[ScottJ]

I recently bought a 5040 to replace my old 3030. We still have the Power and Record lights on the front, but no more New Content light. Why not? I think the New Content light is much more informative and useful than the Record light. I don't really care if it's recording something right now, I would rather know if there's anything new to watch since I last looked.


Without the light, I have to sit down and turn everything (TV, receiver, ReplayTV) on, tune everything to the right inputs, hit Replay Guide, and scroll around to see if there's anything new.


Yes I could automate all that with a remote macro, but you're still talking ten seconds or more, versus a quick glance at the LED.


Please ReplayTV bring back the New Content light!

 

[KenL]

I never even noticed it was gone until you mentioned it.


But of the 2, the recording indicator is far more important.


BTW I believe it's too late to bring it back now, get a 45xx instead?

 

[ScottJ]

Quote:

Originally posted by KenL But of the 2, the recording indicator is far more important.

I'm curious why you say this. Whether or not it's recording doesn't really affect my use of the box. You can't channel surf when it's recording, but who does that anymore? Everything else works (or should work) just the same whether or not it's recording.

 

[KenL]

Well you can just quickly glance @ the red to make sure it's recording when it should be.


As for the "new content" light, I never noticed how that worked. My machines always have new content on them. I've never paid attention to it. And I guess I was also used to DBS boxes, where the light signaled that you had spam.

 

[ScottJ]

Quote:

Originally posted by KenL the light signaled that you had spam.

Bahaha.


The way it worked on the 3030 is the New Content light would come on as soon as any recording finished. It would go off the next time you entered and exited the Replay Guide.


Ideally the light would come on before the recording finished, since that content is available already. But whatever. It also had a bug (or feature?) where if you started watching a show before it was finished recording, then deleted it when you were done, the New Content light was still on, even though you'd already deleted the new show.


I don't usually remember when or what my ReplayTV is supposed to be recording, so checking the record light is not something I normally do.

 

[KenL]

I see.


Well the only times I'll check is if I'm home and it's something critical.


My "new content" lights are usually on... I'm always so far behind watching things.


And only one of my units has been within line-of-sight to notice the led's anyway.

 

[Ed Rempalski]

I agree, the record lite is most critical.


With all my bad luck with stuttering and re-boots, I check to see if the Replays are busy recording and now avoid playing when they are recording. I really hope they do something about this...

 

[Ghoul]

Actually... a "new message light" is more useful. How many people notice when net connects don't happen? Or there was a conflict that you didn't know about?

 

[Ace987]

How about a "conflict detected" LED instead?


The "new content" LED is almost useless to myself. Like KenL my ReplayTV almost always has new content on it. The "recording" LED is nice since I can tell when shows are suppose to be recording and are not. I understand for most people it would be too late, but for those of us with east/west coast feeds, we can record the show later that night. Not that this happens often, but it's far more useful than the "new content" light.

 

[kcgr]

For me, the "new content light" was fairly useful when I had only a 30 gig drive in the showstopper. There wasn't as much content on it, so I checked the light, looking forward to the next thing coming up to watch that was recorded. After dropping in a 100 gig drive, then having the 2 kids want daily recordings of the Wiggles and Blue's Clues, the damn light is always on when I get home. I have to check and see if it recorded what I really wanted (soccer and sci-fi) by going into the guide, because I know there is ALWAYS new content, courtesy of my kids. I've basically stopped looking at the light.


If you have space, you will fill it. I know I did during the world cup. 2 machines full with every single game. Green light on everytime I looked at the machine.

 

[Jazzsax]

Quote:

Originally posted by ScottJ I'm curious why you say this. Whether or not it's recording doesn't really affect my use of the box. You can't channel surf when it's recording, but who does that anymore? Everything else works (or should work) just the same whether or not it's recording.

In my case, my satellite receiver is connected up to two outputs; to the TV directly so I can view the PPV guide easily and to the ReplayTV for recording. Some times, the kids come in and switch to the non-replayTV signal and decide to watch something else while it's recording. Now, I've told them to not touch the TV if the Record light is on.


I never use the New Content light because I always seem to have new content, and it becomes useless for the most part.

 

[Serra]

Quote:

Originally posted by Ace987 The "new content" LED is almost useless to myself.

Me too, "new content" means I haven't been watching TV in the last two hours. Normally, I can remember that well enough on my own!