For The Record - The rule-based scheduling suite

[StaticMan]

dvdfreak,

I've been watching this thread since the beginning (I was one of the guys fighting for this in the original thread) and really like where this is going. For me, the recording flexibility here is crucial for a full replacement of my Windows Media Center Edition system.

So I know you don't like this question, but I'm trying to get a feel for your timing on TV3 integration.
I use the TV3 ScheduleDirect plugin for guide data, I find XMLTV just a resource hog.
I want to start using/testing this application but have been waiting for the ability to read in the TV3 DB. Is this something you'll be working on soon (via the plugin) or is this a while off. If I have to make a plugin/script to tear the TV3 to XML I will, but I don't want it to be wasted effort.

I sat down yesterday after TV3 missed recording about 5 shows last week and just about reinstalled MCE.
I think what you're doing here has to make it into TV3 (Otherwise I'm saying goodbye).

Let me know if there is any coding I can help out on to keep this project rolling. I have a little time these days and am a .NET developer.

[dvdfreak]

Originally Posted by StaticMan

dvdfreak,

I've been watching this thread since the beginning (I was one of the guys fighting for this in the original thread) and really like where this is going. For me, the recording flexibility here is crucial for a full replacement of my Windows Media Center Edition system.

Yeah, I consider good scheduling absolutely "core" to htpc/pvr software. So that's why I started this project

Originally Posted by StaticMan

So I know you don't like this question, but I'm trying to get a feel for your timing on TV3 integration.
I use the TV3 ScheduleDirect plugin for guide data, I find XMLTV just a resource hog.
I want to start using/testing this application but have been waiting for the ability to read in the TV3 DB. Is this something you'll be working on soon (via the plugin) or is this a while off. If I have to make a plugin/script to tear the TV3 to XML I will, but I don't want it to be wasted effort.

The best thing to do would be to write a ScheduleDirect plugin that talks to TvScheduler, which should be easy enough when you base it on the TVE3 plugin. You can check out the source to the tvmovie/clickfinder plugin I uploaded a couple of days ago as an example of how that one feeds the guide data to TvScheduler.

I will not be making any changes to read the TVE3 database from TvScheduler, it just does not make any sense and it would be a move totally opposite to the design I wanted to achieve. TvScheduler is a gray-box subsystem, the only way in or out is through its clearly defined service API. I consider this part of its strength actually, and I'm sure I'm not alone with this opinion

Originally Posted by StaticMan

I sat down yesterday after TV3 missed recording about 5 shows last week and just about reinstalled MCE.
I think what you're doing here has to make it into TV3 (Otherwise I'm saying goodbye).

Let me know if there is any coding I can help out on to keep this project rolling. I have a little time these days and am a .NET developer.

Do you have any experience with MediaPortal GUI plugins? It would be great if you could work on a new scheduling GUI for example, inspired by what the Management Console itself does, but then more aimed towards HTPC use, usable with a remote control. Because that's still an important part that's missing. The management console is great for low-level access to TvScheduler, but the real GUI should really be in MediaPortal itself.

[Paranoid Delusion]

The management console is great for low-level access to TvScheduler, but the real GUI should really be in MediaPortal itself.

My wish exactly.

[gemx]

Just wanted to try the scheduler.
Installed everything but then i noticed - corrrect me, if i am wrong - it does not work with DVB-EPG?
You have to use XMLTV or something else with a modified plugin?
If it is so - why not creating a TVE3 plugin which just copies the epg infos from TVE3 to TvScheduler db?
All epg infos are already there and you don't have to map the channels for xmltv in TVE3 AND TvScheduler

[dvdfreak]

Originally Posted by gemx

Just wanted to try the scheduler.
Installed everything but then i noticed - corrrect me, if i am wrong - it does not work with DVB-EPG?
You have to use XMLTV or something else with a modified plugin?

Well, the truth is in the middle. DVB-EPG is perfectly possible, the API is there and the code is ready to run (I even added a setting to set either DVB-EPG or XMLTV as preferred source, so you could use both). But since TvScheduler is a separate sub-system it doesn't actually receive DVB-EPG information automatically. So what would be needed it a small modification (or possibly a plugin) to TVE3 to feed this data into TvScheduler.

In the mean time you'll have to rely on XMLTV files.

Copying the EPG info from the TVE3 database is not such a great idea if you look at the long-term. You'd have all EPG data twice on your machine in two different databases, which seems a bit silly

[gemx]

Originally Posted by dvdfreak

Copying the EPG info from the TVE3 database is not such a great idea if you look at the long-term. You'd have all EPG data twice on your machine in two different databases, which seems a bit silly

But with xmltv - there is no difference - you also have the infos twice or have i missed something?

[dvdfreak]

Originally Posted by gemx

But with xmltv - there is no difference - you also have the infos twice or have i missed something?

Well, more or less. Since what I propose is to eliminate the Program data from TVE3 and have it (and its plugins) use TvScheduler as the subsystem it was designed for. So then you'd only have the data once. And less complexity in TVE3 since it could concentrate on the recording stuff, and not have to bother with guides or schedules.

[Paranoid Delusion]

Sorry to butt in Guys

one of the problems i encountered using xmltv\WebEPG against DVB-EPG is they can be different.

Example Virgin1 here on terrestrial freeview broadcasts from 6pm, but xmltv shows all 24hrs of Virgin1 shows, unlike the DVB version which correctly shows nothing prior to the 6pm start.

That is echoed for a couple of other channels as well.

Would really love to see DVB epg used instead of xmltv.

Regards

[gemx]

Originally Posted by dvdfreak

Well, more or less. Since what I propose is to eliminate the Program data from TVE3 and have it (and its plugins) use TvScheduler as the subsystem it was designed for. So then you'd only have the data once. And less complexity in TVE3 since it could concentrate on the recording stuff, and not have to bother with guides or schedules.

Sounds good but many people use DVB Epg and that only works with TVE3.
So if you strip out epg from TVE3 at all you would end up the scheduler having to grab the data which means it would no longer be the "grey box" it should be.
I think the plugin i mentioned would be the best solution for now.

[dvdfreak]

Originally Posted by Paranoid Delusion

Would really love to see DVB epg used instead of xmltv.

If you like, I can have a look at the TVE3 code tomorrow and post a patch to enable DVB-EPG for TvScheduler.

But then you'd have to apply it and recompile TVE3. I could provide a compiled assembly, but when new SVNs come out I won't keep updating it, that would be a bit too cumbersome.

Originally Posted by gemx

Sounds good but many people use DVB Epg and that only works with TVE3.
So if you strip out epg from TVE3 at all you would end up the scheduler having to grab the data which means it would no longer be the "grey box" it should be.
I think the plugin i mentioned would be the best solution for now.

No, that's not what I meant. TVE3 should still grab the data, but instead of storing this in a Program table, it would send the data to TvScheduler using its ImportPrograms() method.

So TvScheduler remains perfectly gray-boxed