Dave H wrote:
> I also agree with what Martin says about advising of conflicts at the time of scheduling, whilst the user is focussed. My Humax does at least tell me it can't record more than two things at once and offer to let me cancel (i.e. reschedule) one. Generally, at the time recording starts, I'm busy doing something else; that's one reason for making recordings.
>
> It seems to me that this functionality is an ideal situation for a plugin.
I'd say that the best solution is this: at the time of scheduling a new recording, call the same code which allocates tuners at the instant of starting to record a real recording, but in "rehearsal mode" so as to identify which tuner will be allocated (according to tuner priorities that have already been set) to each recording that overlaps with the one being added. If there is will not be a free tuner, popup a warning. Still set the recording, in case the user wants to keep the one he's just added and delete or reschedule an existing one that is in conflict. It's important that any warning identifies the recordings that are in conflict with the one being added. Make sure that two recordings on the same multiplex are not regarded as being in conflict.
I used to use NextPVR on Windows, before I changed to using a Raspberry Pi to make recordings, and that detected conflicting recordings at the time of scheduling them. Windows Media Centre did too, but its allocation of recordings to tuners was rather naive because it would not let you have overlapping recordings even if they were on the same mux.
Tuners are relatively cheap, although each needs its own aerial feed (unless you get a multi-tuner module - and when I bought my DVB-T2 HD module, Amazon didn't have any of those on sale), so you end up with lots of two-way splitters or a multi-way amplifier with several outputs.
I've just had a thought. TVH could add an additional column in the Upcoming/Current Recordings list: the multiplex from which the recording will be made. This makes it easier to see at a glance whether overlapping recordings are from more multiplexes than you have tuners or whether they are from the same mux and therefore not a problem.