Timeshift behavior / buffer size

[dmegatool]

Hi there !

Let me start by saying that I'm new here (Yay!! first post!!). I'm currently testing Sage trial. I'll probably pull the trigger at the end of it cause I like it so far. I'm a Vista Media Center user and the HDPVR is the major feature I'm looking for. I'm with a Hauppauge pvr-150 right now. I'm using SageMC so UI it's not TOO bad (we have to acknowledge that microsoft got this right... this time).

Anyway, here's the question/only grip with Sage so far. I'm wondering if I can change the timeshift behavior ? Like in VMC, it would constently keep a 2hr buffer (besides channel change). The way it's acting now bother me cause when a new show start, it clear the buffer immediatly so I can't go back if I want to.

Where can I adjust this ? What are my options ? I searched the forum but nothing came up besides 2004 thread about Sage 1 or 2

BTW, I'm a frenchy from canada so bare with me and my english

[tmiranda]

Sage does not have a buffer, everything you watch becomes a recording.

If you are watching TV when one show ends and another starts, a new recording is started. The show you just finished watching is not deleted, it is there in your recordings and you can go back and watch it again.

When you change channels a new recording is started as well. (Again, Sage does not delete the show you were watching before changing the channel.)

If you are "channel surfing" there is a setting that tells Sage what to do with all of the "partial recordings" that are created. You can tell Sage to save them (until room is needed) or delete them automatically after some time.

I hope that makes sense. I started out with BeyondTV (which uses a recording buffer) so I was also confused at first when switching to Sage. Overall I like the Sage approach better. There is no "buffer" to worry about and Sage happily cleans up after itself as needed.

[dmegatool]

That's great !!

But... I don't know what I've changed or where are the settings for this but here's what happen:

I watch show1 on liveTV. I can rewind and it appears in "recorded tv". I change channel to watch show2. I can't rewind anymore (buffer is reseted) and in "recorded tv" there's only show2. So I can't watch show1 anymore.

Anyone could point me to the right options to setup this correctly ? I need to fix this ASAP as the trial expire soon

[Razillian]

I think the setting you are looking for is here:

Setup -> Detailed Setup -> Customize -> Delete Live TV files when not using Intelligent Recording

Setting it to "No" should keep all of the "live" TV recordings, so you can go back to them.

[dmegatool]

Wow... can't believe this is THAT hard. Anyway thx guys for your support... but this thing isn't solved !!

I've set the option Razillian talked about. The description of it should do exactly what I want but it doesn't. Same thing happen : channel change = new recording, delete the previous/unfinished one

I watched a Simpsons episode from the begining 'till the end and the show is in recorded tv so it seems to only affect the partial recordings. Same thing happen if I manually start a recording (hitting record) and then "cancel the recording". It doesn't keep the partial recording around. Is it impossible to record just a part of a show ?

[dmegatool]

Some more info on the behavior. I was timeshifting (I was like 20 minutes behind live tv). I fast fowarded and I reached a show switch. The previous was cleared and didn't appear in Recorded tv. That's really annoying. I didn't meant to fast foward that far and after I did, I couldn't rewind and as the show wasn't in recorded tv... well you know, this show was gone forever. So no channel change and the show is gone forever :\

[gplasky]

You only have one tuner. When you change channel, no matter if you use Sage or another program with a buffer, it can only record one station. The minute you change the current recording HAS to stop. If you have more than one tuner then you won't have this issue. Double check how much free space you have on the drive. If it is below the limit you set when you set up the recording directory it will delete the recording to free up more space.

Gerry

[dmegatool]

I know it has to stop when I change the channel... what I don't expect is to loose everything, without warning, when a new show start. It's like the buffer gets reset every 30 mins or so... it's pointless. I would to have the shows in the Recorded tv....

[gplasky]

There is no buffer. It gets recorded to the hard drive immeidately and all the time. If you setup the recording directory to always have 20 GB free and you have less than 20 GB free then it will delete the recordings to make room. Read the manual and check your settings for the recording directory. If you are recording a show and have Delete Live TV files when not using Intelligent Recording set to No then the recording should stay.

Gerry

[dmegatool]

I know I still call it "the buffer" but I understand how it works.

Anyway I have plenty of space remaining (like 200gb) and the "Delete live tv files..." options to no. I'll try to have another look tonight after work. :/

[Razillian]

Partial recordings won't show up in the Sage recordings list, even if it was a manual recording that you cancelled. There are two things you can try if you really want to have those partials around.

1) Load nielm's MultiFunction Stop plugin. It gives you a menu when you press stop on a recording that has an option for "Stop Recording - keep partial file"

2) Enable the super secret extras inside Sage. Doing this adds a "Partial Recordings" menu item inside of the "Schedule Recordings" section.

[dmegatool]

Originally Posted by Razillian

2) Enable the super secret extras inside Sage. Doing this adds a "Partial Recordings" menu item inside of the "Schedule Recordings" section.

How am I suppose to enable the super secret extras ? Lol.

I can find the other plugin easy. Looks good but it seems to only apply to "recordings" not live tv. Still it solve one of my other problem so thank you !!!

[david1234]

Originally Posted by dmegatool

How am I suppose to enable the super secret extras ? Lol.

I can find the other plugin easy. Looks good but it seems to only apply to "recordings" not live tv. Still it solve one of my other problem so thank you !!!

To enable the secret extras- go to the system info screen, and type in the secret code- you'll have to search for Secret Extras on the forum as I've never written the number down.

The key is not thinking of live TV as live TV... everything is a recording, it's just some recordings are more recent than others.

LiveTV is a weak spot for Sage... I think what you are looking for is to be able to "rewind" past the current show, to the one you were already watching, but Sage doesn't do that. Every time you start watching a new show, the buffer is reset (we really shouldn't even call it a buffer, since it's not really buffered) This is because, every new show is a new recording that is unrelated to what you were previously watching. There is no mechanism for Sage to track your viewing from one show to another and rewind back over the recording files.

[dmegatool]

Thanks for the secret extras tip...

I really understand how Sage is working. I think it's kanda cool. I just need it to not erease recordings when starting a new one.

[Razillian]

Originally Posted by dmegatool

How am I suppose to enable the super secret extras ? Lol.

If I told you it wouldn't be a secret anymore, now would it?

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12520

EDIT: Just as an FYI, I am not sure how long partial recordings remain within Sage. I have delete live set to Yes and my partial recordings screen is empty unless I go there immediately after stopping playback.

[dmegatool]

Yeah already found it.... 5309, right that down now !!

[dmegatool]

Originally Posted by Razillian

EDIT: Just as an FYI, I am not sure how long partial recordings remain within Sage. I have delete live set to Yes and my partial recordings screen is empty unless I go there immediately after stopping playback.

Isn't it supposed to be the normal behavior ? I mean you've set delete live to yes so it isn't supposed to keep things around... even partial... no ?

[dmegatool]

I feel like a noob asking so many questions. I wanted to try the code but I don't know where to enter it. It says "go to System Information"... wtf is that ? Is it supposed to be the page with all the informations when I press settings ? (feels more like settings and not "system information"). I tried a couple of places without success...

[Razillian]

Originally Posted by dmegatool

Isn't it supposed to be the normal behavior ? I mean you've set delete live to yes so it isn't supposed to keep things around... even partial... no ?

Yes, that is what I would consider normal behaviour. Just saying that I can't confirm or deny whether it keeps the partial recordings with "delete live..." being set to no.

Originally Posted by dmegatool

I feel like a noob asking so many questions. I wanted to try the code but I don't know where to enter it. It says "go to System Information"... wtf is that ? Is it supposed to be the page with all the informations when I press settings ? (feels more like settings and not "system information"). I tried a couple of places without success...

System Information is located off the Help screen. Setup-> Help -> System Information

[dmegatool]

Semi yay !!

So with the secret extra enabled. I see all the video/channel changes from the past 2 days that I've been working with Sage. Exacley want I wanted !! Thanks a lot guys !

The only problem is the "partial view" isn't there in SageMC, only with the regular UI. So when I'm using my iTV theme, I don't have acces to theses video. Is there a way to ?

Another question... Can I set a limit on partial recordings ? Like only keeps 40gbs of partial and then delete to make some room for the new one.