possible to start/stop recording via automation/command line or similar?

[hagur]

SageTV server is always running on my HTPC. Is it possible to instruct it to start/stop recordings without using the sagetv interface or a client/placeshifter, via comand line or some sort of automation for example? I know I can schedule recordings, but i'd like to be able to manually start/stop recordings whenever - without using the sagetv UI.

Can it be done?

[GKusnick]

You can invoke Sage commands from a command prompt per Appendix D of the manual. So it should be fairly straightforward to make a batch file that puts Sage into Live TV mode, tunes a specific channel, and issues the Record command, if that's what you're driving at. There is no built-in command to stop recording and keep the partial recording, but there's a multi-function stop plugin that adds that capability. So it should be possible to script that in a similar fashion.

I don't recall whether the web server plugin has this kind of capability, but that might be another way to do it, by using scripts or batch files to send HTTP requests.

Or if all else fails (and if you have the necessary programming skills) you could write a Java plugin that runs in the background on the server and listens on a TCP socket for start/stop record requests (or any other sort of automation you require).

That said, for manually starting and stopping recordings, I find Placeshifter pretty convenient. What specifically are you trying to do that rules out that option?

[sundansx]

Sage also responds to windows messages through the sendmessage interface. I think there is a util out there that will allow you to send windows messages to it. It might even be called sendmessage. You can also use girder to control sage using the sendmessage interface. See the support page for info on this interface.

[hagur]

Thanks guys!

The reason I'm asking about this functionality is because most of the time when I'm watching TV, I'm not using SageTV - just my TV hooked up directly to my set-top box. But, my set-top box is also hooked up to my HTPC where the SageTV server is running 24/7.

Therefore, I wanted to be able to start/stop recordings manually whenever I wanted, without actually having to switch over to my HTPC, launch the SageTV GUI or client and start recording from there.

Since this is possible like you have described, I believe I can now do some magic with scripts/automation and execute that directly from my universal remote control.

Thanks,
Haukur H Th.