methods of using TV server - discussion thread (3 Viewers)

[Frodo]

Please move the topic about linux/macOs versions of either player or server
to a seperate thread, where it belongs.


To get back on the topic.
We opened up a mantis project where bugs about the new tvserver can be reported

http://mantis.team-mediaportal.com/view_all_bug_page.php

(select the TvEngine project from the right top selection box)


Frodo

 

[jawbroken]

You certainly have assigned yourself a lot of work there, frodo.

 

[Frodo]

Somebody asked:

What happens if you have 2 clients both trying to watch a different channel??
example:
-Client 1 is watching channel A
-after a few moments client 2 decides to watch Channel B

If you have 2 or more tv-cards installed, then there is no problem since in that case
- client 1 uses card 1 to watch channel A
- client 2 uses card 2 to watch channel B

But if you have only 1 card or the 2nd card is recording then the tvserver grants the card to the first user who used it.
In this case client 1 was first and thus 'owns' the card until he stops watching tv.
Therefore client 2 can still watch channel A, but he cannot zap until client 1 releases it



Frodo

 

[gibman]

Therefore client 2 can still watch channel A, but he cannot zap until client 1 releases it

Will there be any kind of notifications on client2 why the channel change didnt happen.
Something like an OSD message telling the user that client1 is currently watching channel A, so channel change is not performed.

Also how is channel change / sharing on different channels on the same mux/transponder handled ?

Ex. the server has 1 dvb-s card. Client 1 is tuning in on channel A on Transponder A.
(Transponder A has 3 channels. Channel A, B and C.)
Now client 2 changes to channel B on transponder A. This should work, right ?
The same for channel A and C.

Atleast this is how it works in dvbviewer with its client/server solution

Will there be some kind of priority handling between the different clients.
Ex. I would like to have high priority for clients starting a timer job, kicking all clients of the server if needed.
Ofcourse the clients should always be notified with some OSD messages of some kind.
It would be sad to have a failed timer just b/c the wife was watching some boring soap opera.

/Gibman

 

[Frodo]

Will there be any kind of notifications on client2 why the channel change didnt happen.

Yes

Also how is channel change / sharing on different channels on the same mux/transponder handled ?

As explained earlier, the tv server does not support watching multiple channels on the same transponder using 1 card (yet)

Will there be some kind of priority handling between the different clients.

Nop, think the bible already tells us that in front of god, we are all the same

Frodo

 

[kerpow]

...if you have only 1 card or the 2nd card is recording then the tvserver grants the card to the first user who used it

The logic is sound enough. But as well the pop up to say that changing the channel "...is not possible because .... blah blah...." could/should this notification (to the second user) also have a "take control" option that requires the user to specifically state they want to change channel.

I am imagining the situation where you get up from watching TV, don't turn it off, and then have to go back to that set to turn it off before you can switch channel in a different room/floor.

Just a thought.

 

[cartman]

But if you have only 1 card or the 2nd card is recording then the tvserver grants the card to the first user who used it.
In this case client 1 was first and thus 'owns' the card until he stops watching tv.
Therefore client 2 can still watch channel A, but he cannot zap until client 1 releases it

Does this train of thought still stand with scheduled recordings? By this I mean if you only have one card and the first user is watching something on a client, while at the same time a scheduled recording comes up who gets the priority?

 

[Frodo]

Does this train of thought still stand with scheduled recordings? By this I mean if you only have one card and the first user is watching something on a client, while at the same time a scheduled recording comes up who gets the priority?

The scheduler will try to use another card ( if available) to do the recording
if none is present (or those are busy also) then in the end
it will take the card 'owned' by the user todo the recording
So in the end... the scheduler operates in god mode

Frodo

 

[gibman]

Damn, it all sounds mighty good to me.

Wut about signal strength on each dvb-x device, will this be visible on the client and/or the tvserver app ?

Both would be cool.

Also, what about error handling in regard to possible crashed clients. Will they keep a "channel-lock" on the tvserver, or will they time out and get kicked, so other clients can change channel etc.
I am hoping for the last.

/gibman

 

[Frodo]

Wut about signal strength on each dvb-x device, will this be visible on the client and/or the tvserver app ?

Not yet, but you can ask the tv server for the signal strength so it should be easy to add.

Also, what about error handling in regard to possible crashed clients. Will they keep a "channel-lock" on the tvserver, or will they time out and get kicked, so other clients can change channel etc.

There is a problem with these time-outs.
Someone can easily watch tv for 2 hrs without doing anything else.
How do we know if he's watching tv or if he crashed ?
Only way to know for sure is if the clients sends keep-alive messages to the server. but thats not implemented yet

Frodo