Season Pass Management

Testpattern · 07-09-2012, 11:24 AM

I've been struggling with setting Season Pass episodes where a given first run show is repeated multiple times.

I have traditionally selected the station and time I want the Season Pass to capture and tell it First Run only.

What happens these days is TiVo grabs the first showing time from the respective channel and not the time I set up. This results in many of our Season Pass programs butting heads in common time frames.

How do you force TiVo to record the actual time frame you specify? I swear this didn't used to be an issue but that may have been pre-Premiere.

moyekj · 07-09-2012, 11:31 AM

It's HDUI related bug - HDUI tends to want to use internet guide data instead of TiVo guide data which creates some issues. If you at least temporarily switch over to SDUI for season pass scheduling it will work in traditional way.

jrtroo · 07-09-2012, 12:31 PM

It seems that perhaps you could change your SP prioritization. I have one run only shows at the top (say- network TV or a sporting event whishlist) and anything with multiple showings (say- anything on Discovery) at the bottom.

For me, this helps spread the recordings out over time and reduces issues of confluence.

Larry in TN · 07-09-2012, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrtroo

It seems that perhaps you could change your SP prioritization. I have one run only shows at the top (say- network TV or a sporting event whishlist) and anything with multiple showings (say- anything on Discovery) at the bottom.

That's what I do. The broadcast-network season-passes all go first followed by the cable-network season-passes. This lets the cable-network season-passes pick up alternate air-times without cancelling a broadcast-network show that likely only airs once.

On course, now that I have my Elite it doesn't seem to be a problem.

Testpattern · 07-09-2012, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moyekj

It's HDUI related bug - HDUI tends to want to use internet guide data instead of TiVo guide data which creates some issues. If you at least temporarily switch over to SDUI for season pass scheduling it will work in traditional way.

Thanks for the suggestion, but I only use SDUI.

Testpattern · 07-09-2012, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry in TN

That's what I do. The broadcast-network season-passes all go first followed by the cable-network season-passes. This lets the cable-network season-passes pick up alternate air-times without cancelling a broadcast-network show that likely only airs once.

On course, now that I have my Elite it doesn't seem to be a problem.

If I understand you, TiVo will automatically select an alternate time if a multi-listed cable program is in conflict with a higher priority network program?

I'll give this a try.... thanks.

jrtroo · 07-09-2012, 02:56 PM

Yep. Tivo is smart like that.

Man, an elite would be nice. Not quite in my realm of affordability yet, but hopefully soon!

Larry in TN · 07-09-2012, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrtroo

Man, an elite would be nice. Not quite in my realm of affordability yet, but hopefully soon!

It is. I picked it up on the $299 deal from woot.com last month and added the $399 multi-service price for product lifetime.

The purchase allows me to sell my older Series 3 (OLED) which is currently listed on eBay with a current bid of $306 so I'm down to a net cost of $392 at the moment for the upgrade. Hopefully that'll go down a bit more before the auction closes tomorrow evening.

My previously primary Premiere (1TB) got bumped to the kid's playroom which is where the Series 3 formally resided. One added benefit for me is that with the multi-room streaming, instead of multi-room viewing, the kids can now watch their programs on the living room TV without cluttering up *MY* Now Playing list with their shows.

(They never did learn to delete them from my TiVo when they were done)

lpwcomp · 07-09-2012, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moyekj

It's HDUI related bug - HDUI tends to want to use internet guide data instead of TiVo guide data which creates some issues. If you at least temporarily switch over to SDUI for season pass scheduling it will work in traditional way.

This has nothing to do with the HDUI. The HDUI "bug" only comes into play when creating the SP.

Season Passes have always worked like this. Quite rightly, they will record the first showing on the selected channel that doesn't conflict with a higher priority recording.

moyekj · 07-09-2012, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lpwcomp

This has nothing to do with the HDUI. The HDUI "bug" only comes into play when creating the SP.

I didn't read OP post carefully enough but it was SP creation bug I was alluding to.

lpwcomp · 07-09-2012, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moyekj

I didn't read OP post carefully enough but it was SP creation bug I was alluding to.

No problem. Been there, done that, been chastised for it. Still looking for the t-shirt.

Testpattern · 07-09-2012, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lpwcomp

Quite rightly, they will record the first showing on the selected channel that doesn't conflict with a higher priority recording.

So let me see if I've got this.

I set up program "XX" on a SP for 3:00am to insure it will not conflict with my viewing during prime periods.

Later as I'm about to view live TV at 8:00pm some evening I get a pop up saying TiVo wants to record "XX" at 8:00. The other tuner is busy as well. Now "if" I blow off this recording and continue to watch my live event, TiVo will simply reschedule my SP to the 3:00am time or grab another available showing to satisfy the original SP request? Is this correct?

I've been reluctant to tell TiVo it cannot record a SP when it wants to. When I go look at the "To Do List" I see it scheduled my 3:00am request for an earlier showing which wasn't what I wanted for the very reason outlined above. However, if I bump it off it's intended recording time and it simply reverts to the initial schedule, I haven't a problem.

Thanks...

lpwcomp · 07-09-2012, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Testpattern

So let me see if I've got this.

I set up program "XX" on a SP for 3:00am to insure it will not conflict with my viewing during prime periods.

Later as I'm about to view live TV at 8:00pm some evening I get a pop up saying TiVo wants to record "XX" at 8:00. The other tuner is busy as well. Now "if" I blow off this recording and continue to watch my live event, TiVo will simply reschedule my SP to the 3:00am time or grab another available showing to satisfy the original SP request? Is this correct?

I've been reluctant to tell TiVo it cannot record a SP when it wants to. When I go look at the "To Do List" I see it scheduled my 3:00am request for an earlier showing which wasn't what I wanted for the very reason outlined above. However, if I bump it off it's intended recording time and it simply reverts to the initial schedule, I haven't a problem.

Thanks...

No time to go into details right now, but no, it doesn't work quite like that.

astrohip · 07-09-2012, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Testpattern

So let me see if I've got this.

I set up program "XX" on a SP for 3:00am to insure it will not conflict with my viewing during prime periods.

That's not how it works. When you set an SP, it does NOT let you set a "time". You can set "First Run Only" or "Repeats", and a few other minor settings (how many to keep, etc), but you can NOT set which viewing to record, or which time to record. It's either SP on, or not.

Try what Larry suggested, which is what many of us do. Put the shows that don't have multiple showings at the top of your SP list. This is primarily over-the-air major network shows. Put the cable shows that repeat multiple times lower in the list. That way if there is a conflict, it will record the one-time only shows, and come back to the cable shows at a later broadcast.

I have over 100 SPs, and have mine divided into broadcast, by day of the week, then cable. I will confess, having an Elite made managing them much easier!

mattack · 07-09-2012, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lpwcomp

Season Passes have always worked like this. Quite rightly, they will record the first showing on the selected channel that doesn't conflict with a higher priority recording.

You're right, but for a historical curiosity, IIRC originally there wasn't a SP manager. They were in the order in which you created them.

Rob Helmerichs · 07-09-2012, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astrohip

I have over 100 SPs, and have mine divided into broadcast, by day of the week, then cable.

Feh, you're doing it WRONG!

I put the broadcast ones first, ordered by how pissed I'd be if I missed one (not that I ever do, now that I have an Elite). Then I have the cable networks, divided by network, with the ones that re-broadcast shows endlessly (e.g., USA) first, and the ones that only show them a couple of times (e.g., Syfy) last. Then news shows (I have all the local and all the network evening news, and all the local 10:00 news, so there's always something to watch; most of it, of course, gets deleted unwatched).

Larry in TN · 07-09-2012, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattack

You're right, but for a historical curiosity, IIRC originally there wasn't a SP manager. They were in the order in which you created them.

I bought my first TiVo, a Series 2, in 2002 and it had the season pass manager then.

lpwcomp · 07-09-2012, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattack

You're right, but for a historical curiosity, IIRC originally there wasn't a SP manager. They were in the order in which you created them.

Well, you have been a TiVo user longer than I have so I'll take your word for it, but I really don't remember a time when there was no SPM. What did it do when you hit "1" from Tivo Central?

lpwcomp · 07-09-2012, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Helmerichs

Feh, you're doing it WRONG!

I put the broadcast ones first, ordered by how pissed I'd be if I missed one (not that I ever do, now that I have an Elite). Then I have the cable networks, divided by network, with the ones that re-broadcast shows endlessly (e.g., USA) first, and the ones that only show them a couple of times (e.g., Syfy) last. Then news shows (I have all the local and all the network evening news, and all the local 10:00 news, so there's always something to watch; most of it, of course, gets deleted unwatched).

The cable network part of that makes no sense. The ones that are shown less often should have a higher priority.

lpwcomp · 07-09-2012, 11:31 PM

Obviously, I'm back. If you explicitly cancel a recording, even if it just by saying "stay on this channel that I am watching live", I'm fairly sure it will NOT automatically schedule a later showing. If you know that you want to reserve a block of time for "live" viewing, then set up a manual recording, high priority in the SPM so that block is reserved. You can always cancel it after you start watching if you want to change the channel.

My suggestion would be to have your season passes organized as previously documented by others, with the addition of a repeating manual recording between the regular network shows and the cable network shows.

Unlike some others I could name, I won't say that you are using your TiVo in the wrong manner. However, I will say that you are using it in a manner that it was never designed to accommodate and I doubt any DVR is.

Rob Helmerichs · 07-10-2012, 06:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lpwcomp

The cable network part of that makes no sense. The ones that are shown less often should have a higher priority.

You're right, I typed it backwards of what I actually do.

Look at what I DO, not what I TYPE!!

Testpattern · 07-10-2012, 08:11 AM

Thanks guys.

I understand now. This info will at least let me make informed decisions about the SPM.

bbrown9 · 07-10-2012, 08:12 AM

I setup season passes or one-time recordings for stuff I intend to watch live anyway - just in case the phone rings or something else calls me away from the TV. That keeps that block of time reserved (as lpwcomp said). I just delete them when I'm done watching.

scandia101 · 07-10-2012, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry in TN

I bought my first TiVo, a Series 2, in 2002 and it had the season pass manager then.

He said originally, so what you experienced 3 1/2 years later on a 2nd generation machine doesn't exactly mean anything in regard to the given fact.

Larry in TN · 07-10-2012, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scandia101

He said originally, so what you experienced 3 1/2 years later on a 2nd generation machine doesn't exactly mean anything in regard to the given fact.

Yes, I can read. I was providing a date to narrow it down.