SMWinnie
02-03-2009, 04:26 PM
Is there any reason why a TiVo cannot record the same program stream to two different files? This would allow padding of shows on the same channel with a single tuner.
Let's take this evening as an example. ABC has Homeland Security USA in the 8-9 slot followed by Scrubs. The Military Channel has Hitler's Bodyguard followed by Hitler's Bodyguard. Let's assume for argument (1) that I watch these shows and (2) that these are channels that tend to overshoot or undershoot their slots and could stand some padding*.
If I want all these shows padded, the TiVo should physically be able to do it with two tuners. Tune ABC from 7:58-9:32, create two NPL entries and have both the end of the Homeland Security USA file and the beginning of the Scrubs file include the overlapping recorded stream. Same sort of thing with the Military Channel.
Right now, I usually either keep the padding and lose a show (because the TiVo uses both tuners to record the same channel for a couple minutes) or else I drop the padding but then regularly find that I have to keep a show in the NPL because it has the first 30 seconds of the next show. And I have to remember which show has the missing piece.
Recording the same stream to two locations seems like it should be feasible and would be more elegant than the current, somewhat ineffective, solutions. (To TiVo's credit, with clipping available this is not nearly the problem that it was a couple years ago.)
* The best example would be NBC, of course. That example doesn't work because (1) they have a show running 8-10 tonight and (2) I'm not even going to pretend to watch The Biggest Loser. Not even hypothetically.
Let's take this evening as an example. ABC has Homeland Security USA in the 8-9 slot followed by Scrubs. The Military Channel has Hitler's Bodyguard followed by Hitler's Bodyguard. Let's assume for argument (1) that I watch these shows and (2) that these are channels that tend to overshoot or undershoot their slots and could stand some padding*.
If I want all these shows padded, the TiVo should physically be able to do it with two tuners. Tune ABC from 7:58-9:32, create two NPL entries and have both the end of the Homeland Security USA file and the beginning of the Scrubs file include the overlapping recorded stream. Same sort of thing with the Military Channel.
Right now, I usually either keep the padding and lose a show (because the TiVo uses both tuners to record the same channel for a couple minutes) or else I drop the padding but then regularly find that I have to keep a show in the NPL because it has the first 30 seconds of the next show. And I have to remember which show has the missing piece.
Recording the same stream to two locations seems like it should be feasible and would be more elegant than the current, somewhat ineffective, solutions. (To TiVo's credit, with clipping available this is not nearly the problem that it was a couple years ago.)
* The best example would be NBC, of course. That example doesn't work because (1) they have a show running 8-10 tonight and (2) I'm not even going to pretend to watch The Biggest Loser. Not even hypothetically.