Problem with 2.01

[rhollinger]

I mentioned this in another thread but thought I'd start a new thread and see if anyone else has seen this and has any ideas other than the obvious...

A problem that I've run into is that if you have timers set to record two shows in a row and you have the 1 minute before, 3 mins after (or whatever the defaults are when you select a show for recording), it now requires both tuners. In dual mode it records both on the assigned tuner and works the timing out automatically. THe problem was I was watching a show on live TV and had to step away. Because the tuner was usurped by the DVR I lost the show I was watching. Guess it just goes to show if you *really* want to watch something make sure you hit REC...

Another problem with this I just thought of last night is related to non-savvy users. I'm the only one that uses any of the "features" of the 522. Everyone else in the household knows how to change channels and that's about it. They're lucky if they can get the TV set to the correct input and get the DVR powered on (although the new Press Select to continue feature has helped in this area). In DUAL mode, I can record stuff on tuner 2 and it never affects anyone watching live TV. In single mode, because of the issue mentioned here, what they are watching will be switched to what is going to be recorded. This means that either they will be confused or they will end up deleting my recording, not good.

I didn't try to record a second show during those times, could make a difference in how it handles the overlaps, but that won't help the live TV viewer as the second show would usurp the 2nd tuner anyway...

I guess I may have to keep it in dual mode and only switch to single while I'm watching (remote control option would sure be nice...)

 

[maximum]

Are you sure it "works the timing out automatically" in dual mode? In dual mode, if I set two shows to record in succession (on different channels) and they overlap by a few minues because the first show extends the recording by 3 min. the second timer will pick the other tuner to record. So you have the same problem even if you are in dual mode.

 

[kwajr]

Are you sure it "works the timing out automatically" in dual mode? In dual mode, if I set two shows to record in succession (on different channels) and they overlap by a few minues because the first show extends the recording by 3 min. the second timer will pick the other tuner to record. So you have the same problem even if you are in dual mode.

yes thats what i got with dual

 

[rhollinger]

when I'm in dual mode, it works out which tuner at schedule time not at record time so yes I'm sure that's how it works...

Granted, it may not always work 100% (might miss a little or too much on one recording or whatever) but that's way better than switching tuners.

 

[haertig]

If I record two shows in immediate succession ON THE SAME CHANNEL, then my 522 uses the same tuner for both of them (barring other conflicts). This is in dual mode. The 1 and 3 minutes default extend times are somewhat ignored ... the second of the two successive programs gets it's head cut off a little. I found this out when I recorded several episodes of a show that came one right after another in one of those show-a-thons that some channels put on at times. I set seperate events for each show so I could delete them individually after I'd watched them. The start of the later episodes was actually recorded tagged on to the END of the previous episode because of that default 1..3 minutes overlap thing. The 522 apparently realized it was all the same channel and thought it could use the same tuner (not a bad optimization). However, I wish it would have realized that default extend time wouldn't work out and simply ignored that setting. But it didn't. It extended the end of each episode at the expense of the start of the next. [ edit - I noticed this behavior with 1.69 (1.68?) firmware. I have 2.01 now but haven't verified how it works yet given the same scenerio. ]

 

[rolandv]

Hmm... I'm in default single mode. When I setup a timer for MTV at 10, then setup one up for 10:30, the first episode does not get a 3 minute record extension (still starts a minute early) and the second episode doesn't start a minute early but still records an extra 3 minutes.

I just assumed that the 522 was smart enough to realize that the one minute early and 3 minute extensions with a "nice to have" but could be dropped. I now realize that it only did this because both shows were on the same channel. I THINK though, that even if the shows were on different channels, it would still drop the 3 minute extension and or 1 minute early start. I have to test that for myself I guess because I never noticed that the PVR would automatically record on the other tuner in dual mode.

 

[rhollinger]

My recordings were both on the same channel as well. I could forgive that behavior if they were on different channels (although I'm pretty sure in dual mode it doesn't even respect that, it drops the 3 mins. i'd have to try it, though)

Still, since both were on the same channel, it should not have employed both tuners in single mode. That's really my only complaint w/ single mode (and since no one else uses any of the features, I probably won't use single mode since the dual-mode "Default Tuner" hack works better. I do like being able to watch two shows live and swap back and forth (although notice that it does not respect PAUSE when you swap, so you have to rewind. Not a big inconvenience unless you catch a spoiler while rewinding...

 

[ShadowEKU]

I did discover a small workaround with this... tell it to record something else immediately after... itll snap the second recording back to th default tuner... then jsut hit delete on the new recording... like i said its a workaround... i dont get why his is so hard to do either... fortunately my wife doesnt use the 522 that often.. i made sure to put a 510 in the bedroom/her office.

 

[rolandv]

I mentioned this in another thread but thought I'd start a new thread and see if anyone else has seen this and has any ideas other than the obvious...

A problem that I've run into is that if you have timers set to record two shows in a row and you have the 1 minute before, 3 mins after (or whatever the defaults are when you select a show for recording), it now requires both tuners. In dual mode it records both on the assigned tuner and works the timing out automatically. THe problem was I was watching a show on live TV and had to step away. Because the tuner was usurped by the DVR I lost the show I was watching. Guess it just goes to show if you *really* want to watch something make sure you hit REC...


I don't really consider this a problem as much as it is a side-effect of being in single mode. In dual mode it doesn't really have the option of changing your recording to the second tuner so it's forced to cut off your time extensions and record programs on their default 30/60 minute intervals without starting early or finishing late.

In single mode, it tries to please you by not changing the duration that YOU setup for the recording. It's only doing what you told it to do. It assumes since you programmed it to start early and end late that that's the priority and more important than keeping one tuner free for live viewing. The fix? When you setup your timers change begin and end to 0 minutes



Another problem with this I just thought of last night is related to non-savvy users. I'm the only one that uses any of the "features" of the 522. Everyone else in the household knows how to change channels and that's about it. They're lucky if they can get the TV set to the correct input and get the DVR powered on (although the new Press Select to continue feature has helped in this area). In DUAL mode, I can record stuff on tuner 2 and it never affects anyone watching live TV. In single mode, because of the issue mentioned here, what they are watching will be switched to what is going to be recorded. This means that either they will be confused or they will end up deleting my recording, not good.

Again, you've got multiple people using the PVR, leave it in dual mode. That's what it's for. Obviously if they don't know what Single mode is and how to use it then there will be confusion. I wouldn't call that a problem with the device itself not working. It just means it may not be user friendly.

I just wanted to clear up that these things aren't necessarily because the PVR is a bad product or defective or buggy.