TV: is the timeshift buffer still deleted when zapping? (2 Viewers)

[igalan]

I actually find the current solution fits my needs. If I have to pause TV to answer the phone or get something, I can just fast forward back to realtime during a commercial - never missing a point of the show.

Does it bother you to be able to rewind even after changing channels? Is it a problem for you or your way of using Media Portal? I don't understand, we're not talking about removing fuctionality, only about bringing back something that has always been there. As Marcusb has explained, right now if you accidentaly change the channel, you miss the whole buffer and whatever you were watching; this is not what I consider a feature.

 

[rtv]

Do AC3 channels always transmit AC3 or can they change depending on what show is on? If they change then this must also cause issues with TV if your hypothesis is correct.

Your suggestion is totally correct.. E.g in European tv there are often channels which just broadcast their blockbusters with AC3 sound :-/
Also channel switching from non-AC3 to AC3 channels can lead to serveral seconds of total unresponsiveness.

 

[CHli]

i might be totally wrong here - but possibly the reason it was removed is that sometimes changing channels requires a different graph, like when switching to a channel with AC3 sound. maybe the buffer can't be kept when using a different graph?

I'm not an expert but as I could see the graph is splitted in two parts. The acquisition and the timeshift , render part. Changing the first shouldn't affect necessarily the second. But I can be wrong.

 

[ASiDiE]

A simple way of stopping someone from accidentally hitting another channel and loosing the time buffer is to have a notification when changing the channel when watching the buffer.

If the channel is LIVE there will be not be any type of notification. It will switch channels just like usual.

If you are watching the buffer and switch the channel, it should come up saying "The show is delayed, do you still want to switch the channel? Hit select" Once you hit select it will remove the buffer and change the channel.

Thats my thought.

 

[igalan]

You seem very interested in deleting the timeshift buffer no matter what arguments the people have. Could you elaborate why? I want to understand in which way is preferably to delete it instead of keeping it.

 

[gxtracker]

I don't understand, we're not talking about removing fuctionality, only about bringing back something that has always been there.

- Development Time
- Development Complexity

Not to mention that I've never even used a PVR Consumer Device that features keeping the timeshifting buffer after changing channels.

We all know that MediaPortal is still in the initial development stages, so the focus should be on a base set of features and product stability. Not to mention that keeping the timeshifting buffer isnt very intuitive. The whole purpose of timeshifting is to be able to pause/replay short sections of television - like going to the washroom, or answering the phone. Not pausing an entire show. If you're going to do that, you might as well just record the whole show. :wink:

A simple way of stopping someone from accidentally hitting another channel and loosing the time buffer is to have a notification when changing the channel when watching the buffer.

Excellent idea! Simple, Elegant, it keeps the user in full control and allows interactivity. Now that would be an idea I could stand behind.

 

[igalan]

The whole purpose of timeshifting is to be able to pause/replay short sections of television - like going to the washroom, or answering the phone. Not pausing an entire show.

Why? Because you say so? By default the timeshift buffer is 1 hour long; you can do a lot of things in between. But I've set it to 2 hours. What's the problem to pause an entire show because the pause takes longer than expected?

I can understand that this feature is removed if it can cause problems, because more work is needed to be able to do this without compromising stability. But beyond that it's up to everyone's to decide how to best use the software. The more flexible the better. One size does not fit all.

 

[wewe]

we already had this discussion some weeks ago (http://nolanparty.com/mediaportal.sourceforge.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=9594)
where all came to one common opinion.


... igalan: why do you argue so tough and personally? I still have the feeling that we all want the same.

thanks+regards
WeWe

 

[igalan]

Do I sound that way? Not my intention, I just want to understand. I'm very puzzled about the answers .

 

[ASiDiE]

First, I do not know the official reason why the time buffer was changed to the way it is today, but the theory of different streams makes sense. We have HDTV, Dolby Digital, DVB and all sorts of different types of streams.

Maybe the issue was someone had two different types of cards in the same system. Lets say a dvb card and a HTDV card. I set up all my channels into the same guide. I am watching OTA HDTV and decide to watch something on my DVB card. Those streams are totally different and probably not compatible within the same file. Therefore removed.

I think I have asked this question before and never really received and answer. What other systems allows you to record anything and everything in the time buffer without deleting it? I know media portal is different and all but why is it that no other system does this? Even the Stand alone PVR, DVR, from tivo, replaytv, comcast, TWC and others don't do this. Not that MP should follow the norm, but there is probably a reason behind this.

I am going over the reasons (I think) why you would NOT want to keep the buffer.

1. Different steams that cause a problem when joining the video/audio together.
2. Usually people don't care about recording channels when flipping.
3. When you have a set buffer it can usually get very large, Going back in a 6 gig file can really slow the system down.


Instead of having multiple channels in the time buffer... what about the ability to be able to SAVE what is ever in the time buffer? Lets say I am getting ready to go somewhere and I am about ready to turn off the TV. I see a show that looks interesting and it's 2 hours long. It's been on the same channel the while time. I hit a button and select to grab from 6 to 8. The system grabs what ever was in the buffer from 6 and then continues recording till 8. Saves the file as the shows name, just as if you recorded it from 6 - 8. I think that would be cool.

I could go on and about this.... I even asked my wife about this exact same topic last night. Regardless, I think MP is currently the best product out there and only getting better. What ever the DEV's decide is fine with me.... Like I have said before... I am just thankful for what we have now!