Recording Service beta 1.4.4.6 suggestions

[uglyned]

Hi,

 

Thanks for the latest beta - the freesat EPG integration makes a huge difference. I just have a few suggestions which would make the application almost perfect.

 

1. Timers page. As I now don't need to use DVBViewer or EPG Plus to populate my EPG or timers, it would be really useful if the timers page on the recording service application could show potential clashes, as the timer window in DVBViewer and EPG Plus do, making it easier for me to spot them.

 

2. Tasks - I've just about worked out tasks - but wondered if it would be possible to schedule them - if I can set the EPG auto record timer search to run regularly then I will never manually need to set up recordings - just tell the recording service what I like and leave it to record all my programmes without manual intervention. It would be nice if every hour or two the recording service would automatically run my preset searches because, as well as broadcast freesat EPG data, there are some FTA channels with no EPG so I set recording service to also update their details by the per transponder EPG search. Only problem with that is it can only get details for the now and next programmes so I can't plan ahead.

 

There is a number 3, which may be much more complicated for you but I had the idea so may as well ask.

 

3. I think that each TV programme in the freesat EPG is given a unique identifier (UID) value. If, when a TV programme is moved into the timer, that UID is stored as part of the timer data record, then you have the opportunity to stop duplicate programmes being added to the timer and also alter start / end times of programmes in the timer if their broadcast times are changed.

 

So if a programme is already in the timer and I select it to record again, the UIDs are compared and recording service knows that programme is already in the timer. If the times have changed since it was first added, recording service can update them.

 

Or if the EPG auto record search brings up a show with a UID which is already in the timer list but has different start / end times, instead of adding another timer entry it could just change the start and end times of the existing timer because it knows that, as they have the same UID, they're the same TV programme.

 

Just an idea!

 

Great work - really appreciate it.

[Lars_MQ]

2. is not possible yet but planned, but it takes a while because this means

 

3. a complete redesign of the timers. The current timerformat doesn't allow such thing. Also the EPG format has to be extended, both changes will make the service incompatible with the DVBViewer.

[uglyned]

Thanks for the response Lars MQ - much appreciated.