TiVo : Tivo Not Making Any "Suggestions"

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by gizuk

Really? Server based? How can that be the case? If its a metadata problem it would be a problem for everyone wouldn't it?

Who mentioned metadata?

The suggestions are generated on a server, and sent to the boxes. The generation process has been failing part-way through, leaving most boxes with few if any suggestions.

[andy_m]

I'm pleased that a fix is on the way, but will it ever get back to how it was? I really miss the joy of finding a scheduled recording of a new episode of, say, Family Guy had been joined in its folder by 6 or 7 classic episodes. I can't believe people ever complained about that. Couldn't Virgin have pointed out that they don't take up any room rather than pander to them and mess about with one of TiVo's best features? I don't want to reignite old arguments, I know some like reminders etc, but it does seem to me that Virgin spend more time trying to change things to suit the noisier subscribers and not enough time actually explaining TiVo to them.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by andy_m

I'm pleased that a fix is on the way, but will it ever get back to how it was? I really miss the joy of finding a scheduled recording of a new episode of, say, Family Guy had been joined in its folder by 6 or 7 classic episodes. I can't believe people ever complained about that. Couldn't Virgin have pointed out that they don't take up any room rather than pander to them and mess about with one of TiVo's best features? I don't want to reignite old arguments, I know some like reminders etc, but it does seem to me that Virgin spend more time trying to change things to suit the noisier subscribers and not enough time actually explaining TiVo to them.

Good post, Andy. People moaning about Suggestions clearly didn't understand the reasoning behind it.

Personally, I didn't use it much because I do know what is out there programme-wise, but some found it useful and what a pity that they had to fiddle with it. If it ain't broke, don't fix it is my motto.

---------- Post added at 08:47 ---------- Previous post was at 08:42 ----------

Originally Posted by gizuk

How does that make sense? I thumb up things i like buy don't want every episode recorded. Why would it actively avoid recording these? That's not at all how tivo was originally designed even from the series 1!!

Suggestions used to be great to delve into if I'm bored. Now there is NOTHING there i want to watch. At least there is hardly any now they have limited the number of suggestions! Stupid changes!

I half agree with you, gizuk, but not the bit about not wanting every episode recorded.

To my mind, Suggestions can be like another channel on demand. The box gets to know what you like and records one-off and whole series of programmes until you delete them or there is no more room on the disk. There is nothing worse than only having parts of a series recorded, that's no good to me.

If you have given the thumbs up to a programme, the TIVO should assume that you are aware of that particular series you are watching and that you have it on series record.

[gizuk]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Good post, Andy. People moaning about Suggestions clearly didn't understand the reasoning behind it.

Personally, I didn't use it much because I do know what is out there programme-wise, but some found it useful and what a pity that they had to fiddle with it. If it ain't broke, don't fix it is my motto.

---------- Post added at 08:47 ---------- Previous post was at 08:42 ----------

I half agree with you, gizuk, but not the bit about not wanting every episode recorded.

To my mind, Suggestions can be like another channel on demand. The box gets to know what you like and records one-off and whole series of programmes until you delete them or there is no more room on the disk. There is nothing worse than only having parts of a series recorded, that's no good to me.

If you have given the thumbs up to a programme, the TIVO should assume that you are aware of that particular series you are watching and that you have it on series record.

Perhaps my post wasn't clear, I meant that I don't presume it will record every episode of a sesies just because I thumbed it up. If I wanted that I would set a series link.
I give things a thumb up because I like them. Yes TiVo also sets thumbs when you record things but it is completely wrong to presume that is why things are thumbed and therefore actively avoid recording them.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by gizuk

Perhaps my post wasn't clear, I meant that I don't presume it will record every episode of a sesies just because I thumbed it up. If I wanted that I would set a series link.
I give things a thumb up because I like them. Yes TiVo also sets thumbs when you record things but it is completely wrong to presume that is why things are thumbed and therefore actively avoid recording them.

I understand your first but not your second paragraph. What I think you are saying is:

1. You do not expect the TIVO to put a series link in automatically if you give a thumbs up to a programme (because of course, you set it yourself). I agree with that.

2. That you shouldn't assume that Suggestions will be populated with a particular type of programme, assuming it will pick up on your choices, and that you should record it. I also agree with that.

The beauty of the Suggestions folder if it works properly is that it can find programmes that appear to be in line with your preferences that you may otherwise have missed, and then it records them. But it should record the whole series otherwise you have gaps and miss half the story.

Set up correctly, I do think it is useful to have this and I hope that VM will ignore those who complain about it because if they don't want it they don't have to use it. Some people complain about everything and are never satisfied.

All in all, I think we agree!

[trickytree]

I had a S1 Tivo from 2002 and the Suggestions for me was only really ever good for Films. Found some right hidden gems over the years with that.
I had it hooked up to my Sky (not Sky+ back in them days) box and had the Sky Movies package and it would record maybe a couple of films a day. Sometimes films that I had already seen and therefore rated but sometimes others I had never seen or even heard of.
These film suggestions were great for those dull evenings or rainy weekends etc.

I very rarely bothered with anything else but films as apart from the likes of The Simpsons, Family Guy etc then if it was to record episode 5 of 24 in isolation it is pretty useless.

I kind of agree with both of the points being made earlier that in balance it should record some things you have previously given thumbs up to but it's beauty was it would record things that had no rating but give them a chance and you could have some great recordings. If you think it's not for you then thumbs down and you will never see it again.

[Panfried]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

There has been a problem with Suggestions not recording for some people since the last software update. A fix is currently being tested and I'm hopeful it will be deployed in the next couple of weeks.

Is there any update on this issue or did the fix fail?

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by Panfried

Is there any update on this issue or did the fix fail?

The fix was deployed a couple of days after I posted that. Is it not working?

[Panfried]

Sorry for me nothings changed, a very limited number of recordings probably only 10% of what it would have recorded before, still a 50 program limit and just mainstream channels, beebs, itv''s channel 4's or derivatives of recording. Also still nothing recording with more than a single thumb and even these are thin on the ground.

[andy_m]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

The fix was deployed a couple of days after I posted that. Is it not working?

Oh really?

That's a real shame. Never more than 50.

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by Panfried

Sorry for me nothings changed, a very limited number of recordings probably only 10% of what it would have recorded before, still a 50 program limit and just mainstream channels, beebs, itv''s channel 4's or derivatives of recording. Also still nothing recording with more than a single thumb and even these are thin on the ground.

As I explained in post #10, it deliberately records very few things with thumbs. The total of 50 is also intentional, but there should be a fairly rapid turnover of new ones. Try a bit more thumbing.

[andy_m]

What's the rationale behind the intentional 50 limit?

---------- Post added at 06:30 ---------- Previous post was at 06:26 ----------

Spiderplant, I've just re-read post 10. If I'm honest this is feeling a little like reminders. It looks a little like action has been taken because a minority of TiVo users have complained, ignoring the fact that happy users stay quiet?

Has this reworking of suggestions taken place in the US, or is it just Virgin who have decided to play about with what was a great feature?

[gizuk]

Originally Posted by andy_m

What's the rationale behind the intentional 50 limit?

---------- Post added at 06:30 ---------- Previous post was at 06:26 ----------

Spiderplant, I've just re-read post 10. If I'm honest this is feeling a little like reminders. It looks a little like action has been taken because a minority of TiVo users have complained, ignoring the fact that happy users stay quiet?

Has this reworking of suggestions taken place in the US, or is it just Virgin who have decided to play about with what was a great feature?

I have actually now turned off the setting which used to be one of the best things about TiVo. It's implementation is just stupid now!

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by andy_m

What's the rationale behind the intentional 50 limit?

On average, it records seven new Suggestions a day, so with a limit of 50 they are kept about a week. The idea is this gives you time to spot new things you like and set a Series Link for them. You shouldn't get more than two episodes of the same programme recorded as Suggestions in a week.

Originally Posted by andy_m

Spiderplant, I've just re-read post 10. If I'm honest this is feeling a little like reminders. It looks a little like action has been taken because a minority of TiVo users have complained, ignoring the fact that happy users stay quiet?

At least you can ignore reminders. To be fair, there seem to be fewer complaints about Suggestions now than before, so in that respect it has been a success. Can't say I like the new system though.

Originally Posted by andy_m

Has this reworking of suggestions taken place in the US?

Apparently not

[paultrademark]

Well done VM, you have managed to break and ruin one of the best features of TiVo