Why can't I tell if a program is new or a repeat?

[doogster]

I still have software version 10E8... maybe the new one is better... but right now, when my family and I look at the guide we are clueless as to whether a show is a first run or a repeat... and further more, when we find a show we like and we do the episodes selection and, lets say it comes back with 5 shows... of which I KNOW some are knew, it just says 0/5 shows are new... whats up with that?

[Wolffpack]

That's one of the "features" that the R15/HR20 design teams decided wasn't needed on their new technology DVRs. Right now the way I tell if a show is a first run is I go to one of my Tivos and look at the original air date. DVR+ units don't store this information and they have a really hard time determining if a show should be recorded if all you want are first run episodes.

The 10FA update appears to be better at this on the major networks but I haven't seen any difference on networks like SCIFi, FOOD, FX or Discovery. That's too bad as the major networks don't play as many reruns as the ones I just mentioned. So you end up with a system full of reruns of Mythbusters, Good Eats and Modern Marvels. And if you set your SL to keep 5 episodes at most you can easily loose a first run episode whenever the Modern Marvels marathon is airing.

And welcome to the forum....:welcome_s

[jwd45244]

Why do you assume that this is a design feature of the R15? Maybe the source of the guide information has not been providing it on a consistent basis. Remember that Tivo gets its guide data via a phone call not in stream. They get the data from two different sources.

[walters]

Remember that Tivo gets its guide data via a phone call not in stream.

Not true, exactly. It all comes over the satellite, but I believe the ordinary guide is supplimented with the early AM "service data download"

[Wolffpack]

Why do you assume that this is a design feature of the R15? Maybe the source of the guide information has not been providing it on a consistent basis. Remember that Tivo gets its guide data via a phone call not in stream. They get the data from two different sources.
Walters already addressed the guide sources, nevertheless, during the design phase and decision to go forward with the DVR+ units, DTV was well aware of the challenges they were going to be faced with in relation to guide data. They must have thought no one would know or care about first run/repeat recording problems.

[TheMoose]

Why do you assume that this is a design feature of the R15? Maybe the source of the guide information has not been providing it on a consistent basis. Remember that Tivo gets its guide data via a phone call not in stream. They get the data from two different sources.

My RCA brand D* reciever showed the frirst air date on the guide.

[jwd45244]

Walters already addressed the guide sources, nevertheless, during the design phase and decision to go forward with the DVR+ units, DTV was well aware of the challenges they were going to be faced with in relation to guide data. They must have thought no one would know or care about first run/repeat recording problems.

I don't question that there issues with how the R15 handles guide data. I question the assumption that DTV developers deliberately screwed stuff up. I agree that a year post release they should have a better product, but that is not yet the case.

So what alternatives do we have? We can put up with DTV and the R15 or get a Tivo unit or dump DTV all together. For me the R15 is not quite 100% but each new software release is better, so for now I am staying.

[IndyColts]

Anyone know if this issue is planning to be addressed in future software updates? I use the heck out of the new episode feature and despise recording re-runs. The series link feature is there on the R15, I just don't understand why it doesn't work if you can look at the show and see the air date yourself. Frustrating...

[qwerty]

I'm finding it to be working much better under 10FA.

[Wolffpack]

I don't question that there issues with how the R15 handles guide data. I question the assumption that DTV developers deliberately screwed stuff up. I agree that a year post release they should have a better product, but that is not yet the case.
Who stated DTV developers deliberately screwed up anything?

So what alternatives do we have? We can put up with DTV and the R15 or get a Tivo unit or dump DTV all together. For me the R15 is not quite 100% but each new software release is better, so for now I am staying.
The alternative is for DTV to fix the problem. Not to put up with what we have but to insist on it being fixed. And, at a minimum, that the following be removed from the DTV web site:

Skips reruns if you don't want them. Just choose to only record new episodes.

Link http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPage.jsp?assetId=900031
If the R15 can't do it, remove it from the web site. That's just plain false advertising.