Recording Television Shows

[bicker]

We have had Tivo for years but just got Comcast DVR. Can you do a season pass with the DVR?

It's different than a Season Pass. First, it depends on which DVR you got. Comcast doesn't make DVRs... they just buy them from other companies. Most of their DVRs are Motorola DCT, DCH or DCX DVRs. Some, though, are from Cisco (Scientific Atlanta) and some are from Samsung.

Beyond that, something like season passes isn't a matter of the hardware, but rather the software. Even on the most common DVRs, the Motorola DVRs, there could be different software running in different parts of the country. The vast majority of Motorola DCT, DCH and DCX DVRs are running iGuide software. (A small number of them are actually running genuine ported TiVo software.)

Assuming you've got a Motorola DVR, and assuming it is running iGuide, the feature that corresponds to season passes is called Series Recordings. Detailed instructions for setting up Series Recordings can be found on page 38 of the user manual, which is available online (only, I believe): http://broadband.motorola.com/dvr/downloads/URMD2.pdf

A few notes about Series Recordings. It is very much dependent on the network you're recording providing accurate information to the program listings services. If the information in wrong, then you could miss an episode (if it is erroneously marked as a rerun) or get a lot of extra episodes (if reruns are all marked as new). Also, it isn't as smart as TiVo, so especially for cable shows, you're more likely to get more episodes or less episodes than you'd expect.

There are also some insidious problems with canceling episodes of a Series Recording, if you happen to have two series recording at the same time. It often only lets you cancel one of the two.

You might think to try to fix some of these problem by setting up manual recordings of shows for which you have a Series Recording set up. Don't. That really confuses the software, and folks report that sometimes it ends up recording 12-15 hours straight, and then the box locks up at 4AM.

 

[charming23]

I finally got a DVR back in April and wow where has it been my whole life. So much easier than using anything else and being able to set it to record a tv series for the whole season

 

[aprilgail2]

Tossed our last VCR in the trash a while ago---no longer any use for that. We use the DVR now and LOVE it- I got the service for free from my cable company for 4 years-took much arguing and a cancelation threat but they gave in and gave it to me for free. Verizon was giving the free DVR at the time and I called the cable company to see if they would match it or I was going to switch to verizon--I have 2 phone lines, internet and the silver optimum package....they said to me on the phone"you have been a customer for 36 years, you would switch just for a free DVR"....I turned that around to "I have been a customer for 36 years, you would let me switch just because you don't want to give me a free DVR"....so I got it for 4 years.

 

[ICF]

A girl a work was talking about using a VCR the other day....in all honesty, I didn't even know that made VHS tapes for those anymore.

We've had DVR's for almost 10 years now and can't imagine still using a VCR to record shows.

 

[cybrkitn]

DVR. We have a VCR as well, but we hardly use it. However, there are two big advantages using a VCR to record compared to using the DVR. With a VCR it goes on a VHS tape and you can pop that into any VCR and you can tape one show while you watch another show if you have a conflict (which my Mom has a lot).

With the DVR, you can't watch something else while you have a show recording (unless you go to another t.v.) and you can't take it to another t.v. to watch when you only have one DVR. The latter is a pain in the butt for DH and I during the Summer b/c we don't have air conditioning except in our bedroom and our DS7's room. Downstairs has reached a temp of 85 degrees this past Summer and we couldn't even watch t.v. except in our room.

There is a good advantage with the DVR though. You have a lot more hours of recording than a VHS tape. To find the time to watch what DH and I have recorded so far is another story

 

[cybrkitn]

DVR and what gets taped ranges from CSI New York to Doctor Who!

OT: Don't forget to set your DVR to record "Waters from Mars" on BBC America on December 19. It's our second to last Doctor Who with DT

 

[puffkin]

I have had a DVR for 7 years now and it is seriously the best thing we own. I watch way too much TV....I used to have 3 VCR's going at once to record everything. What a pain! The DVR came when I literally had a panic attack in the car the one night because I had forgotten to set up my tapes. We had to turn around and go back, it was that bad. Yes, I have an addiction

Could not live without my DVR. I really want Tivo, but cannot justify the extra cost. My DVR and iPhone are the two things I could not live without!

 

[RadioNate]

I have had a DVR for 7 years now and it is seriously the best thing we own. I watch way too much TV....I used to have 3 VCR's going at once to record everything. What a pain! The DVR came when I literally had a panic attack in the car the one night because I had forgotten to set up my tapes. We had to turn around and go back, it was that bad. Yes, I have an addiction

Could not live without my DVR. I really want Tivo, but cannot justify the extra cost. My DVR and iPhone are the two things I could not live without!

And if you have Direct TV DVR's like we do (actually 1 of the 3 is actually a TiVo when Direct TV used those) you can program them from your iPhone!

 

[Gabes_mommy]

We had a Tivo for years (4-5) and recently got AT&T Uverse a few months ago. We love it! All of the receivers function as DVRs. You can set up your recordings or watch recordings on any TV and you can record up to 4 things at the same time.

 

[ead79]

I have TiVo HD, and I can't say enough wonderful things about it. It's one of a very few things on my list of "if it breaks it must be replaced the same day."

 

[ICF]

With the DVR, you can't watch something else while you have a show recording (unless you go to another t.v.)

That is only based on the DVR you have.

I have 2 DirectTV DVR's and can record 2 shows while watching something that is recorded, or I can record one show while watching another 'live' show.

 

[ICF]

And if you have Direct TV DVR's like we do (actually 1 of the 3 is actually a TiVo when Direct TV used those) you can program them from your iPhone!

or from their website too, if you are at work or someplace else in front of a PC and want to record a show.

 

[bicker]

I really want Tivo, but cannot justify the extra cost.

Just a few notes: Generally speaking, TiVo is not more expensive... rather, it requires a significant up-front investment. A TiVo HD can be had, now, for $299 ($250 if you get it through a good friend who already has a TiVo -- we get current-customer discounts), and you can even find them for $199 as a refurb. Then, it's just $399 for lifetime service ($299 if you get it through a good friend who already has a TiVo). So you've got your TiVo for no more than $700. On average, cable companies charge $16 more per month for an HD DVR than they charge for the CableCARD that you need to make your TiVo HD work with their service. $700/16 = a little more than three and half years before the TiVo approach begins to save you money in the long-run. (And with a friend with a TiVo, you're looking at $550, i.e., less than three years.)

However, that's still a big nut to swallow up-front, especially since who knows what technology will bring us in 2011?

 

[ChrizJen]

I have a DVR and record everything. I think I have watched a grand total of 10 commercials in the last couple of years and most of those I would seek out on YouTube. Even if I want to watch something live I let the DVR cache first so I can skip the commercials. Sports wise I watch pretty much only soccer and they don't have commercial breaks, they just have commercials at halftime so it is easy to pause the game for a bit and still watch it live.

I also watch a lot on the Internet if I didn't record it or didn't know I wanted to watch it until after the fact.

Have you noticed that advertisers are getting wise to this though? I've noticed that TV commercials are becoming so visually appealing these days! In the "old days" it was all about the words being said...because folks would use commercial time to get up and use the restroom or get a snack. So advertisers wanted you to hear what was being said. NOW, it's all about catching your eye. Even with DVR, I still find myself stopping on a really catchy commercial. Of course I'm a sucker for anything shiny or sparkly... But I still think it's clever of the advertisers to cash in on the visual appeal in commercials.

As to the original question, we have AT&T UVerse with one DVR. And we LOVE it! I used to have to juggle shows a bit with the old DVR on Dish Network. But with U-Verse, I can record up to 4 shows at a time AND watch something at the same time. It's amazing! As others have said, I have no idea how I ever got by without it...I probably just watched less TV...Imagine that!!

 

[MAKmom]

It's different than a Season Pass. First, it depends on which DVR you got. Comcast doesn't make DVRs... they just buy them from other companies. Most of their DVRs are Motorola DCT, DCH or DCX DVRs. Some, though, are from Cisco (Scientific Atlanta) and some are from Samsung.

Beyond that, something like season passes isn't a matter of the hardware, but rather the software. Even on the most common DVRs, the Motorola DVRs, there could be different software running in different parts of the country. The vast majority of Motorola DCT, DCH and DCX DVRs are running iGuide software. (A small number of them are actually running genuine ported TiVo software.)

Assuming you've got a Motorola DVR, and assuming it is running iGuide, the feature that corresponds to season passes is called Series Recordings. Detailed instructions for setting up Series Recordings can be found on page 38 of the user manual, which is available online (only, I believe): http://broadband.motorola.com/dvr/downloads/URMD2.pdf

A few notes about Series Recordings. It is very much dependent on the network you're recording providing accurate information to the program listings services. If the information in wrong, then you could miss an episode (if it is erroneously marked as a rerun) or get a lot of extra episodes (if reruns are all marked as new). Also, it isn't as smart as TiVo, so especially for cable shows, you're more likely to get more episodes or less episodes than you'd expect.

There are also some insidious problems with canceling episodes of a Series Recording, if you happen to have two series recording at the same time. It often only lets you cancel one of the two.

You might think to try to fix some of these problem by setting up manual recordings of shows for which you have a Series Recording set up. Don't. That really confuses the software, and folks report that sometimes it ends up recording 12-15 hours straight, and then the box locks up at 4AM.

Can I just get the HD box & keep my Tivo? Or should I also keep the DVR & keep my Tivo?

 

[LindaG4458]

We have a DVR plus a DVD and VCR combo player/recorder. The last is used just for playing old videos or DVD.

The one improvement I would like to see for the DVR is the ability to record the program when it is actually broadcast and not only when it is scheduled. I like to record a program at 10PM on Sunday night. I can't remember the last time it was actually broadcast at 10PM (football, you know). I have to schedule recording from 10 to midnight and one week still missed the end of the show.

Other than that, I love my DVR. I sit with the TV book on Sunday and schedule the recordings for the week. Then DH gets to see his news and political shows and we can watch the prime time dramas at other times.

 

[Chuck S]

I rarely record anything, most of the shows I want to see are on Hulu.com

 

[Galahad]

I marked No. We have a VCR boxed up but we never use it. If there is something we want we generally buy the DVD. Nothing else on TV seems important enough to have a recording of.

 

[bicker]

Can I just get the HD box & keep my Tivo? Or should I also keep the DVR & keep my Tivo?

Uh, not sure what you're asking, so I'll try to answer all possible permutations:

In the United States, no HD DVR (not even the TiVo HD) can record HD from an HD set-top box (STB) or HD tuner/receiver.

If you currently have a TiVo S1 or TiVo S2, then you will not be able to use it to record HD.

A TiVo S3 or TiVo HD can record over-the-air broadcasts directly, and with a CableCARD can record digital cable broadcasts with full functionality. No separate HD box/tuner/receiver necessary nor particularly helpful.

Does that answer the question?

 

[bicker]

The one improvement I would like to see for the DVR is the ability to record the program when it is actually broadcast and not only when it is scheduled. I like to record a program at 10PM on Sunday night. I can't remember the last time it was actually broadcast at 10PM (football, you know). I have to schedule recording from 10 to midnight and one week still missed the end of the show.

That is best practice. Imagine what system would be necessary for a network (who generally has nothing to do with manufacture of, nor service for, DVRs) has to be responsible for (what?) pushing some button, that has to immediately tell (how many?) tens or hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of DVRs, all over the country, not necessarily all connected to the Internet, that the scheduled program starts "now". A practicable approach to this issue would require essentially redesigning the broadcast television in the United States (and really, worldwide), essentially establishing a new standardized signaling system.

I doubt we'll see any such thing in our lifetimes.