Recordable DVD scheduling

[metalliqaz]

Hi all,
I'm hoping to collect some opinions...

I got a new DVD Recorder a few weeks ago. I am a grad student at a University, and am usually just too busy to order my schedule around a TV show. The recorder works great, but I soon found that I was always missing shows. The problem was that even tho I set the timer to record, I almost always forgot to put in a new disc, or the disc that was in the drive didn't have enough room left. If that Recorder was going to be any use to me, I would need a better system.

I started some software to manage my DVD recordings. The software takes a list of all my DVDR's and a list of all the shows I want to record, and schedules everything for me. It makes sure that I put in an appropriate disc before I leave in the morning, or before I go to bed. It allows you to designate a disc for only the shows you want on it, it keeps track of my discs so I can search them, it tells me when I need a new one, when a disc is finally full, etc. To remind me, it sends me an email, but it would be easy to get it to send an IM or an SMS.

Here is the problem:
To get the software into a state that it would be ready for public release (under the GPL), it would need a LOT more work. The GUI interface really isn't implemented at all yet, the scheduler is probably full of bugs.
Here is my question:
Should I put in the effort to finish it? Does it sound like a worthwhile app?

Any opinions are welcome.
thanks,

-d

[Frobozz]

Speaking only for myself I wouldn't have any interest in this because my DVD recorder has a built-in hard drive so the disc-handling issue isn't a problem for me. Also, the Pioneer recorder keeps a directory of what's on each DVD-RW disc it burns.

Your market for this application are people with DVD recorders lacking hard drives, who don't use a DVR (such as Tivo) and who enjoy using their computer for keeping track of things.

[metalliqaz]

Hmm, indeed you are correct. Any recorder with a Hard drive wouldn't need this kind of thing. However, my recorder does not have a HD.

I may not have made it clear, but the main point of the software is to remind you to actually put the disc in the recorder, something a set-top box can't really do.
Its for people like me who are forgetful and don't have the time or brain power to keep track of it all.

I will think on this. Thanks for your help!

-d

[RabidDog]

So people who are too busy to mark/set aside their discs are meant to sit down, fire up a computer, enter the details blah blah... no, not going to work. Its better to just get more blank discs or get a hard drive recorder (which are getting cheaper all the time). ALso without a rigid and disciplined marking system for your discs this wouldnt work... new rcorders will be programmable over the web and by text messaging over mobile phone. some will record everything anyway.[/i]