Remote and HID are unresponsive when channel is tuning (1 Viewer)

[KevinM]

TV-Server Version: RC3 (Build 20432)
MediaPortal Version: RC3 (Build 20432)
MediaPortal Skin: Monochrome / Blue3
Windows Version: XP MCE 2005 SP3
CPU Type: Intel Pentium 4 3GHz
HDD: 250GB Western Digital (WDC2500KS-22MJB0)
Memory: 1024MB DDR
Motherboard: Kingston PC3200
Video Card: Sapphire ATI Radeon HD 3450 Silence "Low Profile" 256MB DDR2 TV-Out/DVI/HDMI (PCI-Express) - Retail
Video Card Driver: ATI Catalyst 8.5
Sound Card: Realtek High Definition Audio
Sound Card AC3:
Sound Card Driver: 5.10.0.5028
1. TV Card: Pinnacle PCTV Dual DVB-T Pro PCI
1. TV Card Type: DVB-T
1. TV Card Driver: Pinnacle Systems 3.2.4.0
2. TV Card: Hauppauge WinTV-HVR1300
2. TV Card Type: Hybrid DVB-T, Analog
2. TV Card Driver: BDA 2.119.25023.0
3. TV Card:
3. TV Card Type:
3. TV Card Driver:
4. TV Card:
4. TV Card Type:
4. TV Card Driver:
MPEG2 Video Codec: Cyberlink Video/SP Decoder (PDVD7)
MPEG2 Audio Codec: MPA Decoder Filter
h.264 Video Codec: Cyberlink H.264/AVC Decoder (PDVD7.x)
Satelite/CableTV Provider:
HTPC Case: Elonex Artisan LX
Cooling:
Power Supply:
Remote: HP Media Center p/n 5187-4401 (MCE Equivalent)
TV: LG 42LF65
TV - HTPC Connection: DVI to HDMI

I have mentioned this before, and logs are completely unnecessary to illustrate it because it can be seen with anyone's setup.

As MP approaches final release, I think it's vital that everyone tries to imagine themselves as a casual user rather than someone who has setup and used MP for some time.

At certain times of day, not all DVB channels are broadcasting a stream and when you select one inadvertently, you have to wait for about 30 secs before a message comes up saying so and offering to switch to the previous switched channel. If you select no, you are bounced back to the home screen.

During this time it is obvious to an experienced user that they will have to wait for 30 seconds to regain control.

To a casual user it just looks like the application has hung. They'll probably press the remote several times to test this out. It gives MP the false impression of being unstable.

No set-top box or MCE PC behaves like this. MCE quietly gives an information screen politely advising that the channel is not transmitting. Set-top boxes usually display a graphic sent over with the stream. It doesn't usually take long before the user is aware of this and can try another channel instantly without waiting for the first one selected.

Can something be done to improve this feature? - I think it spoils an otherwise excellent application (and many thanks to all the devs for all their continued hard work - I really do appreciate it - I just want the final version to be appreciated as widely as possible)

 

[tourettes]

Unfortunately there arent any small changes available that would be fixing such behaviour. So, in short... no, its not possible to fix it for 1.0, as the whole tv plugin (and propably server side would require bigger changes to support asyncronous tuning reguest instead on syncronous) would be needing refactoring to start to use multiple threads.

It goes into design issue basket

 

[KevinM]

How about a half-solution - when tuning fails, display a message on screen that the channel is currently not transmitting and allow the user to decide on the next action rather than the dialog?

This way, at least the person who sets up MP could choose how long to make users wait, and people could continue to select a different channel using channel up/down or inputting a different channel number on the remote.

 

[damaster]

I have to agree that this problem is very frustrating and does indeed give the impression to inexperienced users that the application has hung. Unfortunately, I understand what's involved to fix this from a software perspective and realize it would require lots of changes to make the tuning asynchronous. I hope MP2 will do asynchronous tuning.