MediaRoom conflict resolution
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You guys are missing the point.
If I set up 2 HD series to record "any time any day", I'm pretty sure the "smarts" in the scheduler will pick times that allow for both shows to be recorded. Maybe one day though, both shows only occur at the same time. How does it decide then which show to record? It can't come up with a conflict resolution screen if I don't happen to have the PVR "on" at the time that this happens...
I'm really just looking for someone that actually know the algorithm the scheduling software uses. Maybe nobody but Microsoft knows, or maybe someone has tested this?
If I set up 2 HD series to record "any time any day", I'm pretty sure the "smarts" in the scheduler will pick times that allow for both shows to be recorded. Maybe one day though, both shows only occur at the same time. How does it decide then which show to record? It can't come up with a conflict resolution screen if I don't happen to have the PVR "on" at the time that this happens...
I'm really just looking for someone that actually know the algorithm the scheduling software uses. Maybe nobody but Microsoft knows, or maybe someone has tested this?
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Series Recording
The default settings are AROUND XX:XX AM/PM, FIRST RUN & RERUN.
The "around time" option allows a 2 hour window on either side, so if the network shuffles the schedule slightly the program will still be recorded. Specialty channels often schedule programs to repeat 3 hours later for the western time zone. This feature will prevent them from being recorded again.
For example, a program scheduled for "around" 9 pm will record if it is scheduled to start between 7 pm and 11 pm.
Conflict Resolution
When you record a series and there is a conflict anytime in the available schedule (10+ days), you will get a message which allows you to:
All conflicts will be shown in the list of scheduled programs with an "X" in a red circle, so they are easy to spot by paging through the list. I periodically scan the list and make sure any programs I want will be recorded, usually using time-shifting.
I don't think Mediaroom optimizes the schedule to avoid conflicts using the "anytime" option. I've seen it schedule shows with a conflict even when there are better alternative time slots.
If you only have 1 HD stream and conflicts are a problem, I would suggest using the "around time" option and schedule programs for off-peak times where possible.
I'm using Mediaroom with MTS and we recently upgraded to a newer version of Mediaroom which includes "Series Priority" control. The series are shown in a list and you can move a series up, down or to the top of the list.
The default settings are AROUND XX:XX AM/PM, FIRST RUN & RERUN.
The "around time" option allows a 2 hour window on either side, so if the network shuffles the schedule slightly the program will still be recorded. Specialty channels often schedule programs to repeat 3 hours later for the western time zone. This feature will prevent them from being recorded again.
For example, a program scheduled for "around" 9 pm will record if it is scheduled to start between 7 pm and 11 pm.
Conflict Resolution
When you record a series and there is a conflict anytime in the available schedule (10+ days), you will get a message which allows you to:
- Record all episodes of this series
- Record this series only when no conflict occurs
- Choose which shows to record
All conflicts will be shown in the list of scheduled programs with an "X" in a red circle, so they are easy to spot by paging through the list. I periodically scan the list and make sure any programs I want will be recorded, usually using time-shifting.
I don't think Mediaroom optimizes the schedule to avoid conflicts using the "anytime" option. I've seen it schedule shows with a conflict even when there are better alternative time slots.
If you only have 1 HD stream and conflicts are a problem, I would suggest using the "around time" option and schedule programs for off-peak times where possible.
I'm using Mediaroom with MTS and we recently upgraded to a newer version of Mediaroom which includes "Series Priority" control. The series are shown in a list and you can move a series up, down or to the top of the list.
Thanks for letting me know the details on this.
Does that also mean that MediaRoom doesn't have the smarts to know when it's already recorded an episode?
Coming from a BTV background, I have to say this is pretty disappointing. Sage and BTV have the smarts to look at conflicts and resolve them automatically by simply finding a different time and/or channel to record a show if it conflicts with another. I'm quite surprised that MediaRoom doesn't have this ability.
Does that also mean that MediaRoom doesn't have the smarts to know when it's already recorded an episode?
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I'm not entirely sure if Mediaroom will record an episode it has already recorded since I normally record "First Run Only". However I have some series where I've set "First Run & Rerun" and haven't watched the episodes yet. I've noticed that Mediaroom will not record an episode if it already on disk. I'm not sure what happens if you record the episode and delete it.
I agree that there is room for improvement with Mediaroom. The good news is that Microsoft keeps adding features. As the market leader in IPTV, it has the customer base to justify continued future investment.
I agree that there is room for improvement with Mediaroom. The good news is that Microsoft keeps adding features. As the market leader in IPTV, it has the customer base to justify continued future investment.
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543 Posts
Dr.Dave, my experience is that once deleted the program will be recorded again if shown and series record is active, but if the episode is already on the PVR it won’t be re-recorded, this is most obviously to preserve disk space.
Meestor, it would be difficult to have anything relevant or current posted, since Mediaroom can be implemented in a variety of ways, dependant on the client’s needs and or wants. In this case the client being TELUS, also for this reason (TELUS is the client not the customers who use the service) Microsoft probably feels no need to post such info. In fact there may even be a policy of not providing it so that Microsoft’s clients MTS, TELUS etc won’t be pestered by customers wanting the latest capabilities available on release. There are also different versions with different capabilities. The manual provided at installation is really all the customer needs. Think of it, if there was in depth technical information available and people started trying to hack the system or to improve their installs by trying things they only think they understand. You really don’t need some weekend tech bringing their system down so TELUS can send out a tech to repair something that was working as intended. That would only cause the price to be driven up.
Optik is provided by TELUS, its maintained and serviced by TELUS, you wouldn’t open up your microwave to see if you could improve its performance, Optik is not much different from TELUSs point of view.
- another TELUS tech
Meestor, it would be difficult to have anything relevant or current posted, since Mediaroom can be implemented in a variety of ways, dependant on the client’s needs and or wants. In this case the client being TELUS, also for this reason (TELUS is the client not the customers who use the service) Microsoft probably feels no need to post such info. In fact there may even be a policy of not providing it so that Microsoft’s clients MTS, TELUS etc won’t be pestered by customers wanting the latest capabilities available on release. There are also different versions with different capabilities. The manual provided at installation is really all the customer needs. Think of it, if there was in depth technical information available and people started trying to hack the system or to improve their installs by trying things they only think they understand. You really don’t need some weekend tech bringing their system down so TELUS can send out a tech to repair something that was working as intended. That would only cause the price to be driven up.
Optik is provided by TELUS, its maintained and serviced by TELUS, you wouldn’t open up your microwave to see if you could improve its performance, Optik is not much different from TELUSs point of view.
- another TELUS tech
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