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Experiments with Auto-Padding
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Seeing reports of auto-padding apparently causing recordings not to record, I thought I would try a few experiments.
Experiment #1
Set to record three consecutive programs on same channel, auto-padding on (2 min, 3 min), left in standby.
Results
[Switched on just after last recording started (impatient!).]
All three programs recorded [last one still recording]. [Dang! I forgot to check times before deleting.]
Will try some more later (same but not left in standby, progs on different channels, etc). Feel free to join in!
Experiment #1
Set to record three consecutive programs on same channel, auto-padding on (2 min, 3 min), left in standby.
Results
[Switched on just after last recording started (impatient!).]
All three programs recorded [last one still recording]. [Dang! I forgot to check times before deleting.]
Will try some more later (same but not left in standby, progs on different channels, etc). Feel free to join in!
0
Comments
It recorded: BBC One 12:08-12:15, 12:15-12:25 and BBC Two 12:08 - 12:25
From standby, or left on?
Experiment #2
Same as #1 but final recording (following on from previous) on different channel (but same MUX). [Essentially as the above poster.] Left in standby again.
Result
All three progs recorded. Second prog had padding removed at both ends, even though next recording was on different channel, which started with start padding removed. [Is this right? I thought it was supposed to keep padding in these cases?]
Will try some more tomorrow. Will tabulate results better when I have more.
My Auto-Padding is set to add 5mins at start & add 10mins to end.
Set Top Gear to record 20:00 - 21:00 (BBC2)
Set X Factor to record 21:00 - 22:00 (ITV1)
Set Supernatural to record 21:00 - 22:00 (ITV2)
The results:
Top Gear recorded fine (5mins at start, 10mins at end)
Supernatural recorded fine (5mins at start, 10mins at end)
However X Factor did not record at all. I understand that it would not have started to record at 21:00, as two channels were already being recorded. BBC2 & ITV2. But I would have expected it to start recording as soon as the auto-padding for Top Gear stopped at 21:10.
My other questions is, how did the Humax choose which of the 21:00 programs to start recording?
Other Note:
I had scheduled Top Gear & Supernatural first. When I selected X Factor to record I would have expected the Humax to say I already had two programs set to be recording at 21:00 (the auto-padded end of Top Gear and the begining of Supernatural). Before setting these scheduled recordings I tried it with auto-padding turned off. Selecting Top Gear and Superanatural. Manually adding 10 mins to the end of Top Gear. Then tried to select X Factor. This time I WAS informed that I already had two programs set to be recorded at 21:00.
Maybe this is the way auto-padding should work? If so someone please tell me. If not Um.......
With this set up
Set Top Gear to record 20:00 - 21:00 (BBC2)
Set X Factor to record 21:00 - 22:00 (ITV1)
Set Supernatural to record 21:00 - 22:00 (ITV2)
Top Gear should have recorded with 5 mins start padding no end padding
X factor and supernatural should both have recorded with not start padding, but both should have had end padding.
I think?
Woolfynorm
Autopadding on (2 min, 3 min), left in standby.
Set from schedule:
9:15 - 9:30 BBC2
9:30 - 9:45 BBC2
9:30 - 9:55 C4
All recorded, times as follows:
9:13 - 9:29 BBC2
9:30 - 9:47 BBC2
9:30 - 9:57 C4
Which is what Humax says it should do. Will try something similar to the above post to see what happens. Not had a failure so far...
How is your testing of autopadding going, I've lost some recordings and I'm now trying various options to replicate, but takes a long time. Anyone out there pinpointed what causes the odd programme not to record?
Woolfynorm
Which is why I started this thread: to get others to do the work for me!
http://www.humaxdigital.com/hcsa/Download/PVR-9200T_Additional%20_Guide.pdf
Yes, but we're trying to pinpoint why it doesn't work, i.e fails to record when it should
Woolfynorm
Regards
David B
Fraid not. I've just replicated the combination that rufushoofus reported did not work above.
Experiment #4
Auto-padding on (2 min, 3 min), left in standby (but I did switch on just before second lot of recordings started -- damn my impatience!)
BBC2: 12:00 - 12:30
ITV1: 12:30 - 13:30
ITV2: 12:30 - 13:35
Results
BBC2: 11:58 - 12:33 [There should be no padding at end here!]
ITV1: DID NOT RECORD!
ITV2: 12:28 - [Manually stopped recording early due to impatience]
I only tried this combination once, so I am not sure if it does it everytime or if it is intermittent. I am also not sure how the problem depends on channel/MUX. For that matter I am also not sure that it is caused by the auto-padding -- this needs to be tried again without, just to make sure.
Also, after trying this experiment I ended up with the thinks it's still recording bug for the third time.
It may be helpful if someone with an inside contact at Humax would consider reporting these results to them.
What if you try the following? (notice the subtle difference with the end time of the first program)
BBC2: 12:00 - 12:29
ITV1: 12:30 - 13:30
ITV2: 12:30 - 13:35
Have you also tried with prepad turned off? This is how I use my setup now, prepad=0, postpad=5 mins. Seems to work well and I have not lost any recordings.
Beware, Schduled back to back overlapping recordings today on two channels, of the 7 planned 1 failed, setup no start padding 5 minutes end padding.
Woolfynorm
I haven't tried that, but that is really beside the point. I might as well turn auto-padding off and manually pad like I used to before!
I haven't tried it yet with the padding (partially or fully) disabled. But it seems a bit silly to have to auto-padding and then keep it (albeit partially) disabled. Though this might work as a temporary fix, I think I'd rather just turn it off and manually pad, as before.
It's much more irritating to miss the end of a programme: "So, Miss Marple. Could you enlighten us as to who the murderer was?" "Certainly, Inspector. It was the b....[end of recording]".
1. Humax are monitoring the situation.
2. Why are some of you using so much padding, I have been using this software for awhile and find with 2 mins at start and end I have no problems.
In an effort to replicate your test I set up the following, note also using 2 multiplexes as you did, and different channels on the second.
BUT 2mins start and end, unit in standby.
abc1: 14:30 - 15:00
Sky3: 15:00 - 15:30
uktvhistory 15:00 - 16:00
Results (as expected)
abc1 14:28 - 14:59
Sky3 15:00 - 15:31
uktvhistory 15:00 - 16:01
I have not ended up with the think it is recording bug
We are trying to see why autopadding doesn't work, the amount surely is irrelavent?
I set up overlapping back to back recordings todays on two different channels. Total of 12 prorgammes, out of the 12, 3 failed to record. Nothing obvious in the results yet.
Tried the same this pm with no autopadding and all recorded with no problems, so looks like a fault with auto padding.
Woolflynorm.
Well my tests with 2 mins worked OK, and using this set up (which I have been using for a lot longer than most) I have not a failed recording.
Obviously it should work regardless of the amount of padding, but I will try 2 min end padding instead of 3 and see what happens.
2mins start, 3mins end, unit in standby
All three recorded as expected.
NOTE: I did make sure before starting that I did NOT have the 'think I am recording bug'
I used padding and lost all the BBC1 recordings.
I assume this is because the padding of 2 mins pre- and post- overlaps, but I didn't get an error message saying that I was recording too much at the same time.
The machine was in standby all day cos I was out being interviewed by the BBC. So on that note you can imagine how peed off I was at losing two of the interviews. So if anyone else was sad enough to record local London news at lunch and early evening, I'd love a copy.
And I hope that adds to the debate on how the auto-padding is doing. I thought it was great at first, but be wary.
And is there any way to do it for some programmes (like films worth keeping) and not others (like back to back half-hours)? It seems you have to make a once and for all choice.
Jonjoe
2 minutes at the start should be fine but at certain times of the day or when there are live events scheduled more than 2 minutes at the end is a MUST. If autopadding worked flawlessly I'd like to leave it set to 15 minutes at the end and for it to use 2 tuners if possible (and to not pad if that would cause clashes even with 2 tuners).
Daz
I have had a thought. This may or may not have any significance, but two of the channels you tested have no MHEG, whereas all three of the ones I tested did. I wonder if maybe this is not realated to the MHEG bugs. Only one way to find out...