Selecting TV1/2 for recording .... Would really love this 722 DVR feature ...

[JSheridan]

Yes this would be a great feature. New customers with DVR's in dual mode currently find it hard to understand.

[anonymouse99]

A lot of seemingly sensible implementations to us "techy" types on this board would serve to confuse or even upset the vast majority of DVR users who want things as SIMPLE as possible with the least amount of "choices" or options to be displayed or made when operating the device. Yes, Dish could easily implement a lot of software requests, and they have done so, but the "ease of use" for the vast electronically challenged is weighed very heavily by Dish, and Dish won't rush to add more complexity--simply cool options and more control for the rest of us--unless they are pretty sure the masses can handle it, as well. Believe me, the DVR's are complicated enough as they are for the average subscriber, and my many family members who have Dish don't need another option to be presented--even if all they have to do is ignore it-- to confuse or confound them more, "What's this?" or just one more place to make an error.

How about we focus our energies on getting Dish to implement a "New" recordings feature that actually works for all the channels and all the programming. Right now there are far to many instances when the DVR will record old episodes or even the same episode aired later the same day, even if the timer is set to record "New" episodes only.

I agree with the essence of your comment. IMHO, the implementation of TV1/2 selection does nothing but confuse everyone, including the savvy ones!

1. They put the TV1/2 default recording under preferences, and which is only enabled if you turn on the record plus feature activiation. This is completely confusing, especially if you don't understand the motivation for having a record plus option.

2. YOu are allowed to choose TV1/2 for improptu recordings.

3. YOu are also allowed to record an existing program you are viewing, although trying to backtrack and save an existing-program-being-viewed recording on a tuner other than your local room one fails! (but that's a separate discussion)

4. You are confusingly not allowed to choose a TV1/2 when scheduling recordings, and it is not even easy to see which TV1/2 it is setup on via Dish Remote. They should simply present the TV1/2 option (while selecting your defaults), on any kind of recording, be it impromptu or scheduled. Furthermore, they can also have a smart/advanced mode, where if you press record, followed by a 1 or 2, it would simply use that sequence to override any of your defaults. That would make sense to me, with the least number of keystokes. Or just have two rec1, rec2 buttons, or a rec button that could toggle or cycle through TV1/2.

A lot of people seem to be directing us to not watch live shows, etc. But that is not the point, the goal is to have choices. Some of us only record shows like we used to with our VCR, etc. Old habits die hard

[KAB]

Present set up works for me. I think many would lose track of what recording are on what TV and would eventually cause conflicts for themselves.

[digiblur]

When the DVR is in Single mode, the tuner selection is irrelevant. When you enable Record Plus because you use the DVR in Dual mode, and select TV2, the DVR assumes that 4 out of 5 times, TV1 is going to be in use and TV2 won't. Again, most people who use DVRs eventually get to a point where they NEVER EVER EVER watch live TV again, so they (we) come back to a point where tuner selection is irrelevant.

Not to belittle your request; it's a very valid point. But it's not worth implementing.

Exactly... we have quite a few programs stacked so there is plenty to watch. Very rarely do we watch live TV between the DVR and Netflix instant streaming.

[dreddick]

+1

I agree with OP. I have wanted this feature ever since I got the 722. Let them have a 'simple' default mode for the masses, and an 'advanced' mode for those of us that want control.

[dreddick]

This is how it usually goes at my house...

TV1 is in the living room and TV2 is in the bedroom. Show X is setup to record and it will record on TV2. A couple of minutes before this is going to start the family decides they'd like to watch Show X on TV1...either live or after it has started (to skip commercials). Invariably someone decides they don't want to watch Show X with the family but want to go channel surf on TV2 in the bedroom but now both TVs will be tied up with Show X. At this point it would be nice to be able to go into the Schedule, choose Show X and then Options and be able to say 'record Show X on TV1 instead of TV2' thus freeing up the TV2 tuner. Instead I have to go to TV2, bring up the guide and choose to Auto Tune to anything on in the same time slot so that, hopefully, the recording of Show X will jump to TV1 (and you have to hurry as it is about to start ). Usually this works, but not always. Thinking about this now - the times it doesn't work may be because Show X was set up to record from TV2 originally and maybe priority rankings come into play?

There was a post a year or two ago where someone went to the trouble of mocking up menu screen shots showing how this feature might be implemented.