[WhiskeyTango]

Basic cable channels (MTV, Discovery, etc.) often air the same show several times throughout the day (especially after midnight) so Tivo will record the later one if the earlier one conflicts.

However, the big 4 networks rarely air shows multiple times, so this wouldn't apply for them. Maybe this is the trouble you're having. One way I deal with this is to put the big 4 network shows at the top of my list of Season Passes.

And if you don't have a dual-tuner Tivo, this won't help much, and you should run out and get one. They're practically free now.

You don't even really need to have a dual-tuner unless, like you mentioned, you have conflicts on the big 4. I've only got a single-tuner and am able to record every show that I want. All of the cable channels like SciFi, USA, TNT, AMC, and FX all repeat their big shows the same night they air and usually later in the week a few times at off-peak hours. Premium channels like HBO and Showtime replay episodes dozens of times before the new episodes air. So I record the network shows at their normal time and pick up the cable shows during their replays. It takes a little work to get all of the Season Passes in the correct order but once thats done, you can pretty much record at will.