Topfield 2460 Time creep

Started by TimC, February 06, 2011, 11:22:20 AM

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TimC

I am finding that lately Timers coming in from IceTV are using times that are different to those in the EPG
e.g.  The EPG says that a program is to start at 8:30 PM, but a check of the timer reveals that the recording is scheduled to start at 9:15 PM.

Note: I have been using the Manual Time setting on the PVR, as I have missed a few recordings due to the Auto Time being incorrect.

Any suggestions? 
Icebox, Fetch box (Not IceTV Capable)

prl

Are the time settings correct on the Topfield?
Peter
Beyonwiz T4 in-use
Beyonwiz T2, T3, T4, U4 & V2 for testing

TimC

The first time it happened the time was out by about 10 minutes.
I realigned the time, but the problem persists.  It doesn't happen on every program, by there are ususlly 3 or 4 every week.

I can fix it by reselecting the program from the EPG. 

I am wondering if there an EPG timing error at the time the timers are sent out.

The main reason I want to get it sorted is that I will be going away for a month soon and I won't be around to check and fix the errors.

Icebox, Fetch box (Not IceTV Capable)

tonymy01

The Topfield handling of time is quite frankly, garbage.   In so called "manual time" mode, since you don't set a GMT offset in the settings menu when you select manual time (but you do when you select auto go figure) the Topfield tries to be smart but is very very dumb, and uses the broadcaster timestamp to subtract from your manually set time and it uses that figure as the GMT offset.    ICE sends EPG (and timers) as GMT/UTC (in fact, the FTA guide is sent the same, as UTC).   The dumb Topfield in manual time mode adds this number it calculates to the EPG entry to display to you what it thinks the EPG is in local time (rather than UTC time).   If your local broadcaster is out by, say, an hour with their timestamp information, your EPG (and any timers that ICE set, or timers *you* set from the EPG) will be out by an hour.   So in fact, running manual time doesn't remove you from the problems of dodgy broadcast timestamps at all!  It makes things worse for you if you run ICE, since timers are created when the unit polls ICE (and a new timer is ready to send) and therefore is dependant on what channel you are on at the time for how accurate the GMT offset will be (the Toppy dynamically calculates this offset).  

And thanks to the dodgy method the Topfield uses to determine your GMT offset, if, say, your manual set clock is out by 3mins vs the broadcaster, you will see all your EPG items are starting/ending at strange times like 8.33 or 8.27 for example.   For dynamic EPG viewing, this is not a big deal, but for timer setting, of course it can be a huge deal.    I told Topfield way back when I discovered this issue with the 5K (manual time mode) many many years ago that they were better off having a fixed number to set for the offset, just like when you set it for Auto time, (e.g. +10hours for eastern states), and the EPG and timers would be 100% accurate to the way the broadcaster or ICE intended...

This post is pure speculation for your model, but based on some discussions like yours, I suspect the issue that was in the 5K, 7100, 7100+(I think) is no better in other Topfield models.
Regards
Tony

Beyonwiz DP-S1 & Topfield 5K (using PerlTGD to upload ICE EPG/timers for the 5K, normal ICE interactive for the Wiz).

TimC

If I read you right.  Using Manual Time on The Toppy means that timers received from Ice can be out because the GMT offset is calculated from the broadcaster sent time.  Using Auto time on the Toppy means that you can miss recordings due to timing errors from the broadcaster.

It would be nice if the broadcasters could get their time right.  All they need is a GPS receiver for a time synch.
Icebox, Fetch box (Not IceTV Capable)

prl

Beats me why Topfield doesn't constrain their calculated time offset to the nearest multiple of 30 minutes. Or 15 minutes for firmware destined for Nepal.
Peter
Beyonwiz T4 in-use
Beyonwiz T2, T3, T4, U4 & V2 for testing