No More Than One Episode Recorded Every 24 Hours

[Atlanta Graphic]

As a big fan of The Colbert Report and The Daily Show, I am frustrated by the fact that, if I use the Season Pass feature, my TiVo sometimes records every single showing on some days. I understand that this occurs when no episode-specific program information is available, so the TiVo software is not aware that it is recording the very same episode four times every day.

I am aware of some rather complex and imperfect workarounds that some people use to avoid this problem (I have to resort to manual recording times), but come on... Tivo is supposed to be easy to program. How about just adding a simple "Do not record more than one episode in a 24 hour period" option to the Recording Options menu? It could be added to the Repeats and First Runs submenu. I think this would be an incredibly simple option to implement.

Anybody else think this would be useful?

[orangeboy]

Originally Posted by Atlanta Graphic

As a big fan of The Colbert Report and The Daily Show, I am frustrated by the fact that, if I use the Season Pass feature, my TiVo sometimes records every single showing on some days. I understand that this occurs when no episode-specific program information is available, so the TiVo software is not aware that it is recording the very same episode four times every day.

I am aware of some rather complex and imperfect workarounds that some people use to avoid this problem (I have to resort to manual recording times), but come on... Tivo is supposed to be easy to program. How about just adding a simple "Do not record more than one episode in a 24 hour period" option to the Recording Options menu? It could be added to the Repeats and First Runs submenu. I think this would be an incredibly simple option to implement.

Anybody else think this would be useful?

I actually don't think the Tupper Method is too complex. It's in essence converting an Auto-Record Wish List into a Season Pass that skips those programs without accurate information. But I can see your point!

[chrispitude]

This sounds like a great feature idea. I have the same issue with other daily-recorded news programs, and have wanted the same solution.

[analog999]

How about expanding this beyond 24 hours? I'm sick of seeing the same re-runs recorded over and over and over.

[Atlanta Graphic]

I hadn't thought of weekly shows that have the same issue. I agree that a "Do not record more than once every 24 hours" and "Do not record more than once a week" would be a welcome and relatively simple addition to the recording options.

Come on TiVo, how about it?

[TolloNodre]

For shows without data (like the Daily show) you'll just end up recording the first show it 'hits' after midnight - like the 11AM rerun from the night before. Is that what you want?

I don't understand how this fixes anything...

[wisny]

Originally Posted by TolloNodre

For shows without data (like the Daily show) you'll just end up recording the first show it 'hits' after midnight - like the 11AM rerun from the night before. Is that what you want?

I don't understand how this fixes anything...

One thing it would solve is having your folder filled with repeats. If you had this 'once a week' or 'once a day' option, and you set your pass to keep no more than 5 episodes (for example), you'd have five different shows, instead of multiple copies of the same show.

[TolloNodre]

Originally Posted by wisny

One thing it would solve is having your folder filled with repeats. If you had this 'once a week' or 'once a day' option, and you set your pass to keep no more than 5 episodes (for example), you'd have five different shows, instead of multiple copies of the same show.

But what happens when the morning reruns are a 'best of' series from 3 seasons ago? You may have 5 'different' shows (or may not) but you have nothing from the current season. Which kinda' defeats the purpose.

I get the intent. The Daily Show is a pain. But that's how Comedy Central wants it. There is no magic workaround for that...

[wisny]

Originally Posted by TolloNodre

But what happens when the morning reruns are a 'best of' series from 3 seasons ago? You may have 5 'different' shows (or may not) but you have nothing from the current season. Which kinda' defeats the purpose.

I get the intent. The Daily Show is a pain. But that's how Comedy Central wants it. There is no magic workaround for that...

Well if the morning reruns are the 'best of' from 3 seasons ago, it'd only record one of them (b/c of 'only record once in 24 hrs). No guarantee that you'd get the recording you wanted, but it wouldn't bump the rest of your folder empty if you had that kind of setting.

Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, Discovery Channel, and some Sunday News programs are all a pain in this regard. If they had that once a week setting, it'd come in handy for Meet the Press, Fox News Sunday, State of the Union with Candy Crowley, and one other one that I can't think of right now.

[TolloNodre]

Originally Posted by wisny

No guarantee that you'd get the recording you wanted, but it wouldn't bump the rest of your folder empty if you had that kind of setting.

Exactly - you don't get the recording you wanted, it still deletes something you DID want saved and you still have to maintain it everyday just to see what it did.

It seems to create more problems than it reportedly solves...

[wisny]

Originally Posted by TolloNodre

Exactly - you don't get the recording you wanted, it still deletes something you DID want saved and you still have to maintain it everyday just to see what it did.

It seems to create more problems than it reportedly solves...

I wouldn't have to maintain mine every day. Sunday News Shows don't have 'best of', Comedy Central is either on vac or current, so when current ones air, I'd get the one I want, Discovery Channel and Nickolodeon aren't 'must haves', so I wouldn't maintain it every day, but I'd be happy to get only one recording a day or week (as applicable), and mostly the same with BBCA - their guide data is sketchy (good for some programs, bad for others). I might have to maintain BBCA folders, but that would be no different than now.

I don't see any *added* problems. Problems that might exist with it, already exist now. And, it would solve many of my bad guide data problems. Not all, but many. I'd see added benefit from the OPs idea - no doubt. And, as he/she mentioned, it doesn't seem like it would be a big deal to add to the code.

[TolloNodre]

Originally Posted by wisny

I wouldn't have to maintain mine every day. Sunday News Shows don't have 'best of', Comedy Central is either on vac or current, so when current ones air, I'd get the one I want, Discovery Channel and Nickolodeon aren't 'must haves', so I wouldn't maintain it every day, but I'd be happy to get only one recording a day or week (as applicable), and mostly the same with BBCA - their guide data is sketchy (good for some programs, bad for others). I might have to maintain BBCA folders, but that would be no different than now.

I don't see any *added* problems. Problems that might exist with it, already exist now. And, it would solve many of my bad guide data problems. Not all, but many. I'd see added benefit from the OPs idea - no doubt. And, as he/she mentioned, it doesn't seem like it would be a big deal to add to the code.

Added Problem #2: 'My Boys' just ended their season (and the show - it's not being renewed) with back to back NEW episodes. If you had your 'only record one in 24 hrs' button selected, it would record the first episode and ignore the second.

[Jonathan_S]

Originally Posted by TolloNodre

Added Problem #2: 'My Boys' just ended their season (and the show - it's not being renewed) with back to back NEW episodes. If you had your 'only record one in 24 hrs' button selected, it would record the first episode and ignore the second.

That also sometimes happens for season premieres, where you'll get a double length episode (which may show up in the guide as 1 long or 2 normal back-to-back episodes).

[wisny]

Originally Posted by TolloNodre

Added Problem #2: 'My Boys' just ended their season (and the show - it's not being renewed) with back to back NEW episodes. If you had your 'only record one in 24 hrs' button selected, it would record the first episode and ignore the second.

Is 'My Boys' a show on a channel with bad guide data? If it wasn't, then I wouldn't use the 'limit recordings in a specified time period' option, if it were available. If it is a show on a channel with bad guide data, then you're right, that would be a problem. However, such a limit option would still be helping me with Comedy Central, BBCA, Sunday News Shows, Discovery Channel shows, and Nickelodeon shows.

It's not something I would use with regular season passes, just with channels with bad guide data. Or a show with many multiple airings.

[wisny]

Originally Posted by Jonathan_S

That also sometimes happens for season premieres, where you'll get a double length episode (which may show up in the guide as 1 long or 2 normal back-to-back episodes).

NCIS LA showed up like that - they premiered with two new eps on the same night. However, I wouldn't have used a 'limit recordings' option with my NCIS LA season pass, so it wouldn't have affected it.

[TolloNodre]

I once was called in to fix the payroll system for a company complaining their overtime hours weren't coming over properly.

I immediately noticed that the overtime hours had some weird numbers and I asked them about that.

"Oh, that's not overtime - that's shift work."
"You keep your shift hours in the overtime column?"
"Yes"
"Where do you keep your shift hours?"
"In vacation"
"Where do you keep vacation?"
"In the sick column"
"Where do you keep sick hours?"
"In the Jury column."
"Where do you keep Jury hours?"
"Oh, we just manually maintain that."

This thread somehow reminds me of that...

[wisny]

Originally Posted by TolloNodre

I once was called in to fix the payroll system for a company complaining their overtime hours weren't coming over properly.

I immediately noticed that the overtime hours had some weird numbers and I asked them about that.

"Oh, that's not overtime - that's shift work."
"You keep your shift hours in the overtime column?"
"Yes"
"Where do you keep your shift hours?"
"In vacation"
"Where do you keep vacation?"
"In the sick column"
"Where do you keep sick hours?"
"In the Jury column."
"Where do you keep Jury hours?"
"Oh, we just manually maintain that."

This thread somehow reminds me of that...

Actually, I think the OP came up with a pretty simple suggestion fix for a problem that's existed for years. You say the Daily Show is a pain, but there's no magic workaround for it. This IS a magic workaround for it. Very simple, a click in the same screen while setting up the SP.

I'd be using it for multiple stations with bad guide data.

[TolloNodre]

Originally Posted by wisny

Actually, I think the OP came up with a pretty simple suggestion fix for a problem that's existed for years. You say the Daily Show is a pain, but there's no magic workaround for it. This IS a magic workaround for it. Very simple, a click in the same screen while setting up the SP.

I'd be using it for multiple stations with bad guide data.

Which is odd thing for you to say considering you initially said "No guarantee that you'd get the recording you wanted"

But now it's a magic workaround?

[wisny]

Originally Posted by TolloNodre

Which is odd thing for you to say considering you initially said "No guarantee that you'd get the recording you wanted"

But now it's a magic workaround?

Yes, it is. As noted, The Daily Show is either on vaca, or not, so it wouldn't have your hypothetical 'best of' series reruns. And for the other instances that *I* would use 'limit recordings' for, your hypothetical problem wouldn't be a problem for me, either.

In fact, your hypothetical problem was only a problem for you.

For me, the OPs suggestion IS a magic workaround. Much better than what happens now with the channels/programs *I* would use such an option for. What happens now is a bit of a pain, and slightly annoying. No big issue, but an improvement would be welcome.


What I don't get is why you're so invested in shooting down a suggestion that you can find no use for, and don't fully understand how it would be useful? Not one of your issues with the OPs suggestions would be an issue for me, nor would they detract from the benefit I can see from such a feature being implemented.



The context of "No guarantee that you'd get the recording you wanted". Basically, it's your problem, and your issue, and wouldn't cause me a moment's concern. I'd be happily getting a nice benefit from this added feature. You'd, I guess, be rolling your eyes, cursing at the box, and yelling about it.

Originally Posted by wisny

Well if the morning reruns are the 'best of' from 3 seasons ago, it'd only record one of them (b/c of 'only record once in 24 hrs). No guarantee that you'd get the recording you wanted, but it wouldn't bump the rest of your folder empty if you had that kind of setting.

Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, Discovery Channel, and some Sunday News programs are all a pain in this regard. If they had that once a week setting, it'd come in handy for Meet the Press, Fox News Sunday, State of the Union with Candy Crowley, and one other one that I can't think of right now.

Originally Posted by wisny

I wouldn't have to maintain mine every day. Sunday News Shows don't have 'best of', Comedy Central is either on vac or current, so when current ones air, I'd get the one I want, Discovery Channel and Nickolodeon aren't 'must haves', so I wouldn't maintain it every day, but I'd be happy to get only one recording a day or week (as applicable), and mostly the same with BBCA - their guide data is sketchy (good for some programs, bad for others). I might have to maintain BBCA folders, but that would be no different than now.

I don't see any *added* problems. Problems that might exist with it, already exist now. And, it would solve many of my bad guide data problems. Not all, but many. I'd see added benefit from the OPs idea - no doubt. And, as he/she mentioned, it doesn't seem like it would be a big deal to add to the code.

[TolloNodre]

Originally Posted by wisny

The context of "No guarantee that you'd get the recording you wanted". Basically, it's your problem, and your issue, and wouldn't cause me a moment's concern. I'd be happily getting a nice benefit from this added feature. You'd, I guess, be rolling your eyes, cursing at the box, and yelling about it.

Exactly. As a business, TiVo thinks of all possible scenarios and how it would impact all users (and the support calls resulting therein).

So although you don't think you'd have an issue, many would. And thus why TiVo would never green light something so haphazard.

[Jonathan_S]

Originally Posted by wisny

Actually, I think the OP came up with a pretty simple suggestion fix for a problem that's existed for years. You say the Daily Show is a pain, but there's no magic workaround for it. This IS a magic workaround for it. Very simple, a click in the same screen while setting up the SP.

I'd be using it for multiple stations with bad guide data.

While not quite a magic workaround I'd like to remind people that the Tupper Method of using advanced wishlists does a very good job of picking up just the new episodes of The Daily Show.

(Yes, having a single check box would be easier, and certianly faster. I'm not trying downplay this suggesting. Just to remind people of the current workaround that they could try using until TiVo introduces a 'real' fix)

Edit: Oh, and I also use this trick on a few USA series that switch to generic guide data during their off-seasons. A "once every 24 hours" would still pick up a lot of rerun episodes of Psych during its break.

[wisny]

Originally Posted by Jonathan_S

While not quite a magic workaround I'd like to remind people that the Tupper Method of using advanced wishlists does a very good job of picking up just the new episodes of The Daily Show.

(Yes, having a single check box would be easier, and certianly faster. I'm not trying downplay this suggesting. Just to remind people of the current workaround that they could try using until TiVo introduces a 'real' fix)

Edit: Oh, and I also use this trick on a few USA series that switch to generic guide data during their off-seasons. A "once every 24 hours" would still pick up a lot of rerun episodes of Psych during its break.

I used that method for the Daily Show it works perfectly. That boy is a genius . I tried it on Spongebob and Penguins, it didn't work for those. Still recorded the generic 'square yellow sponge etc etc' shows. I didn't feel like spending the time figuring out a wl that would work for top gear and the graham norton show, or for cash cab and some other discovery channel show that I can't think of right now. The Tupper method does not work for the sunday news shows like State of the Union, Fox News Sunday, Meet the Press, a couple others. Their shows are new every Sunday, their guide data is not. It might say the guests coming on, it might be generic, but that is no indication of whether the show is new or not.

The limit recordings option would work real well for all these shows, I would use that instead of figuring out custom wl's. . It wouldn't work well for regular series. I'd just use regular sp's with no 'limit recording' for those.

[wisny]

Originally Posted by TolloNodre

Exactly. As a business, TiVo thinks of all possible scenarios and how it would impact all users (and the support calls resulting therein).

So although you don't think you'd have an issue, many would. And thus why TiVo would never green light something so haphazard.

For the same reason they implemented things like save x many shows - or save all shows - you choose, save repeats and first-runs, first-runs only, or save all. For the reason that having the ability to customize and fine tune sp's make the sp function more useful, and more desirable to have. If they only implemented things that every person would use for every season pass, they wouldn't have any options at all, would they? You'd just set it, or not set it.