Anyone else experiencing TIVO highjacking?

[sgscholl]

I was referred here by a community member on the TIVO HELP FORUM in dealing with this issue.

In short (if that is possible),
TIVO has the habit of "HIGHJACKING" my TV while I am watching a show in order to record "TV SPOT" with that guy who use to be on "Talk Soup" on "E!". I call it highjacking since it does it without my permission and without notice. I find it to be obnoxious and obtrusive. I would like to know if anyone else is experiencing this problem. I am currently looking for a solution on the "Help Forum" but I have been unable to stop it so far.

If you have had this experience, what have you done about it? Thanks for any and all input!

[nuncles]

Did you designate it to record this program/person or is it recording it by "Tivo Suggestions"? Or is it neither...it just does it?

[sgscholl]

I have turned off TIVO suggestions and I do not have it as a programmed recording via title, or person. It just records it on it's own without any prompting from me.

[Bars & Tone]

More on this issue here:
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=291732

[GusMan]

If you have had this experience, what have you done about it? Thanks for any and all input!
In all seriousness, I solved this problem by not watching live TV.

[mec1991]

I think your only recourse is to file, wait for it, a class action lawsuit!!! :rolleyes:

[sgscholl]

Obviously I am a new member of the community. I read the thread but it seemed to deteriorate into a verbal confrontation instead of offering real solutions or ideas. Obviously there are a lot of viewers who have experience the same thing and are just as upset about it as I am. I hope that as a community we could ban together to let the TIVO executives know that this is a problem. I understand the need to sell air time for commercial profit but there has to be a middle ground that we can all agree on.

[sgscholl]

I didn't want to be the first to say it but doesn't it always seem to play out that enough people get P.O.'ed and a :rolleyes: Class Action Lawsuit is filed. Then the lawyers make money, TIVO says it's sorry and we the consumer get a token for the aggevation they have caused us. In the end is it really worth it. Hopefully TIVO will cut to the chase, save themselves money and bad publicity and just work with us to stop this unwanted intrusion.

[mec1991]

I read the thread but it seemed to deteriorate into a verbal confrontation instead of offering real solutions or ideas.

Where do you think this thread is going to go? :)

Seriously, I give you credit for being original enough to come up with "highjacking".

[mec1991]

Hopefully TIVO will cut to the chase, save themselves money and bad publicity and just work with us to stop this unwanted intrusion.

Good luck with all that, amigo. :)

This is nothing new. Nothing is going to change.

Have you noticed those little stars in your main menu yet?

I'd love to stay and play I have to get up early to go fishing.

[sgscholl]

Thanks everyone!!! I think this thread has run its course. I appreciate the information.

[timr_42]

ahh, just like the old days, two or three treads at the same time about Tivo ads. :)

[MickeS]

Obviously I am a new member of the community. I read the thread but it seemed to deteriorate into a verbal confrontation instead of offering real solutions or ideas.

You must have missed message #7 in that thread:
Couple of things:
1. Before changing the channel, the TiVo will prompt you that it would like to change the channel. If you do nothing it will change on its own. This works just like it would for suggestions or regularly scheduled recordings.
2. You can force it to not record in a couple of ways. If the channel it records on is not one you would ever watch, you can tell the TiVo that you do not recieve the channel, and the TiVo will then never switch to it. If there is programming you would like to be able to watch on that channel, you can set a repeating nightly recording for some other channel for the times that the teleworld program would be recording, and set it to Keep at Most 1 episode so it gets deleted every night.
3. The recorded teleworld content does not use space from the advertised recording capacity of the drive. TiVo reserves a certain portion of the drive for the teleworld programs, showcase content, operation system files, and other miscellaneous content. Your available recording space is not affected by the presence or lack thereof of teleworld or showcase content.
4. As others have noted, it is absolutely possible to change the channel during the recording of the teleworld program.

Seems like solutions to the problem to me.

[tbeckner]

Obviously I am a new member of the community. I read the thread but it seemed to deteriorate into a verbal confrontation instead of offering real solutions or ideas.You must have missed message #7 in that thread:I agree, he completely missed post #7 in that thread.
Couple of things:

1. Before changing the channel, the TiVo will prompt you that it would like to change the channel. If you do nothing it will change on its own. This works just like it would for suggestions or regularly scheduled recordings.

2. You can force it to not record in a couple of ways. If the channel it records on is not one you would ever watch, you can tell the TiVo that you do not recieve the channel, and the TiVo will then never switch to it. If there is programming you would like to be able to watch on that channel, you can set a repeating nightly recording for some other channel for the times that the teleworld program would be recording, and set it to Keep at Most 1 episode so it gets deleted every night.

3. The recorded teleworld content does not use space from the advertised recording capacity of the drive. TiVo reserves a certain portion of the drive for the teleworld programs, showcase content, operation system files, and other miscellaneous content. Your available recording space is not affected by the presence or lack thereof of teleworld or showcase content.

4. As others have noted, it is absolutely possible to change the channel during the recording of the teleworld program.Seems like solutions to the problem to me.I agree again, very useful solutions.

But since he is NEW user we should cut him some slack. The FUNNY parts of their posts posts are how serious they seems to be, LunaC and sgscholl we'll cut you some slack, but this issue to most of us long timers (six years in a month) is a NON-ISSUE. It's easy to get past it, and if you both would rather not do these works arounds, then there are hacks that just about change everything. In my case I disabled SHOWCASES, SHOWCASES use to be useful but in the last year they went downhill.

You don't have to take my advise, but both of you might SLOW DOWN and SMELL THE ROSES. This is really a NON-ISSUE.

[sgscholl]

MickeS,

You're right. Message #7 does offer an option. Here is the problem with it however. I do cancel the recording when I catch the TIVO prompt but there are times that I am distracted during the prompt and miss it altogether. Second, I have not had the foresight to note the time and channel it is recording on. I gut reaction is to change the channel then scream at the TV (...like that helps.) I am then thankful that it is over for the night and my short-term memory is satisfied and which point I move on without further thought until it happens again.
This prevents me from removing the channel it records on. Someone suggested that it is the East Coast version of PAX. I have tried removing it but can't find it to begin with. The records seem to hit around the prime time hours between 7:00pm and 11:00pm. Sincve I don't know the exact time it comes on, because it seems to vary, it would be hard to ask TIVO to record something else during that specific time. So obviously when it happens I change the channel as soon as I see it but it is still inconvenient. So while message #7 does offer a possible solution it doesn't seem to be practical right now.

[ChuckyBox]

I do cancel the recording when I catch the TIVO prompt but there are times that I am distracted during the prompt and miss it altogether. Second, I have not had the foresight to note the time and channel it is recording on. I gut reaction is to change the channel then scream at the TV (...like that helps.)
So, we are down to two possibilities: 1) we all band together and somehow convice TiVo management to change something that doesn't bother 99.9+% of users, makes the company money, and that we've all explicitly agreed to via the service agreement, or 2) you get your act together enough to actually pull off one of the suggested workarounds. Now, in all seriousness, which of those seems more likely to solve your problem?

I've got a third solution: sell your TiVo and use something else.

[sgscholl]

I was under the impression it was happening to more than just 0.01-% of the TIVO subscribers. If what you say is true than I truely have no support or recourse in pushing this matter further. Second, I would really like to "Pull Off" one of the suggestions. I am well aware I have my homework to do (i.e. establishing when this actually occurs during the night so I can anticipate it and establishing which channel so I can eliminate it.) Finally, the TIVO was a gift from a loved one (although I paid the lifetime subscription myself) so getting rid of it is out of the question.

Again, I appreciate all the honest help! Thank you!

[ebf]

...The records seem to hit around the prime time hours between 7:00pm and 11:00pm...

I agree with the others here, after a while you will stop watching live TV because there will always be something recorded to watch. It took me a couple of weeks to get enough decent stuff saved up to stop watching live TV. Stick with it! :)

Now, other than suggestions, which, if they are turned on, can record at any time the TiVo box thinks you are not watching the live stream (ie: no remote interaction), Showcases and "star" ads SHOULD NOT be recording during Prime Time. It is my understanding they usually record in the early hours of the morning, like 3 AM. So, long-timers, if his box records these extras durning Prime Time, might something be wrong? :confused:

[sgscholl]

Again,
I wasn't aware that I had rubbed an old wound. I will definately make every effort to learn from what others have done. I won't belabor the point.

ebf,
Thanks for looking out for us "New-Bees".

[ChuckyBox]

Showcases and "star" ads SHOULD NOT be recording during Prime Time. It is my understanding they usually record in the early hours of the morning, like 3 AM. So, long-timers, if his box records these extras durning Prime Time, might something be wrong? :confused:

He said he turned off suggestions, so it isn't that. It strikes me as unlikely in the extreme that the TiVo-sponsored programming is recording during prime time. TiVo pays for that time, and it makes absolutely no sense for them to buy anything but the cheapest time available, which is in the wee hours of the morning. On top of that, most TiVo users will be recording their own material during prime time, so using prime time broadcasts would be terribly inefficient (not to mention annoying to a lot more users).

So, if this is happening during prime time, sgscholl needs to make note of what the time and channel are, and what the program is that TiVo is recording. Also check the "Now Playing" list during the recording and see if anything is shown to be recording there, and make note of that information, too. Then report back here or call customer support.

[sgscholl]

Sinanju had suggested that the reason why it was recording during the Prime time hours on my TIVO might be because I could be picking up the East Coast feed of PAX. (for reference - I live in Redlands, CA. which is approx. 60 miles due East of Los Angeles.) I haven't be able to confirm that but I will make note next time it happens.

He also suggested that I eliminate the channel from TIVO. Unfortunately I went through my "Channel List" and could not find PAX or anything related to PAX. Am I missing it or is it under different call letters?

[appleye1]

Didn't they rename PAX to i (lower case I)? Or is that another channel altogether?

[ebf]

Sinanju had suggested that the reason why it was recording during the Prime time hours on my TIVO might be because I could be picking up the East Coast feed of PAX...
I believe the recordings are called "Teleworld Paid Program" in the TV guide. Here in Minneapolis, they appear on a local channel, KPXM, as well as the Discovery Channel. Well, there goes the option to delete the channel in question. ;)

I think you should make a note the next time it happens of the time, channel and the program name. If it is happening during Prime Time, PM one of the TiVo reps on this board with the details and your TiVo service number. They should be able to research what's happening.

In the mean time get to work setting up thoses Season Passes and Wish Lists!

[dtreese]

As others have said, you're likely to stop watching much live TV fairly soon. Give yourself some time to adjust to TiVo's presence, and give it some time to build up a catalog. It wouldn't hurt to make wishlists. Make wishlists for favorite actors/actresses, movies, old TV shows, favorite sports, etc. With these wishlists, TiVo will often surprise you with recordings you weren't expecting. It also gives it more data for sugestions.

[pdhenry]

I have the exact opposite problem. A lot of regular programming gets recorded in the late night hours, and as a result I've received exactly one Showcase since November. I even set the TiVo up to manually record a teleword program once, but all that did was record it as a half hour program without parsing it into Showcase blocks.

[mick66]

I won't belabor the point.


That statement's coming in a bit late.

[lajohn27]

I'll happily be labeled a 'fanboi' and I called the other thread as I saw it.

But twice in this thread a class action lawsuit is mentioned - against terms of service you read and agreed to.

If your TIVO is indeed changing channels without prompting - no problem. Hook it up to a standard VCR or something else you can record the image of this happening. Send that, along with your TIVO Service number to someone at TIVO and have it looked into. That is (as has been stated many times) not how Showcases are supposed to be recorded.

If you are just away when this happens or distracted or not paying attention... I can hardly see how you can blame TIVO for that.

J

[mec1991]

But twice in this thread a class action lawsuit is mentioned - against terms of service you read and agreed to.



The first time was me being sarcastic towards him; in the second mention I think he was just being sarcastic back to me. Can't blame him for that although I'm sure he would have brought it up on his own sooner or later...