AutoTimers bugs / issues / problems - causing marital problems!

[Rayne]

OK - This is incredibly frustrating; but i'm hoping one of you wise gentlemen can help.

I have a Nano 2 Super on OpenVix Apollo build 121 (Released in November 2014).

I have set up autotimers for two episodes of a show, shown in succession (ie: episode 1 @ 6pm - 7pm & episode 2 @ 7pm - 8pm). Great - all works well and the show records both episodes.

T'wife decides that she wants to have her Corrie on an autotimer; to which I duly oblige. Everything still works well.

Finally, she requests Eastenders to go on autotimer - and this is where the problems begin.

Problems:

1) There is a false conflict - I have two shows recording and due to finish at 8pm (my show & Corrie) and a new show due to start at 8pm (Eastenders). Autotimer see's this as a conflict despite it being an end time & a start time.

RESOLVE: From the timer list, I edit my show to finish at 7.59pm. This seems to resolve the conflict.

Question: I've seen others on the forum have this problem. Is there an auto-correction feature (ie: to stop recording 30 secs or 1 min prior to end time)? Should I just continue editing the end-time or do you guys know a better way?


2) This may be a bug; but the box now detects a conflict whenever I try to record any show, at a non-conflicting time. The Timer Sanity popup shows me the same conflicting show as per problem 1. My earlier workaround of ending one of the recordings at 7.59 seems to have disappeared.

Question: Again - I've seen others on the forum report this same problem. Is this an actual bug? Have you guys found a workaround?

3) Now Autotimers seems to detect phantom conflicts. For example, this morning I received a "Conflict Encountered" pop-up, telling me that two conflicts were encountered on Wednesday, whilst trying to record my show (Conflict 1: 6pm-7pm & Conflict 2: 7pm-8pm).

Question: Have any of you had phantom conflicts occur? I don't understand why this one would exist; There are only 3 things recording that day:

6pm - 7pm - My Show
7pm - 8pm - My Show
7.30pm - 8pm - Corrie

This conflict doesn't appear to occur on Tuesday, when it's still only 3 recordings that day at the same time slots (Eastenders instead of Corrie).


4) Disabled timers - So, I found advice to "Show Disabled timers on conflict" which I did. I saw the disabled timer; and made the appropriate edits to recording times - all was good.

HOWEVER - since having deleted AT and Timers from Etc/Enigma2; Autotimers no longer shows me any disabled conflicting timers, despite the popups telling me they exist.

Question: Do you guys know how to resolve this? I read another post with the same problem and it ended up being a skins issue. I'm using the default skin; and have not got any other skins installed.


Can you guys help me answer ANY of these questions? It's incredibly frustrating not being able to figure it out - especially when I'm sure that it's a simple answer. If her indoors misses an episode of Corrie or Eastenders - hell hath no fury!!


Ofcourse, the last resort is to reflash to the newest Vix image over the weekend, start again and hope for the best (but, not ideal - so a workaround is preferred).

[bbbuk]

I had similar issues which I put down to the fact that I have 5 minutes +/- margin (padding) either side, which was needed for her soaps.

I had to correct mine by finding the same program on either +1 or another sister channel.

Do you have any margins/padded time either side of a recording?

[Rayne]

Nope - all Margins reduced to zero, but still having the same issue.

I think some problems would be resolved if there was a function to create a margin of -1 or -30 secs at the end of the show (ie: stops recording one minute or 30secs before the end of the scheduled time)

[bbbuk]

I think some problems would be resolved if there was a function to create a margin of -1 or -30 secs at the end of the show (ie: stops recording one minute or 30secs before the end of the scheduled time)

I think this is a good idea.

Can it be made possible to maybe enter a minus figure like -1 min or -30 sec at the end within the margin/padding area that way it wouldn't think there was a timing conflict?

Obviously, a -30 sec would be better choice but I can imagine that being a nightmare to start looking into seconds and not just hours:minutes so at least -1 min may help.

Of course, if these channels stuck to their schedule then I personally wouldn't need to have a 5min margin which is a very large margin but was needed on one recording.

[Rayne]

Definitely a good idea - how can we submit requests/ideas to the development team?

Anyway - there is definitely a bug. I've now completely lost the ability to record I can't use the EPG to set a programme to record (receive a Timer Sanity Error) OR by using pressing the record button whilst watching a programme (I receive "Record time limited due to conflicting timer XXX 2015-01-30 19:00").

Can anyone please shed some light on this? I will be very thankful for any advice!

[Sicilian]

Re-flash the unit, setup fresh.

Once setup agian re-do your Autotimers but set them so they do not overlap and complete say a minute earlier. The unit is a twin tuner receiver, so some of your timers require the use of both tuners at the same time.

[leshay]

Re-flash the unit, setup fresh.

Once setup agian re-do your Autotimers but set them so they do not overlap and complete say a minute earlier. The unit is a twin tuner receiver, so some of your timers require the use of both tuners at the same time.

Hi
As I have identical issues on my Gigablue Quad, I have an interest in this thread.

Your suggestion to re-flash and redo Autotimers is NOT really a solution. It is a work around at best. The solution would be for the box to logically 'fit in' timers where possible. In the majority of cases, it is as simple as inc/dec on or others by a very small margin.

My old box managed it 10 years ago (and a *lot* faster too). Before you say it - no, I don't want to go back to it. I find the inordinate time taken to add an Autotimer, with the spinning VIX, is rediculous - it simply should not take so long. With the memory and fast processor, it just shouldn't need to hog the processor the way it does.

[Sicilian]

Fine you know best....

[Larry-G]

I find the inordinate time taken to add an Autotimer, with the spinning VIX, is rediculous - it simply should not take so long. With the memory and fast processor, it just shouldn't need to hog the processor the way it does.

It takes me seconds to setup a auto timer and always has, your issue is not a bug per say but down to how Enigma2 it self handles the tuners, your only option is to either adjust the recordings so they dont clash as above or add more tuners.

[twol]

It takes me seconds to setup a auto timer and always has, your issue is not a bug per say but down to how Enigma2 it self handles the tuners, your only option is to either adjust the recordings so they dont clash as above or add more tuners.

Hate to say this but you are right, Enigma is doing what it has been asked to do and the answer (painfully) is add a tuner.
However, with Sky, I believe it will finish whats recording and then start the next as soon as possible....... obviously you risk losing the starting moments but better than not recording ........... unless it's for the wife

[Sicilian]

Reason I advised to re-flash was so all of op's timers would be cleared and also cos he states he no longer add any. Then re-adding as I stated should clear his issue. Imo op's timers are clashing with both tuners being used.

[Larry-G]

Reason I advised to re-flash was so all of op's timers would be cleared and also cos he states he no longer add any. Then re-adding as I stated should clear his issue. Imo op's timers are clashing with both tuners being used.

Yes I agree and as I tried to explain it's not bug per say but down to how enigma handles the tuners.

[bbbuk]

I realise it's not a bug but it can still be a little problem if you have 2 recording set and they're timed to finish at 8pm as it means you can't, easily anyhow, set another recording to start at 8pm.

How hard/easy would it be for the margin/padding to accept a minus figure so setting an autotimer/timer for a programme at 7pm that is on for an hour, would instead finish at 7.59 (ie minus 1 min thanks to the margin/padding automatically applied)?

Just a suggestion assuming it's at all possible.

[Huevos]

I realise it's not a bug but it can still be a little problem if you have 2 recording set and they're timed to finish at 8pm as it means you can't, easily anyhow, set another recording to start at 8pm.

How hard/easy would it be for the margin/padding to accept a minus figure so setting an autotimer/timer for a programme at 7pm that is on for an hour, would instead finish at 7.59 (ie minus 1 min thanks to the margin/padding automatically applied)?

Just a suggestion assuming it's at all possible.

I don't understand your issue. Just tried (on a single tuner box) one recording 7pm to 8pm and one from 8pm to 9pm and no conflicts were reported. Margins set at zero zero.

[Rayne]

Re-flash the unit, setup fresh.

Once setup agian re-do your Autotimers but set them so they do not overlap and complete say a minute earlier. The unit is a twin tuner receiver, so some of your timers require the use of both tuners at the same time.

This was a last resort for me but I think you're right.

Last night I deleted all the timers & ATs. Then I re-added them in one-by-one. There was still a conflict - but this time they were shown as disabled in the timer list. I edited the times to finish at 19.59, enabled them and all conflicts seemed resolved. Came home from work today and my edits have gone and the same problems as below (i'm assuming this might have something to do with AT's polling the EPG every 30 mins, and removing my edits when it re-polls?)

Sorry to keep ranting - just trying to give as much info as possible - - I've just realised the second showing of my programme (7pm-8pm) only records about 6 seconds - despite the Timers page showing the programme is recording for the full during. ALSO; When I set Family Guy to record at 11-11.30pm, 11.30-12am, 12-12.30am; it only records the first episode (even though nothing is recording simultaneously).

It takes me seconds to setup a auto timer and always has, your issue is not a bug per say but down to how Enigma2 it self handles the tuners, your only option is to either adjust the recordings so they dont clash as above or add more tuners.

How does Enigma2 handle the tuners? I want to learn more about the way it works.

Imo op's timers are clashing with both tuners being used.

But they are both only being used until 8pm. Surely they should both stop at 8pm and then only one activates for Eastenders?

I don't understand your issue. Just tried (on a single tuner box) one recording 7pm to 8pm and one from 8pm to 9pm and no conflicts were reported. Margins set at zero zero.

I suspect the issue is specific to dual tuner boxes - as some other posters above have suggested, it seems to be a dual tuners issue.


Thanks for all the help so far guys. I'm genuinely am very grateful for any support you can give. The TM is a great box and sorting out the AT issue will be the cherry on top!