PVR721 Timer Launch Error - Main and PIP are in use

[hojni]

Something weird just started happening on my PVR721 Monday when I recorded two shows simultaneously (on both tuners). The first timer kicks off fine, but when the second kicks in, I get the following error screen:

===========================
Timer Launch
------------------------------------------------
Launching a timer but main and pip are in use. Please select an option to continue.
Timer: 8:00 – 9:00 WLS-7
Running: 7:00 – 8:00 WPWR – 50

[ ] Use main to record
[ ] Stop current running timer
[ ] Cancel this timer
------------------------------------------------
[Done] [Cancel] [Help]
===========================

In this case, I was recording WPWR in the background (using the standard 1 minute - 3 minute pad) and watching WLS as the second timer fired to record on WLS. No PIP was on. I picked the "Use main to record" option and both shows recorded fine.

I have tried swapping tuners (with the PIP button), rebooting the 721 (by pressing the power button for 5 - 10 seconds), and even running a check switch. The problem persists.

My PVR721 is currently running L109 and connected to a DishPro Twin LNB via ports 1 & 2 on a SW34. Prior to last weeks totally unexpected load of L109, I was able to fire off simultaneous timers with absolutely no problems. I think this Monday may have been the first time I attempted to record two shows together since then.

Has anyone run into this problem? Any suggestions on how to clear it up or avoid it?

[Chaos]

This is normal. If you wait about 30 seconds, it will start recording automatically.

[hojni]

Chaos, thanks for the reply. I'll give it the 30 seconds next time to see if the timer fires correctly without intervention.

I've just been a little skittish about missed timers since L109 got downloaded. Prior to L109, I didn't have any timer problems, but when they pushed L109 without warning, my four Monday night Stargate SG-1 timers failed.

[dbronstein]

This is normal, but I wish it would just switch the main tuner over and start recording. I know it does switch eventually but it cuts off the first 30-45 seconds of the timer.

Dennis

[Scott Greczkowski]

Or just click use Main Tuner instead of waiting. :)

[dbronstein]

Except if you don't happen to be in front of the TV at that exact moment to do it, that's not really an option.

Dennis

[Chaos]

If you left the defaults of 1 minute early and 3 minutes late, this is handled very smoothly.

[dbronstein]

I usually do leave the 1/3 defaults. What difference does it make?

Dennis

[Chaos]

If you leave the 1/3, you'll still get 30 seconds before the show is scheduled to start. No worries.

[hojni]

Kicked off a timer for Friends tonight while recording something off HBO. The message popped up for about 45 seconds and the recording automatically started. Cuts it awful close even with the 1 minute pad in front though.

I sure hope that Dish fixes the front pad bug in L110, so you can pad by 2 minutes and keep the right show title. It might also be nice to make this timer launch screen optional.

Thanks for everone's input.

[dbronstein]

That's the problem - 30 seconds before a show often isn't enough because they start early. And with the extra early padding changing the show title, I don't want to pad early.

THey should just change the channel to the show it's set to record, and if you don't want it then you can stop it.

Dennis

[hojni]

Funny thing is that I always pad recordings on my PVR501 with 2 minutes before and 2 minutes after; and it retains the proper titles, descriptions, etc. in the PVR list.

I set the timers on the PVR501 by picking the show that I want to record from the guide and then editing the start and end times to include the 2 minute before and 2 minute after padding. I wish the PVR721 worked exactly the same way. Hopefully it will and will be as solid as the PVR501 sometime soon.

[tm22721]

Mu solution was simple - just got rid of the padding and - voila! no error message.

[Scott Greczkowski]

The entire reason the message pops up is so that the 721 does not take the tuner you are watching away from you.

Let's say you are watching a football game which is running long... If the message did not pop up your tuner would be taken over by the pre programmed event, you would blow away your buffer and would be very mad.

So this warning screen lets you say "Hey wait this football game is more improtant to me I would rather watch it then tape Beverly Hills Cop"

I think its a good safeguard feature on the 721!

[dbronstein]

The problem is that they do not give you the menu until the timer is supposed to start, so if you don't get it and switch right away, you miss the first 30-45 seconds of your timer. It is also very obtrusive.

What would work much better is to give you a warning - like the flashing clock - in the corner of the screen a minute or two before the timer is set to start. Then they could just hit cancel to not switch over, or let it switch over at the correct time.

Dennis

[hojni]

Scott,

Now that I understand how the warning screen works, I wouldn't mind it if I could pad the beginning of my timer by more than a minute. Too many shows actually begin early to lose 30 or 45 seconds of a 1 minute pad.

[TomCat]

Originally posted by Scott Greczkowski
The entire reason the message pops up is so that the 721 does not take the tuner you are watching away from you....

Exactly.

My only problem with that is that if I'm watching live using one of the inputs and have previously set two timers the 721 should be smart enough to just go ahead and do what I asked it to do in the first place. If I went to the trouble to set a timer that means that I probably really want to record that show, while if I just have the damned thing on live, I'm probably not as excited about whatever is there, or more likely I'm not even watching. The priorities here are a complete no-brainer...record the timer and change the channel like I told you to, dummy! If I wasn't sure about what I wanted to do, the last thing I would want would be to spend the first 45 seconds of the show I wanted to record by sitting there and thinking about my options. Just do it, do it now, and get the damned recording...all of it.

The popup is a nice courtesy (which should continue) but truncating the first 45 seconds of a program I told it to record is not a very smart or welcome idea. This is just one of the inscrutable ergonomic bugaboos of the 721 that make us all shake our heads and wonder "WTF were they thinking?!".