TiVo Buffer issues!

dwarfofpoison · 22-06-2012, 14:59

I posted the below query on the Digital Spy forum on Monday and had absolutely no response. So need a little help, is it a problem no one else has or no one else can understand what the hell I'm going on about?

THE POST
I understand the basic TiVo US premise that I should record everything (can't say I'm a record everything fan, my 1TB box is always over 80% and that's without recording everything I watch).

However there have been many occasions when watching TV and I've been fairly interested in the program (not enough to record it) and something comes up to take me away. I then just press pause, happy in the knowledge that it will just buffer the channel for an hour and when that's up it will just play from the point I pressed pause.

Brilliant, I won't miss anything! Yet that's not as easy as you think, I've been watching a programme when the buffer is full (an hour behind) and all seems well then the machine will blink, stutter and suddenly you loose ten minutes (sod's law that lost segment will be crucial).

Recording the buffer can often be difficult too, involving manual recording if the epg has moved on a program or two. I guess they really don't like watching TV live in the US or even delayed (hence no reminder / change at start or red button stuff), this may just be a UK TV habit but as far as I'm aware Virgin is a UK company and we watch UK TV and being able to reliably watch live or delayed is a basic I want from my PVR.

Anybody else notice buffer stability issues or am I on my own with this one?

Itshim · 22-06-2012, 15:20

I guess you are on your own on this one.
I have to say that with the exception of sport when ever I have ended up at a home in the States and TV is on, its a recorded programme. Then of cause its the same in my house. BBC is the only channel ( except news ) that is watched live. I would like the reminder just for that.

spiderplant · 22-06-2012, 16:55

Playing from a completely full buffer is quite a tricky thing for it to do. If the speed of the incoming channel is even slightly faster than the playback, it has to start dropping data. Try fast forwarding it slightly so it isn't playing right from the end, and you should find it plays smoothly.

Out of interest, does this only happen on certain channels? Also, do you have a Cisco or a Samsung TiVo?

I don't understand what you mean about recording the buffer and needing a manual recording. If you press record in delay TV, it will record the whole buffer. Playback will start from the beginning of the programme you pressed record on, so you need to rewind if you want to watch an earlier one.

dwarfofpoison · 22-06-2012, 20:47

Thanks spiderplant your reasoning about data being dropped if the speed of the incoming channel being slightly faster, completely explains the problems I've seen and making sure I fast forward is simple and logical!

The TV I have is a Sony Bravia (although "my logic" says what's that got to do with it) however I still maintain that recording the whole buffer is not that simple. When you press record it is directly linked to the epg, so if the program that is currently showing is 15 mins long that is all that is recorded. If you want the 45 mins before that then the only way I've found to record it is a manual recording.

I'm open to suggestions of how to record the buffer, it's been discussed before (I can't remember which forum) but a manual recording was the conclusion.

Cheers.

spiderplant · 22-06-2012, 22:46

Sorry, I wanted to know who made your TiVo, not your TV

. It shouldn't make a difference, but occasionally it matters.

Pressing record on live TV really does save the whole buffer. To illustrate, look at the recorded duration of this 10-minute cartoon. Or try it yourself.

carlwaring · 22-06-2012, 23:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Itshim

I guess you are on your own on this one.

Indeed. Which is probably why no-one responded to his post on DS

Never had that happen to me. At least, not on a regular basis with so much missing. Yes, the odd blip now and again but nothing as much as the OP seems to have experienced.

dwarfofpoison · 23-06-2012, 00:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by spiderplant

Sorry, I wanted to know who made your TiVo, not your TV

. It shouldn't make a difference, but occasionally it matters.

Pressing record on live TV really does save the whole buffer. To illustrate, look at the recorded duration of this 10-minute cartoon. Or try it yourself.

Sorry spiderplant I'm guilty of not reading your post properly, it's a Cisco TiVo I have and my TiVo doesn't record the whole buffer unless I tell it to by extending the recording at the start or the end. Easy on the US iPad app but a multitude of button presses with the remote (record then explore this show, options...)

Thanks anyway, your replies are the ones that shone light on my mistakes and answered the question.

spiderplant · 23-06-2012, 00:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwarfofpoison

my TiVo doesn't record the whole buffer

Honestly, it does. Try it!

andy_m · 23-06-2012, 09:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by spiderplant

Who made your TiVo? It shouldn't make a difference, but occasionally it matters.

When, out of interest?

spiderplant · 23-06-2012, 12:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy_m

When, out of interest?

There are differences in the hardware and the hardware drivers. It shouldn't matter from a user's point of view, but corner-cases such as playing from a completely full buffer might behave differently.

dwarfofpoison · 23-06-2012, 15:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by spiderplant

There are differences in the hardware and the hardware drivers. It shouldn't matter from a user's point of view, but corner-cases such as playing from a completely full buffer might behave differently.

(sorry about pointing my questions towards you but you seem to give quality answers without sniping)

The above may explain why I can't record the whole buffer without amending the recording options. Pressing record on live TV, for me only records the current program in the epg (starting 1 min before with the global padding introduced in an update).

However thanks to you I have learnt that the old way I used to do it (manual record) is not needed. Extending the recording options is a simpler way to go but still a lot of faff. If you have any special tips about how you are able to do it, I'm willing to learn.

carlwaring · 23-06-2012, 16:36

As I said in my previous post, I have never had this problem and I to have a Cisco (1TB) unit.

---------- Post added at 15:36 ---------- Previous post was at 15:34 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwarfofpoison

I'm open to suggestions of how to record the buffer.

You press the 'record' button

---------- Post added at 15:36 ---------- Previous post was at 15:36 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwarfofpoison

The above may explain why I can't record the whole buffer...

If it did we'd all have the same problem. But we don't so it can't be that

That said, why do you need the whole buffer? Surely you only need to enough to get all of the current programme; which should always work assuming the buffer is available.

andy_m · 23-06-2012, 17:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by spiderplant

There are differences in the hardware and the hardware drivers. It shouldn't matter from a user's point of view, but corner-cases such as playing from a completely full buffer might behave differently.

Cheers!

dwarfofpoison · 23-06-2012, 17:26

Carl you never have problems, your only problem is that you rarely have any answers but you are a prolific poster for someone with nothing to say or add. Even when you don't fully understand what's been writen about, you are happy to post a snipe just to get involved!

boroboi · 23-06-2012, 18:12

Indeed.

If the whole VM network went down, Carl would still be here posting that he doesn't have that problem.