A quick guide to Beyonwiz T series AutoTimers

[mike007]

And when you're using quotes, the Preview button is your friend

Umm..... not sure what that means but ok.

It means you typed your own text inside the quote block in the post I was replying to

Oh crap I did too haha
I changed the timer default too so thanks for that.

[mike007]

Hi guys,

I've got a weird one. I have an Auto Timer set for Australian Survivor on WINHD for every day but on Sunday it sets a timer for Australian Survivor on one and 11 too. I definitely have it set for WINHD only. It's not a biggie but I'd still like to know why it's doing it.

Cheers Mike

[MrQuade]

Did you also set a bouquet restriction? If so, get rid of that. The way the rules work, it will record the program if it is on the specific service *OR* if it is in the specific bouquet.

Otherwise, you may want to post all of the autotimer settings so can look at the rules and see where it is going wrong.

[Grumpy_Geoff]

I've got a weird one. I have an Auto Timer set for Australian Survivor on WINHD for every day but on Sunday it sets a timer for Australian Survivor on one and 11 too. I definitely have it set for WINHD only. It's not a biggie but I'd still like to know why it's doing it.

They would be the 'encore' showings from earlier in the day.

Can you post the relevant AutoTimer definition from the "autotimer.xml" file? You can get to the file from a browser via -
file://beyonwizt4/Root/etc/enigma2/
ftp://root:none@beyonwizt4/etc/enigma2/
(or t2 or t3 as appropriate for your device type)
Via Windows Explorer - \\BEYONWIZT4\Root\etc\enigma2

Or post a screenshot from OpenWebif's 'AutoTimer Edit' screen of that AutoTimer definition

Something's up if you are restricting the service - do you also have a bouquet specified?

Do they have encore in the name? If so, you could add filtering to exclude that. Or filter by time. But that shouldn't be necessary if the service filtering is working.

Yep, quick draw MrQuade beat me to the bouquet inclusion

[mike007]

Did you also set a bouquet restriction? If so, get rid of that. The way the rules work, it will record the program if it is on the specific service *OR* if it is in the specific bouquet.

Otherwise, you may want to post all of the autotimer settings so can look at the rules and see where it is going wrong.

Hi MrQuade,

Thanks for the reply.
I do have the bouquet restricted to favourites because when I was setting an Auto Timer for Supercars Highlights with no channel, no day and no time restrictions, it was setting timers on channels that weren't in my favourites bouquet. prl suggested I do that. I'll disable that just for Australian Survivor and see how it goes.

Cheers Mike

[mike007]

Yep fixed it
Even though it was restricted to my favourites bouquet I think it's odd that that overrides the channel restriction. I'm sure there's a reason I just can't see, why does it have to be one or the other?

Thanks heaps guys

[MrQuade]

Yep fixed it
Even though it was restricted to my favourites bouquet I think it's odd that that overrides the channel restriction. I'm sure there's a reason I just can't see, why does it have to be one or the other?

There wouldn't be a lot of use to having a restriction to a bouquet *and* a service if that Service is already in the bouquet. That's why it is an *or* currently.

[mike007]

Yep fixed it
Even though it was restricted to my favourites bouquet I think it's odd that that overrides the channel restriction. I'm sure there's a reason I just can't see, why does it have to be one or the other?

There wouldn't be a lot of use to having a restriction to a bouquet *and* a service if that Service is already in the bouquet. That's why it is an *or* currently.

So if I have the default setting restricted to my favourites bouquet then having "only on service XXX" checked or unchecked makes no difference?

[mike007]

Ok I have changed the default setting to not restrict to a bouquet, now that I know it's one or the other I can restrict the bouquet for a specific program in the future if needed. Thanks again for the help.

[Grumpy_Geoff]

Yep fixed it
Even though it was restricted to my favourites bouquet I think it's odd that that overrides the channel restriction. I'm sure there's a reason I just can't see, why does it have to be one or the other?

There wouldn't be a lot of use to having a restriction to a bouquet *and* a service if that Service is already in the bouquet. That's why it is an *or* currently.

So if I have the default setting restricted to my favourites bouquet then having "only on service XXX" checked or unchecked makes no difference?

Difference! It will set a timer for an event match on a service that's in the bouquet _OR_ the specified restricted service, but not both at the same time.
In this case of Survivor, the encore matches as it is on a service in your included bouquet.

[prl]

Setting "Require description to be unique" in the AutoTimer can help with avoiding recording "encores", but it needs different distinct shows to have different descriptions.

[mike007]

Setting "Require description to be unique" in the AutoTimer can help with avoiding recording "encores", but it needs different distinct shows to have different descriptions.

Thanks prl, they weren't encores it was the same episode on three different channels. It's sorted now. I didn't know that if I had the default setting set to a bouquet that it would record that program on every channel in that bouquet and not just the channel it was set on.
Cheers Mike

[mike007]

Hi guys,
I have one particular program (90 Day Finance) that keeps putting itself into the trash folder after its finished recording, if I put it back into the movie folder it stays there. It's an AutoTimer recording and it's never happened with any other program. Any ideas?
Thanks, Mike

[Grumpy_Geoff]

Hi guys,
I have one particular program (90 Day Finance) that keeps putting itself into the trash folder after its finished recording, if I put it back into the movie folder it stays there. It's an AutoTimer recording and it's never happened with any other program. Any ideas?
Thanks, Mike

My guess is that it's not put into Trash after recording, but recorded directly into trash because you have that recording destination set as part of the AutoTimer definition for "90 Day Finance". Check Use a custom location / Custom location on the third screen of the definition.

[mike007]

Hi guys,
I have one particular program (90 Day Finance) that keeps putting itself into the trash folder after its finished recording, if I put it back into the movie folder it stays there. It's an AutoTimer recording and it's never happened with any other program. Any ideas?
Thanks, Mike

My guess is that it's not put into Trash after recording, but recorded directly into trash because you have that recording destination set as part of the AutoTimer definition for "90 Day Finance". Check Use a custom location / Custom location on the third screen of the definition.

You're a legend Geoff, buggered if I know how it got set like that when I didn't even know it could be done lol
Thanks heaps

[desm]

I have a U4 and because of disappearing timers using Ice I've changed over to Auto Timers today. It all went well and the expected recordings all appear in the Preview with the exception of one. We're in the habit of recording Today on Nine HD on a daily basis. I've set it to record on weekends no problem but I can't get the weekday recording to show in the Preview which I assumes means it won't happen.

I've tried setting up a new timer, cloning the weekend timer and changing it, I've also tried creating it from the EPG and also an existing timer, also using the wizard and nothing works, the same applies if I create a single weekday timer.

I assume it's something to do with search parameters etc but I'm stumped, any help would be appreciated.

[Grumpy_Geoff]

...I've tried setting up a new timer, cloning the weekend timer and changing it, I've also tried creating it from the EPG and also an existing timer, also using the wizard and nothing works, the same applies if I create a single weekday timer.

I assume it's something to do with search parameters etc but I'm stumped, any help would be appreciated.

It's difficult to be specific without seeing what the "Today" AutoTimer definition is.

[Gully]

Hi desm

You might need to post the two definitions for the best responses, though start a new topic for clarity. You can use OpenWebIf.

In the meantime have a look at the tests for unique descriptions.

[Grumpy_Geoff]

...In the meantime have a look at the tests for unique descriptions.

Uniqueness is not evaluated in preview-mode I believe, and:

...but I can't get the weekday recording to show in the Preview which I assumes means it won't happen.

[Grumpy_Geoff]

...I've tried setting up a new timer, cloning the weekend timer and changing it, I've also tried creating it from the EPG and also an existing timer, also using the wizard and nothing works, the same applies if I create a single weekday timer.

I assume it's something to do with search parameters etc but I'm stumped, any help would be appreciated.

It's difficult to be specific without seeing what the "Today" AutoTimer definition is.

It generates timers fine for me - two timers per day Mon-Fri, for 05:30-06:00 / 06:00-09:00 for Tue-Fri and next Mon-Tue. FTA EPG.
If I was to have a wild guess then I'd say you haven't set the title search as "Today", or you've restricted the start time to the wrong timespan, or you've specified the wrong service.

As an alternative to an AutoTimer, you could simply create a 'normal' recording timer that has a Mon-Fri repeat. Too easy.

[desm]

HI Geoff, firstly the reason I got involved with auto timers is that I was having trouble with Ice deleting normal timers, if only it was so simple, I've used standard timers for many years without issue but on the U4 timers mysteriously disappear, which apparently is a known issue with Ice and the U4, maybe someone can solve the problem!

It's taken a while to post a screenshot of the timer in OpenWebIf because I've had to find it and figure out what it's all about, never having used it before but I've attached a screen shot of one on the numerous efforts to get the Today Show to record on weekdays, I have no problem recording the two weekend programs.

[attachment=0]Screenshot (2).png

[Grumpy_Geoff]

...It's taken a while to post a screenshot of the timer in OpenWebIf because I've had to find it and figure out what it's all about, never having used it before but I've attached a screen shot of one on the numerous efforts to get the Today Show to record on weekdays, I have no problem recording the two weekend programs.

Does the Nine Network's services have data for a week? If you disabled the IceTV EPG then this would've cleared the EPG content of the Ice data.
How are you now keeping the EPG current with FTA data?
Did your 'weekend' AutoTimer generate timers for next weekend's Weekend Today programs?

As shown in my previous post, I don't think you need the begin timespan match. I also don't think you need the weekday filtering, as the program is only on Mon-Fri anyway.
Regardless, I deleted my Today definition and let it delete the generated timers. I then entered a new definition similar to your criteria, but I restricted it to match only the first program and then set a custom offset to ensure the second program was also covered with the timer. As you can see below, the daily programs were detected.

As I posted previously, if you can't get this to work, you could simply create a 'normal' recording timer that has a Mon-Fri repeat, as below.

[prl]

... on the U4 timers mysteriously disappear, which apparently is a known issue with Ice and the U4, maybe someone can solve the problem!

I doubt that the problem is specific to the U4. Which "known issue" do you mean?

[desm]

HI Geoff

...It's taken a while to post a screenshot of the timer in OpenWebIf because I've had to find it and figure out what it's all about, never having used it before but I've attached a screen shot of one on the numerous efforts to get the Today Show to record on weekdays, I have no problem recording the two weekend programs.

Does the Nine Network's services have data for a week? If you disabled the IceTV EPG then this would've cleared the EPG content of the Ice data.
How are you now keeping the EPG current with FTA data?
Did your 'weekend' AutoTimer generate timers for next weekend's Weekend Today programs?

As shown in my previous post, I don't think you need the begin timespan match. I also don't think you need the weekday filtering, as the program is only on Mon-Fri anyway.
Regardless, I deleted my Today definition and let it delete the generated timers. I then entered a new definition similar to your criteria, but I restricted it to match only the first program and then set a custom offset to ensure the second program was also covered with the timer. As you can see below, the daily programs were detected.

AT_Today_custom.png

As I posted previously, if you can't get this to work, you could simply create a 'normal' recording timer that has a Mon-Fri repeat, as below.

Timer_Today_weekday.png

I'm still using the Ice guide which is the reason for going to Auto timers.
The weekend Timer only generates this weekends timers, I thought Ice hadn't issued timers for the following week.

I've done a bit more tweaking and I find that I can generate timers for the coming weekend OR the coming week, not both???

Thanks for the suggestions I'll try and see if they change anything, although I suspect that I've already tried most of them.

[Draadnor]

I would change the Begin of timespan: to 05:00.

[desm]

... on the U4 timers mysteriously disappear, which apparently is a known issue with Ice and the U4, maybe someone can solve the problem!

I doubt that the problem is specific to the U4. Which "known issue" do you mean?

If you check out my topic on "U4 Timers Disappearing in the ICE TV Forum you'll see a number of references to ther oblem and it's being a known issue.

[Grumpy_Geoff]

... on the U4 timers mysteriously disappear, which apparently is a known issue with Ice and the U4, maybe someone can solve the problem!

I doubt that the problem is specific to the U4. Which "known issue" do you mean?

It's the 'PVR-set repeating timers where IceTV sometimes decides to delete them' issue ("Daily recordings not working.", I'm sure there've been others).

[desm]

HI Geoff

...It's taken a while to post a screenshot of the timer in OpenWebIf because I've had to find it and figure out what it's all about, never having used it before but I've attached a screen shot of one on the numerous efforts to get the Today Show to record on weekdays, I have no problem recording the two weekend programs.

Does the Nine Network's services have data for a week? If you disabled the IceTV EPG then this would've cleared the EPG content of the Ice data.
How are you now keeping the EPG current with FTA data?
Did your 'weekend' AutoTimer generate timers for next weekend's Weekend Today programs?

As shown in my previous post, I don't think you need the begin timespan match. I also don't think you need the weekday filtering, as the program is only on Mon-Fri anyway.
Regardless, I deleted my Today definition and let it delete the generated timers. I then entered a new definition similar to your criteria, but I restricted it to match only the first program and then set a custom offset to ensure the second program was also covered with the timer. As you can see below, the daily programs were detected.

AT_Today_custom.png


As I posted previously, if you can't get this to work, you could simply create a 'normal' recording timer that has a Mon-Fri repeat, as below.

Timer_Today_weekday.png

I'm still using the Ice guide which is the reason for going to Auto timers.
The weekend Timer only generates this weekends timers, I thought Ice hadn't issued timers for the following week.

I've done a bit more tweaking and I find that I can generate timers for the coming weekend OR the coming week, not both???

Thanks for the suggestions I'll try and see if they change anything, although I suspect that I've already tried most of them.

HI All,
I've somehow solved the issue by recreating an Auto Timer with the most basic of information and deleting the other two timers. I created the new timer using OpenWebIf but I doubt that would matter, maybe I just had too many criteria.

Thanks for your help!

[prl]

... on the U4 timers mysteriously disappear, which apparently is a known issue with Ice and the U4, maybe someone can solve the problem!

I doubt that the problem is specific to the U4. Which "known issue" do you mean?

If you check out my topic on "U4 Timers Disappearing in the ICE TV Forum you'll see a number of references to ther oblem and it's being a known issue.

A link would be nice. I've tried searching for that on the IceTV forum search (which is pretty borked at the best of times), tried looking in the first few pages of the most likely topics there (Beyonwiz, Smart Recording website and General questions, IceTV EPG Content, and General Discussions) all without success. I tried searching for desm in the member list and only turned up desm1945 who was last active 9 years ago.

[Grumpy_Geoff]

... on the U4 timers mysteriously disappear, which apparently is a known issue with Ice and the U4, maybe someone can solve the problem!

I doubt that the problem is specific to the U4. Which "known issue" do you mean?

If you check out my topic on "U4 Timers Disappearing in the ICE TV Forum you'll see a number of references to ther oblem and it's being a known issue.

A link would be nice. I've tried searching for that on the IceTV forum search (which is pretty borked at the best of times), tried looking in the first few pages of the most likely topics there (Beyonwiz, Smart Recording website and General questions, IceTV EPG Content, and General Discussions) all without success. I tried searching for desm in the member list and only turned up desm1945 who was last active 9 years ago.

'twas this topic: "U4 Timers disappearing" - viewtopic.php?f=55&t=12487

[Gully]

'twas this topic: "U4 Timers disappearing" - viewtopic.php?f=55&t=12487

Wrong forum!

desm was talking about IceTV's forum and that's the topic prl couldn't find.

[Grumpy_Geoff]

'twas this topic: "U4 Timers disappearing" - viewtopic.php?f=55&t=12487

Wrong forum!

desm was talking about IceTV's forum and that's the topic prl couldn't find.

No. it's not! It is the exact topic title, just in the "Ice TV" section of this forum.

[prl]

Thanks, Geoff.

I seem to have mistaken "ICE TV Forum" for the IceTV Forum.

[Gully]

Apologies Geoff. I read it the way Peter did as well. Didn't realise he meant the Ice TV section of this forum.

[desm]

I'm currently becoming more and more familiar with Auto Timers but when recording two consecutive episodes (e.g. one 30 minute episode starting at 2.00 followed by a second at 2.30) I find I'm getting two separate recordings, how can get both episodes in one recording spanning 2.00 until 3.00?

I've tried setting up a timer to record the channel but it apparently won't run without match criteria.

[Star6key]

... how can get both episodes in one recording spanning 2.00 until 3.00?

I've tried setting up a timer to record the channel but it apparently won't run without match criteria.

You can always add a 'custom offset' to add an additional 30 minutes of padding. Of course, it won't stop the creation of the second timer at 2.30, but you can always delete that one after.

[desm]

... how can get both episodes in one recording spanning 2.00 until 3.00?

I've tried setting up a timer to record the channel but it apparently won't run without match criteria.

You can always add a 'custom offset' to add an additional 30 minutes of padding. Of course, it won't stop the creation of the second timer at 2.30, but you can always delete that one after.

Thanks for that thought, I carried it a step further and reduced the timespan to 2.30 less any end padding and increased the padding to compensate as you suggested. that seems to have solved the problem and prevented the creation of the extra timer.

[mike007]

Hi guys,

All of a sudden I'm getting multiple doubled up recordings every day. I use to get a few every now and then but now it's out of control. Some have a different start time by a few minutes and some have the same start time. Any ideas?

Cheers, Mike

[Grumpy_Geoff]

...Any ideas?

I'm guessing the broadcaster has issued a new EIT for the event/program. With the default settings, the AutoTimer plugin will create a new timer rather than update the original.

If you want to verify that an EIT change is the reason then compare the timer entries in /etc/enigma2/timers.xml for the program and look to see if there is a change in the 'eit="{value}"' entries.
Or you can post that file here and we'll take a look (let us know the programs).

Your observation of the same start time may be because the UI timer list has a display granularity of 1 minute, whereas the timer actually is to the second. Press INFO on each relevant timer in the list and you'll see the begin/end timer values.

The other possibility is you haven't restricted the definitions tight enough, e.g. no specific service, or a bouquet that has simulcasted services.
If you wish, you can post the /etc/enigma2/autotimer.xml file here and we'll take a look at that too (again, let us know the programs).

[mike007]

I'm guessing the broadcaster has issued a new EIT for the event/program.

That will be it, just not sure why it's happening so much now. Like I'm talking 4-5 shows every day. It's not the end of the world just annoying.
Thanks Geoff

[Grumpy_Geoff]

That will be it, just not sure why it's happening so much now. Like I'm talking 4-5 shows every day.

Recently I've had it multiple times with -
The Footy Show (AFL)
The Block
Footy Classified

If you check timers.xml and verify that it is that cause, then I can suggest a setting change for you to try.

[mike007]

That will be it, just not sure why it's happening so much now. Like I'm talking 4-5 shows every day.

Recently I've had it multiple times with -
The Footy Show (AFL)
The Block
Footy Classified

If you check timers.xml and verify that it is that cause, then I can suggest a setting change for you to try.

I've deleted all the double ups today, and they only seem to appear during that day. I know Judge Judy and Neighbours are two that have been doing it every day, I can't remember the others, maybe the Block is one. I'm not sure how to get the files you want sorry. What's the setting you're referring to?

[prl]

That will be it, just not sure why it's happening so much now. Like I'm talking 4-5 shows every day.

Recently I've had it multiple times with -
The Footy Show (AFL)
The Block
Footy Classified

I wonder whether they also changed the CRID when they changed the EIT? Hard to tell, I guess.

[Grumpy_Geoff]

I've deleted all the double ups today, and they only seem to appear during that day. I know Judge Judy and Neighbours are two that have been doing it every day, I can't remember the others, maybe the Block is one. I'm not sure how to get the files you want sorry. What's the setting you're referring to?

In future just disable the old timer, that way you can check the details.

You can use File Commander (live TV, MENU>>Sources / Files) to copy the files off the PVR to a USB or network drive.

On 20-Jul, I've enabled 'Guess existing timer based on begin/end'. If the EIT doesn't match the timer but the name does, then if the times are an '80% match' it'll update that timer. so far, it's been doing the job, updating timers where the networks have changed the EIT value (no additional timers generated).

[mike007]

I've deleted all the double ups today, and they only seem to appear during that day. I know Judge Judy and Neighbours are two that have been doing it every day, I can't remember the others, maybe the Block is one. I'm not sure how to get the files you want sorry. What's the setting you're referring to?

In future just disable the old timer, that way you can check the details.

You can use File Commander (live TV, MENU>>Sources / Files) to copy the files off the PVR to a USB or network drive.

On 20-Jul, I've enabled 'Guess existing timer based on begin/end'. If the EIT doesn't match the timer but the name does, then if the times are an '80% match' it'll update that timer. so far, it's been doing the job, updating timers where the networks have changed the EIT value (no additional timers generated).

Will do.
Where is that setting mate?

[Grumpy_Geoff]

Will do.
Where is that setting mate?

In the AutoTimer Settings screen (AutoTimer list>>MENU>>Setup)

[mike007]

Will do.
Where is that setting mate?

In the AutoTimer Settings screen (AutoTimer list>>MENU>>Setup)

Awesome, thanks heaps!