Peter's Blog

I don't really like gbpvr: the user interface is designed to be used on a TV whereas I want to use it on a pc to schedule recordings, then play them back using one of any number of media player apps that are available, even on my k750i phone. Most media applications are designed to be used on a TV so have clunky minimalist user interfaces that are just annoying. gbpvr's xmltv program guide is typically blank for BBC1 after the next program and the navigation is poor (e.g. no scroll bars to scroll up and down through 65 channels).

I gave mediaportal a try but it has another user interface designed for TV: it relies on moving the mouse cursor above and below the five line menu to make it scroll and it is just too fiddly. While playing TV the screen faded to black whenever I moved the mouse: feature or bug? I decided bug and uninstalled it. As an application it is not far removed from gbpvr. Neither seem to have the obvious facility to select a channel from a menu, or if they do it is hard to find. Any buttons implemented in the user interfaces tend to be fiddly and unresponsive, probably because they do not use vanilla Windows controls.

I have a renewed interest in DigiGuide now. It does have a very good program planner with lots of search options. It supports a plugin architecture that can be used to get it to schedule recordings and there is already a plugin that supports the Hauppauge WinTV Nova-t USB2: right click on a program to schedule a recording. Such as system uses conventional windows applications and should be nicer to use (context menus!) with less fiddling around. I think it is also conceivable to schedule sky+ recordings from digiguide.

Theoretically I can schedule recordings by setting up scheduled events in the Windows Task Scheduler, I may even be able to do this from python. This opens up the dream of sending an SMS from my mobile to set up a recording (sky+ are planning to set up a service like this). Digiguide also has a web access feature that might be able to do this.

Update: found DGScript which lets me run the python script of my choice from a digiguide event. We have the technology...

Also found DABdig which will record from Digiguide. This works with WinTV2000.