Plugin: Sage Recording Extender (SREv3)

[kmp14]

Originally Posted by Slugger

All recordings are monitored in SREv3, this is done for future enhancements - enhancements I will not be discussing at this time.

Shows that will not be monitored (i.e. non-sports events) will NOT have the default padding applied. They simply query the web service, the web service replies that it is not a monitored event and then SRE immediately stops monitoring it (with no padding, extension, etc. applied).

I knew it was a dumb question. Thanks Slugger, excellent work!

[spacecadet]

Originally Posted by Slugger

All recordings are monitored in SREv3, this is done for future enhancements - enhancements I will not be discussing at this time.

Shows that will not be monitored (i.e. non-sports events) will NOT have the default padding applied. They simply query the web service, the web service replies that it is not a monitored event and then SRE immediately stops monitoring it (with no padding, extension, etc. applied).

What happens if the web service is down? Is the default padding then applied to all recordings?

[Slugger]

Originally Posted by spacecadet

What happens if the web service is down? Is the default padding then applied to all recordings?

Yes, but only if the web service was available at some point then went down at the time the recording started. If your server is never able to talk to the web service then default padding will never be applied.

livepvrdata.com runs on the Google cloud so the odds of it being down/unresponsive are low (definitely not 0%, but low). However, there are times when you will get errors (heavy load on the server handling your request, etc.), which will cause 500 errors from the cloud. These types of errors will cause default padding to be applied sometimes. I have yet to experience it (and I've been running against this web service a lot longer than anyone else), but with that said, it's definitely possible.

I may add a whitelist setting in SRE to restrict what program titles will be monitored against the web service, for those who are worried about this scenario. I'd like to hear about it if this actually happens to someone. SRE will log a message anytime it applies default padding to any recording so you will know if/when it happens to you. Alternatively, I may change the algorithm in SRE that determines when default padding is applied. A single check with the web service could fail, but 30 consecutive checks are just completely unlikely to fail (unless your internet connection is down). I'd like to avoid whitelisting, etc. because of planned enhancements, but I do understand the concerns here.

[spacecadet]

Originally Posted by Slugger

Yes, but only if the web service was available at some point then went down at the time the recording started. If your server is never able to talk to the web service then default padding will never be applied.

livepvrdata.com runs on the Google cloud so the odds of it being down/unresponsive are low (definitely not 0%, but low). However, there are times when you will get errors (heavy load on the server handling your request, etc.), which will cause 500 errors from the cloud. These types of errors will cause default padding to be applied sometimes. I have yet to experience it (and I've been running against this web service a lot longer than anyone else), but with that said, it's definitely possible.

I may add a whitelist setting in SRE to restrict what program titles will be monitored against the web service, for those who are worried about this scenario. I'd like to hear about it if this actually happens to someone. SRE will log a message anytime it applies default padding to any recording so you will know if/when it happens to you. Alternatively, I may change the algorithm in SRE that determines when default padding is applied. A single check with the web service could fail, but 30 consecutive checks are just completely unlikely to fail (unless your internet connection is down). I'd like to avoid whitelisting, etc. because of planned enhancements, but I do understand the concerns here.

The flip side of this is that the same result could occur if *my* internet connection is down (or any node between me and livepvrdata.com) - which I guess you mentioned above. Both of these are probably also unlikely, but aren't out of the realm of possibility.

I would say it's not a problem until it happens to someone and then it's probably a *huge* annoyance (possible missed recordings, etc).

I'm not advocating for doing anything about - just putting it out there as food for thought. I'll ponder this and let you know if any other solutions come to mind.

[Slugger]

Another new beta, 3.0.0.865, is ready, with a few key fixes:

• Fix issue 127: Remove default padding if it was applied and then the event was successfully monitored (handle transient errors with livepvrdata)
• Do not mark a recording's status as unknown if it was previously known (handle transient errors with livepvrdata)
• Do not apply default padding to recordings if the status of the recording was previously determined to be NO_MONITOR (handle transient errors with livepvrdata)

These fixes should better address the concerns discussed last night. As was discussed, any recording would have default padding applied if livepvrdata was unavailable at the time the recording started (either livepvrdata was down/non-responsive or your internet was down, etc). These fixes address the issue, though it's not 100% bulletproof. However, now default padding would only be applied under this specific scenario:

Every single check with livepvrdata failed to receive a valid response up to the day of the recording.

AND

The check 30 mins prior to the start of the recording and the check at the start of the recording also failed.

With these fixes, now only ONE of these checks needs to succeed in order for the default padding not to be applied. Since most people's favs will appear on their recording schedule at least 3 days in advance then in order for default padding to be applied to a recording, your internet and/or livepvrdata.com must be down/non-responsive for at least 72 consecutive hours. Again, this is not impossible, but I think I've reduced the probability of this event occurring sufficiently to satisfy everyone's concerns. If I haven't, I'd like to hear why.

[cat6man]

hi slugger,

i've updated to your last 2 updates but think there is an "updating" problem inside SRE (no pun intended).
again tonight, i got an informational error that SRE could not identify the game for an MLB-HD game listed as 'regional game'. i know that won't work unless overridden, but i deleted those games from my schedule days ago and the informational errors are still appearing.

thx man

[Slugger]

Originally Posted by cat6man

hi slugger,

i've updated to your last 2 updates but think there is an "updating" problem inside SRE (no pun intended).
again tonight, i got an informational error that SRE could not identify the game for an MLB-HD game listed as 'regional game'. i know that won't work unless overridden, but i deleted those games from my schedule days ago and the informational errors are still appearing.

thx man

Good catch! Once a recording's status is checked, it's always going to be validated daily, even if you cancel the recording. It also means system messages will be posted for these cancelled recordings (as you experienced). This has now been fixed. The fix will be in the next build.

[cat6man]

thank you muchly!

[ScubaMedic]

Originally Posted by Slugger

All recordings are monitored in SREv3, this is done for future enhancements - enhancements I will not be discussing at this time.

Shows that will not be monitored (i.e. non-sports events) will NOT have the default padding applied. They simply query the web service, the web service replies that it is not a monitored event and then SRE immediately stops monitoring it (with no padding, extension, etc. applied).

So do these shows have to generate a system message? Is there a way to turn off SRE generating system messages? It sounds like SRE will be able to monitor these shows in the future so no system message will be generated but until then there are a lot of SRE system messages to go through.

Thanks for all the work. We really do appreciate it.

[Slugger]

Originally Posted by ScubaMedic

So do these shows have to generate a system message? Is there a way to turn off SRE generating system messages?

Not currently, might add an option to disable them, but...

It sounds like SRE will be able to monitor these shows in the future so no system message will be generated but until then there are a lot of SRE system messages to go through.

If you're running 865 or newer then you should only be receiving "a lot" of system messages from SRE if your internet is constantly down or livepvrdata.com is constantly down. I can say that the latter is rarely, if ever, down (livepvrdata.com runs on the Google cloud, which is rarely, if ever, down). If you are on 865 or newer and are still receiving lots of system messages for non-monitored events then I'd like to see your sre.log file for analysis. I don't think you really want to disable system messages because they will alert you to recordings that actually do need an override and with the improvements that were made in 865, the number of false positive sys messages should be minimal. Again, if that's not the case then I'd like to see the sre.log file.

[panteragstk]

I've looked around this thread and can't find an answer to my question. Could you please point me to where it says what I need to do to enter my user id and password. I've gone into the cconfig in the plugin manager, but it says my password is incorrect. I made sure that it was correct and I am able to log into my google account. Where is a config file I can manually change to make sure my userid and password are correct?

[Slugger]

Originally Posted by panteragstk

I've looked around this thread and can't find an answer to my question. Could you please point me to where it says what I need to do to enter my user id and password. I've gone into the cconfig in the plugin manager, but it says my password is incorrect. I made sure that it was correct and I am able to log into my google account. Where is a config file I can manually change to make sure my userid and password are correct?

What are the errors you're getting in the sre.log file? The settings are stored in Sage.properties, but for security, the Google password is not stored in plain text so you won't be able to edit the value directly in Sage.properties.

[sic0048]

Originally Posted by panteragstk

I've looked around this thread and can't find an answer to my question. Could you please point me to where it says what I need to do to enter my user id and password. I've gone into the cconfig in the plugin manager, but it says my password is incorrect. I made sure that it was correct and I am able to log into my google account. Where is a config file I can manually change to make sure my userid and password are correct?

Log into the SRE web page (http://yourjettyhost:8080/sre) and at the bottom of the page there is a "Options" button. Pressing that will bring up a page that shows some options including the google account ID and password.

[ScubaMedic]

Again, if that's not the case then I'd like to see the sre.log file.

Ok I think this is the file.

It may be a connection problem. I'm on satellite internet so it takes things a while to make the trip and some programs don't like that and time out. The internet connection is usually not down though.

[Slugger]

Originally Posted by ScubaMedic

Ok I think this is the file.

It may be a connection problem. I'm on satellite internet so it takes things a while to make the trip and some programs don't like that and time out. The internet connection is usually not down though.

It's not so much the connection is slow, it's that it's being reset (maybe by Google, on their end, but most likely on your end). Either way, I'll add an option to disable all system messages. It'll be in the next build. Of course, the trade off with disabling system messages is that legit override alerts won't be generated (via sys msgs, they'll still be logged in sre.log).

[ScubaMedic]

So how do you trace a connection being reset? Would that be a router problem or a WildBlue problem?

I would like to try and fix it so I can get the legit system messages.

It did work though when I recorded the hockey game. It may have just added the default and I didn't know the difference.

[Slugger]

My guess is that it's an issue with your link to the satellite, but that's only a guess and is backed by no evidence what so ever. In the best of situations, I'm not what'd you call a networking expert (especially WAN/ISP issues), but my knowledge is even less when considering I have absolutely no knowledge about your ISP setup.

All I can tell you about is the errors you've showed me. Your attempt to connect to the livepvrdata.com app (hosted on the Google cloud) is encountering connection reset errors - and lots of them; probably too many. If everyone were reporting the errors I'd say it's a Google problem, since no one else is (nor have I ever experienced them) then my guess is that it's a problem on your end. The fact that you're with a satellite ISP makes the argument stronger, but, again, I have no real evidence to back my guess up.

A new build that provides the ability to disable system messages is now in the repository. (This build also contains a few other fixes.)

[cat6man]

hi slugger,

i had my first failure with SRE when it didn't extend the sox-dodgers game today on Fox............so i missed the red sox bottom of the 9th rally to win the game.................i saw a green check on the game earlier in the day, but i'll have to check the log file and see if there is a clue there.

it has run flawlessly until the game today, so i'm inclined, a la Fox/Beck, to blame a conspiracy but i have a hard time figuring out how it would work.........left wing hollywood vs. people's socialistic republic of cambridge would both be on the right's * list, so maybe they wanted to annoy both bastions of liberalism and saw a 2 for 1 opportunity

or it could be just software or the internet, but that wouldn't be as much fun

edit: adding log..........game start at 4:00, note that it checked at 6:30 and set next check time for 6:30

[Slugger]

Based on the log, it seems you have a padding setup for the fav? The recording started at 15:59, but I assume it was actually in the EPG to start at 16:00? Is there also a 1 min (or more) padding at the end for the fav? I think I found the bug (don't account for padding, which triggers the wrong code path and tried to schedule an already scheduled task), but just want to confirm before adding the fix.

[cat6man]

yes, all my favorites have 1 minutes pads at both ends.......thanks