Observation about the DirecTivo

[Chris Blount]

I had something interesting happen last night.

I had two timers set to record. The first one was from 8-9pm. The second was from 9-10pm.

I was watching first timer while the second timer was recording.

I was in fast scan mode and when it hit the end of the first timer, it automatically switched to the beginning of the second timer and started scanning that one.

While I thought this was great, is this a normal feature of the Tivo? Does it automatically start playing the next recording when two shows run right after the other?

I hadn't seen this before and I was wondering if any of your knew about this.

Thanks.

[jdspencer]

If you were watching the one timer from its buffer, but delayed, then what you saw could definately happen. You just caught up with the end of the buffer and since the other recording was on the same channel, you just continued to watch the buffer.

[Chris Blount]

If you were watching the one timer from its buffer, but delayed, then what you saw could definately happen. You just caught up with the end of the buffer and since the other recording was on the same channel, you just continued to watch the buffer.

I think I know what you mean but that wasn't quite it. The first recording was finished but the second recording was about 3/4 done. When I reached the end of the first recording in scan mode, the screen went black for a few seconds. Then I found myself at the beginning of the second recording. Really weird.

[Jtater]

Thats normal, or at least mine do it all the time. I watch Friends alot and if your networks are like mine they are back to back almost every night of the week. When I watch one and the other is recording it always sends me to the beginning of the next.

[Chris Blount]

Thats normal, or at least mine do it all the time. I watch Friends alot and if your networks are like mine they are back to back almost every night of the week. When I watch one and the other is recording it always sends me to the beginning of the next.

That is a very cool feature that didn't know existed on the Tivo. Thanks for verifying.

[BrettStah]

If you start watching a show from Now Playing, you will not experience this. If you are watching from "Live TV" mode, then it does exactly what you noted.

[DBSPaul]

..what I'm still trying to figure out is how I can hit record on a show while in the live buffer (but longer than 30 minutes past the start of the show) and it magically comes up with the extra ten minutes or so all the way back to the beginning of the show..

[BrettStah]

DBSPaul, my understanding is that it is more efficient for the Tivo to recycle/discard parts of the "30 minute" buffer in large chunks, rather than second by second (once you reach the 30 minute point). The GUI (in the form of the status bar) is configured to only show you 30 minutes maximum, and it prevents you from rewinding beyond that amount as well. But underneath the surface (so to speak) the buffer can (and often does) extend beyond 30 minutes, as many have discovered. I personally have had close to 50 minutes of the buffer converted to a recording after pressing Record. Other times it is closer to 35-45 minutes. So somewhere around the 35-50 minute mark it will discard the extra part of the 30 minute buffer.

[Kenster]

Re: buffers. My UTV, with the 3.7 upgrade, is supposed to do that auto record of the previous 30 minutes, also, but it can do lots more. For example, At the beginning of the second half of the Super bowl, I hit record so I could go take my shower. When I came back, I went to "my shows," click on the game and the recording started from the beginning of the game, at least an hour and a half buffer!