Autotimer defaults - disable prefer alternatives?

[ashhinton]

Hello

I've tried setting the Autotimer defaults and all works well apart from one setting: Prefer Alternates.
I know what it does, but in our case we would like the default not to prefer alternates.

I've noticed for example that setting an auto timer for Channel 5 will fail, as the prefer alternates selects Channel5 HD which isn't FTA.

A bit of a hassle but off course on none FTA HD alternatives we can just switch it off, for each entry, if we remember.

We have our own bouquet set up, and tend to enter auto-timer from that - I'm just wondering if there is a definitive way to set up the auto timer defaults so when an entry is made from the EPG it will always behave the same way, with the same defaults?

Thanks.

Ashley

[ashhinton]

I used Auto Bouquets Maker the first time, set to Freesat, to make the initial channel lists. A positive thumbs-up for AutoBoquets.
Then I switched it off (disabled automatic updating)
Then set-up CrossEPG using OpenEPG for Sky - seems to be the most reliable EPG source, from a transponder. Set update at 4am every morning.
Next thing I did, after all seemed ok, I set up my own bouquet called (imaginatively) "Our Channels" and placed it near the top of the list. You can use various editors for this (iDream X on mac, or the openwebIF interface) and added the UK FTA channels starting with BBC1 HD etc.

My only slight problem is that the autotimer wants to "prefer alternates" (automatically choose HD) as a default for channels like Channel5 - want to switch this default off because Channel5 HD and some others isn't available FTA - have posted a separate thread about that.

[judge]

Next thing I did, after all seemed ok, I set up my own bouquet called (imaginatively) "Our Channels" and placed it near the top of the list. You can use various editors for this (iDream X on mac, or the openwebIF interface) and added the UK FTA channels starting with BBC1 HD etc.
Thanks to some of the excellent work done by the guys woking on ABM, ABM will now look after this step for you too.
Look at /usr/lib/enigma2/python/Plugins/SystemPlugins/AutoBouquetsMaker/custom/README.txt for instructions.

My only slight problem is that the autotimer wants to "prefer alternates" (automatically choose HD) as a default for channels like Channel5
Have you set-up alternatives? this doesn't happen unless you tell it to do so.

[judge]

Have you set CH5 HD to an alternative of CH5? or whee are you settin Prefer Alternatives?

[lincsat]

Go to Autotimer - menu - edit new timer defaults - use automatic selection of alternates and set to NO then OK to save

[abu baniaz]

As an aside....
In ABM, there are three versions of each region. HD, SD and Custom. If you slect the Custom one, it will exclude the unavailable HD channels. There is also an option for FTA only.

[ashhinton]

Judge: Where can I check whether I've set-up alternatives? to my knowledge I never switched it on but if I check there are no alternatives set-up, then I should be good just to accept the auto timer defaults.

Lincsat: I'm sure I did that (will check again) but it seems to revert back.

Abu Baniaz: My own bouquet just has the FTA channels, and the FTA HD ones, but it still wants to choose the encrypted HD channels as alternatives. I guess going through the bouquets & channels and deleting the non-FTA ones would also cure the issue?

I assume the auto timer will look for channels across multiple bouquets - as it should - and if there is an HD alternative anywhere it will choose that, even if encrypted?

Thanks again,

Ashley

[judge]

Judge: Where can I check whether I've set-up alternatives?
Bring up your chnnel list (up/down button) highlight the chaannel you're hving this issue with & press menu.
If it doesn't have alternatives set, the last menu option will be: Add alternatives.
If it does have alternatives set, the last options will be: Edit, Show & Remove alternatives.

[judge]

and if there is an HD alternative anywhere it will choose that, even if encrypted?

Only if you tell it/set it up to do so. By default, it will not do this.

[ashhinton]

The autotimer defaults (set to not use alternative) seem to be saving now, seems to be working better after an update a few days ago.
Beforehand no matter how many times I set-up the default not to use alternatives it would always revert back when trying to set a new timer from EPG.

Now the initial wizard asks a few simple questions, then the next menu is all good and prefer alternatives isn't set by default. Not sure whether a) I didn't save the settings properly or b) something occurred in the last update which fixed it.

Thanks for the useful info about the channels/alternatives, I might go through and check them anyway just to be sure.

[EMJB]

Could someone please clarify operation of alternatives when using AutoTimers:

(1) If I set up an Autotimer restricted to ITV(SD), and ITV has ITV HD and ITV(SD)+1 set up as alternatives, does the restriction to ITV(SD) take precedence or will the HD or +1 versions be used to avoid timer clashes?

(2) The above correspondence seems to imply that the HD version will take priority - does this mean within the alternatives or in the above example will ITV(SD) only be used to resolve a clash when trying to use the HD version.

I only use Freeview, but if the answer is different with satellite in any way perhaps it would be useful for others if you could clarify both situations.

ITV+1 (LCN 33) shows up on the channel list as scrambled which is presumably an ABM error - will this stop it being used?

EMJB

[EMJB]

Further to my previous post, I have been trying to set up alternatives to try to find answers by trial & error, and have found the process far from intuitive. In particular when I set up alternatives and then select "Show alternatives" I expected to since a list of the alternatives, but I just get the selected channel. Am I missing something??

EMJB

[abu baniaz]

The logic of alternatives (as far as I can remember), you tell the receiver what channel are comparable to your main channel.

Example:
A person has 2 Satellites (9e/28.2) and Terrestrial. His main chanenl is rte 0ne on 28.2. he sets the alternatives as being the one on terrestrial and 9e. When the recording is due and the main channel is unavailable owing to tuner being used, the alternative is used.

All three services are then treated as one, not sure if this was intended. I suppose this is why it does not show the alternatives for you.

(This is what I recall, I'm not too good with auto timers. So please forgive any errors)

[EMJB]

I am having problems trying to set up alternatives. If I use the "Add alternatives" option I can select channels using the OK button and they change colour, and I then use the Exit button as there is no on-screen help to indicate what to do next. If I then return to the channel settings menu "Delete alternatives" option is presented which has the expected effect, and an alternatives file in /etc/enigma2/ is generated as follows:


#NAME ITV
#SERVICE 1:0:1:2041:2001:233A:EEEE0000:0:0:0:

which seems reasonable. If I now try to regenerate the alternatives the alternatives file is not updated.

My suspicion is that using the Exit key when I have finished selecting alternatives is wrong, but what should I be using? Clearly not the OK key as that toggles the channel selections.

I am using OpenVix 4.0 build 003.

[Valiant]

I am having problems trying to set up alternatives. If I use the "Add alternatives" option I can select channels using the OK button and they change colour, and I then use the Exit button as there is no on-screen help to indicate what to do next. If I then return to the channel settings menu "Delete alternatives" option is presented which has the expected effect, and an alternatives file in /etc/enigma2/ is generated as follows:


#NAME ITV
#SERVICE 1:0:1:2041:2001:233A:EEEE0000:0:0:0:

which seems reasonable. If I now try to regenerate the alternatives the alternatives file is not updated.

My suspicion is that using the Exit key when I have finished selecting alternatives is wrong, but what should I be using? Clearly not the OK key as that toggles the channel selections.

I am using OpenVix 4.0 build 003.

Load the bouquet or channel group and press Menu>Add alternative>Favourites (Blue button at bottom screen)

Click OK on all the alternative channels, these will be highlighted (depending on skin)

Then press Menu>End alternatives edit and you should be back to the original channel group.

If you then press Menu on the original channel you should be able to Show alternatives

[Valiant]

How do you disable "Use automatic selection of alternatives" on individual autotimers?

I have set it to No and saved it (green buttons back to menu) but it is still Yes when checked again.

I have set the default to No as well and this does not make any difference.

[EMJB]

Thanks Valiant - I was missing the "Then press Menu>End alternatives edit and you should be back to the original channel group" bit.

EMJB