P165 Bugg: Buffered recordings

[Mark Holtz]

I have actually found a bug in P165... it's more irritating than anything else. I've replicated it twice.

I've set up a event to record the channel from 9:30-10. I'm watching the program from the live buffer on that same channel (say 20 minutes behind). When the timer fires up, it will start the recording at the exact point I am in the buffer and then record to the end of the event. The title and program information will be for the recorded event, however, you are going to end up with a longer than expected recording. (oops)

[kstuart]

I'm not sure that "bug" is accurate here - "side effect" is more appropriate.

In order for the 501 to record things in the buffer that are in the past - which is a unique feature to Dish Network - AND also stop when the program is over, the methodology requires the side effect you describe.

Let's say that you are watching a brand new program (such as Joss Whedon's "Firefly" which debuts 9/20 at 8pm). After 20 minuts, you say to yourself "this is good, I want to record the whole show". On a 501 or 508, you can rewind to the beginning of the show, press pause, then press "browse" and then "record". This records from the point you are watching - in this case, the beginning of the program, and then sets a timer to end at the end of the program.

By watching a delayed program on the same channel as the upcoming timer, you are imitating the exact sequence of operations as recording a show that you've watched part of.

And, I must say that having the same channel delayed as a timer about to fire is a very rare occurrence. And, the only other behavior - which would be to dump the buffer - would be more of an inconvenience - since you would lose the delayed program.

In summary, the extra length of the recording is a small price to pay in exchange for a) not losing the delayed program, and b) having the capability to record any part of the buffer PLUS have a timer end that recording.