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Are networks getting sneaky when it comes to DVR?

M

Mark Giardina

Sunday night for example two shows that I DRV did not start right on the hour as they normally do. One started two minutes late while the other show, on a different channel I might add, ended three minutes later. Recently I've noticed this being a trend on other networks as well.

It brings me to the question do you think networks are purposely starting shows later in an attempt to reduce the number of people who DVR or video tape in order to fast-forward pass the commercials; which by the way I happen to do.

I would be interested in reading your comments.
 
I don't think it's as much an attempt to stop people from DVRing as it is an attempt to keep people locked into one network for the night if they're watching live. If you're watching "Good Wife" on CBS and it ends at 10:02 instead of 10:00, are you going to flip over to NBC or ABC where a show is already underway?

As long as the network correctly reports start times to the listing services, it shouldn't affect DVR viewers at all - if they're using a listing service and not setting their DVRs manually. My Time Warner DVR will just as reliably record something scheduled from 9:01-10:02 as it will something scheduled from 9:00-10:00.
 
Given that it's usually the END of the program that tends to run over (most often)
I tend to record manually and add an extra minute to the end of each recording. That usually solves the problem.

I do agree have to agree with Mr. Fybush though, that maybe it's simply an effort to keep you on THEIR network longer and try to make you miss the beginning of another show on another network when you watch live.

TBS is the one I recall to be MOST famous for this, setting shows to start at 5 past the hour...
 
Scott Fybush said:
I don't think it's as much an attempt to stop people from DVRing as it is an attempt to keep people locked into one network for the night if they're watching live. If you're watching "Good Wife" on CBS and it ends at 10:02 instead of 10:00, are you going to flip over to NBC or ABC where a show is already underway?

As long as the network correctly reports start times to the listing services, it shouldn't affect DVR viewers at all - if they're using a listing service and not setting their DVRs manually. My Time Warner DVR will just as reliably record something scheduled from 9:01-10:02 as it will something scheduled from 9:00-10:00.
Click to expand...

I'm asleep by 11:00, so I DVR The Daily Show and Colbert Report to watch the next evening. When I have them set to start at the exact right time, they will occasionally start early or end late. Stewart's closing segment: ("That's our show. Here's your moment of Zen...") will sometimes be on the end of The Daily Show, and sometimes on the beginning of Colbert. So Comedy Central obviously varies starting and ending times. Whether this is by design, or accident, I couldn't say.

Our Comcast supplied DVR (and others, I assume) allow you to chage time settings in the "Series Recording" option. So you can set a show to start X minutes early, end X minutes late, or both. That solves the problem.
 
The start and stop times is really annoying. I have recorded shows like"Dancing with the stars" or "American Idol" so I can find out who was voted off only to find out that the machine cut off before finding out. I've also had the endings get cut off of dramas and cop shows and not finding out "who done it". Most of the time I add a couple mins to the beginning and end.
 
As long as the network correctly reports start times to the listing services, it shouldn't affect DVR viewers at all
Click to expand...

In Denver, the local NBC, ABC, and CBS affiliates often start the prime time network shows up to 3 minutes early. And, no, they do not report the correct times to the listing services. Nearly every night, if you tune in or start recording at the time stated, you have missed the teaser, the opening credits, and half of the 1st commercial. I don't care what time they want to start the show (and, yes, I adjust my DVR to compensate), all I ask is to start at the advertised time.
 
Wait I noticed KGO & KPIX would start their 6pm Newscasts at 5:58 or 5:59 pm but thats to add more local revenue into the National Newscasts spots.
 
This is a huge annoyance. As mentioned above, I've had to adjust most of my series recordings accordingly. None of these shows list their correct start and end times.

The Simpsons and Family Guy both start early and late (more than a minute early in the case of the former). For The Daily Show and The Colbert Report I set Daily to start recording a minute early and stop a half hour late. That way I get both shows.
 
I had Uverse up until about a year ago. The DVR would start recording 2 minutes early and end 1 minute late (or vice versa) without manually changing the settings. Very convenient.
 
dish Network DVRs have a setting which allows a recording to begin a bit early or a bit late. The default: 1 minute early and 3 minutes late - 60 min. late for sports events. That's come in handy for hockey fans of late.

I presume DIRECTV DVRs have a similar setup.
 
Isn't this a tactic usually reserved for weaker networks that are down in the ratings?
Like back in the day when TBS would begin all of their shows at :05 and :35 to capture all
of the viewers who had already found none of the other choices appealing?
 
quadraphonic said:
Yeziknoradio said:
TBS is the one I recall to be MOST famous for this, setting shows to start at 5 past the hour...
Click to expand...
They were famous for it, because they promoted it. They didn't hide it at all. ;)
Click to expand...

In fact, they did so so they could stand out in the TV listings.
 
Mark_Giardina said:
Sunday night for example two shows that I DRV did not start right on the hour as they normally do. One started two minutes late while the other show, on a different channel I might add, ended three minutes later. Recently I've noticed this being a trend on other networks as well.

It brings me to the question do you think networks are purposely starting shows later in an attempt to reduce the number of people who DVR or video tape in order to fast-forward pass the commercials; which by the way I happen to do.

I would be interested in reading your comments.

I dont have a dvr right now but when I had Direct TV I set the dvr to start 5 minutes before and 15 after.just in case the show does not finish on time. A classic for running over for years is WWE's Monday NIGHT RAW while its live on Monday night.The show can end on time at 11:05 pm or run over up to 20 minutes.They do seem to edit it down to fit the two hour re-run on UNIVERSAL HD Sat nights.
Click to expand...
 
quadraphonic said:
Yeziknoradio said:
TBS is the one I recall to be MOST famous for this, setting shows to start at 5 past the hour...
Click to expand...
They were famous for it, because they promoted it. They didn't hide it at all. ;)
Click to expand...

And it was the straw on the camel's back that took TBS off my menu for good. Haven't been back since.
 
Scott Fybush said:
My Time Warner DVR will just as reliably record something scheduled from 9:01-10:02 as it will something scheduled from 9:00-10:00.
Click to expand...

S-

My DVR won't do that. In fact I've been finding it next to impossible to record a series let along just one program. I called TW but they wanted me to either bring in the unit or take a day off from work and wait from 9-5 so that a repairman can come to the house.

You think its the machine (or me) that has the problem recording?
 
Mark_Giardina said:
Scott Fybush said:
My Time Warner DVR will just as reliably record something scheduled from 9:01-10:02 as it will something scheduled from 9:00-10:00.
Click to expand...

S-

My DVR won't do that. In fact I've been finding it next to impossible to record a series let along just one program. I called TW but they wanted me to either bring in the unit or take a day off from work and wait from 9-5 so that a repairman can come to the house.

You think its the machine (or me) that has the problem recording?
Click to expand...

DVRs record based on the times listed in your program guide. So look in your program guide and see if the times look correct. Sometimes there can be bad guide data. Also, check your series settings. Make sure you do not have it set to "Selected Time Only" (or something like that). That way if they change the time even slightly it will still record.
 
Mark_Giardina said:
Scott Fybush said:
My Time Warner DVR will just as reliably record something scheduled from 9:01-10:02 as it will something scheduled from 9:00-10:00.
Click to expand...

S-

My DVR won't do that. In fact I've been finding it next to impossible to record a series let along just one program. I called TW but they wanted me to either bring in the unit or take a day off from work and wait from 9-5 so that a repairman can come to the house.

You think its the machine (or me) that has the problem recording?
Click to expand...

TWC's DVR software can be buggy, and the hardware has issues sometimes, too. I've had problems from time to time getting a series recording to "take." If you don't have a lot of stuff stored up on yours that you want to keep, take it in and swap it for another one.
 
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