DVR Chatter

ghoofie · 07-31-2006 5:48:35 PM

I wish I-guide new the difference on some networks, if the programs are new or repeats. I know it's been mentioned before but it's a pain. Setting a series to record new shows only...but it records everytime it's on. Like Monk , or the new show Psych, both on USA. But I still leave it as a series. Because I don't want to forget to set it to record each week. And I don't wanna use manual, timed recording, because then the guide only shows the time, not the program name.
So I just scan through the scheduled recordings every so often and delete programs I know I already have.

I guess it is the way the networks 'report' the programs...but come on Comcast..
isn't there SOMETHING you can do for this ?

Bobby · 07-31-2006 6:47:33 PM

All that has to happen is for TVGuide, who produces the guide, to add the simple words "new" and "repeat." We've got that on many channels, but not all.

Frank · 07-31-2006 7:16:19 PM

I hear they're hiring.

markjrenna · 07-31-2006 9:17:50 PM

I can't even do Series Recordings on channel 7 WABC. Who do I tell?

Patrick · 09-06-2006 11:29:51 PM

Bobby wrote:
All that has to happen is for TVGuide, who produces the guide, to add the simple words "new" and "repeat." We've got that on many channels, but not all.

TVGuide produces the guide, but the data for the shows is collaborated from the respective networks.

I'd prefer that each episode of each series contain an undisplayed episode uid in the meta for the stb to recognize and compare against what it's already recorded. If you use only New and Repeat as keywords, how do you catch episode 1 when it repeats if you started the series just before episode 2 aired?

Frank · 09-06-2006 11:51:24 PM

Here here. This is probably the biggest "no brainer" request that gets ignored time and time again. Seems like a simple and non box resource intensive programming change.

shj · 09-07-2006 2:29:45 AM

Patrick wrote:
If you use only New and Repeat as keywords, how do you catch episode 1 when it repeats if you started the series just before episode 2 aired?

Tivo keeps track of the complete description of every show it records. If you have a series recording for "new" only, it won't record an episode if its description matches anything you have recorded within the past 7 days. At least that's what I remember reading on the Tivo web site a long time ago. However Tivo does it, it works.

Frank · 09-07-2006 7:41:38 AM

TiVo keeps track of the unique episode ID (if you hit "INFO" while on the description page you can view that ID)

Patrick · 09-13-2006 12:57:01 AM

Frank wrote:
TiVo keeps track of the unique episode ID (if you hit "INFO" while on the description page you can view that ID)

right. which I think is close to what I said. It's like the old VCR+ codes that used to be in the newspaper insert guide every week. (do they still do that?)

ghoofie · 01-27-2007 6:23:54 PM

Just revisiting this issue. It's still a pain for me. I decided to start recording Sopranos on A&E.
I never did see the show because of not having HBO. If I do a series recording to record only NEW, it schedules to record numerous times. So I do it manually each week. I don't wanna to the set up manual recording with repeats option because I just don't care to see my recordings as times, I like seeing the name of the show. Just me...still an issue for me.
I don't wanna miss an episode. But I got , what is it, 7 or 8 seasons to catch up on ?

Frank · 01-27-2007 6:56:38 PM

Although it debuted in January of 1999, we're still just coming up on season 7 (when they get around to it).

For syndicated shows like this, I find it much easier to go to epguides.com and print out the full list of episodes. I can cross them off as I see them (or schedule them) and never have to wonder "Did I see that one yet?" or "Did I miss one in between." You can also be assured to watch them all in order that way.

http://epguides.com/Sopranos/

By the way, if you have Netflix or Blockbuster Total Access (my highly favorable review of this service coming soon), I highly recommend watching them on DVD. I can't imagine what they've had to do to the episodes to get them A&E friendly. We've probably already gone too far off the topic of the thread already, but do you know if they edited the episodes or shot "basic cable" scenes as they went or what?

LowLight21 · 01-27-2007 11:41:56 PM

They've edited the episodes. I agree with Frank--A&E Sopranos is not the same as HBO Sopranos. Watching the DVDs is a must. I've watched Sopranos since day one on HBO, so my experience with the A&E episodes is certainly much different from someone who's never seen the show and is watching it on A&E for the first time. I can't even stand watching it. A show with that much language and violence becomes really hard to watch when everything is edited.

andyross · 01-28-2007 11:01:11 AM

According to an article I read, many scenes were filmed twice, with different dialog. They planned from the beginning for a version that would be safe for general syndication.

Excitableboy · 01-31-2007 10:50:48 AM

Back to the "new shows only topic", it doesn't seem like rocket science for Comcast to program its software to keep track of shows watched by episode ID for a week or so. That would solve the irritating repeat recording of new shows I have already seen that week. TIVO does it and it works and that is probably one of the main reasons I am looking forward to the new TIVO software if it ever materializes. Repeat HD shows youve watched take up limited hard drive space especially if you have a lot of series set to record. Plus, if you manually unset the repeat show sheduled to record on one night, it goes ahead and shedules it again for another night. Really dumb when the fix is so easy. I cant wait to hear the sales script the Comcast people are going to be given for the Tivo vs the old Comcast software choice when customers ask what the difference is. Lets see, buggy and crude and free vs. smooth and smart and less buggy (like you expect) and by the way, were going to stick it to you for more money! Can you imagine if Microsoft or Apple tried to sell two operating systems like that?

Wareagle · 01-31-2007 4:45:06 PM

Comcast didn't write the current DVR software (thankfully!). In fact, Microsoft did write mine. So much for that. Actually, I attribute most of the DVR problems to the Motorola firmware and the quality of the guide listings. TiVo will probably improve the listings (for a price), but it remains to be seen whether they get stuck with the Motorola firmware.

DVR Chatter

#1 07-31-2006 5:48:35 PM

Record NEW shows only.

#2 07-31-2006 6:47:33 PM

Re: Record NEW shows only.

#3 07-31-2006 7:16:19 PM

Re: Record NEW shows only.

#4 07-31-2006 9:17:50 PM

Re: Record NEW shows only.

#5 09-06-2006 11:29:51 PM

Re: Record NEW shows only.

Bobby wrote:

#6 09-06-2006 11:51:24 PM

Re: Record NEW shows only.

#7 09-07-2006 2:29:45 AM

Re: Record NEW shows only.

Patrick wrote:

#8 09-07-2006 7:41:38 AM

Re: Record NEW shows only.

#9 09-13-2006 12:57:01 AM

Re: Record NEW shows only.

Frank wrote:

#10 01-27-2007 6:23:54 PM

Re: Record NEW shows only.

#11 01-27-2007 6:56:38 PM

Re: Record NEW shows only.

#12 01-27-2007 11:41:56 PM

Re: Record NEW shows only.

#13 01-28-2007 11:01:11 AM

Re: Record NEW shows only.

#14 01-31-2007 10:50:48 AM

Re: Record NEW shows only.

#15 01-31-2007 4:45:06 PM

Re: Record NEW shows only.

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