Topfield Water System User Manual
v2.0 user guide
v2.0
user guide Page 1
Introduction to iGuide
iGuide is a Topfield Application Program (TAP) providing a grid-style Electronic Programme
Guide (EPG) for the Topfield TF5800 DVB-T PVR, incorporating now-and-next information,
series-link timers which provide the ability for all episodes in a series to be recorded
automatically, and cross-channel recording patterns which allow related programmes on
different channels to be recorded automatically. It is currently available with English, Polish,
Norwegian and Welsh language packs.
iGuide allows the creation of EPG Views – lists of channels in a user-defined order – giving
easy access to favourites lists for different individuals, family-safe EPG views (e.g. with adult
channels hidden) or even Sky+ like categories (‘Children’s’, ‘Movies’ etc.).
iGuide v2.0 is found at http://www.shinyford.co.uk/toppy/iguide2.zip; this manual can be
found at http://www.shinyford.co.uk/toppy/iguide2.pdf.
MP3 music files, to be played as background music while viewing e.g. EPG pages – should
that sort of thing be your cup of tea – can be downloaded from
http://www.shinyford.co.uk/toppy/iguide_music.zip.
Key No. Function
[LIST] 1 EPG Views screen [EXIT] 2 See description below [ARCHIVE] 3 Recordings & Timers screens [GUIDE] 4 Grid-style EPG [MENU] 5 Configuration screen [INFO] a [LEFT], [RIGHT] b [CH. UP]*, [CH. DN.]* c [UP], [DN.] d [VOL. UP], [VOL. DN.] e
Show/navigate through now-and-next banner
* also causes channel change
The [EXIT] key:
In any standard iGuide screen, the [EXIT] key will return the user to the currently tuned channel. However, if pressed during a
standard broadcast while there are no on-screen graphics present, the [EXIT] key causes the next key press to be ignored by
iGuide, and so allows it to be handled by other TAPs or the Topfield OS. Therefore, to access the standard Topfield menu when
viewing a broadcast for example, press [EXIT] followed by [MENU].
v2.0
user guide Page 2
Starting iGuide
If iGuide is installed in the /ProgramFiles/Auto Start directory it will be loaded whenever
the TF5800 is switched on; this is the recommended option. It can also be started manually, if
installed elsewhere, through the usual Topfield TAP loading interface.
iGuide’s support files are stored in a directory at /ProgramFiles/Settings/iguide; if this
does not already exist, iGuide will create it when it first boots. Certain configuration files
(described below in the Support Files section) are included in the iGuide distribution zipfile.
If you wish to use any of these – for example, channel and channel group logos from files
logo.dat and cglogo.dat – then /ProgramFiles/Settings/iguide must be created and
appropriate files copied into it before iGuide starts. But none of these are actively necessary –
iGuide is able to work out of the box.
Note that earlier versions of iGuide could potentially store their configuration files in other
places on disc, e.g. /ProgramFiles/iguide or /ProgramFiles/Auto Start/iguide. If no
/ProgramFiles/Settings/iguide directory exists, but such a directory does exist
elsewhere, then iGuide v2.0 will automatically move it to the correct location at start up:
existing configuration will continue.
Do not create /ProgramFiles/Settings/iguide if you are upgrading iGuide, and wish to
preserve an existing configuration (including series-link patterns and EPG Views). The
contents of the earlier directory will not be copied over if a directory exists in the correct,
new location.
iGuide : key features
iGuide has a number of key features that set it apart from other EPG replacements. Some of
these features are an intuitive part of the user interface; others are additions of functionality
that you may, or may not, use. Either way, it’s a good idea to be aware of them before reading
on into the main body of the user guide below.
1. Series-link patterns
Series link patterns can be set up to create timers for any programme that matches
certain criteria. These criteria, which are editable, include: channel or channel group
(see below); title (may contain wildcards); days of the week; portion of the day.
Keywords can also be added to a pattern. If a pattern contains keywords, then rather
than matching programme titles, programmes whose descriptions contain the
keywords will be matched.
Patterns can also be given a percentage of ‘uniqueness’. Programmes have to be
unique – that is, unlike an existing recording or timer within a margin of error – to
match the pattern. This mechanism effectively stops multiple copies of the same
episode of a series being recorded.
v2.0
user guide Page 3
Note that there is a TAP called CRID available from bdb’s stable, which finds and
adds series link data to programme descriptions when broadcast by a channel. If this
TAP is running alongside iGuide, then iGuide uses this extra data to make its series
link pattern matching more accurate and quicker.
If possible, please install and run CRID alongside iGuide.
2. Channel groups
A channel group is a collection of channels that acts as a pseudo-channel for series
link patterns, so that a pattern can match programmes from more than one channel.
Five default channels are provided with iGuide: all BBC channels, all ITV channels,
Channel 4 group (excludes Film4), Channel 5 group and all channels. Others can be
added as the user sees fit.
3. ‘ IntuiLeap’ homing-in navigation
When playing back a recording, you will often want to quickly move beyond, say, a
commercial break. iGuide’s IntuiLeap navigation makes this a very quick process, by
homing in on the desired restart point. Initial key-clicks move five minutes in one
direction or the other; subsequent key-clicks move back and forth in increasingly
small amounts, until the correct point is located.
Two IntuiLeap modes are available: ‘increasing small’ diminishes the amount jumped
on each key press – this is the most efficient method, but not necessarily the most
intuitive; ‘diminishes on direction change’ mode only changes the jump amount when
the direction of travel changes – slightly less efficient, but easier to understand what’s
going on.
4. ‘ May I Suggest...’ predictive programming
The May I Suggest... feature attempts to identify programmes you may like but not
already know about, based on recordings you’ve already made and indicated you
enjoyed. Again, fuzzy logic is used to compare upcoming programmes with existing
recordings.
If no recordings have already been identified, May I Suggest... falls back to a Tivoemulation mode, in which every episode of the Simpsons is recorded.
5. Thumbnailing
Thumbnails can be manually or automatically generated for recordings, including
thumbnails of the ‘last viewed’ position in a recording.
6. Multi-recording playout
Completed recordings can be marked as part of a playout collection. Initiating play on
a marked recording results in the entire collection being played out one after the other,
in a user-defined sequence. This allows multiple recordings to be played in a set order
in one go, for e.g. archiving to DVD or tape.
v2.0
user guide Page 4
7. Contiguous programme recordings
Recordings are automatically padded at either end with user-definable values.
However, if two programmes are to be recorded following each other on the same
channel, there’s no possibility of padding.
This means that, if the programmes each record into their own file on disk, the end of
the first may appear in the recording of the second, or vice versa (well, not exactly
vice versa but you know what I mean).
iGuide provides a ‘contiguous recordings’ mechanism, whereby recordings that follow
each other on the same channel are recorded into a single master file. This is invisible
to the user, as iGuide manages its recordings to make it appear that each is separate,
with the appropriate amount of padding before and after.
8. iGuide SMS recording by text
iGuide provides a mechanism to allow timers to be set remotely via SMS text. Note
that this requires that a mobile phone with an RS232 GSM modem interface be
attached to the Toppy’s serial port. Currently the Nokia 6310 and Seimens ME45 have
been tested with this interface. See the iGuideSMS quick guide below for further
details.
v2.0
user guide Page 5
iGuide : control screens
1 . The EPG Grid Screen
The EPG Grid screen shows programme
information for seven to ten channels at a time,
over a certain time window (the size of which
can be chosen as described below). The
channels displayed are taken from, and ordered
by, the current EPG View (see below).
Access the EPG grid screen by pressing the
[GUIDE] button. [GUIDE] or [EXIT] will
close the screen and revert to the current channel.
Other key actions:
[RED/GREEN]: Move a page up/down i.e. to the previous/next set of channels
[YELLOW/BLUE]: Move forward/back 24 hours
[UP/DOWN]: Move to the previous/next channel in the list
[LEFT/RIGHT]: Move to the previous/next programme on the current channel, or
backward/forward by half an hour if the previous/next programme is
not on the current screen.
[CH DN/UP]: Move to the previous/next programme on the current channel. If that’s
off the screen, move the grid back/forth in time to view the
programme.
[REW/FFW]: Move one page back/forward in time (i.e. if you’re looking at a grid
covering 3.00pm to 6.00pm [REW] will move to a page covering
12.00pm to 3.00pm; [FFW] will move to a page covering 6.00pm to
9.00pm).
[PIP]: Change the size of the time window. Pressing [PIP] repeatedly will
cycle through time periods from 1 hour to 4 hours in half-hour chunks.
The greater the time period, the more programmes are shown at once but with less detail for each programme title.
[OK]: If the programme currently selected in the grid is a “NO
INFORMATION” event, pressing [OK] triggers an attempt to get
EPG information for the channel and repopulate the screen.
If that’s not the case and the currently selected programme is on now,
pressing [OK] tunes to it.
Otherwise, pressing [OK] acts as if [REC] were pressed (see below).
This functionality is optional – see the Configuration screen section
below for information on enabling/disabling this feature.
v2.0
user guide Page 6
[REC]: If the programme currently selected in the grid has a series-link
recording, pressing [REC] enters the Edit Pattern screen (see below)
for this series-link.
If that’s not the case and the currently selected programme has a
recording, pressing [REC] tries to turn this into a series-link
recording.
If that’s not the case and the currently selected programme has a
watch timer, pressing [REC] turns this into a ‘Recording’ timer.
If that’s not the case then pressing [REC] creates a Recording timer
for the currently selected programme.
Note that it is only possible to set two simultaneous recordings. If you
try to set a third recording at the same time as two existing timers,
you will be warned of the clash in a popup – press any key to
continue.
[WHITE]: As [REC], except that in the last instance a Watch timer is created
rather than a Recording timer.
[PAUSE]: If the currently selected programme has a recording, enter the
recording edit screen for it.
[STOP]: If the programme currently selected in the grid has a recording, a
watch timer or a series-link, you will be asked if you really want to
delete it: pressing the [YELLOW] key will confirm this, causing the
recording to be deleted. If the recording was part of a series link, other
recordings on the same pattern will remain; recording of future
editions of the episode just deleted will be inhibited by the fact that
you’ve just deleted this one – iGuide keeps a record of deletions, and
assumes that a deleted episode is definitely not wanted. If you want to
record a future edition of the episode, you will need to either manually
set a recording for it, or ‘refresh’ the series link pattern (see below).
[INFO]: Show full information for the currently selected programme in a
popup window; press any key to exit the window.
[SLOW]: Toggle between EPG grid mode and single-channel per page mode.
[PLAY]: Exit the screen and tune to the currently selected channel.
[RECALL]: Repopulate EPG information for the currently selected channel.
[TEXT]: Start a search. Pressing [TEXT] opens a prompt which asks for a
series of comma-delimited search terms to be typed in, using the
standard editing keys in Edit Mode (see below)
Press [BLUE] to toggle between just searching programme titles and
searching both titles and descriptions; press [FFW] or [REW] to cycle
through the genre list, to enable search by a particular genre.
v2.0
user guide Page 7
2 . The Recordings and Timers Screen
The Recordings and Timers screen shows
subfolders in the current folder, recordings
available to play in the current folder, and
upcoming timers waiting to happen, ordered by
time.
At the top of the Recordings and Timers screen
is a line representing the hard disk, separated
into two regions: used (dark turquoise in the
images) and unused (light turquoise). The disk
space taken by the currently selected recording
(if post-record) or timer (if pre-record –
approximate) is also shown as a portion of the
bar (yellow in the lower image).
Figures also show the number of hours
recorded, waiting to be recorded (‘reserved’)
and (approximately) remaining.
The lower pane of the screen will show (a
portion of) the information for a selected recording. If available and enabled (see
Configuration page section below) a thumbnail scene from the recording is also shown. This
defaults to the ‘last viewed’ scene, but up to six thumbnails spread across the recording will
be generated, either when chosen by the user (see [SWAP/PIP] in this section below) or
automatically overnight.
Access the recordings and timers screen by pressing the [ARCHIVE] button. [EXIT] will
close the screen and revert to the current channel. Recording and timers may be split into
separate screens, according to a Configuration choice. If this is in effect, pressing
[ARCHIVE] while in one of the screens will toggle to the other; if it is not in effect,
[ARCHIVE] acts as [EXIT], returning to the current broadcast again.
Other key actions:
[RED]: Moves a page up i.e. to the previous seven events
[GREEN]: Moves a page down
[YELLOW]: ‘First’ or ‘Up’: Jumps to the first item in the current folder (i.e. the
highest up the list) or, if that item is currently highlighted and you’re
looking at a subfolder, causes iGuide to navigate up to the parent
folder and display its contents instead.
[BLUE]: Asks for confirmation to delete the currently selected recording, timer
or series. Pressing [YELLOW] will confirm the deletion; any other
key cancels.
[UP/DOWN]: Move to the previous/next event.
v2.0
user guide Page 8
[LEFT/RIGHT]: This causes the number of minutes displayed for a recording to go
down/up, so as to change the play position – changing the ‘minutes
viewed’ this way allows quick navigation to known points in a
recording.
Note that the display for a completed recording need not just show the
number of minutes already viewed. If a completed recording is
currently selected, it will display as “RECORDED” if it has yet to be
played, “START” or “END” if the playback position is in the first or
last minute of the recording respectively, or “xx MINS VIEWED” if
partly viewed.
[REW/FFW]: As [LEFT/RIGHT] but in intervals of 15 minutes.
[CH UP/DOWN]: Tick or untick a recording or timer to mark it as a favourite for the
purposes of May I Suggest... matching. If ticked, a recording will be
used as an example of the sort of thing you enjoy watching by MIS
when it searches for new programmes. Visually, ticking a recording
adds an image of a heart at the left side of its info bar.
[GUIDE]: Goes to the EPG View screen. If the currently selected row is an
upcoming timer, centres the EPG view screen on that event; otherwise,
the channel of the currently selected recording, at the current time.
[PLAY]: Tries to play the current recording (NB: this won’t work if it’s an
upcoming timer that has not yet started).
[SLOW]: Toggle the view of recordings and timers between alphabetical
ordering, and ordering by time (that is, by time and date of the
broadcast).
[PAUSE]: If the currently selected row shows a recording or timer, enters the
Recording Edit page (see below) for it.
[REC] If the currently selected row shows a recording or timer which is part
of a series link, enters the edit screen for that pattern.
If the currently selected recording or timer is not part of a series link,
causes a series link to be created based on the timed programme and
then enters the edit screen for that pattern.
[INFO]: Show full information for the currently selected recording or timer, in
a popup window; press any key to exit the window.
[0-9]: Set the playout precedence for a completed recording, or delete the
precedence if [0] pressed. See [OK] below for playout mode.
[OK]: If the currently selected row shows a completed recording or currently
recording programme, plays it.
If the currently selected row shows a folder, enters it.
If the currently selected recording/timer is an upcoming timer that is
part of a series link, pressing [OK] enters the Series Link Pattern Edit
screen (see below).
v2.0
user guide Page 9
If the currently selected recording/timer is an upcoming timer that is
not part of a series link, pressing [OK] enters the Recording/Timer
Edit screen (see below).
Note that playback will start at: the current thumbnail position (if a
new thumbnail has been chosen more recently than the ‘minutes’
playback changed; otherwise, the number of minutes into the
recording stated in the information bar if changed; otherwise the last
position played.
Note also that, if the currently selected recording has a precedence
set, playout mode is initiated. In playout mode all recordings that
have had a precedence set will be played out sequentially until all
have been played. Lower precedence recordings play before higher;
where two recordings have the same precedence set, the earlier plays
first.
[SWAP/PIP]: Enable ‘thumbnails’ mode if not already enabled, and if the currently
selected row is a completed recording, show the first thumbnail for it.
If not already generated or the key pressed was [PIP], (re-)generate
thumbnails.
If thumbnails are already enabled and displayed, and a completed
recording currently selected, cycle to its next thumbnail.
Loading...