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Network Tricks Regarding DVR's

M

Mark_Giardina

Guest
I subscribe to cable TV and also pay extra each month to have a DVR. Unfortunately when I go to record a program, say Boston Legal, which is suppose to start at 10:00 pm, the network decides to start the show at 10:01 or 10:02 which means that the DVR does not record the show.

This is just one example of that appears to be a growing problem as the networks are so concerned that people are pre-recording shows so they can fast-forward commercials that they purposely are fooling around with the start time of every show after 8pm.

My local cable company says there is a way around this. Instead of recording a show on an automatic basis, instead record it on a weekly basis and just change the time the show is to record from say 10pm to 10:01. While that would help, it’s still not right for the network to play these silly games.

If a show is scheduled to air at 10pm then damnit start the show at 10pm not one or two minutes later just to screw around with someone's recording device so that the network can make sure people can see repetitious commercials for Quiznos sub sandwiches....or local car dealers screaming at you. I pay extra for a DVR to avoid that dribble. And I also pay the local cable company good money so I really should not have to see commercials in the first place.
 
There is another problem for those who watch in real time.
With shows running a minute or two over, if there is a show on another channel you want to watch, you will wind up missing the first few minutes of the other show.
 
I have DirecTV and we do not have this problem with our DVR. If a show is scheduled to start at 10:01pm, then it shows up in the program guide for 10:01pm and records appropriately. I have never had the problem that you describe.
 
Didn't at one time TBS start things at :05 and :35 for some reason?
 
My cable company's guide also uses the :01 or :02 times if the network provides them to TV Guide, so no problem there either.

It's all business, no need to get bent out of shape. It's likely less about recorded shows--and thus ads-- since that won't be impacted by the 1-2 minute difference as it is about maintaining audience flow.
 
voicetrack said:
I've noticed the late start times, but I've never had a problem with my DVR recording the show.
Click to expand...
For some reason my DVR won't record a show, even if it starts one or two minutes after the scheduled time its suppose to run. It happend last night after Desperate Housewifes when I tried to tape Sisters and Brothers and the week before with Boston Legal. Even though both shows were side-by-side in the 9-11 time slot. This only happens when a show does not start right on the hour.
 
Yes, I still remember "WCW Saturday Night" always starting at 6:05 PM (ET) on "the SuperStation". :)
 
Mark Giardina said:
I subscribe to cable TV and also pay extra each month to have a DVR. Unfortunately when I go to record a program, say Boston Legal, which is suppose to start at 10:00 pm, the network decides to start the show at 10:01 or 10:02 which means that the DVR does not record the show.

This is just one example of that appears to be a growing problem as the networks are so concerned that people are pre-recording shows so they can fast-forward commercials that they purposely are fooling around with the start time of every show after 8pm.
Click to expand...

Nope...you're wrong. This has absolutely NOTHING to do with DVR's. This is simply about programming and keeping the audience (or as many as they can) into the next program and nothing more. If you were a programmer, you would do the same thing.

If a show is scheduled to air at 10pm then damnit start the show at 10pm not one or two minutes later just to screw around with someone's recording device so that the network can make sure people can see repetitious commercials for Quiznos sub sandwiches....or local car dealers screaming at you. I pay extra for a DVR to avoid that dribble.
Click to expand...
No, that is not why you pay extra for it. You pay extra for the convienience of having a DVR.

And I also pay the local cable company good money so I really should not have to see commercials in the first place.
Click to expand...
Oh come on, man. Again, you're wrong. You pay for the service. Someone has to pay for the programming. That's where the commercials come in.
 
Mark Giardina said:
voicetrack said:
I've noticed the late start times, but I've never had a problem with my DVR recording the show.
Click to expand...
For some reason my DVR won't record a show, even if it starts one or two minutes after the scheduled time its suppose to run. It happend last night after Desperate Housewifes when I tried to tape Sisters and Brothers and the week before with Boston Legal. Even though both shows were side-by-side in the 9-11 time slot. This only happens when a show does not start right on the hour.
Click to expand...
You should contact your cable company and alert them of this problem. Sounds like it could be a technical glitch either with your DVR or with the program guide.
 
[/quote]
You should contact your cable company and alert them of this problem. Sounds like it could be a technical glitch either with your DVR or with the program guide.
[/quote]

I did contact my cable company and they replaced the DVR machine. Yet last night Boston Legal started at 10:01, and even though I had the show in the record mode, it didn't start at 10. So I had to manually record Boston Legal. When I called Time Warner to complain I got some guy with an Indian accent on the phone. I couldn't understand a word he was saying. I wasn't aware that Time Warner had a branch office in New Delhi.

::)
 
When faced with the South Asian problem, demand to speak to a supervisor and say you do not understand what they are saying.
 
Hi everyone:
MarcB said:
Unfortuantely a lot of companies are sending their "Customer No Service Deparments" (as Clark Howard calls them) to Indian. Cheaper Labor.
Click to expand...
If you don't get someone in India, you get someone from China.

But if you're lucky, you'll get someone from Guam. And even if you are lucky enough to get someone from the U.S., chances are they aren't in your hometown.

Only in RARE cases will you ever get someone that's not only from the U.S., but is also in your hometown.

Just my opinion FWIW :D

Cheers :D
 
Hi everyone:
Nertz! said:
When faced with the South Asian problem, demand to speak to a supervisor and say you do not understand what they are saying.
Click to expand...
What if you can't understand the supervisor either?

Cheers :D
 
MarcB said:
Nick-At-Nite does this all the time with start time similar to this: :mad:

9PM
9:32PM
10:02PM
10:35PM
11:07PM
11:40PM
12:15AM
12:48AM
1:20AM
1:53AM
2:27AM
3:00AM
3:32AM
4:05AM
4:37AM
5:10AM
5:40AM
Click to expand...

TVLand must do the same. Quite often, I'm up watching TV late, and I've noticed that shows would start and end with very odd times, similar to the ones that you mentioned.
 
Thye various companies using offshore and foreign call centers could not care less if callers can't understand the supposed customer service personnel (one company calls them "agents.") The companies' intent is to get callers to hang up in disgust and quit bothering them, in the first place. Last week I spent 20 minutes attempting to untangle the gibberish I was getting regarding my cell phone. When I asked to speak to a supervisor he came across with the sparkling explanation, "It sounds like your phone isn't working right." Case rested.
 
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