This thread and the software posted in it are now deprecated. The current version of EndPad and support for it are now handled by maxwells_daemon in this thread.
EndPad is a program which runs in the background on the TiVo and extends the recording time of shows (start and end) by the amount you specify if, and only if, that would not cause a clash with another recording. This means that you need no longer juggle SPs with extra recording time which cause other SPs to be missed.
A particular bugbear in the UK is BBC 2, which frequently runs 2 mins late, but also has a lot of shows you might wish to record running back to back. Keeping track of which of these shows was the last one, which needed padding, and which was an earlier one, which didn't, was a nightmare, especially as the shows on BBC 2 usually have different season durations, so it keeps changing! EndPad sorts BBC 2 (and ITV 1) out for you.
I took LJ's noreddot as my inspiration - rather than try to get everything done in advance, this program only actually adds the end padding to the programme being recorded 5 minutes before the end of the recording, and adds start padding just 1 minute before it is due.
This "just in time" automated approach has many advantages:
- The recordings remain part of their SP with all other settings completely intact.
- New recordings and new SPS do not trigger clashes with padding, because the padding is not there until almost the end of the recording
- Suggestions get padded too (something many have asked for)
- It can run from rc.sysinit.author, so is completely automated with no user input needed
In fact, it's as close to TiVo implemented soft padding as I think you are going to get until we get v5 in the UK
!
If the full amount of padding cannot be added, EndPad will add as much as it can. End padding on a show has priority over start padding on the next one. Padding you set manually or in a SP has priority over both (although EndPad will try and increase the user set padding to the soft level if it can).
If you want to see what it is up to, you can view the logs (which are I hope reasonably intelligible) through the Logs module of TiVoWeb.
Note 1: By default, when EndPad looks at the next recording it takes suggestions as being disposable and deletes them to accommodate end padding if needed. If two back to back suggestions are scheduled, EndPad pads the first one and deletes the second. You can use the -sugeq switch to turn off the deletion of suggestions
Note 2: if you try and add a recording as it is actually starting and get the clash warning because of EndPad's padding of the previous show, manually stop the current recording before adding the new one. TiVo's built in conflict resolution can result in the whole prior programme being deleted in some circumstances.
Note 3: EndPad has the ability to alter the recording quality of any suggestions, allowing you to, say record suggestions at Medium while leaving the default at Best, making setting up SPs faster. Use the optional -sugqual switch with values of 0 (Basic), 40 (Medium), 75 (High) or 100 (Best)
To get the best out of it, your SPs should not set any hard padding themselves. That way TiVo will be able to operate with the lowest number of clashes. The PC based utility I wrote (
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=135029) has an option to remove all padding from SPs if you have a lot to go through.
It will work on all TiVos on both sides of the pond, but will not be fully optimal on DirecTivos as it does not attempt to use the second tuner for extending shows. falconx has produced a version which works with dual tuners - unfortunately forum rules mean I can link to it as it's on the database of deals. The thread id is /forum/showthread.php?t=31854
Copy to the TiVo using binary mode FTP then:
chmod 755 endpad.tcl
Run with:
./endpad.tcl -s x -e y -sugqual z -sugeq
where:
x is the number of minutes of start padding to add
y is the number of end padding to add
z is the recording quality to change suggestions to (0/40/75/100) (Optional)
the optional sugeq parameter prevents EndPad cancelling a suggestion by padding another one
Stop with:
./endpad.tcl -stop
Run from rc.sysinit.author with the -auto flag:
/var/hack/endpad.tcl -s x -e y -sugqual z -sugeq -auto >> /dev/null &
This post will always contain the most up to date version and instructions.
EndPad is entirely free to use, but next time its saves you a verbal beating thanks to a caught ending that would otherwise be missed, please consider an appropriate donation to Cancer Research through this link:
http://www.justgiving.com/brigid
Please put "EndPad" in the comment.
Please not that there are restrictions on distribution - read the readme.
