Feature Request: Ice Remote Selectable Padding Type

[djos]

I started a topic (as per below) over on the ICE Forums as I would really like to move away from Webguide for scheduling TV shows but because my Media Center now sports a total of 5 Tuners and is accessed by multiple Media-extenders in my home and I cant afford for shows to be sheduled using soft padding and risk shows being deleted that contain the end to another show.

I know my 5 tuner beast is not the norm but plenty of folk are now building Media Centers with more than 2 tuners and using them as Media Servers/hubs in their homes and im sure they would appreciate selectable padding type?

If you are one of these folk, how about registering your interest either here or over on the ICE forum HERE.

Cheers djOS

Hi Ice Folk,

Can we please get Ice Remote to allow Selectable Padding Type? (ie: Soft Padding or Hard Padding)

Currently ICE Remote uses "Soft Padding" (global setting) to extend the record length etc - this is fine for most ppl who only have 1 or 2 tuners but for folks with 3+ Tuners (tons of us over at the aus media center forums) its limitations are a pest. eg:

Soft Padding: means that if you have 2 back-to-back shows on the same channel both programmed to record and both with "soft padding", you will get the end of the first show in the recording of the second show as VMC/MCE will use a single tuner to record both shows.

This means that if someone in your household watches the second show and deletes it when done you will loose then end of the first show, as the 2nd recording will start on time as per the published schedule. (thanks to the networks being morons and deliberately not sticking to schedules! > )


If using Hard Padding instead it means that if you have 2 back-to-back shows on the same channel both programmed to record and both with "Hard Padding" (via advanced record), you will get both shows recorded using 2 tuners and both shows will be 100% intact as per the specified padding.

This means that if someone in your household watches the second show and deletes it when done, you will NOT loose then end of the first show as the both recordings use your specified start finish times (padding).

WebGuide does this currently, which is why i use it (+ ICE Guide) for sheduing "series records", but I would love to go back to using Ice Remote to take advantage of the new "recomentation" feature and others.

[aanda6]

I can't help with the padding, but there was a post last week about multiple tuners and setting the rcording priority so that media centre uses a different tuner for each recording even if they are on the same channel. I will do a search and post it here if I find it.

[aanda6]

EASY Instructions for Adding Extra Tuners to VMC Update

I think the info in this thread might help you with your issue.

[djos]

I think you guy's misunderstand my meaning:

1/ ICE Remote uses "Soft Padding" (global setting) for setting TV show recordings

2/ WebGuide uses "Hard Padding" (advanced record mode on a per timer basis) for setting TV show recordings.

Im advocating that both options be available to ICE Remote users. I currently use webguide because when you set padding which overlaps with another timer via advanced record, VMC automatically uses 2 tuners.

If I use IceRemote to set to sequential recordings on the same channel it will use softpadding and the 1st timer will end on-time & the 2nd timer will start on-time both using the same tuner. If the TV networks are running late, as they usually are, then the end of the 1st show will be at the start of the 2nd.

AFAIK this has nothing to do with my TV tuner config - I can happily record 4 shows and watch 1 live (all on different muxes) with no problem at all. WebGuide is also performing the way I want it too with regard to padding but I wish ICE Remote would do the same (i like it's centralised web based setup).

[mackrory]

Have you figured this out yet - because this is an issue for me too.

I only have two tuners (Tiny USB) - but assuming both tuners are free - why can't Vista Media Center use both tuners when I record back to back programs on the one TV Station? --> Especially when paddings are in place - why should the first recording stop (despite padding) to then record the second recording (when a tuner is free)

I have to think about what programs I delete - because the start of the program has part of the previous one ??

This is really frustrating!!
Thanks,
Col.

[djos]

Ice haven't bothered to reply to any of my requests for this - not that surprising really given that i've been very vocal about some of their current failings!!

Install Webguide and use that instead to schedule your series timers, this works well for me.