Is the Roamio search engine as pathetic as it seems?

TiVo search went way downhill before Rovi ever got involved. They switched from an old system that was very good to a new one that is spotty at best. I honestly can't explain why things do or don't turn up in a given search.

I've found that it's far more effective to search for a cast member of a given show and then go to their credits. Of course that probably won't help with the dog show.

But this can't be blamed on Rovi. The blame for the new "improved" search algorithm falls squarely on OG TiVo.

 

I would have agreed with that until my TiVo failed to record the new "Strike Back: Retribution" instead I missed the first three shows and had to use the "Strike Back" with the original cast members to start recording that cancelled/rebooted series again.

So, now I've got both series listed "just in case" it changes again.

 

I just did a search on all of my TiVo's. Westminster got me the results you were looking for. I then tried a wishlist for interest, dog shows and that worked too.

Perhaps your TiVo was indexing at the time you were looking? Try it again and see what happens.

 

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I agree, the current search function sucks bad. But changing the sort and display options on the results can make a HUGE difference on what you see.

 

I failed to find the dog show also. Perhaps it's because that channel isn't checked?

 

He found it in his live guide for channel. I've had that happen to me a couple of times but in each instance it was after a recent service connection and I was able to find it on another TiVo and then eventually the TiVo I couldn't find had it.

 

While that would usually convince me, I could set my guide to All Channels, see the dog show and select it to record. But that's a stretch. Sometimes a Search will find a program but indicate No Upcoming or Not Available even when I see it in the guide. That usually goes away after the next service connection.

Interesting. When I go back in my guide to 2/14 I see the program. It has a 3am to 6am time but also shows 0 min and 0 sec. It's a repeat too.

 

I don't know why I tried it, but I can't find Scorpion with Search. It's in my guide, 1P has it bright and it's in my To Do List. I tried classic UI and Hydra. Both were indexed today. Weird.

On the following night I can find Bull.

 

No doubt. Have you tried the search today? I'm curious if it fixed itself or do you still have a problem. If you're still having an issue then perhaps your TiVo has a bigger problem getting ready to rear up. I think there's a kick start code that might help if it's still failing to find that.

I've used my Roamio, as well as all my other platforms, and I've been successful finding it.

 

The initial search won't be a valid test since the dog show was over two days ago.

Try Scorpion. CBS 2/19 10pm. Fails for me.

 

CBS shows that Bull is in the guide for that time slot Joe. Remember, he saw Westminster in his guide but not in the search function.

 

Sorry. I see Scorpion is now found with Search. Ok, this is not a guide issue it's a Search issue. Earlier today I used Search to find Scorpion and it failed. I even put a cast member in and search failed also. As for indexing. The SI item of indexing is not related as both of my Roamio boxes were indexed at 7am this morning. Something else changed.

You can't test Search using the dog show.

I have found many times when Search fails yet I can make a 1P from the guide. Often the 1P will need adjustment after a day or two.

 

For me, NY FIOS

2/17 Day1 FS2HD channel 584 at 3pm, Day2 FS2HD at 6pm. - 3hrs each episode

Closing night coverage shows 2/16 channel 632 at 8pm NGEOWILDHD - 4hrs

 

Oops. I meant the 26th. I also saw that 0 hour 0 minute entry. That was common last year for football games. Bottom line: the guide/database sucks.

 

The last time Search was any good was on the Series 3. (And maybe the Premiere in SD menus? I don't know; I've never owned one.)

I remember when they released the modern search as a beta on series 3. Less good at matching things and it required talking to TiVo's servers instead of searching the Guide data locally. Sure, it lets you see things not in the upcoming 2 weeks.. but it also fails to find obvious matches like "dog show"

 

Does it still? I haven't had any successful searches of future shows since the Rovi takeover...

 

I remember searching for college football one Saturday afternoon to try and find out what all different channels were showing games. It found a bunch of obscure junk like football talk shows on the SEC network, but failed to mention any CBS, NBC, FOX, or ABC/ESPN broadcasts of actual games.