Automatic switch to HD if available

Hustiniano · 04-22-2012, 11:52 AM

Hi
Just fired up my new VM TiVo having had ten years of great TiVo S1!

Two Quick questions

1> can you change the order that your favourite channels are displayed to you? I want the 5 main channels in hd listed in order at the top of my favourites list and that is not how they currently show.

2) - is there a setting to get it to record in HD if the programme is being broadcast in HD? So if I select a program to record in the guide on bbc1 and it is also being shown in hd, I want TiVo to default to the hd broadcast

Thanks

Tony Hoyle · 04-22-2012, 12:22 PM

1) no.
2) no, although as before a series link will always record from the channel that it's set to. Wishlists are a bit more random.

Hustiniano · 04-22-2012, 01:21 PM

Oh that's a shame. Even my parents cheap tvonics freeview dvr box lets you do these things! Hopefully the hd v SD thing will get better as hd ecomes he default. Is there somewhere to leave suggestions for vm?

Zaichik · 04-23-2012, 09:04 AM

I don't really understand why they have separate SD and HD channels. Even my crappy old CRT TV will display an HD channel on TiVo (at lower res, obviously).

ColinYounger · 04-23-2012, 09:05 AM

Something that may help: after pressing Guide, press the blue button and select the HD category - you'll only get the HD channels then. Which means that any series links you set up from the guide are automatically HD too.

The setting isn't sticky, so after a while you'll have to do the Blue>HD thing again when you go into the guide. But it's no big deal.

OzSat · 04-23-2012, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony Hoyle

1) no.
2) no, although as before a series link will always record from the channel that it's set to. Wishlists are a bit more random.

You can set wishlists to record HD only.

Hustiniano · 04-23-2012, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zaichik

I don't really understand why they have separate SD and HD channels. Even my crappy old CRT TV will display an HD channel on TiVo (at lower res, obviously).

I agree - it will be much simpler when the SD broadcasts for BBC1,2 ITV, C4 and C5 are dropped. Once the digital switchover is completed will that be the next thing that happens?

Hustiniano · 04-23-2012, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OzSat

You can set wishlists to record HD only.

Thanks Tony and Oz
It is certainly helpful to know setting wishlists and series links from looking at the HD channel in the Guide, will always then record HD.

Shame we cannot order the favourites list so that my favourtite favourites are at the top and in "normal" order (bbc1 then 2 then itv then c4 then c5 etc).

Perhaps this might be an improvement offered in a software update? Or is it something that is technically not possible, do you think?

SNJpage1 · 04-23-2012, 02:55 PM

I have Comcast and they have some networks on three different channels. They have the SD version of ABC and then they have Two channels that have the HD ver of ABC. I went into the set up and unchecked the SD ver channels and also one of the HD channels. That way ABC only appears on one channel in the guide and that is the HD one.

OzSat · 04-23-2012, 03:11 PM

On the old Series 1 TiVo in the UK you could uncheck the channels you got but didn't want - preventing wishlists etc. from searching them.

But the uncheck option is disabled on the VirginMedia TiVo so you can not avoid unwanted channels.

mikerr · 04-23-2012, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zaichik

I don't really understand why they have separate SD and HD channels.

It's because BBC HD and ITV HD are not fully regionalised like the SD versions.

Look what happens at news time - BBC HD shows a very annoying red screen saying "turn to your regional SD channel":

If you happened to be tuned to BBC1 SD at that time, you'd just be watching your regional news.

I'm not sure why there isn't a red button functionality on that screen to quickly jump to BBC1 ?

Zaichik · 04-24-2012, 06:57 AM

I guess that explains why for channels with regional variations, but there are lots of Sky channels where having separate SD and HD channels just seems pointless.

mikerr · 04-24-2012, 01:22 PM

As for other channels with SD and HD versions, on DVB-T (freeview) many/most SD boxes can't view an HD channel, so that's why they're separate.

VM doesn't create or own the channels, they just buy them in ....

I suppose VM could drop the SD versions of those if all their end user equipment is capable of decoding HD ( can the ancient pace boxes ?), but they wouldn't be allowed to change the name of a channel (e4 HD would still be e4 HD).

dannylau · 04-25-2012, 05:44 AM

Many V+ owners record from the SD channels to save disk space

browellm · 04-26-2012, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikerr

It's because BBC HD and ITV HD are not fully regionalised like the SD versions.

Look what happens at news time - BBC HD shows a very annoying red screen saying "turn to your regional SD channel":

If you happened to be tuned to BBC1 SD at that time, you'd just be watching your regional news.

I'm not sure why there isn't a red button functionality on that screen to quickly jump to BBC1 ?

I would rather sit and watch that than regional news.