel runs the schedule. CNN is right on time for me but MSNBC is minutes off. USA is about 30 seconds late for most shows, but some start 90 seconds late. Not sure how you would program a solution given the variables involved.

#6

Except, that isn't always the case. What about the edge cases where they start as indicated? In those situations Channels would fail to record the start of a program.

A better option would be to allow for per-source defaults for pre- and post-padding. Tvheadend had something similar, but its primary use case was for allowing the tuner to warm up/get a signal lock. However, such a setting could be used in Channels' case.

#7

I always prefer to record before and after. 1 min before 3 after.
Would prefer 2min after.

Not sure why Channels as strange padding number options..
Or why it is hard coded padding options.
Emby you just enter in the number, I would rather just be able to do that, set my own value.

Shows on certain channels, like fox or cbs, i often have to set long padding after, cause sports or news delay the show, and the dvr cuts the show off. But the DVR has no way to know the show was delayed.

#8

Now available:

2 Likes
#9

Thank you!