[Live-devel] Trick play and reuseFirstSource

[Morgan Tørvolt]

> Yes, and IMHO that's appropriate.  If you've created an index file
> for a TS file, then that implies that you intend to support 'trick
> play' operations on it - therefore you don't want to stream it as if
> it were a live source.  I.e., the presence of the index file takes
> priority in figuring out what's intended.

I would have to disagree with you on that. What if I would like to use
one source file for two different uses? Say one fixed time playout and
one trick play capable version so that I can do differing of the price
on the two types.

A couple of points to consider
- The reuseFirstSource is a more specific command than having an index
file, and should be the one that takes priority. (In CSS the case
would be closed here)
- The index file could be generated on every .ts file uploaded to the
server. It does not make sense to me to have to implement a check in
the file upload system to handle a option that is given in a
completely different program.
- Would a programmer that is not explicitly aware of this expect the
current behavour?
- If one where to add a index file to be able to use the source file
for trick play, one would with that change behavour of existing and
working software, possibly rendering it unusable.
- Whenever I set an option in any program I use, I expect it to do
what I tell it to do every time, or never if it is not possible. That
some external entity can come and overrule my setting by simply
indexing a file would be confusing, and probably give me a lot of
debugging befor I would get really mad, and write a e-mail much less
polite than this one =)
- It is rude for a program to say "I am more intelligent than you, and
I disregard what you are asking me to do and will do something
completely different instead".
- How could the library know what was intended? Would not that be
something for the user/programmer to decide? If the reuseFirstSource
is set, would you not think that would be what the current user of the
.ts file would want?

I think the way it works now is bad. It feels like random, and out of
my control. If the file was situated on a networked drive, the
bahveour of my code would be dependent upon what the guy who uploaded
the file have done when he uploaded it. Having it the current way
demands that external software and other system management staff must
be aware of the use of the file, and makes it impossible to use the
file for the two different purposes I described. In other words, the
current implementation is limiting, and I don't like that. If I did, I
would be writing this e-mail using windows, and maybe even outlook.
No... That would be too crazy. =)

Regards
-Morgan-