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How do I setup the RS to use PDC for UK Freeview BBC1/2 HD


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BBC like to move programs between channels and adjust times on a whim, especially at the weekend. Drives me mad.

 

Case in point today the Davis cup tennis match stops recording at 18:10 (per my timer setting), but the program EPG shows the end of the program is 18:30.

 

I have "Start/Stop by EPG running status" selected in Configure->Recordings under "EPG Monitoring" But that doesn't seem to work.

 

I'm using 1.31.0.0 (beta)

 

Peter.

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I asked this a year ago - see http://www.DVBViewer.tv/forum/topic/55404-accurate-recording-in-the-uk/

 

Version 1.31 has changed the options for monitoring PDC/EPG for timers so you now need to set the timer to "Start/Stop by EPG Running Status". Generally it works really well and will start and stop recordings exactly when the broadcaster sends the start/stop signal, so it will behave like any PVR that uses Accurate Recording. What it won't do is detect if a programme has been moved to another channel and record it from there, but then again I'm not sure many PVRs will do that either.

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The page is not up-to-date. Current Recording Service versions allow to to specify if

 

(1) the recording shall strictly be started and stopped as scheduled according to the (unchanged) start / end time plus lead / follow-up time

(2) the start and end time of the scheduled recording shall be adjusted if the Recording Service detects that it has changed in the EPG (lead and follow-up time are still applied)

(3) the start time plus lead time shall specifiy when EPG monitoring starts. In this case the recording is started and stopped according to the EPG running status (indicating whether a programme is running or not), so recording control is delegated to the broadcaster. The end and follow-up time are ignored. This option includes (2)

 

Zwischenablage01.png

 

(2) and (3) require a link between the scheduled recording and the corresponding EPG item. If available the Recording Service uses a programme identification label (PIL) for PDC (Programme Delivery Control), which is broadcasted as part of the EPG data and contains the originally intended start time. The PIL does not change if the start time changes in the EPG. However, only some broadcasters are using it according to the DVB specifications (e.g. German public broadcasters). Freesat does not provide a PIL, so I guess Freeview doesn't either.

 

Another possible link between a scheduled recording and an EPG item is its Event ID. However, several broadcasters are using it in an unreliable way, which means, it may change, so the Recording Service is not able to recognize the programme in the EPG anymore, or even worse, the Event ID is assigned to another programme.

 

By default the Recording Service does not support using the Event ID as link since it no safe method. If you are sure or know by experience that your broadcaster is handling it correctly (in the DVB sense), or you just want to try, you may use a tweak to activate Event ID usage. Stop the Recording Service, launch RSTweaker.bat in the RS/DVBViewer installation directory and search for "EPG Event ID Usage on timer handling". The screenshot explains the rest:

 

Zwischenablage02.png

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Thanks everyone for the replies.

 

- I have changed my "EPG Monitoring" setting from (3) to (2) "Start/End time update from EPG" as I know the BBC is updating the EPG. I don't trust all broadcast services to keep the EPG accurate so this seems the safer overall setting.

 

- I have activated the Event ID usage and will see which channels it works with.

 

I have a feeling these should be channel specific options.

 

Will report results.

 

Peter.

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- I have activated the Event ID usage and will see which channels it works with.

What is needed is an indicator whether there is a PDC PIL that can be monitored. Only by looking into the svctimers.xml or by analysing the EIT with transedit this information is revealed. Old VCRs already had a LED indicating VPS/ and/or PDC :)

 

Without expert knowledge users are lost, if the tweaker is not set correctly.

 

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<Timers>

<Timer Type="1" ID="{27DCE7AC-D693-4BEC-9664-E49B82AEA4F0}" Enabled="-1" Priority="50" Date="28.11.2015" Start="15:03:00" Dur="197" PreEPG="2" PostEPG="10" Action="0" EPGEventID="58150">

<Descr>Tennis: Davis Cup Final -...</Descr>

<Options AdjustPAT="-1" AllAudio="-1" DVBSubs="-1" Teletext="-1" EITEPG="-1" MonitorPDC="2" RunningStatusSplit="-1"/>

<Format>2</Format>

<Folder>Auto</Folder>

<NameScheme>%year-%date_%time_%station_%name</NameScheme>

<Source>API</Source>

<Channel ID="2385227758756764445|BBC One HD (AC3,eng)"/>

</Timer>

</Timers>

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<Timers>

<Timer Type="1" ID="{A99F914C-0905-48BF-88D2-1DF08C892DC5}" Enabled="-1" Priority="50" Date="28.11.2015" Start="23:48:00" Dur="17" PreEPG="2" PostEPG="10" Action="0" EPGEventID="42484" PDC="941539">

<Descr>Das Wort zum Sonntag</Descr>

<Options AdjustPAT="-1" AllAudio="-1" DVBSubs="-1" Teletext="-1" EITEPG="-1" MonitorPDC="2" RunningStatusSplit="-1"/>

<Format>2</Format>

<Folder>Auto</Folder>

<NameScheme>%year-%date_%time_%station_%name</NameScheme>

<Source>API</Source>

<Channel ID="2359890582721931325|Das Erste HD (deu)"/>

</Timer>

</Timers>

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What is needed is an indicator whether there is a PDC PIL that can be monitored. Only by looking into the svctimers.xml or by analysing the EIT with transedit this information is revealed. Old VCRs already had a LED indicating VPS/ and/or PDC :)

 

Without expert knowledge users are lost, if the tweaker is not set correctly.

 

 

 

I would certainly admit to being lost by the apparent complexity of all the options until I tried it at least once, with some success. Now I understand more clearly the problem/issues I can make sensible choices.

 

I noticed after making the tweaker change that when I select programmes for recording (add a timer), there is an EPG monitoring setting available in the timer settings on some programmes that is invisible on others. I assume it is there when the associated codes have been detected.

 

Today I have had extra confidence to use the "Start/Stop by EPG running status" setting and on 6 recordings made, 3 with possible time changes it has worked flawlessly.

 

I am a not sure what will happen with some repeat program timers I have set, which has confused me in the past as the title doesn't always reflect the content. For example "The Hunt" nature documentary series on BBC ONE HD (T) is set to record weekly at 9pm on Sundays. This timer does not have the EPG monitoring option. I would therefore be hoping that some kind of series link facility for this type of programme be available in future.

 

I should add, since I started using it in 2011, it has made almost 10,000 timed recordings (over 6 per day on average). It's already as near perfect as any software I have ever used.

 

Peter.

Edited by hpr
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As I suspected they might, the BBC has swapped channels for the Formula 1 and Tennis. Looking at the EPG they're on for the same time at the moment, so utterly pointless and extremely annoying. Luckily I am closely monitoring.

 

My Tennis recording timer using "Start/Stop by EPG running status" has started but nothing is being written because the programme moved to another channel (as predicted from post 3) . Have saved the debug log in case it may be of use.

 

Peter

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