Part time channels
#1
I'm not sure where to post this as I'm not sure if it's an issue with Kodi as a whole or the PVR add on(s). In the UK (and I guess other countries) we have a number of part time channels (for example BBC3 that starts broadcasting at 7:00PM). When the channel is selected it will take Kodi several minutes to conclude that the channel is not available ( I believe it will try each encoder on each tuner? I have 4 tuners and 3 encoders on each tuner, which I presume why it takes several minutes).

I'm not sure how you could reduce the time this would take? However, what I do find frustrating is that I can't cancel/change channels until "Kodi" either successfully tunes the channel or serves up the "channel not available" message.

Is this a feature of the add on or Kodi PVR? Does anyone else have this issue or is it just my family who forget that certain channels only broadcast on certain times(!)
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#2
This is a feature of the addon. I proposed in other thread to add a setting to setup the max encoder to try. But until now no one was interested and i haven't this need.
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#3
Tvheadend doesnt behave like this. If you select a channel which isn't broadcasting until a certain time then it simply will not open and you can freely zap to the next channel instantly - therefor this issue you speak of must be related to the addon/backend.
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#4
@AshG

Default tuning delay in the pvr.mythtv addon (Advanced tab) is 5 seconds, so for your configuration you should get the channel not available message in about 60 seconds (4x3x5).

Can you confirm that your issue is with DVB-S/S2 i.e. satellite in the UK. Note that it is not the pvr.mythtv addon causing this, it is the mythtv backend.

My DVB-T/T2 Freeview in UK does not exhibit this issue (I just get a "Buffering ... 0" message with kodi 16 but can change channels).

Mike
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#5
Yes, @MikeB2013 is right: trying encoder, the addon wait for the first file. Once backend has provided first file, the addon receives the feedback and restore the hand, then kodi can ask to read buffer.
But it could be little more complex because the addon wait first file is filled with at least 1 byte to restore the hand. Often the backend fill it with at least one mpegts packet with PSI table. But if no byte is filled then addon wait until configured timeout.
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#6
Hi Mike,

Yes I'm using dvb-s2 (UK freesat), would there be a setting in the myth backend that would give me this issue?
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#7
And also this is more out of curiosity than anything else! My other free view set top boxes around the house displays a "splash screen" saying that the channel is closed and what time it will start etc.... Is that "image" broadcasted by the Chanel ? And why don't I see it with mythtv/Kodi ?
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#8
Its generated by the stb.
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#9
Ahh ok thanks nickr it was just something that puzzled me.
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#10
(2015-08-15, 22:12)AshG Wrote: Hi Mike,

Yes I'm using dvb-s2 (UK freesat), would there be a setting in the myth backend that would give me this issue?

There are no settings in myth backend which will give you this issue.

The only way to reduce the time taken for the "Channel unavailable" message in kodi would be the design change to pvr.mythtv addon that @janbar mentioned earlier i.e. limit max encoders/tuners to try for a channel change. Assuming such a change were implemented the "Channel unavailable" message in kodi would be displayed in 5 seconds (assuming default values).

I rather like the way it currently works, as I have Freesat and Freeview, with live tv set to prefer Freesat (dvb-s/s2), but falling back automatically to Freeview (dvb-t/t2) when it rains really heavily (interrupts satellite reception). However I can see the value of such an option.

Mike
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#11
(2015-08-15, 20:05)MikeB2013 Wrote: My DVB-T/T2 Freeview in UK does not exhibit this issue (I just get a "Buffering ... 0" message with kodi 16 but can change channels).

So if it's the design of the addon, how come you can change channels with your DVB -t tuner?

@janbar 1+ from me, in regards to adding settings to limit the max encoders - if this is the only solution?
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#12
The change to resolve this will be merged soon. Thanks Mike for the fix.
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#13
(2015-08-18, 08:15)janbar Wrote: The change to resolve this will be merged soon. Thanks Mike for the fix.

Thank you
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#14
On a slightly different note Janbar, would you be looking to add support for the Time shift buffer indicator changes for the MythTV addon?

http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=226287&page=6
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#15
(2015-08-18, 12:51)AshG Wrote: On a slightly different note Janbar, would you be looking to add support for the Time shift buffer indicator changes for the MythTV addon?

http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=226287&page=6
This is already enabled in the addon since this feature has been merged. But i never seen any new indicator.
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