View Full Version : Having to repeatedly stop a recording
Vix image 71, Miraclebox Twin Premium
I have an number of auto timers set up to record a number of programs. They are configured to look for unique titles and descriptions in an attempt to stop recording repeats. Unfortunately the broadcasters subtly change the description for a repeated episode and so the repeats do get recorded.
If I'm watching live TV at this time this unwanted recording may require the free tuner and therefore the box changes channels. I now manually attempt to stop the current recording by going into the timer menu, highlighting the active recording and hitting the delete key(RED). This stop the recording BUT 5 minutes later the box announces that it is starting a recording and starts recording the program that I've just previously stopped/deleted yet again. No matter how I try and stop the recording it will always start again a short time afterwards.
How do I stop the current recording for good so it will not start again? I still want to record future new episodes so the auto timer needs to remain active.
Change the interval that the auto timer searches the EPG to something like 6 hours. The program will be long over by the time it polls again. I have a feeling your timer is not set up correctly - if you use a narrower time span it should sort it too.
I've lots of autotimers set and never get the issue where a repeat is recorded. Example - Neighbours and Home & Away on Channel 5 (honest it's for the missus :)). One at 13:15 and the other at 13:45. Repeats at 18:00 and 18:30 or thereabouts. Have them set for every weekday. The suggested time boundaries in the autotimers are something like 12:15 - !5:15, so it never matches the repeat. Same for Corrie or other repeating programmes.
As ronand has indicated, the reason you can't successfully stop a recording is that the autotimer is scanning the EPG in the background and identifying that a programme you set is now on and kicks off the recording. If you ever want to delete a timer recording you should disable or inhibit the autotimer first (untick the selection in the autotimer list).
Change the interval that the auto timer searches the EPG to something like 6 hours.
My machine is in deep standby for most of the time and seldom on continuously for anything approaching 6 hours. The auto-timers being polled at 6 hour intervals (when the box is on) will probably never find anything to record :)
The program will be long over by the time it polls again. I have a feeling your timer is not set up correctly - if you use a narrower time span it should sort it too.
I suspect the polling interval time, which is currently set to 2 hours, is ignored if I go into the timer screen and perform any action such as deleting the current recording. The interval times appear to be reset as the timer screen is exited. I suspect that the box thinks it has just booted and the (default) 3 minute startup delay before the first poll is kicking in. I'm going to experiment with changing this start-up delay to an hour, or more.
The reason I suspect that it is the 3 minute start up delay time is because it was approximately how long it took between my deleting a current recording and the box indicating that it had started recording the same program again.
Next time I need to stop a current recording I will try what fat-tony has suggested but only disable the current timer rather than delete it. Having to leave an auto-timer is a disabled state for more than a few seconds will probably mean that I will forget about re-enabling at a later time in an evening!
EDIT
Will changing the start up delay to, say, 1 hour actually stop a recording happening if the box wakes up from standby to record something I want and have previously requested from the auto-timer setting?
You dont disable the autotimer - you disable the actual timer that you are trying to get rid of. Anyway you should try setting up the autotimer correctly. Polling every 6 hours or even once a day is plenty as you will be adding events 7 days in advance. What program are you having a problem with anyway (if you dont mind me asking?)
You dont disable the autotimer - you disable the actual timer that you are trying to get rid of. Anyway you should try setting up the autotimer correctly. Polling every 6 hours or even once a day is plenty as you will be adding events 7 days in advance. What program are you having a problem with anyway (if you dont mind me asking?)
Polling every 6 hours requires the box to be on for at least 6 hours. My box remains in deep standby for most of the day which turns practically everything off including polling the EPG for programs to record. The polling time was already set to hours but it doesn't stop the box attempting to try and record again a few minutes after stopping a current recording.
I may not have explained the problem very well.
I'm not trying to disable a timer before it has started. I'm trying to stop a recording that has already started. The only way that I can see is to go to the timer menu and for a recoding in progress the options are
i) RED to delete
ii) Green to add
iii) Blue to Cleanup
The yellow button is unavailable if a recording is in progress. The yellow button to disable a recording is only available for one that is pending (waiting)
The only option here to stop the recording is to delete the recording. However the program is still configured in an enabled Auto-timer and it starts recording again a few minutes later. The ONLY way I've found to stop this behaviour is to deactivate the auto-timer setting which basically defeats the option of setting and forgetting, and I have to remember to enable it again an hour later.
I've also tried selecting the channel that the program is being broadcast on and pressing the stop button on the remote - I get invalid button press icon. Pressing the record button gives another menu with an option to "stop timer recording" - this does nothing when selected.
I'm aware that if I set tighter timer parameters I may/will avoid some of the repeats but in some cases I don't know if the next time the program is on it will be in the same time slot or day of the week. This is not really the problem I'm having with the box. It's just that the last couple of times I've wanted to stop a recording it's because it's automatically changed channel to record an unwanted repeat. This is rather annoying if it now takes a few minutes to stop a recording and it starts again a little later. Some broadcasters are not very good at keeping titles and short descriptions the same for repeats. Recently when I got 3 copies of the same program the only differences in the description were a missing episode number and the inclusion of the subtitle [S] indication.
I must repeat this again - if you set up the autotimer correctly you should not have any repeats. However without knowing your settings there is nothing more I can suggest. You are correct in that you cannot disable the recording after it has started so it is best to avoid repeats in the first place. I have usually around 8-10 autotimers running - some daily & some weekly and never have any repeats.
If an autotimer is set to check the full 24 hour period of every day then you will definitely get repeats. Setting the appropriate time-spans gets the best results not concentrating on the exact title
adm - what programmes are you recording? The BBCs/ITVs/CH4s etc on Freesat and Freeview and various on SKY are pretty consistent with how they name the programmes. The only major issue I ever hit was on F1 where I was trying to ensure I was recording all practices, qualifications and the actual race over a weekend on BBC1 and BBC2, so I reduced the name matching to just F1 and relaxed the channel matching. Bad move on my part as the autotimer then set a timer for every instance of the event on the SKY F1 channel - one I don't have a subscription for and ended up having to deleted about 20 timer entries :eek: WOn't make that mistake again.
adm - what programmes are you recording? The BBCs/ITVs/CH4s etc on Freesat and Freeview and various on SKY are pretty consistent with how they name the programmes.
Perhaps I'm more used to a Topfield SD box box (with third party software) that works far better when setting up timers - nearly a TeraByte of recordings with a handful of repeats :) However, avoiding repeats isn't really the problem - I can tweak the timer configurations on the Miraclebox. My Topfield box also allows me to stop any current recording and it remembers that it has been stopped. As ronand has confirmed disabling a current recording that has been set by a still active auto-timer isn't a one button press operation on the Miraclebox/VIX image. I'll just have to work around this limitation of the box.
BTW - for info: while 'messing around' with some of the default timer settings and trying to stop active recordings my box got slower and slower with the spinning VIX image often up for 30+ seconds. Speed was only restored by putting the box into deep standby and rebooting.
Been asked a few times but not answered. What show on what sat is this happening on? It's going to be impossible to find a solution unless it can be reproduced.
Without knowing that, have you tried Long green press for Auto timers, press menu & choose setup, then change poll automatically (a setting I've never had to change though.).
Been asked a few times but not answered. What show on what sat is this happening on? It's going to be impossible to find a solution unless it can be reproduced.
If you are inquiring about recording repeats - it is not a bug. It's just that I have auto-timers set to look for unique titles and short descriptions BUT the broadcasters are changing the description for every repeat, albeit in very small ways. I can solve this by reducing channels/times etc.
If you are saying that a auto-timer generated current recording can be deleted or stopped without the active auto-timer starting the recording again isn't the expected behaviour then I have seen this on my box when I had terrestrial tuners fitted and using the Freeview set of channels. Currently I have two Sat tuners fitted tuned to 28.2 and Freesat channels. I have an auto-timer set for 'Speed with Guy Martin' and this is one of the ongoing recording when deleted will start again a few minutes later.
As there is no menu option for stopping or suspending an ongoing auto-timer generated recording I do suspect this may be the expected behaviour from the box.
have you tried Long green press for Auto timers, press menu & choose setup, then change poll automatically (a setting I've never had to change though.).
Reading the description suggests even when disabled what will happen as you leave the timer GUI screen after deleting the ongoing recording the polling will again take place immediately. The polling takes place immediately on ANY change of timer and then thereafter at regular intervals set by the polling interval. This would explain why the auto-timer re-instates a deleted timer.
I'm also beginning to suspect that changing some options in the menus don't actually do anything until the box is rebooted and/or the software is sometimes getting lost and not recovering properly until the reboot. However it's a lot better than some boxes that I've owned in the past :)
I'd suspect it's just getting used to new GUI/different OS options so?
How exactly are you adding the auto-timers?
I'd suspect it's just getting used to new GUI/different OS options so?
No, just appreciating how good and well thought out the (third party) software interfaces and functionality on other boxes have been.
How exactly are you adding the auto-timers?
Usually,
i) Set up a unique directory for the recoding via FTP from my laptop (quick and easy). Recordings are to an internal hard disk in the miraclebox
ii) Find a program in the EPG and press Blue for an auto-timer
iii) Disable a few options in the first screen (disable timespan, disable 'only on Tuesday')
iv) In the second configuration screen select the unique directory for the recording
Most other options I've already set in the timer settings default screen
Exact match of title and unique description
No, just appreciating how good and well thought out the (third party) software interfaces and functionality on other boxes have been.
Same thing so? :confused:
Usually,
i) Set up a unique directory for the recoding via FTP from my laptop (quick and easy). Recordings are to an internal hard disk in the miraclebox
ii) Find a program in the EPG and press Blue for an auto-timer
iii) Disable a few options in the first screen (disable timespan, disable 'only on Tuesday')
iv) In the second configuration screen select the unique directory for the recording
Most other options I've already set in the timer settings default screen
Exact match of title and unique description
Screenshots of your autotimers would help, also if you can upload your /etc/enigma2/autotimer.xml it could help find where you're having issues.
Been asked a few times but not answered. What show on what sat is this happening on? It's going to be impossible to find a solution unless it can be reproduced.It's easy to reproduce.
The problem is that if you have a timer set from an auto-timer and it is currently recording then if you Delete it (which is all you can do, as the Disable option is disabled once timer actually starts) the Auto Timer mechanism will soon after re-add the timer and restart the recording.
You probably have to have Automatic Polling set for your Auto Timers, but beyond that this is independent of what show the Auto timer is for.
Yes - it's happened to me as well. I discovered that the box wouldn't wake up if you run "shutdown" from the command line when I noticed it still asleep when I thought it should be recording Doctor Who. So I started the box. The recording started. Since the programme was already half-way through I Deleted the timer. A minute later the timer was re-instated and the recording restarted. In the end I think I just let it run and then deleted it (and recorded the full programme off BBC Three the next day).
It's easy to reproduce.
The problem is that if you have a timer set from an auto-timer and it is currently recording then if you Delete it (which is all you can do, as the Disable option is disabled once timer actually starts) the Auto Timer mechanism will soon after re-add the timer and restart the recording.
You probably have to have Automatic Polling set for your Auto Timers, but beyond that this is independent of what show the Auto timer is for.
Yes - it's happened to me as well. I discovered that the box wouldn't wake up if you run "shutdown" from the command line when I noticed it still asleep when I thought it should be recording Doctor Who. So I started the box. The recording started. Since the programme was already half-way through I Deleted the timer. A minute later the timer was re-instated and the recording restarted. In the end I think I just let it run and then deleted it (and recorded the full programme off BBC Three the next day).
That reply is going to be as hard to reproduce, so hard to narrow down any fix, or use correct E2 settings.
iii) Disable a few options in the first screen (disable timespan, disable 'only on Tuesday')
That is the reason you are getting the repeats in the first place- you really need to set the correct timespan. Also its less work for the receiver to do when updating the autotimers - you did complain of a spinning vix.
Finally we get the reason - "disable timespan"! As ronand says, that's the source of your issue. It'll search for every occurrence of the programme title/details you've set. When I set the autotimer for the aforementioned "Neighbours" I only untick the day and leave the timespan set so that it does not pick up the repeats. You can further edit the services or the days in the autotimer settings. For F1 I have it set to only record Fri/Sat/Sun on BBC1 or BBC2. I do pick up repeats of some practices but just delete them afterwards. No other autotimers pick up repeats due to proper timespan settings.
Finally we get the reason - "disable timespan"! As ronand says, that's the source of your issue.
I’m aware that I’ll have to go back to the PVR dark ages and configure the auto-timers to be more restrictive in order to avoid unnecessary repeats. :)
The main problem wasn’t repeats but the inability to stop a current recording that had previously been set by a still active auto-timer, and without it restarting again a few minutes later. As far as I can tell, and confirmed elsewhere in this thread, there isn’t a clean way of doing this with the Miraclebox/VIX image. Now I know this basic functionality isn’t available I can live with it.
As for repeating this ‘problem’ :
Go into the EPG and pick a program at random.
Set up an auto-timer (not a one off timer) using any tight restrictive search criteria of your choice.
Wait for the program to start recording.
Now try stopping the recording – remembering that you still want the auto-timer to catch next week’s episode.
That reply is going to be as hard to reproduce, so hard to narrow down any fix, or use correct E2 settings.Why would it be hard to reproduce? It applies to any timer set-up via an auto-timer!!
The issue is that before the timer kicks in it can be disabled (yellow button). But once it has started to record then you can no longer disable it. You can delete it (which will stop the recording), but you can't then disable it as it doesn't exists until the auto-timer re-adds it, and as soon as that is done it starts recording and you are back to square one.
What is required is for a running timer to be abort-able, meaning that not only does it get stopped, but that it also gets marked as disabled, so that auto-timer won't try to recreate it.
This is a separate issue to how the auto-timer is/should be set-up. That leads to, but is separate to this problem.
Why would you want to stop the recording? You set up the auto timer to record in the first place. I think you are trying to make a mountain out of a molehill as no-one told you to disable the autotimer. Before the recording starts you can disable the duplicate recordings individually without touching the autotimer. Set up your recordings properly - the box will only do as its told - you just dont seem to grasp the way it functions. I don't see anyone else complaining of duplicate recordings. You don't seem to want to solve the problem of the duplicate recordings - you just want to make a meal out of not being able to delete a recording in progress. Even a simple request for what program was it has been ignored.
Why would you want to stop the recording?
It's not an unreasonable expectation as other PVRs have this functionality. I asked in case I had missed something obvious.
you just want to make a meal out of not being able to delete a recording in progress.
All I asked in the original question was "How do I stop the current recording for good so it will not start again?" Simple question and it's taken a lot of discussion to confirm that its not possible. It's a limitation of the box/software - fair enough.
Even a simple request for what program was it has been ignored.
Er, no, but the inability to stop a auto-timer recording has absolutely NOTHING to do with the box recording repeats.
Ill leave it at that so as I cant modify the autotimer code to stop it polling again after deleting a timer. Maybe the devs will look into for you.
Why would it be hard to reproduce? It applies to any timer set-up via an auto-timer!!
Well, you've explained the issue a lot better since, so probably a bit easier to reproduce.
Still no idea what show on what sat you're having this issue on though?
An auto-timer set up correctly will record the correct show, an auto-timer set up with less logic will still kick in when less logic is used.
Why would you want to stop the recording? You set up the auto timer to record in the first place.No. I set the AutoTimer. That AutoTimer then sets the Timer.
There is a subtle difference.
And since it's possible to abort a one-off timer it would be nice to be able to abort a timer that has been set-up by an AutoTimer.
Both the OP and I come at this from using a PVR where if you set-up a search to set a timer, then stopped such a recording whilst it was in progress, it would not get re-started.
Before the recording starts you can disable the duplicate recordings individually without touching the autotimer.Which is missing the point entirely. We know that. But we were wondering what to do when you do not notice that you don't want to record this until the recording is under way.
you just dont seem to grasp the way it functionsYes, I do. I'd wager rather that you haven't fully appreciated what the query was about.
Even a simple request for what program was it has been ignoredBecause, as I've pointed out, this is completely irrelevant.
Because, as I've pointed out, this is completely irrelevant.
Nope. As you refuse to point out the recording, it's Impossible to reproduce, so nothing to fix.
Nope. As you refuse to point out the recording, it's Impossible to reproduce, so nothing to fix.If you think that then you really have not read the description of the problem.
It applies to any Timer set by any AutoTimer.
abu baniaz
06-11-14, 18:41
Has anyone tried pressing "Record" then "Stop timer recording"?
Has anyone tried pressing "Record" then "Stop timer recording"?Yes. That's a one-off Timer. That is OK, as there is nothing that will re-instate the timer (this was mentioned in #25).
Has anyone tried pressing "Record" then "Stop timer recording"?
Yes - see post #6
It does nothing to the ongoing recording.
The options in a few screens that are active for a one off timer are disabled for an auto-started timer.
If you think that then you really have not read the description of the problem.
It applies to any Timer set by any AutoTimer.
In that case, it's impossilble for me at least try to help. I use a bunch of auto-timers & none have this issue.
If you would even name a show with this issue?
Then maybe the sat it's on, the EPG source you're using & maybe screnshots of your AutoTimer, it might save lots of others lots of time in trying to help you.
All I can guess as you're providing so little info is that AutoTimers are working as expected.
You set up an AutoTimer, you're not using it as efficiently as you want.
You stop a timer/recording set by the AutoTimer, the AutoTimer polling kicks in, so correctly adds the missing timer/recording again as it sees it's not working as expected.
If you set the autotimer correctly, I can't see any issues, but then again, I can only guess with so little info provided.
All I can guess as you're providing so little info is that AutoTimers are working as expected.The issue is not with how one has set-up Auto Timers, but that one cannot just Abort such a recording once it has started for whatever reason one may wish to do so.
You set up an AutoTimer, you're not using it as efficiently as you want.Which might be that I can't, that I thought I did, but I didn't. Or that (as happened to me) the box failed to boot at the relevant time, and when I started it up it did it start a recording in mid-programme.
So forget about how the Auto Timer was set-up and only concentrate on how the Auto Timer adds timers.
So forget about how the Auto Timer was set-up and only concentrate on how the Auto Timer adds timers.
AutoTimers work better on any E2 box using a ViX image, than they do on any other E2 image, IMO.
If you want Topfield SD box functions, use a Topfield SD box. If you want to use an E2 box, learn the new features available to you & don't expext the same limited functions available to you on a Topfield SD box.
Still no idea of the show or sat you have the issus on though... & tierd of asking now, so makes it impossible on how to recommend how you set-up an Auto-Timer.
In that case, it's impossilble for me at least try to help. I use a bunch of auto-timers & none have this issue.
You really do seem to have missed the point. The question was never about actually setting up auto-timers. It was about stopping something unwanted - irrespective of the reason why it was being recorded in the first place.
If you would even name a show with this issue?
If you want I can supply a list of couple of thousand programs on both (UK) satellite and terrestrial TV which will be broadcast in the next 7 days where the 'feature' can be demonstrated with ease. The question was about stopping a recording that was originally set by an auto-timer not about setting auto-timers.
The auto-timers are working exactly in the way you, and probably the developers, are expecting BUT a discussion about setting up auto-timers is a complete red-herring in this context and not the original question asked.
I'm now fully aware that the search criteria for Miraclebox/VIX auto-timers is not as intelligent as I'm used to on other boxes. I also know how to set more restrictive search criteria to avoid repeats, I don't need any help on this. After 31 posts I still don't know of a way of SIMPLY stopping something I don't want to record if it was originally set by a still active auto-timer.
Some contributers to this thread seem to be amazed that someone may want to stop (any) recording for reasons of their own[1]. I could ask the question 'why would anyone want a (automatic) recording to start anywhere but near the start of the program rather the automatic timer kicking is for a second, third or fourth try at an arbitrary time during the program?'[2]
The simple answer to my question appears to be it cannot be done. I can live with this and modify my use of the box . I'm not asking for the developers to change anything (although it would be nice to have this feature).
[1] I often stop recordings before the recording end time to free up tuners to watch in real time the start of something else. The ongoing timer(s) will record programs I may want to watch but sometimes the necessary padding extends the recording beyond the program actual end time thus hogging the tuner.
Sometimes sacrificing a current recording to watch something more important is acceptable.
Sometimes canceling the first transmission is acceptable knowing that it will be repeated and the auto-timer not having a copy will set a timer for the repeat.
[2] I'm aware how complex the rules about matching programs may have to be. A request for an additional simple feature may not be easy to implement - it may have knock on effects for something that has already taken a lot of effort to make it work reliably.
If you want I can supply a list of couple of thousand programs on both (UK) satellite and terrestrial TV which will be broadcast in the next 7 days where the 'feature' can be demonstrated with ease. The question was about stopping a recording that was originally set by an auto-timer not about setting auto-timers.
Nope, just one with the requested show on the requested Sat should do,
The auto-timers are working exactly in the way you, and probably the developers, are expecting BUT a discussion about setting up auto-timers is a complete red-herring in this context and not the original question asked.
Have you tried the many auto-timer options? Sorry, but still don't get the issue as you refuse to provide settings of such a badly saved auto-timer.
If you upload your /etc/enigma2/autotimer.xml maybe others can help.
AutoTimers work better on any E2 box using a ViX image, than they do on any other E2 image, IMO.
If you want Topfield SD box functions, use a Topfield SD box. If you want to use an E2 box, learn the new features available to you & don't expext the same limited functions available to you on a Topfield SD box.
Without getting into a discussion about which is the better box (which is probably my Miraclebox) - some background
The Topfield boxes most people own in the UK are SD Terrestrail TV machines designed a decade+ ago. Topfield abandoned the UK around 5 years ago after releasing some truly buggy software for their boxes. The box would now be in landfill if it wasn't for the efforts of perhaps less than a dozen users. The Topfield has the ability to run 3rd party software and some of the core has been back engineered. Out-of-the-box the machine could be considered as very mediocre but with user supplied bug fixes, software performance enhancement patches and a replacement GUI it is a very good machine - IMO close to top in its class. Due to the age of the machine, which doesn't support HD, many people are looking for replacements. They are looking for something with the same functionally, or better, than on these very aged boxes. To put things in context - it has taken 5 years for the software to become so good with improvements in each issue. (BTW, around 1 issue every year rather than the 40 in a few months with the VIX image).
The Topfield also has poor reliability with regards power supply capacitors (easily and cheaply replaced) but from reading these forums some of the E2 boxes have the same problems.
The E2 type boxes fit the requirement for the more technically minded of the Topfield regular forum members and a few, such as myself, now own both boxes. These boxes would probably scare off those who want to buy something and it just works after pressing a few buttons after switching it on.
The Topfield has its faults and annoyances but so does my Miraclebox - six of one and half a dozen of the other. My Topfield will live under my TV for another year or so and I will gradually use the Miraclebox more and more
With respect to auto-timers the Miraclebox/VIX has some powerful features and more like I was used to 6 years ago but for ease of use and reliability the Mystuff/Topfield timers win by more than a small margin. Unless I'm mistaken, the VIX timers don't incorporate the broadcast Freeview/Freesat series linking and CRID?? information in their search criteria. Just because some of us have seen something better implemented please don't regard it as criticism about the boxes being discussed in these forums. I can live with limitations as long as I know what they are and know that I'm not wasting my time looking through hundreds of menu options for features that are not supported.
When I started this thread I didn't expect a discussion about Auto-timers. All I wanted to know if the record had a stop function that actually worked. Simple answer = no.
Simple answer = no.Well, the current answer == no.
Given that the timer knows it was set by an AutoTimer (little green icon in top left when displayed), and that when it stops the recording it currently changes the timer state to "Done", all it needs to do(?) in such a case is to change the state (which is the edit of /etc/enigma/timers.xml it has to do anyway) to be "Disabled" instead.
Given that the timer knows it was set by an AutoTimerisAutoTimer="1" in a timer definiton.
in such a case is to change the state ... to be "Disabled" instead.disabled="1".
abu baniaz
07-11-14, 04:38
@adm,
The software is open source and improvements are always made. Can you provide links to the other EPG software so that they can be added. This will benefit the whole E2 user community. It may even be better for you to adapt and submit merge requests.
To me a timer is a timer whether it's autotimer or single timer and should be able to be interrupted.
To move forward with this issue, can you kindly upload your timer file.
Can I ask that only adm/staff reply to this thread unless they are providing a fix.
Can I ask that only adm/staff reply to this thread unless they are providing a fix.
There isn't any fix to be provided though. The op is comparing a non E2 box to an E2 box & being as vague as possible & not providing any details asked for.
An auto timer that isn't recording should poll & start recording IMO. Other than that, auto timers should be set up correctly to avoid duplicates.
@birdman First let me say that I am not dismissing your reports but enigma2 is a amateur project and not the same thing as those commercial pvr's you are used to using, for one we dont have any where near their budgets or the ability to hire in coders as needed.
That said I really do appreciate and welcome your strive to make things better (this is afterall the founding principal of the ViX image) and hopefully you will help further improve enigma2,. sadly I cant help there as I am not a coder but I wish you all the best and you never know your coding abilities may land you a spot working with one of the enigma2 teams for the betterment of the hobby as a whole.
When I started this thread I didn't expect a discussion about Auto-timers. All I wanted to know if the record had a stop function that actually worked. Simple answer = no.
It is possible to stop any recording at any time, whilst recording call up your media file list, select the file that you want to stop (will have a red icon next to anything currently recording) then press the Red button, you will now be given a choice to Stop recording, Stop and delete, Stop after current event. (might be more or less options as doing this from memory at the moment)
Andy_Hazza
07-11-14, 10:29
When a recording has started and if for some reason I want to abort it I just go into the media/recordings and press red button and it will ask if you wish to abort recording and delete or abort recording and keep? So effectively is does let you abort a recording, does it not?
Andy_Hazza
07-11-14, 10:29
It is possible to stop any recording at any time, whilst recording call up your media file list, select the file that you want to stop (will have a red icon next to anything currently recording) then press the Red button, you will now be given a choice to Stop recording, Stop and delete, Stop after current event. (might be more or less options as doing this from memory at the moment)
Snap. You posted just before me. lol
It is possible to stop any recording at any time, whilst recording call up your media file list, select the file that you want to stop (will have a red icon next to anything currently recording) then press the Red button, you will now be given a choice to Stop recording, Stop and delete, Stop after current event. (might be more or less options as doing this from memory at the moment)
The timer will kick back in on next autotimer poll though. I think that's the OP's issue?
So AT needs to be set up correctly or disabled when he has this issue.
The timer will kick back in on next autotimer poll though. I think that's the OP's issue?
So AT needs to be set up correctly or disabled when he has this issue.
So he needs to delete the autotimer entry as well, I just had a similar issue with an autotimer the wife had set, it doesn't reactivate until the following week if you forget to remove the autotimer entry (like I did lol)
It is possible to stop any recording at any time, whilst recording call up your media file list, select the file that you want to stop (will have a red icon next to anything currently recording) then press the Red button, you will now be given a choice to Stop recording, Stop and delete, Stop after current event. (might be more or less options as doing this from memory at the moment)
Thank you - this probably the solution.
All the methods I've attempted so far ONLY give the option to delete the current ongoing recording to stop it. For auto-timer generated recording some menu options are disabled whilst the recording is active, but never the 'delete' option. Having now deleted the recording the auto-timers have nothing with which to compare to see if it has already been recorded and immediately kick in again, ignoring of the polling time set in the configuration menu.
Stopping the recording, rather than deleting, preserves the recording as the reference for the auto-timer search. This also means that further user actions to disable timers and/or polling are not required
Pressing the red button in media is not intuitive as the red button is labeled 'DELETE' and it actually does delete recordings that have finished rather bringing up another sub-menu. I have used this delete many times to remove finished test recordings and have never seen the sub-menu which only appears for an ongoing recording.
As mentioned elsewhere in this thread I did find another sub-menu with an option to stop a recording BUT it does this by taking you to the timer menu where the only option is to delete the recording. And where delete does mean delete.
An auto timer that isn't recording should poll & start recording IMO.So you'd vote for removing the existing Disable (yellow button) option?
There isn't any fix to be provided though. The op is comparing a non E2 box to an E2 box & being as vague as possible & not providing any details asked for.Wrong.
The problem that was meant as problem A by the OP (how to stop AutoTimer re-instating a recording that has been deleted) is being taken as problem B by by most of the responders (you should set up AutoTimers to only add timers for things you know that you want in advance of them appearing).
And the responders keep ignoring the fact that this latter reading is not the problem. Which is why no "details" are being provided for problem B· Because it isn't the problem!
@birdman First let me say that I am not dismissing your reports but enigma2 is a amateur project and not the same thing as those commercial pvr's you are used to usingThe "commercial PVR" I was using was actually driven by software run as an amateur project which improved vastly on the commercial provision.
for one we dont have any where near their budgets or the ability to hire in coders as needed.I don't expect that. I'd be happy to look into fixing it myself, but that would require me knowing where to find the source (no response to my queries as to where I can find all of it) and some means of providing patches (to whom?).
Send sicilian a PM on this forum we can look into getting good you access if you are serious about helping out.
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
The timer will kick back in on next autotimer poll though. I think that's the OP's issue?
So AT needs to be set up correctly or disabled when he has this issue.Correct. But most people seem to be concentrating on other things. There is nothing else to concentrate on - only this.
So he needs to delete the autotimer entry as well,NO!!!
Why would you ant to delete the AutoTimer which is/will be setting up lots of other recordings which you actually want!!!
NO!!!
Why would you ant to delete the AutoTimer which is/will be setting up lots of other recordings which you actually want!!!
YES !!!
You only delete the autotimer for the program you no longer want - the rest of your autotimers remain !!!!
It is possible to stop any recording at any time, whilst recording call up your media file list, select the file that you want to stop (will have a red icon next to anything currently recording) then press the Red button, you will now be given a choice to Stop recording, Stop and delete, Stop after current event. (might be more or less options as doing this from memory at the moment)
Thank you - this probably the solution.I'm afraid not (I've just tested this).
This behaves just the same way as Deleting the timer from the Timer menu (but does let you delete the so-far-recorded file).
It still leaves things such that that next AutoTimer scan will start recording it again.
The only way to stop this is for the deletion of a running record from an AutoTimer to mark that timer instance as Disabled.
Stopping the recording, rather than deleting, preserves the recording as the reference for the auto-timer search. This also means that further user actions to disable timers and/or polling are not requiredThat's not how AutoTimers work (from what I can see). They never look at existing recordings, only the contents of autotimer.xml and timers.xml in /etc/enigma2. And unless an instance timer is there and marked as disabled they will add a new instance timer for it at the next scan, which will kick of another recording (mid-way through the programme).
You only delete the autotimer for the program you no longer want - the rest of your autotimers remain !!!!
I really is down to how the user wants to use an auto-timer and the other functions on the box. There is not necessarily a right or wrong way, just different ways.
For instance, I may want to record every episode for a couple of soap operas for the next year and set up of auto-timers to do this. Next week when I'm coming home from work I hear on the radio that the world is about to end. On getting home I want to see the news but the box is using both tuners to record the soaps. To be able to watch another channel I stop one of the recordings, as a one off event. I don't necessarily want to stop the auto-timer setting timers for the soaps for the next 11 months (unless the world is really going to end).
I'll also add this info here. But just as a passing comment.
If you delete an AutoTimer that does not delete any instance timers that it has already set-up.
So if I were to find the timer code and look at it with the intent of altering things to enable disabling of running auto-recordings, I'd look into that as well.
I dont know where in the GIT the timers and autotimers code is, when I do i'll post it for you.
Autotimer source = https://github.com/oe-alliance/enigma2-plugins/tree/2.3/autotimer/src
Timer source = https://github.com/OpenViX/enigma2/blob/master/lib/python/Screens/TimerEntry.py
https://github.com/OpenViX/enigma2/blob/master/lib/python/Screens/TimerEdit.py
Another two links
https://github.com/OpenViX/enigma2/blob/master/RecordTimer.py
https://github.com/OpenViX/enigma2/blob/master/timer.py
Oh yes. Time for my Python 101 course. :(
I'm afraid not (I've just tested this).
This behaves just the same way as Deleting the timer from the Timer menu (but does let you delete the so-far-recorded file).
It may have stopped the problem about starting a recording again a few minutes later . I have to wait until the middle of the week to do some more playing around with the box.
Speculation:
When stopping the recording before it was by deleting it and hence changing a timer configuration. When leaving a timer screen the software immediately looks to see if new timers are to be set because something has changed.
When stopping the recording by way of the media screen I'm actually stopping a partially recorded program and not deleting the timer. Hence, I'm not changing the timer configuration, the software now doesn't check immediately and waits for the next polling interval. I guess if the stopping of the recording co-insides with my 2 hour polling interval I will see the same problem but it is less likely.
That's not how AutoTimers work (from what I can see). They never look at existing recordings, only the contents of autotimer.xml and timers.xml in /etc/enigma2.
The auto-timer code cannot be that bad :) There is enough information stored with a recorded program for the software to easily check to see if it already has a copy (the short .eit files seem to contain the type of required information to check for title and episode detail). Otherwise, as soon as you 'cleanup' the timer menu the history of recorded programs is possibly lost and the box would find the hundreds of repeats to record again. A quick test may be to record as many programs as possible in a day, then cleanup the finished timer list and see how many repeats are then marked for recording.
When stopping the recording by way of the media screen I'm actually stopping a partially recorded program and not deleting the timer. Hence, I'm not changing the timer configuration, the software now doesn't check immediately and waits for the next polling interval.And if the next polling interval arrives it will re-start the recording. I did check this (with a 3min polling interval).
And if the next polling interval arrives it will re-start the recording. I did check this (with a 3min polling interval).
The poll will kick in again on set time, a box or E2 restart, opening of any of the timer screens IIRC.
The poll will kick in again on set time, a box or E2 restart, opening of any of the timer screens IIRC.
But probably not when a recording is suspended by way of the media button.
My initial problem was I needed to free up a tuner which I did by deleting the recording in a dedicated timer screen, as that was the only method I found for stopping the recording. I could then watch what I wanted BUT a few minutes later the timer wanted to record again and pinched the tuner back - and repeatedly did it.
It still will be a problem as the polling tick (set to hours) pinches the tuner but hopefully only after the program I want to watch live has finished and/or another tuner is available. I will have an occasional bout of swearing at the box rather than having to do it every time.
Or tell you a conflicting timer has kicked in & doesn't suit. Message will pop up on all auto timer polls.
Without knowing what auto-timers you & @birdman are setting, it's impossibble to test & impossible to offer better than vague solutions.
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