Red dot missing in some guide scheduled programs, old issue. (1 Viewer)

[2BitSculptor]

It seems an old annoyance is still around (many previous versions) The red dot doesn't always display in TV Guide or scheduler for scheduled programs. Don't know if this a MP problem or skin problem. let me know if you would like to see logs... I didn't run watchdog this time around... Busy day with 2nd chemo for stage 2 colon cancer (I'm extremely tolerant, so far, and am doing pretty much normalstuff with no apparent side effects).

I've at least got screen caps of the issue. This evenings guide. "The Voice" is set up for "every time on this channel" v.1.3, Default Wide HD. Recording proceeded without issue.

Thanks

 

[2BitSculptor]

I forgot, This is my living room client using TVPlugin to read the dedicated TVserver on the LAN

 

[CyberSimian]

The red dot doesn't always display in TV Guide or scheduler for scheduled programs.

I have also noticed this for a long time with my own skin (so not just the DWHD skin). But I also think that I know the cause (at least in my case).

When I first started using MP (in 2014), I setup the EPG grabbing in such a way that TV Server grabbed the EPG very frequently. And I noticed the missing red dots at apparently random times. I now realise that TV Server was grabbing the EPG at these times, and updating the SQL database.

I now grab the EPG only once per day (06:00 to 06:30), and I never notice missing red dots unless I view the EPG or the Scheduler during this time. So in my case I am reasonably sure that the problem is contention for the SQL database. If the EPG grabber is updating the database, it prevents the MP Client being able to query the database to determine if red dots should be displayed on the screen. There must be a timeout for the query, since you do see the EPG or Scheduler panel, but without the red dots.

The EPG that I use is the EPG that is broadcast embedded within the DVB-T signals. In the UK it takes around 10-15 minutes to extract the complete EPG from the broadcast datastream, and then another 15 minutes to update the database. So there is this 15-minute window during which the red dots may be missing.

Having unreliable red dots is definitely not desirable, but I am not a database expert, so I don't know whether it would be possible to redesign the database access to avoid the missing red dots. And even if it is possible, there is no one available to implement such changes.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

 

[2BitSculptor]

Thanks, I'm using the Schedules Direct plug-in for OTA broadcast here in the states. I'll look to see if I can adjust the guide polling.

 

[2BitSculptor]

My SD plugin is set for the default 24 hour "last minute name change". The options are; 24 (default) 36 48 52 hours.

 

[CyberSimian]

I'll look to see if I can adjust the guide polling.

My SD plugin is set for the default 24 hour "last minute name change".

With my initial EPG setup (back in 2014), TV Server would update the EPG every hour ( ). I made that choice on the basis that TV Server would obtain last-minute changes to the EPG. But in the UK the EPG only very occasionally changes at the last minute (overrunning sport or unexpected world events affecting news programmes), so now I update the EPG only once per day, at a time when I am not normally using the HTPC.

I have never used Schedules Direct, and I don't know the significance of the 24 hour setting for "last minute name change". Does this mean that you download the EPG only once per day, or does it mean that you download more-frequently than once per day, but only the EPG for the next 24 hours?

If you restrict EPG updates to once per day at a time when you are not using the HTPC, that will eliminate EPG update as a source of the missing red dots. However, there may be other plugins that are accessing the SQL database and causing the missing red dots. The one that comes to mind is "TvWishList", which (presumably) rummages around in the SQL database to see if any programmes should be scheduled to record. How often does TvWishList run, and at what times of day? If you use TvWishList, it might be worthwhile disabling it for a few days to see if that eliminates the missing red dots.

There may be other plugins that access the SQL database, but I don't use any plugins other than the TV plugin and PowerScheduler, so have no knowledge of other plugins that may cause this problem. Review the plugins that you use, and disable any that might access the TV database.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

 

[framug]

Hello,
Globally, I approve with @CyberSimian posts.
For TvWishList, I tried some years ago and yes, in some cases, problems occurs, thats why I don't use it.
Also @2BitSculptor please, avoid to make EPG update at the same time as records planned (ie : recording at 9h00 PM and, EPG update at 8H55 PM).
Yes, it's good for power consumption therefore, depending on how many channels grab, it can take many time where, EPG could not be available, including "red dot" stuff.
During EPG grab, programs database is updated.
B.R.

 

[2BitSculptor]

thanks ... but I'm only using TVplugin on my client and Schedules Direct on the TV Server. I don't have control when the EPG is updated, except after manual restart, and the 24 hr setting in SD. SD plugin isn't supported by the original developer any longer, but it seems to be working with even the latest MP. I like it's simplicity. I can do a manual TVserver restart at a dead time, maybe it will reset the update clock.

 

[CyberSimian]

SD plugin isn't supported by the original developer any longer, but it seems to be working with even the latest MP.

Did you see this thread ? The poster in that thread could not get MP's Schedules Direct plugin to work. I tried it on my test system (I don't have a Schedules Direct account), but I could not get it to work either. @framug mentioned that the plugins run no more than once per day, so that may have been my problem. However...

I don't have control when the EPG is updated,

I suggested in this post that an alternative to MP's Schedules Direct plugin would be to use MP's XmlTv plugin, combined with the "xmltv.exe" tool that can be downloaded from Github SourcForge. From a post that I saw on the Schedules Direct web site, it looks as though the commands are quite simple (see my post linked earlier), but the point is that the commands would run only at the time that you setup in PowerScheduler, so you could choose a time of day when your HTPC was not in use.

Please note: I have not tried using this setup ("xmltv.exe" plus MP's XmlTv plugin), so I may have misunderstood how it all fits together.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

Edit: Changed "GitHub" to "SourceForge".