Index: MythTV/MythBase.py
===================================================================
--- MythTV/MythBase.py	(revision 24421)
+++ MythTV/MythBase.py	(working copy)
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 import sys
 import locale
 import weakref
+import signal
 import xml.etree.cElementTree as etree
 from datetime import datetime
 from time import sleep, time, mktime
@@ -1414,8 +1415,7 @@
         # loop until necessary data has been received
         while size - len(data) > 0:
             # wait for data on the socket
-            while len(select([self.socket],[],[], 0.001)[0]) == 0:
-                pass
+            select([self.socket],[],[])
             # append response to buffer
             data += self.socket.recv(size-len(data))
         return data
@@ -1438,13 +1438,19 @@
             created. If 'data' is None, the method will return any events
             in the receive buffer.
         """
+
+        def alrm():
+            raise MythBEError('Socket Timeout Reached')
+
         # return if not connected
         if not self.connected:
             return u''
 
         # pull default timeout
         if timeout is None:
-            timeout = self.timeout
+            timerem = self.timeout
+        else:
+            timerem = timeout
 
         # send command string
         if data is not None:
@@ -1452,19 +1458,28 @@
 
         # lock socket access
         with self._socklock:
+            signal.signal(signal.SIGALRM, alrm)
             # loop waiting for proper response
-            while True:
+            while timerem >= 0:
                 # wait timeout for data to be received on the socket
+                tic = time()
                 if len(select([self.socket],[],[], timeout)[0]) == 0:
                     # no data, return
                     return u''
+                timerem -= time()-tic
 
                 try:
                     # pull available socket data
+                    signal.alarm(int(timerem)+1)
                     event = self._recv()
+                    signal.alarm(0)
                 except ValueError:
-                    # header read failed
+                    # header read failed, terminate alarm
+                    signal.alarm(0)
                     return u''
+                except MythBEError:
+                    # timeout reached, alarm triggered
+                    return u''
 
                 # convert to unicode
                 try: