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Are Theme based channels automatic?

112 Views 5 Replies 3 Participants Last post by diverjones, Oct 11, 2000

diverjones

Discussion Starter · Oct 10, 2000

Question. I created two theme based channels on my NEW replaytv. First let me give you a background. I was under the assumption (by reading the manual, and the welcome video) that theme based channels are automatic. From what I could understand the procedure was like this. 1) I type in a keyword and select done. 2) I tell replay what categories I want to search, and select done. 3) ReplayTv gives me a listing of shows which match my criteria and from that point I can do two things.........either browse the "keyword" listing and select any show which tickles my fancy and press the record button or...........JUST create a Theme channel without selecting any particular show.

I am under the impression that theme based channels never stop looking for shows matching my criteria and records them automatically for me without my EVER having to select individual shows and recording them. I created a theme based channel called "Cheerleading" and my intention was to record every show no matter what channel it came on, no matter what time it came on, I just wanted Replay to find them and record them for me automatically......it DID NOT happen, so I called Tech support and they tell me I actually have to select from the list (which matches my keyword) the shows I want to record and if I do not, nothing will record. This is contrary to everything in the manual and contrary to the Welcome message also. Can you guys give me the CORRECT information on this subject? Is ReplayTV the robot I thought it was, or does it only record the shows I tell it to record "specifically". Please help me with this issue. If I select from my keyword list, it creates a onetime record channel separate and apart from the theme channel? Any help is appreciated.

Dennis

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DrJoe

· #2 · Oct 10, 2000

Quote:

Originally posted by diverjones:

I am under the impression that theme based channels never stop looking for shows matching my criteria and records them automatically for me without my EVER having to select individual shows and recording them. I created a theme based channel called "Cheerleading" and my intention was to record every show no matter what channel it came on, no matter what time it came on, I just wanted Replay to find them and record them for me automatically......it DID NOT happen, so I called Tech support and they tell me I actually have to select from the list (which matches my keyword) the shows I want to record and if I do not, nothing will record. This is contrary to everything in the manual and contrary to the Welcome message also. Can you guys give me the CORRECT information on this subject? Is ReplayTV the robot I thought it was, or does it only record the shows I tell it to record "specifically". Please help me with this issue. If I select from my keyword list, it creates a onetime record channel separate and apart from the theme channel? Any help is appreciated.

Yes, you are correct in your assumption that the channel should continue to search for programming.

HOWEVER,

a) Is the channel guaranteed? Recordings to this channel will not receive priority unless it is guaranteed -- and even then, show-based channels will take priority.

b) There may not be anything in the theme to record -- When you set up the theme was there anything in it? If there wasn't, it will do nothing until a show does come on. A quick setup/check -- go to zones, create a zone and input "cheerleading". Select done. Then choose the keywords search. You should go to a window where the theme is displayed. The Replay unit will go through the guide day by day and show you what would be recorded on the channel. If it searches through all 8 days and finds nothing, nothing will be recorded -- go back and try a different search word (like "cheer"). When your search is successful, click on "create the XXX theme channel" and set the recording options for how many hours, and at what priority/recording level.

I have several themes that regularly stay empty -- my Cleveland Browns channel often misses NFL Films shows... Often when I will run Replay Zones, Sports, Football, and scroll through the offerings for the week and pick the ones I think my Browns channel missed....

Good Luck

Joe

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diverjones

Discussion Starter · #3 · Oct 11, 2000

Thanks for responding to my questions. I thought I was reading my manual correctly. To clear up a few assumptions. I know there were shows relating to my keyword "cheerleading" as they showed up in response to my inquiry when I made the channel. This last Sunday afternoon and again Monday evening. My recording space was almost empty...........so the channel should have recorded anything with cheerleading in the description and showtitle (the way I set it up). It failed miserably. It recorded neither of the shows on ESPN even though the title of the show was "cheerleading" go figure. Now I am worried that if replay can "not" record those two shows, what else will it not record when it should. I must have looked at my settings 10 times to see if perhaps I did something wrong and well...........it "ain't" that complicated, and I am pretty handy with things like ReplayTV so I do not know why it did not record.

I can say with confidence that it had enough disk space. I have 8 or nine showbased channels set up, but they were empty (no episodes recorded) and from what I can tell, theme based shows can borrow time from showbased recordings if there aren't any shows for them left on the hard drive.

Any ideas?

Dennis

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diverjones

Discussion Starter · #4 · Oct 11, 2000

Now I am getting upset. I just discovered that my other theme channel did not record the movie it originally pulled up when I created the channel. I have got to be doing something wrong. Here is the blueprint. I pull up the on-screen key pad and type my keyword. This keyword was "Dunst" ReplayTV finds the movie "Tower of Terror" and several episodes of "ER" which was coming on this week. I did not select any individual show, however I select "Create the Dunst theme channel" Now this channel appears in my replay guide and when you highlight the channel it says that the channel will record programs containing my keyword "Dunst" and the default (I assume) is guaranteed 30 mins. I assume this means that when space is limited, I will at least get 30 mins of the program, but if I have enough space I will get the entire show. What is wrong in this picture? When I pause live TV at the present I have 7 hrs showing up. Replay should have recorded this show but did not.

I am at a loss. In my mind, I have fulfilled all of the requirements yet my theme based channels continue to dis-illusion me by failing. I really need some help here, as this "automatic" feature of theme based channels is THE one feature which sold me on the DVR and with ReplayTV.

Dennis

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karog

· #5 · Oct 11, 2000

Quote:

Originally posted by diverjones:
I assume this means that when space is limited, I will at least get 30 mins of the program, but if I have enough space I will get the entire show

Another point is that ReplayTV does NOT record partial shows like this. I wish it WOULD record partial shows when that is the best it can do and that is on my wishlist, but it does not.

Exceptions are if you push REC while watching live or STOP to stop a current recording. And, of course, the new Manual Recording will allow partial shows.

karog

[This message has been edited by karog (edited 10-11-2000).]

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diverjones

Discussion Starter · #6 · Oct 11, 2000

Quote:

Originally posted by Gil T. Pleasure:
Dennis, I think I see your problem. You need to set the "number of hours to keep" to at least 1 hour since the cheerleading shows are 1 hour long. The theme based recording will not record anything longer than the number of hours alocated onto it. If the cheerleading show is only 30 mins long, then it will record.

Hope that helps.

Thanks Gil, and Replay Mike! The defaults must be set to a guaranteed 30 mins. when one creates a theme channel. I was not increasing the number of guaranteed mins from 30 to 2hrs on the "Dunst Channel" (the minimum for a movie I suppose). So the way you figure, I could have all of the room in the world on my disk, but if the guaranteed recording mins of the channel is only 30 mins and the show is longer than that it will not record? This makes sense. I have already received MORE help here than I did with the phone support person who tried to tell me every thing in the manual is worded wrong, and theme based channels aren't automatic at all.

Thanks guys, I will try your suggestions, and if it works out fine I will post it here on this board. Again thanks for all of your suggestions and advice.

Dennis

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