Easier way to schedule captures

[4evrplan]

Currently, I'm scheduling captures from analog tv by looking through web based tv listings, making a list of every program I'm interested in, scratching out the ones that cause conflicts (based on which ones I like more), and using Windows Task Scheduler to schedule a run of a batch file for each program (which in turn runs virtualvcr). There's got to be an easier way.

What I envision is a combined tv-listings and scheduling program that allows you to simply click once on a displayed listing to schedule it for capture (allowing you to configure which program you want to use to capture of course). Ideally, it would also have a display of everything you've scheduled and a warning about the ones that conflict, allowing you to easily eliminate the conflicts. Searching by criteria such as filtering out certain channels and only displaying movies would also be very nice. Does anyone know of such a tool? You should know ahead of time that I only use 100% free software for this hobby.

I've considered writing a tool to do this, but 1) why reinvent the wheel if it's already been done, and 2) finding a free and easily usable source of localized tv listings may prove difficult.

Any suggestions?

[olyteddy]

My Hauppauge PVR uses TitanTV and does just that. Or at least the one click scheduling part. They may have a plug-in for your card too.

[freebird73717]

VirtualVcr scheduler VVCRS2
download here http://vvcrs.asktech.ca/vvcrs2.php

[4evrplan]

olyteddy: Although there doesn't seem to be a titantv plugin for my capture card (Pinnacle PCTV NTSC Capture), it seems like it would be fairly easy to write my own. Clicking the record button simply downloads an xml file with a "tvpi" extension. So if I write a utility to parse this file and register it with windows to handle that extension, my problem is solved. You've just made this waaay easier. Thank you. One question though, I didn't see any obvious way to list only movies in titantv, the way you can with some other listings web sites. I can dig for it later, but off the top of your head, does it allow you to do this?

freebird73717: I'd already written a batch file that uses a process handling utility and calls virtualvcr with the correct parameters to handle that aspect of my capturing. However, vvcrs seems much cleaner. When I get around to coding the titantv interface, I will probably use it instead. Any idea how its use of system resources compares to Windows Task Scheduler?

[freebird73717]

It uses very little resources on my weak little machine.

[4evrplan]

Well, I can honestly say every reply to my questions was very helpful. I think that's enough to be getting on with. Thanks to both of you.

[olyteddy]

By colour code or by checking 'Movies' in advanced search it would seem.


EDIT: Yeah, Advanced Search is the way to go. I'd never tried that before, works great.