Pause & Swap (issue/request)

[askuhn]

I new to forums and apologize if my etiquette is isn't up to par, but I've noticed that when I pause a tuner (while it is not recording) and swap between the other tuner (it is not recording, either) my my position in the buffer is kept (the way it should be). However, when I pause a tuner (while it is recording), and swap to the other tuner (if it is recording or not), when I swap back to the tuner with a recording in progress, it sends me back to live TV (instead of keeping my position). Basically, "pause and swap" does not yet work on a tuner that is recording :nono2: . I was wondering if anyone knew if this feature is upcoming, or if its even possible (some kind of limitation, perhaps?) I'm using a Vip 722, L6.18.

[Stewart Vernon]

I don't know if anyone has ever reported it as a problem or requested it as a feature... but what you describe also is similar to what happens if you start a recording, pause it, then swap to the other tuner... you can't swap back to the in-progress recording, but rather have to start it playing again.

I'm not sure if this is a glitch OR if they simply never intended it to be used that way.

I mention this example, because when you are watching a recording-in-progress you are essentially using the same mechanism as when you watch a program already finished recording... in that the behavior is different than watching the paused tuner in-buffer scenario.

IF it is a glitch, it'd be worth letting Dish know... IF, however, it is somehow a limitation in the implementation, it might not be fixable.

[marcuscthomas]

This inconsistency also bothers me. Treatment of a recorded (or recording) show and a live show should be identical (I think), like the old TIVO devices handled it. Bottom line, the device should always remember your place in a show and return you to that same place no matter when you started watching it. This discussion has been around for awhile and the sticky buffer on live programming came along, in part, as a result of complaints. They just didn't go far enough in my opinion.

[askuhn]

Thanks for the replies :grin: Perhaps I'll send a question about these inconsistencies in for the next tech forum.

[lujan]

I'm thinking the reason is while you are recording, you are using a tuner. Once it stops recording you are no longer using the tuner but are now using the hard drive.

[Michael P]

It's possible that the DVR is using the same HD "space" to record as the live buffer. The fact that you can record a program after it already started from the beginning as long as the live buffer has the beginning of the program still available (i.e. it was less than an hour before and you did not change channels on that tuner) is evidence that this may be true.

I don't see it as an "inconsistency". You are asking too much of the technology to pause something that you are recording vs. something that you are watching live. You can always rewind while recording (just don't hit stop!).

Something I have done on a few occasions is to have both tuners on the same channel. That way only one is tied up for recording while the other is free to do the "trick plays" on live TV. You need to have a continuously live feed to do a recording. That does not mean you can't go to the actual recording and rewind, it does mean you should not do anything to stop it before it's done (unless you see the end of the program and all that's left are commercials, then go ahead and hit stop - it's the only chance you'll have to "edit" the recording on the DVR).

[Ron Barry]

What the OP is describing is regarded to here at times as Sticky Record feature and it was on the last Wish List poll. It is definitely a feature I would like to see but I could also see where perhaps the technology might not allow it. In my opinion from a UI perspective it is inconsistent behavior and can result in seeing something live you did not expect. Good example would be the Basketball game last night. Say I started watching it in the middle and the pip swapped over to catch the angel game for a second and the PIP swapped back. The result would be I would jump to live and that could be ugly.

Definitely one of the top enhancements I would like to see done with the VIP receivers. Hopefully it is technically feasible.