First Look: Dish Name Based Timers

[Scott Greczkowski]

SatelliteGuys was proud to be the only Internet site at Team Summit 2004, and we are proud to give you the first look at one the most requested Dish DVR features, Name Based Recording!

At the moment most Dish DVR's are like glorified VCR's you set them to record at a specific date and time and (hopefully) the DVR records it then. If you have shows set to record weekly the Dish DVR is not smart enough to notice that you show is not on one week and will record whatever airs in that time slot. Dish DVR's are also not smart enough to notice when a show is a special and it runs for a longer time, currently when a show runs long the Dish DVR records the time you set it to record (meaning you miss the end of the super sized show)

Well soon this will be a thing of the past when Dish Introduces its latest concept "Name Based Recording" with name based recording the Dish DVR's get smart and record your favorite shows based on name rather then by time!

Setting up a timer could not be easier, select the show you want to record in the guide like you do not to setup timers on the Dish DVR. From there you select how often you would like this show to record. You can tell it to only record shows that are NEW episodes (ala Season Ticket) our you can tell it to record every episode of the show with that name that airs.

From what I saw they need to add a feature so that you can set your unit to record your show only off one channel, so lets say you like Friends, and you want to record each episode which airs Monday - Friday and you want it to record off WPIX only, this way you dont also record Friends Monday through Friday which is airing on WGN and KTLA as well (since they would be the same episode)

Now Dish lets you specify what recording you REALLY want, so if Friends is on and American Idol is on (and you don't want to miss it) you can set American Idle at the higher priority (incase friends and American Idol are on at the same time) This way you never miss the show you REALLY want to see.

Now you will notice there are no times listed in the timers screen. The DVR will automaticly program itself for the correct time when it sees your show you want in the listings. And if they show is supersized you will see the complete show (unless the guide listings are wrong)

I am really looking forward to the Name Based Recording feature, and from what I have seen at Team Summit, it looks like we may see it SOON.

Thanks for visiting SatelliteGuys.US!

 

[Bizzach]

I can't wait for this!
So you don't know when it may be available, but do you know which receivers it'll be on?

 

[dlsnyder]

It was after Scott's initial announcement back in February (I think) that convinced me that a Dish 508 might be a decent alternative to Tivo with no DVR fee. So far so good - and this will make it nearly perfect.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

It will be on ALL Dish DVR's by September. With the rollout first on the 522.

 

[mikew]

Hopefully the 721 won't want to record these with a 1 min before and 3 min after default.

 

[Bizzach]

Cool! Thanks Scott.... That was exactly what I wanted to hear!

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

The default on the demo unit was 1 min before and 3 min after.

I really wish they would let you change that default.

 

[AppliedAggression]

so for a single event timer set through the guide, is it set to record by time or name?

 

[WeeJavaDude]

Another issue that would be nice to have is the ability to put in a show title to tape when it finds it. This comes in handy when you want to look for a movie. Say you want to tape "Spiderman" but it does not come up in the search. It would be nice to say "Next time you find Spiderman tape it". These are the type of features that move a DVR from the glorified VCR to a device that changes the way you manage and watch your media content.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Another issue that would be nice to have is the ability to put in a show title to tape when it finds it. This comes in handy when you want to look for a movie. Say you want to tape "Spiderman" but it does not come up in the search. It would be nice to say "Next time you find Spiderman tape it". These are the type of features that move a DVR from the glorified VCR to a device that changes the way you manage and watch your media content.

I believe you can do this.

 

[mikew]

How can it "tape" something. I thought it was a digital recording.

 

[Randy_B]

I believe you can do this.

So that means in effect we will get, NBR, Season Pass and Wish List! Just don't call them by those names.

How cool.


Now begins the weekly thread:
Scott, when is the new software going to come down!

 

[rad]

OK, who will be the first to sue E* for using some patented technology, Tivo or Replay? I'll bet some lawyer somewhere is looking over this and trying to figure out where they can get them.

 

[Stargazer]

What I do not like about the start early, end late function is if there is another event timer before or after the one you are trying to program then you might have a conflict due to it crossing over into the time that another dvr event is to be on.

With name based recording couldn't you still miss part of the beginning and/or end of a show if the station changes the time they air the show (some due it on purpose because of DVR's).

 

[dlsnyder]

That might be one way to combat the rise of the DVR - trash the schedule by starting programs a couple of minutes late or early and insert extra commercials to fill the gaps. NBC seems to have pioneered this new trend with their recent series finales of "Friends" and "Frazier". Real-time viewers would be smart enough to realize that the program wasn't over at the top of the hour. Starting early is a little more problematic but most people won't complain if all they are showing is credits or scenes from the last episode.

 

[GaryPen]

NBC seems to have pioneered this new trend with their recent series finales of "Friends" and "Frazier".

NBC isn't alone. Fox does it every week with American Idol. (My wife watches it, not me. I swear. Really.) I always have to pad it when setting up a PVR event on my 510. (Actually, I'm looking forward to the default 1/3 pad on the 721.)

I don't see how Dish NBR will compensate for this trend of starting and ending programs "whenever". Despite the fact that the event is chosen by name, it is still using the guide information to know when to begin and end the recording. It does not know that Rachel is still sitting on a plane deciding whether or not to get back with Ross. It only knows that it's 10pm, and the guide says that Friends has ended.

 

[NightRyder]

NBC isn't alone. Fox does it every week with American Idol. (My wife watches it, not me. I swear. Really.) I always have to pad it when setting up a PVR event on my 510. (Actually, I'm looking forward to the default 1/3 pad on the 721.)

I don't see how Dish NBR will compensate for this trend of starting and ending programs "whenever". Despite the fact that the event is chosen by name, it is still using the guide information to know when to begin and end the recording. It does not know that Rachel is still sitting on a plane deciding whether or not to get back with Ross. It only knows that it's 10pm, and the guide says that Friends has ended.

Just like Tivo the guide has to be correct, but if you have weekly timers set to record Friends the current timer model just sets a timer for every Thurs from 8:00 to 8:30 PM. If the show gets expanded or moved the timer simply records whatever is on channel x from 8 to 8:30 even if the information in the guide is correct. The new model can adjust the timer to the most current guide information just like Tivo can. If it follows the Tivo model it should be acurate 99% of the time.


NightRyder

 

[dlsnyder]

That's why experienced Tivo users record the next scheduled event when something like this is likely to happen, like with a sporting event. I suppose we will have to get used to it as well. We could guess based on past practice how far overtime an event is going to run and extend the timer but that will get tedious after awhile. Its probably easier to just record two events and hope for the best.

 

[dlsnyder]

NBC isn't alone. Fox does it every week with American Idol. (My wife watches it, not me. I swear. Really.) I always have to pad it when setting up a PVR event on my 510. (Actually, I'm looking forward to the default 1/3 pad on the 721.)

I don't see how Dish NBR will compensate for this trend of starting and ending programs "whenever". Despite the fact that the event is chosen by name, it is still using the guide information to know when to begin and end the recording. It does not know that Rachel is still sitting on a plane deciding whether or not to get back with Ross. It only knows that it's 10pm, and the guide says that Friends has ended.

It's OK to like "American Idol". Really!
It's not for me, but who am I to judge...

 

[GaryPen]

Just like Tivo the guide has to be correct, but if you have weekly timers set to record Friends the current timer model just sets a timer for every Thurs from 8:00 to 8:30 PM. If the show gets expanded or moved the timer simply records whatever is on channel x from 8 to 8:30 even if the information in the guide is correct. The new model can adjust the timer to the most current guide information just like Tivo can.
NightRyder

I wholeheartedly agree that NBR will be a big improvement. I'm looking forward to it!

I was just pointing out that it will not solve the problem of the networks starting and ending their programs earlier or later than what is in the guide. For that, we need to smack around the network execs.