Directory Structure for MythTV Recordings
#1
I'm seeking feedback from those testing the current state of the MythTV PVR addon about the most useful structure for the list of recordings.

Currently all the recordings are displayed in one massive list. There is no grouping of any sort, e.g. no grouping by TV Show. Until there is integration with the XBMC TV Show library and the XBMC Movie Library the listing of shows will stay in the PVR area, so it might be around for a while yet.

Option 1:
Similar to the existing myth:// virtual directories (sans All Recordings). For example:
  • TV Shows (directory)
  • Movies (directory)

Option 2:
TV Show directories at the top level and a single Movies directory. For example:
  • Grey's Anatomy (directory)
  • FlashForward (directory)
  • Fringe (directory)
  • Movies (directory)

Option 3:
TV Show directories at the top level and each Movie at the top level. For example:
  • Dances with Wolves (file)
  • Grey's Anatomy (directory)
  • FlashForward (directory)
  • Fringe (directory)
  • The Bourne Ultimatum (file)
  • The Matrix (file)

If you have a preference, please let me know why you have that preference.

Alternatively, please suggest something else with rationale as to why it's awesome.

Cheers,
David
Use MythTV for recording TV? Try the integrated MythTV support in XBMC Media Center. Now with commercial skip support built-in and integration with the Movie database!
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#2
dteirney Wrote:Until there is integration with the XBMC TV Show library and the XBMC Movie Library the listing of shows will stay in the PVR area, so it might be around for a while yet.
patches welcome ;-)
opdenkamp / dushmaniac

xbmc-pvr [Eden-PVR builds] [now included in mainline XBMC, so no more source link here :)]
personal website: [link]

Found a problem with PVR? Report it on Trac, under "PVR - core components". Please attach the full debug log.

If you like my work, please consider donating to me and/or Team XBMC.
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#3
Hi dteirney,

Firstly all the work you are doing is awesome, so thank you.

The tv part:

This is personal preference, but i just like a list of all recordings by date, as we generally don't watch tv for a while then spend a day catching up, so its good to be able to work through a list in order.

Options 2 and 3 also look good and i could see them being useful to us.

Option 2 would probably look tidier.

Option one would require an extra selection every time and is therefore my least favourite.


Thanks again,

Dan
All Things PVR
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#4
dushmaniac Wrote:patches welcome ;-)

I will send some pull requests once I get the old myth:// integration with the XBMC Movie and TV Show library done. Will need your input on how to get to the PVR recorded content from the Scanner. It's likely there would also need to be some additional information exposed by the PVR_* structures to allow the content to get into the library, e.g. season and episode number and / or original air date (similar to parts of VideoInfoTag).

Going to try and get most of the core functionality in the MythTV Addon first so I can then create tickets for the areas where there are conceptual differences between how MythTV deals with EPGs and Scheduling and what XBMC currently exposes.
Use MythTV for recording TV? Try the integrated MythTV support in XBMC Media Center. Now with commercial skip support built-in and integration with the Movie database!
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#5
dubstar_04 Wrote:Hi dteirney,

Firstly all the work you are doing is awesome, so thank you.

The tv part:

This is personal preference, but i just like a list of all recordings by date, as we generally don't watch tv for a while then spend a day catching up, so its good to be able to work through a list in order.

Options 2 and 3 also look good and i could see them being useful to us.

Option 2 would probably look tidier.

Option one would require an extra selection every time and is therefore my least favourite.


Thanks again,

Dan

Thanks for the input. Things that would be useful for me:

1) Being able to see all the episodes for a single TV Show so I can watch those shows in order. Can be achieved by the directory per TV Show.
2) Being able to see TV Shows separate to Movies so we can better choose something to watch based on how much time we are willing to sit on the couch. Can be achieved by hiding all the movies in the Movies folder.
3) Being able to see what has been recently recorded so I can watch new content. This was supported with the "All Recordings" list using myth://. However, I can't have content show up in 2 places with the PVR Addon like I could there. I'm not sure what sorting options are available for the recorded show listings. If the folders were tagged with the last recorded date, sorting by date might cover this off.

All of these will be also be covered off when the content is available in the TV Show and Movie library. The "recently added" functionality covers the "most recent stuff".

Based on the ramblings above, Option 2 seems like the best first option to trial (for my needs anyway) and it maps well to how the solution will behave with the XBMC library integration. I think I'll start there. It will at least let me confirm that I have enough meta-data to separate Movies from TV Shows etc. for the upcoming library integration work.

People can then try it out, see how it goes and we can adjust from there.
Use MythTV for recording TV? Try the integrated MythTV support in XBMC Media Center. Now with commercial skip support built-in and integration with the Movie database!
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#6
Option 2 has been implemented in my github branch. https://github.com/dteirney/xbmc/tree/pvr/

Please have a go and let me know how it works out for you.
Use MythTV for recording TV? Try the integrated MythTV support in XBMC Media Center. Now with commercial skip support built-in and integration with the Movie database!
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#7
dteirney Wrote:Option 2 has been implemented in my github branch. https://github.com/dteirney/xbmc/tree/pvr/

Please have a go and let me know how it works out for you.

I have built and had a quick play with the directory structure.

i dont think it is working properly for me.

I have the parent folders for tv shows and a movies folder, however there are no movies in the movie folder. all the movies are in their own folder as if they are a single episode of a tv show.

it is nice to have all the episodes grouped then you can watch a whole season of something without searching through months of recordings to find what you want, but it would also be nice to have the option to sort by date then you can have a quick look at the latest things you have recorded.


if i can send you and debug data, please let me know.

Thanks,

Dan
All Things PVR
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#8
I was pretty comfortable with the previous myth:// format like option #1, and it was pretty acceptable to the wife.

Also, on a compilation note. I'm having compile time errors with the vdr-vnsi add-on when linking against external ffmpeg. CODEC_TYPE_AUDIO is no longer defined in libavcodec in the most recent ffmpeg. I'm not sure where to refer this issue. Also, is there a configuration option to disable this add-on?
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#9
dubstar_04 Wrote:I have built and had a quick play with the directory structure.

i dont think it is working properly for me.

I have the parent folders for tv shows and a movies folder, however there are no movies in the movie folder. all the movies are in their own folder as if they are a single episode of a tv show.

it is nice to have all the episodes grouped then you can watch a whole season of something without searching through months of recordings to find what you want, but it would also be nice to have the option to sort by date then you can have a quick look at the latest things you have recorded.


if i can send you and debug data, please let me know.

Thanks,

Dan

Bah, the category type isn't being populated in the Myth XML response (for 0.23.1 at any rate). The only reason it seems to be working for me is based on duration checking. Anything that is longer than 90 minutes is being detected as a Movie.

Can you please send a pastebin link to whatever pops out of http://192.168.1.3:6544/Myth/GetRecorded (replace IP address as appropriate for the MythTV server).
Use MythTV for recording TV? Try the integrated MythTV support in XBMC Media Center. Now with commercial skip support built-in and integration with the Movie database!
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#10
dteirney Wrote:Bah, the category type isn't being populated in the Myth XML response (for 0.23.1 at any rate). The only reason it seems to be working for me is based on duration checking. Anything that is longer than 90 minutes is being detected as a Movie.

Can you please send a pastebin link to whatever pops out of http://192.168.1.3:6544/Myth/GetRecorded (replace IP address as appropriate for the MythTV server).

response here:

http://pastebin.com/wsZ8sKAC
All Things PVR
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#11
dubstar_04 Wrote:response here:

http://pastebin.com/wsZ8sKAC

Thanks. catType isn't populated in 0.24.1 either. I noticed that the programid and seriesid values are very different to the sorts I've seen as well.

I'll check the algorithm for determining TV vs Movies and see if there is anything better that can be done based on that data and what I have.

If anyone else could post the output of http://192.168.1.3:6544/Myth/GetRecorded (replace IP address as appropriate for the MythTV server) that would be useful.
Use MythTV for recording TV? Try the integrated MythTV support in XBMC Media Center. Now with commercial skip support built-in and integration with the Movie database!
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#12
dubstar_04 Wrote:I have built and had a quick play with the directory structure.

i dont think it is working properly for me.

I have the parent folders for tv shows and a movies folder, however there are no movies in the movie folder. all the movies are in their own folder as if they are a single episode of a tv show.

it is nice to have all the episodes grouped then you can watch a whole season of something without searching through months of recordings to find what you want, but it would also be nice to have the option to sort by date then you can have a quick look at the latest things you have recorded.


if i can send you and debug data, please let me know.

Thanks,

Dan

I've fixed the issue you were having. https://github.com/dteirney/xbmc/tree/pvr

Unfortunately the decision on whether Movie or TV Show will just be based on duration. >90 minutes == movie.

I think I'll make a change so I can query the database to get the category type since it's not being returned in the MythXML response for either 0.23 or 0.24.

Let me know if it works any better with the latest changes.
Use MythTV for recording TV? Try the integrated MythTV support in XBMC Media Center. Now with commercial skip support built-in and integration with the Movie database!
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#13
dteirney Wrote:If anyone else could post the output of http://192.168.1.3:6544/Myth/GetRecorded

http://pastebin.ubuntu.com/632199/
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#14
What's the latest status of this issue? I tried TSP's branch and still see MythTC recordings all in one big list. Did this ever get resolved?
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#15
mongrol Wrote:What's the latest status of this issue? I tried TSP's branch and still see MythTC recordings all in one big list. Did this ever get resolved?

Well this branch has been discontinued, so you're not likely to get much love here...

I've asked tsp this question already in his thread and I got: "it's on my to-do list". But, he's got other things on his to-do list first, so it may be a while.....
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