TiVo : Some explanation of "Keep until" on recordings

[ultimate]

On individual recorded programs as opposed to recordings by a series link, how does the "keep until" work? Does it default to "keep until I delete", or does it default to the "keep through" date?

Is there a global setting for non series link recordings where I set can all recordings to "keep until I delete"?

[spiderplant]

One-off recordings get set to "keep until space needed". You can't change the default.

Note the "keep until" setting is completely irrelevant unless the hard drive becomes full. It doesn't actually delete anything until the space is needed, then the "keep until" setting is used to prioritise deletions. If you set everything to "until I delete", new recordings would fail.

[ultimate]

The reason I ask the question is this: my Tivo was only delivered last week, and I have about 10 hours worth of recordings. Then I discovered the earliest recording on the list has a little sand dial next to the "R", then I noticed it says this file will be deleted in the next 3 days, which is exactly 10 days after the recording was made, then I got a little panicky.

[spiderplant]

Does it say "will be deleted" or "may be deleted"? Recordings on a series link will get deleted if the "Keep at most" limit is reached.

Don't worry about it if it says "may be deleted" - it's very pessimistic. Though if you want to be super-cautious, change the recording to "keep until I delete". (Maybe my earlier reply was unclear - you can change individual recordings to KUID after they have recorded)

[passingbat]

There should be an option in the Recording Defaults to set the Keep Until setting to KUID. But VM/Tivo (not sure which one) thinks we are too stupid to actively monitor our free disc space and deny us that choice. And that is despite the fact that you have to do that on the V+ box.

Stop being a 'Nanny state' provider and give us the option to choose the preferred setting in Recording Defaults.

[spiderplant]

We've done this to death already PB, but just to reiterate - if you are happy to actively manage your free disc space, the "keep until" setting is irrelevant.

[Joedm45]

Originally Posted by passingbat

There should be an option in the Recording Defaults to set the Keep Until setting to KUID. But VM/Tivo (not sure which one) thinks we are too stupid to actively monitor our free disc space and deny us that choice. And that is despite the fact that you have to do that on the V+ box.

Stop being a 'Nanny state' provider and give us the option to choose the preferred setting in Recording Defaults.

Well said, completely agree.

I always set my recordings to keep until I delete and it annoys me that there is no option to have it as a default

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

We've done this to death already PB, but just to reiterate - if you are happy to actively manage your free disc space, the "keep until" setting is irrelevant.

I suppose the reasoning is that people would start to lose their new recordings by failing to manage their disc space. However, I would like to be able to set a default for my series records because this would save a fair few clicks on my remote control!

[passingbat]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

We've done this to death already PB, but just to reiterate - if you are happy to actively manage your free disc space, the "keep until" setting is irrelevant.

There is a definite peace of mind that things can't get deleted when you have a KUID setting and I like that. This is especially important to those who's Tivos are kept pretty full.

I know we've done this to death previously but there are many more Tivo users now, that have missed previous discussions. They need to be aware that this could have been a Recording Default option but VM or Tivo, at the time of implementation, decided not to allow it.

And the reason that I gleaned was that they didn't think we were smart enough to monitor free disc space. There is no reason why KUSN could not have been left as the default option, because the people who would have gone in to modify the default recording options would have been aware of the consequences of changing it. Indeed, you even have some descriptive text next to each option where these consequences could have been spelt out. There was no reason not to allow KUID as an option in the recording defaults.

[coulsontom]

I used to panic about this at first but I realised that nothing happens. It claims it is going to delete nearly everything in the my shows section, but we rarely get beyond 60% capacity, usually around 40%.

If you restart the TiVo box as well it removes the "will delete in..." thing but comes back.