Recording American Idol with MyFreeview

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bazzer

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#77708 21-Feb-2011 10:57

I have a JC Matthew DVR-320T. It seems unable to record Saturday night's episode of American Idol (the one that spans Lotto). Has anyone successfully recording this using a MyFreeview PVR? I'm trying to figure out if it's JC Matthew's issue or an EPG (i.e. all MyFreeview PVRs) thing?

I'm sure I've recorded movies before with Lotto in the middle, and I vaguely recall having this problem before but that it fixed itself up. The problem is that the episode in the EPG is split as two series linked recordings. I have the PVR set to record 10 minutes after the show, but it will only record until 8.10 (ie 10 minutes after Lotto starts), so we miss the last 25 minutes or so.

It seems like after Lotto it figures the program is already recording so doesn't bother starting the new one and then that one eventually ends.

Obviously, I'm only interested in MyFreeview boxes, so it doesn't matter if your Tivo, PC, DVB-S or whatever records it OK.

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#441862 21-Feb-2011 11:25

Hey mate, I'll check this next week. A real pain as we deleted that recording last night deciding we weren't going to watch that episode so I can't check it.

On a slightly sideways note...
I've noticed that when you book a series (say that might johnson one) then the freeview MHEG5 EPG shows a little recording S symbol by every mention of it. That is to say it's got an S by the later showing a week later and the TV3+1 showing as well.

However, the recording is set to which ever one you actually booked it on. This means you can't book to record the catchup and the original because the unit thinks it's already booked. It's like the original push to series record stores the unique code for that instance of the shows, but the guide goes on the show name and shows the S by every instance.

I'm not sure if any of this is JC Matthew specific but it's a pain.

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bazzer

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#441869 21-Feb-2011 11:43

I think all that happens is it books the next episode. So normally that would be the original screening. Once that has recorded, it sets the next one. It knows it just recorded a particualr episode (by ID, I guess) so it skips any repeats.

If you tried to series link after the original screening then it should pick up the repeat since that is the first episode to screen. I think it's by design, and it makes sense to me.

The related problem is if you miss the start of a program and try to record the upcoming TV3+1 version via the EPG, it instead starts recording the one on TV3 that has already started (presumably because they have the same ID). I've never tested it, but my assumption is that it would only record the partial TV3 show and ignore the TV3+1, so that's a bit useless.

One idea I had for my original problem is recording Lotto too, but it doesn't seem like you can do that. Another idea was to remove the +10 minute padding which would probably but then I'd risk missing the start or end of the rest of my shows. I could turn it on and off before/after AI, but that sort of misses the point.

Lurch

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#441878 21-Feb-2011 12:00

Havent had any problems with my magictv box.

bazzer

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#441881 21-Feb-2011 12:05

Lurch: Havent had any problems with my magictv box.

Does it record as two seperate events, or one with Lotto in the middle? Do you have more than 5 minutes overlap on your recordings (i.e. would the first event finish before the end of Lotto)?

Lurch

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#441893 21-Feb-2011 12:15

Records it split in two, "American Idol" and then "American Idol continues" I have it run 10 minutes after the recording.

With the TV3+1 when I book a program on TV3 that I've missed it will just start recording it from TV3+1 even if it's 20 minutes or so into the program.

Another cool thing I've noticed is if I miss the first 20 minutes to an hour of a program on TV2 it's buffered enough so it records the entire program :)

bazzer

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#441903 21-Feb-2011 12:50

Lurch: Records it split in two, "American Idol" and then "American Idol continues" I have it run 10 minutes after the recording.

I'm sure mine used to do the same on other programs in that time slot.

Lurch:With the TV3+1 when I book a program on TV3 that I've missed it will just start recording it from TV3+1 even if it's 20 minutes or so into the program.

Not sure what you mean here. If you're 20 minutes in, then it won't start on TV3+1 for another 40 minutes. Mine will record the last 40 minutes on TV3 when really I want it to wait 40 minutes and record the whole thing on TV3+1.

Lurch:Another cool thing I've noticed is if I miss the first 20 minutes to an hour of a program on TV2 it's buffered enough so it records the entire program :)

This is cool. I don't think the JC Matthews PVR buffers unless paused. I wonder what effect constant buffering will have on HDD life?

Jimmy22

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#441987 21-Feb-2011 16:30

no problems with magic tv box here either on series link.

a thought though... if you were recording another channel AND had some overlapp after your recordings most boxes will only record two channels at the same time so in your case you could be recording one other channel and then because the first part of sat am idol was not finished recording (+ 10 min over lapp) the second half would be unable to start. i hope you get what i mean :)

bazzer

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#442000 21-Feb-2011 17:07

I don't get what you mean. In any case, I'm not recording anything else at the time.

I don't see your scenario being a problem. There would never be three simultaneous recordings required. The overlap is on the same channel, so shouldn't be a problem (i.e. it's no different to recording two consecutive shows as well as another channel). All that happens is the first recording usually cuts off when the second recording on the same channel starts.

Looks like I'm going to have to contact JC Matthew and get them to look into it. Didn't do much good with the last problem we had, although this one should be easier to figure out, I'd have thought.

Anyone not on a Magic TV? Zinwell? Homecast?

Jaxson

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#442241 22-Feb-2011 09:29

Mate mine didn't record the johnsons last night again.

Utter bullsht, it recorded whatever was in front of it and then just kept on going recording that for 20 minutes or so into the johnsons. I had cleared the series record and selected the proper main show yesterday morning too, so did this on the same day as the show.

Because of that stupid situation I was trying to describe either, it's very difficult to select other versions of th same show to record on other times/channels. The freeview MHEG5 EPG shows the R or S symbol next to all showings of the same named show. This means I can't schedule the main Johnsons show and then schedule the TV3+1 version separately, or even the week later catchup show. You can't book all 3 as individual/separate series to record.

Anyway, ended up manually starting a record on crapo-SD-vision TV3+1.

I have no problems recording the two similar adjacent shows on a Tuesday night.

bazzer

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#442250 22-Feb-2011 09:45

Mine did the same, but you should find that if you'd had a series link, it would have reset it to the repeat screening later in the week. That's what mine did for that and Hawaii 5-0. Both recorded on the repeat screening.

I suspect it's something related to the EPG. If you're around, you'll find that the recording drops off some time during the day. I think it's when the EPG refreshes. Once this happens, if you go to the right channel and set the recording from the guide, it works.

The same problem occurred for me with 24 last year, but it started working. I figured they'd done something different with the EPG. Time to email Freeview/JC Matthew again, I guess.

Lurch

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#442253 22-Feb-2011 09:53

bazzer: Not sure what you mean here. If you're 20 minutes in, then it won't start on TV3+1 for another 40 minutes. Mine will record the last 40 minutes on TV3 when really I want it to wait 40 minutes and record the whole thing on TV3+1.

If say I miss a program on TV3 I just hit record and it will wait for the program to start on TV3+1 and record the entire program for me. I've also noticed if I've missed a program on other channels and there is a rescreening of a program at a later date it will record that instead. Had the impression freeview certed boxes should all do this?

bazzer:This is cool. I don't think the JC Matthews PVR buffers unless paused. I wonder what effect constant buffering will have on HDD life?

Not sure on the HDD life side of it, but from memory it can be disabled but I find it handy. Have had it for over year still going strong.

bazzer

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#442265 22-Feb-2011 10:17

Lurch:
bazzer: Not sure what you mean here. If you're 20 minutes in, then it won't start on TV3+1 for another 40 minutes. Mine will record the last 40 minutes on TV3 when really I want it to wait 40 minutes and record the whole thing on TV3+1.

If say I miss a program on TV3 I just hit record and it will wait for the program to start on TV3+1 and record the entire program for me. I've also noticed if I've missed a program on other channels and there is a rescreening of a program at a later date it will record that instead. Had the impression freeview certed boxes should all do this?

I haven't had a big play around with this, but I might have a look. I'm pretty sure mine will just start recording the incomplete show and doesn't check the EPG for a later screening. Maybe it does and I never noticed...

Lurch

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#443019 24-Feb-2011 12:09

Very strange as the freeview box gets the instructions from the EPG? Maybe a firmware update on your box?

Jaxson

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#444335 1-Mar-2011 09:49

bazzer: I have a JC Matthew DVR-320T. It seems unable to record Saturday night's episode of American Idol (the one that spans Lotto). Has anyone successfully recording this using a MyFreeview PVR? I'm trying to figure out if it's JC Matthew's issue or an EPG (i.e. all MyFreeview PVRs) thing?

Went back and checked last Saturdays Idol recording.
It runs for 41 minutes, but that includes a bit at the start from the proceeding show/ad break etc.
It just ends and it does not contain lotto.
This is scheduled on series record using the EPG.

Did you ever find out if this is a JC Matthew unit thing or common across the board?
The Zinwells were almost identical so would be keen to see what's going on there.

Jimmy22

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#444346 1-Mar-2011 10:10

JCMatthew New Zealand

Lower ground floor , 111 Newton Rd. Newton, Auckland 1010 New Zealand

Tel:+64 9 9484690
Fax:+64 9 3581887
E-Mail:RMA@jcmatthew.com.au

Def your box , no issues with the EPG causing this issue.

long term fix :

www.magictv.co.nz ? tivo seems to be best value currently but they let go 30 staff recently i think ?

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