Series Record? (1 Viewer)

[mshorthose]

I'm posting this on the Newbie Forum because it's been a while since I last used MP with a vengeance. After a brief diversion to a Humax box, I'm back with a two seat setup with dedicated server and nice little client machine.
Works straight out of the box and picked up all the databases where I last left them.
Brilliant!
Having used the Humax for 18 months or so, one great feature is the option to record a single program or to record the series.
Not sure what algorithms are used to determine which broadcasts are unique to a series so you don't record all the duplicates being broadcast multiple times a day, on +1 channels or now +24 channels, but I haven't found this feature in MP.
When in the Record screen I see a whole list of instances of a program on the right of the screen, but I then have to work through and sometimes guess which are repeats and which are new.
Does this feature exist, maybe as a plugin?
I cannot find it, but will happily admit to being thick if it's bleedin' obvious and I've missed it!
Cheers chaps

 

[CyberSimian]

Having used the Humax for 18 months or so, one great feature is the option to record a single program or to record the series. Not sure what algorithms are used to determine which broadcasts are unique to a series so you don't record all the duplicates being broadcast multiple times a day, on +1 channels or now +24 channels, but I haven't found this feature in MP.
When in the Record screen I see a whole list of instances of a program on the right of the screen, but I then have to work through and sometimes guess which are repeats and which are new. Does this feature exist, maybe as a plugin?

I am a recent convert to MP, having used Windows Media Center for five years. I also have a Humax PVR for "emergency backup". In the UK we are lucky in that the EPG broadcast in the DVB-T/T2 MUXes contains unique programme ids for each programme, along with series ids for each series. This is what the Humax uses to ensure that all episodes in a series are recorded, whilst at the same time avoiding recording repeats. Unfortunately, MP does not use this information.

There is an extension for obtaining the Sky EPG along with its series-record info, so if you are using satellite there might be something there that could give you what you desire (look for contributions from "DJBlu"). I shall be interested to see what more-experienced MP users can suggest, especially for users of DVB-T/T2 in the UK.

In the absence of a suitable extension, the only choice remaining is to select as carefully as possible which of the 8 recording options will best suit what you want to record (and this will vary from channel to channel, and series to series). For weekly programmes, I like option 8 "weekly on this channel". It restricts recording to one channel and one day of the week, but without requiring the programme to be broadcast at the same time each week, i.e. the programme can be broadcast earlier or later on the selected day, and MP will still record it. For the programmes that I watch, it is rare for a weekly programme to be repeated on the same channel and the same day, so option 8 eliminates many repeats.

To find out which programmes are repeats, I would suggest purchasing each week the "Radio Times" (other listings magazines are available). Even that is not 100% correct, but in the five years that I used WMC, I found the "Radio Times" repeat indicator to be more accurate than the "Repeat" flag in the Microsoft downloaded EPG.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

 

[mshorthose]

Thanks CyberSimian.
Just as long as I am not being a clot for failing to find something obvious.
I am clottish in some respects however in that I have not seen the record options you describe - I'll have to go and look!
Recording each week on the same channel would probably work just fine.

 

[CyberSimian]

I am clottish in some respects however in that I have not seen the record options you describe - I'll have to go and look! Recording each week on the same channel would probably work just fine.

In the EPG, press the OK button when the focus is on the programme that you want to record; that gives you a list of all occurrences of that programme during the next seven days. Now press the LEFT button on your remote control to get to the left side-bar menu, and select "Advanced Record". Another menu pops up containing the alternative recording options. Note: depending on which skin you are using, you may find that my favoured choice (option 8, "weekly on this channel") is off the bottom of the list of choices. Press the UP button to get to it.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

 

[mshorthose]

Brilliant - I hadn't found that extra menu!

 

[Pog]

Heads up, check out the TvWishList plugin for advanced recording options.

I have a load of schedules set up for recording shows airing now and in the future. Handy for the wife as she doesn't need to mess with anything and all the stuff she likes just gets recorded season after season.

 

[mshorthose]

I shall try that too Pog, thanks.
The reason I had missed the Advanced Record option was that it is greyed out when looking at "Quest" in the UK.
Presumably that channel is not transmitting the appropriate triggers for advanced record to do its stuff, so MP has cleverly disabled it.
Move to BBC and its there - and does exactly what was described above.
Trust me to pick a channel that doesn't behave as expected!

 

[porky996t]

@mshorthose The Series Link which CyberSimian refers to is >>here<<

Whilst it acts as a plug in, it is really a slight branch from the standard MP install, and installs over the top of the existing setup (it does back everything up prior to installing) Historically, there used to be two "Series Link" plugins, one developed by DJBlu which is still active and supported, and the other was developed by Miroslav which was simple, but effective but has fallen out of use. I have used both since about 2009 and they work fine.

They use the Sky EPG data and the series link is similar to the one that you would get on Sky TV. I use it all the time on all clients and server. It is the only solution I have found for giving me a full EPG without any gaps. The thread is very long and covers various upgrades to MP, so it is probably best to read the first couple of pages, and then head over to the last post and work back from that for a greater understanding.

I hope that helps.

 

[ap90033]

Tried TV Wishlist. Nothing like the options I have in Kodi. I can select "record series" and then "record new episodes" and in two clicks of my remote, WHAMMO done! I used MP about three years ago and this was one of the reasons I switched. To convoluted and over complicated. You shouldnt need SQL Query exp. just to record a series. Just kiddin' kinda...

Seriously, has no one still figured out that this is a must have feature? If you are going to record "TV" then you will probably need record series with the option to skip reruns. Info is in the EPG already Kodi has it, MCE has it, I think Myth TV has it, etc...
I have always thought MP has huge potential but its major features like this missing that just kills it for me and I bet a lot of others. Cant be that hard Kodi has had it for years now. Not trying to sound negative, you know how it is when typing it can come off that way. I really dig MP just tired of what should be fully integrated and functional being glossed over.