How much LIVE TV do you currently watch?

[Steve]

Probably been a year or more since we ran one of these polls.

I'm curious if folks viewing habits have changed with more VOD and internet delivered video titles available. Please factor in any significant time you spend watching streamed video on a PC or hand-held.

Thanks in advance for your votes and comments. /steve

[Michael D'Angelo]

I voted for 75%. I watch all sports live and about half the shows I watch live. The other half I watch recorded so I guess 75% would be correct.

[JerryElbow]

If by "live" you mean "live as it happens as opposed to delayed viewing", it's less than 5% for me. I watched the halftime show during the SuperBowl "live". That and a few minutes of local news to get the weather forecast are about all I watch "live". I even record the evening national news delayed so that I can skip commercials.

If by "live" you mean, "other than VOD or internet-delivered or streamed video", it's 100% for me. I don't care for the audio or video quality of most VOD or internet-delivered video. Once in a while I might download an episode of some show or another that didn't record correctly (due to weather-related loss of signal or local pre-emption for example), but that's fairly rare for me.

[BubblePuppy]

I voted 15% but it is probably a lot less, since I tend to start recording any live show that I want to watch, go do something else for a while, and then start watching the recording of the live show so I can skip through the commercials.

[Stuart Sweet]

I'm actually up to about 25% as I watch a lot more political stuff as well as other timely entertainment programming. I think that the scripted stuff just isn't as good.

[Steve]

If by "live" you mean "live as it happens as opposed to delayed viewing", it's less than 5% for me. [...]Ding! Ding! Ding! :) /steve

[JACKIEGAGA]

About 85% is recorded. Sports are live

[davring]

I'm with BubblePuppy in that live viewing for me is I start buffered viewing "live" 15-20 minutes after it the show starts. No commercials for me:)

[MRinDenver]

News and sports. That's it.

[edlex]

I voted 50% because I spend market hours watching CNBC live but mostly all recreational viewing is recorded.

[LarryFlowers]

I voted 5%, but it is virtually nothing... the political season put the nail in the coffin for me and live TV. I couldn't stomach the ads. I record everything I watch except for about 10 minutes in the morning to watch a live weather broadcast and I will frequently watch "Sunrise Earth" as it airs.

[Steve Robertson]

News and sports for me as well but even those I sometimes DVR

[xzi]

Sports. 75%... and my DVR even removes commercials automatically and I'm still too lazy to not just sit down and flip through Live TV anyway.

[cover]

Practically all the TV I watch entertainment is recorded. I do keep CNBC and/or Fox Business on live all day most days. Looking forward to a time when I don't have to pay such close attention to the stock market.

[BJM]

Should have had an option for "less than 5%". I'll usually only watch if there's major news or Live TV happens to be set on an interesting channel. I've been using a DVR close to 10 years now so the idea of watching commercials is anathema to me... even during the "Big Game."

[anubys]

I said "other" because it's zero...even the Super Bowl was about 5 minutes behind...everything else is on delay or another day entirely...

[Grentz]

Maybe around 10%.

One of my HD-DVRs I watch almost nothing but recordings on. The other I watch mostly recordings but every now and then some live tv like the news and such. Very little overall though, and usually if it is live I will pause it and delay it to be able to skip out commercials :p

[carl6]

Every TV has it's own DVR, and I am almost never at actual "live", almost always somewhere in the buffer.

[t_h]

Almost zero.

[mosoccer]

Sports and news are the only things I watch live

[sigma1914]

I watch sports live, that's about it.

[DC_SnDvl]

Sports.

:flaiming

That is why I wan't DLB back.

[GBFAN]

The NFL is the only thing I watch live.

[rsblaski]

Everything I watch is either recorded or in the buffer. For sports (NFL games and auto racing) I usually give the event about an hour start and then watch the recording. That way I can skip any commercials that don't interest me.

[evan_s]

About the only thing I watch live is sporting events. Almost everything else is recorded. Even if we find something interesting on live TV we usually record it and watch it later. With football season over our sports watching will be fairly low.

[dhhaines]

I put 5% but I'm not even sure if it's that much. The only live TV I've watched in the past 5-6 years is about 5-10 minutes of the morning news to see the weather forecast for the day. Other then that.... I can't remember the last commercial That didn't skip by. :)

[hdtvfan0001]

It's about 50/50 here....which is why the HD DVRs get a good workout. :D

[Rich]

None, if I can help it. Sometimes I leave the news on while reading a paper or using the forum, but for serious watching I record everything and watch the recordings.

Rich

[Rich]

Almost zero.

Why would anyone use a DVR for live viewing? Kinda defeats the purpose of the DVR, no?

Rich

[t_h]

I'm actually sort of surprised at how much live tv viewing the directv dvr users do. In the tivo world the last time I saw a poll most people watched almost everything recorded.

I'm also now wondering if there's a pattern between the folks who experience "no problems" correlated with a high percentage of live viewing vs the people like you and I who have plenty of issues but watch everything recorded.

[dhhaines]

I'm actually sort of surprised at how much live tv viewing the directv dvr users do. In the tivo world the last time I saw a poll most people watched almost everything recorded.

I'm also now wondering if there's a pattern between the folks who experience "no problems" correlated with a high percentage of live viewing vs the people like you and I who have plenty of issues but watch everything recorded.

I have "no problems" and watch everything recorded, so I don't think there's a pattern.

[murry27409]

25%.
I watch almost everything recorded, including sports. My wife and kids do a lot of "live" watching, so I'm guessing that the breakdown would b ~25-50%. But I think that will go down, as she becomes accustomed to "building the buffer".

[t_h]

Do you regularly have >400 items in your to-do list?

Just noticing that people who record a lot, have large e-sata's, have lots of series links...seem to have more trouble than those who have fewer series links, use the internal drives, and perhaps if they're watching a lot of stuff live and not recording it, a lower total load on the recording/playback functions.

[mfeinstein]

I voted 5%. We watch everything either after it's fully recorded or, in the case of sports, delayed viewing. Usually, we get caught up on a game near the end, and we'll watch the end of the game live, as we did with last night's Super Bowl.

[dhhaines]

Do you regularly have >400 items in your to-do list?

Just noticing that people who record a lot, have large e-sata's, have lots of series links...seem to have more trouble than those who have fewer series links, use the internal drives, and perhaps if they're watching a lot of stuff live and not recording it, a lower total load on the recording/playback functions.

1 TB eSata on each DVR and 50 SL on each one. They are generally at < 15% available. So yeah I record alot. :sure:

[Steve]

I'm probably closer to 1% Live TV. I record everything, if possible, especially sporting events. I just start watching 30 minutes later. /steve

[bonscott87]

I put 5% but it's gotta be much lower then that.

Only thing I watch live is Sunday Ticket and that's what, 6 hours a day 17 days a year? Oh, playoff football as well.
We watch a lot of hockey but it's always at least 45 minutes delayed thus we *might* catch up to live by the end of the game.

Everything else is recorded. I don't waste my time with Live TV. If I catch myself watching Live TV because I've got nothing recorded to watch I kick myself and go play a video game.

[Grentz]

Everything else is recorded. I don't waste my time with Live TV. If I catch myself watching Live TV because I've got nothing recorded to watch I kick myself and go play a video game.

lol, agreed!

[Jhon69]

I watch 95% live,5%recorded good thing too with all the issues happening with the DVR+.;)

[billsharpe]

I voted other.
It's hard to quantify. I record about ten shows a week, but I also watch live programs where I may pause the show for a period of time. Resuming that show means I'm watching a recording, at least until I catch up after ff through commercials.

[billsharpe]

Sports. 75%... and my DVR even removes commercials automatically and I'm still too lazy to not just sit down and flip through Live TV anyway.

How does your DVR automatically remove commercials? I remember some VCR's supposedly with that capability, but they were really just catching moments when the screen went dark before and after a block of commercials. Most commercial blocks don't work that way any more.

[billsharpe]

Why would anyone use a DVR for live viewing? Kinda defeats the purpose of the DVR, no?

Rich

No. It's a receiver as well as a DVR. It can be used as both, as the poll results clearly indicate.

[Chaos]

I voted 5%, but that's probably VERY generous. If it's not recorded, I won't watch it and suffer through commercials (Superbowl is the exception).

[dettxw]

The only network show I watch live is Smallville.
(Thankfully I have HR20-700s and live close to the transmitters for OTA HD since D* doesn't provide)

Some sporting events get watched live, e.g. Superbowl last night.

But the large majority (I voted 5%) of my TV watching is recorded.

[ke3ju]

What is "Live TV"?

Seriously though, just the news...

Ed

[Dknow]

10% because of the sports factor....there's just too many people in my life that call and say "Did you see that catch!?!?! What a win!". I've developed the make sure I'm watching live TV habit when it comes to sports. Other than that never but don't tell the advertisers or they'll lobby the FCC to outlaw DVRS.

[RandCfilm]

Less than 1% live TV. Super Bowl is the only thing I watch live, everything else is recorded and watched later. Not including XM stations, those I have no other option but to listen to them live. :D

[bwaldron]

I voted 50%. All network/premium series and movies are viewed via recordings. Virtually all sports are viewed live. News viewed live.

[skyboysea]

Zero. I have not watched live tv since I got my first Tivo 5 years ago.

[texasbrit]

Almost zero. Even if there is something on prime time TV I will watch it delayed.

[Tom Robertson]

Why would anyone use a DVR for live viewing? Kinda defeats the purpose of the DVR, no?

Rich

A DVR enhances both the live viewing experience as well as the delayed or time-shifted viewing experience.

The marketing version of the "live viewing experience" was the pause for a phone call... (or the less mentioned bio-break) :)

The Sports version is instant replay my way.

Then there is the "What did he/she just say?"

So there are many reasons to use a DVR for live viewing.

As for the original question, my hesitation is not in defining "live", I understood that one without problem. My hesitation is with "watching". The TVs are on all day. Typically either on Boomerang, MSNBC, and/or a premium movie channel. But is anyone truly watching as these are often background activities while we do other things. If one includes this as "watching" then we're watching live about 60%. But since we're really not watching as a primary activity, then we're watching live about 10%, counting the NFL and the time we're really watching these channels live.

By the way, this gives us another scenario for how a DVR can help the live watching experience. The breaking news scenario. When we're watching in the background, we might lookup to see something we missed the beginning of. A quick rewind and we're able to get that part as well.

So every TV has at least one DVR. :)

(The only two standard HD receivers I have are for testing purposes at some point.)

Cheers,
Tom

[arnolddeleon]

Much less than 5%

[armophob]

The only live tv I "watch" is when I am making menu or guide decisions and it is in the PIL or PIG.

[Mike Bertelson]

I don’t have a DVR to watch live TV. :grin:

I voted for 10% but it's probably closer to 15%.

All the shows we have SLs for we obviously watch recorded.

We also watch some things almost live. IOW, the buffers been paused or rewound.

I even prefer sports delayed. I usually wait until the Mets are 45 minutes to an hour into the game before I start watching.

Mike

[fluffybear]

Ever since Tivo entered our life (almost 10 years ago), we rarely watch anything 'LIVE' anymore. About the only time it happens is if we come into a show part way and catch up by the time we have sifted through all the commercials. By then, there is usually 5 or 10 minutes left anyway.

[BattleScott]

I abstain from voting. The conspiracy theorist in me sees this entire thread as a tool for the "Anti-DVR" crowd to gather inside information. I would never wan't them to know my answer is "as little as posssible!"

[Mike Bertelson]

I abstain from voting. The conspiracy theorist in me sees this entire thread as a tool for the "Anti-DVR" crowd to gather inside information. I would never wan't them to know my answer is "as little as posssible!"Your secret's certainly safe with us. ;)

[Rockermann]

Less that 5% here, including sports. I can't understand all the responses saying everything but sports. Sports work just as well when recorded. I usually start about an hour into the event and then usually end up just about caught up by the end of the program.

I am truly aggravated when I have to watch live TV and have to suffer the commercials. It's a PAIN I do everything to avoid.

[ghfiii]

More live TV than I would like.

1) Everybody wants to watch the big TV. So there is very little that is unwatched in our list...HD drive space becomes an issue and throwing money at an unsupported ESATA combined with the puny series link limit...well

2) Only one buffer, yes it is 90 minutes, but it is only one buffer and since I cannot switch to the idle tuner I have to user the better but still insufferable NO DLB work around. Because it is still such a pain I just don't bother...

3) Occasionally you dump out of a recording to find the idle tuner not buffering...RBR (isn't this a LINUX based system why the MS reboot solution?)

I am really happy with D*tv (in another thread I gave them a 9 out of 10), but man do I hate their DVR. Is it better than it was? Yes. Is it problem free? Nope, not by a long shot

[Rich]

No. It's a receiver as well as a DVR. It can be used as both, as the poll results clearly indicate.

I threw that question out there to see what kind of responses it would garner. I've been time shifting since the mid '80s and I abhor live TV.

Rich

[islesfan]

I watch no live TV at all, but I do watch the Islanders on delay, so the game is still going on when I watch, but I am an hour or so behind live.

[xmguy]

5% for me. MOST of mine is recorded on my R22. Only a little is live. When I'm eating a meal in my kitchen am I watching LIVE.

[Rob052067]

I voted for 5%, but it's probably a little less than that. It's about as close to 0% as possible, assuming I see some live programming during the occasional channel surf. I record everything I watch as I don't trust the buffers. It's too easy to hit a button on the remote and accidentally change a channel or turn the box off and lose the buffer.

Even though virtually everything I watch is time-shifted, I still stop and back up an interesting commercial that catches my eye every now and then. Some commercials are very entertaining - or are for a new product I'm interested in - but even the best ones only need to be seen once or twice. I sure don't care to watch the same 90-second prescription drug commercials that air during the nightly news every day, over-and-over. And, really, just how many times can someone sit through a two-minute commercial for a Snuggie or ShamWow, anyway!?!?!

[BattleZone]

I voted 5%, but that's because live TV might be on in the background while I search the guide for things to record. When I'm actively watching TV, it is ALWAYS pre-recorded. I detest live TV.

[bakers12]

I voted for 25%, but it might be slightly more. The rest of the time is split between watching recorded shows and listening to Sirius/XM music stations.

My wife probably watches 75% live TV or more, but I'm answering the poll for myself.

[dodge boy]

I voted other, with 3 active DVRs, what's live TV?

[TomF]

I don't think a percentage would properly define our viewing habits. I usually have the TV on live most of the day for local news, MSNBC, CNN, HLN, etc., but we record everything else. Motorsports (not including the ones where they only turn one way) are usually the only sports that we watch and the racing series I watch are usually not live or are on at a ridiculously early hour on Sunday AM (F1).

[SDizzle]

I voted 5% as the only sport I watch is football, typically live, but I do even time shift that, I time shift ALL Sunday and Monday night games. As far as TV shows, I refuse to watch them live! Commercials rob me of important time....:lol:

[dcowboy7]

The NFL is the only thing I watch live.

the NFL....thats how i see it.

[CliffV]

I voted "Other". I don't watch live TV. Ever.

The closest I come to it is when I watch a one hour show 20 minutes after it starts recording. By the end of the show, the recording I'm watching is sometimes caught up to live. Even that doesn't happen very often.

[j2fast]

I went with other since I pretty much only watch live TV when there's a sporting event I want to see.

[Thaedron]

Local news is about all that we watch live. Mostly in the mornings. Sports is most always watched slightly delayed.

I don't count XM music channels as "live viewing".

[billsharpe]

I don't count XM music channels as "live viewing".

How about "live listening"? :D

I listen to XM music fairly often, but I turn off the TV and send the sound to my stereo set.