Qustion about DVR

[mentsmin]

Though I've had several different cable providers and uverse, and I've used many different kinds of DVRs--I still find Dish's DVR interface to be confusing (even after reading the guide). Perhaps someone might be kind enough to clear a few things up for me.

I think a major issue is that they seem to go out of their way to use a 'different' terminology than is common (or than I'm aware of). I understand that the tuner can be set in dual or single mode. We have two televisions--our main television is HD, the other is SD.

I guess my first question is this: How do I keep the television from switching to the channel that's set to record when the recording starts? I can then turn back to the program I'm watching live, but I'm assuming you can start a recording without being forced to tune to that channel. I have "Record Plus" (no idea what that is) enabled and the record preference set to "TV2" (which I assume means the 2nd tuner and can be HD or SD, regardless of the fact that our literal 'second' television is SD only).

 

[Dah-Henny]

I guess my first question is this: How do I keep the television from switching to the channel that's set to record when the recording starts? I can then turn back to the program I'm watching live, but I'm assuming you can start a recording without being forced to tune to that channel. I have "Record Plus" (no idea what that is) enabled and the record preference set to "TV2" (which I assume means the 2nd tuner and can be HD or SD, regardless of the fact that our literal 'second' television is SD only).

In Record Plus, make sure it's set to record on the tuner that you're not watching, and it won't change channels on you. If set to TV2, for example, whoever is tuned to TV2 will be forced to watch while recording is in progress.

 

[Dah-Henny]

record preference set to "TV2" (which I assume means the 2nd tuner and can be HD or SD, regardless of the fact that our literal 'second' television is SD only).

Correct.

 

[mentsmin]

In Record Plus, make sure it's set to record on the tuner that you're not watching, and it won't change channels on you. If set to TV2, for example, whoever is tuned to TV2 will be forced to watch while recording is in progress.

This is how I believed we had it set.

However, right before the recording is about to start, a little icon pops up letting us know that the recording is about to start. Then, the channel switches.

It is possible to switch back and forth between TV1 and TV2? When I press Menu, I see a green TV1 icon in the top right corner. I assume this means I'm on turner 1. And again, record plus is set to TV2 for the record preference.

What else could I be doing wrong?

 

[mentsmin]

OK, I've done a bit of digging and notice that most of the programs in the list to be recorded have TV2 next to them. However, one of the programs (the same one it switched on me today) says TV1 next to it. Why is this? Is it because it's set to record to the external drive?

 

[Dah-Henny]

I think you can only switch back and forth if it's in single mode using PIP, but I'm not completely sure.

However, one of the programs (the same one it switched on me today) says TV1 next to it. Why is this?

Typically, it records to what the user has specified. Maybe a fluke? You might cancel the timer & re-schedule it to TV2.

 

[Dah-Henny]

One more thing...if you hit record at the same time a program starts, you get a pop-up asking which tuner to use, usually the tuner that you're tuned to.

 

[Dah-Henny]

After more thought, it may switch to TV1 if there is a conflict with another scheduled recording.

 

[mentsmin]

Thanks!

 

[KKlare]

Some comments as I see it:

There are 2 outputs: one HD and the other SD. They are not synonymous with the tuners although they are associated with them for some live viewing. The recording streams are separate from the output streams.

There are 3 tuners, 2 satellite and 1 OTA (or 2 OTA for the 722k).

In dual mode it will record in place of your viewed program unless your use record plus and select the other tuner beforehand. To change streams you would have to go to the DVR menu and select the program. (Note limitation on viewing OTA on TV2.) Each output can be the matching input stream or a playback one. Recall changes channel and for TV1 output (non-722k) can change to OTA or satellite depending on the previous viewing.

In single mode your can use Swap (even without PIP on) to change the viewing output. Both outputs 1 and 2 are the same tuner/replay stream. You can swap tuners or use recall to switch the input stream for the output.

Tricky, a bad OTA stream although not viewed may cause error messages on a viewed stream. The only way out is to get it off that OTA channel.

I'm sure I missed a few/many points, sorry.

-Ken

 

[sam_gordon]

After more thought, it may switch to TV1 if there is a conflict with another scheduled recording.

This is what I thought. Granted, I have a 612 (no 2nd output), but I'm constantly getting the 2-minute warning popup because tuner 1 is needed for a recording. 99% of the time it's because my pre-teen daughter has set so many shows to record, two of them are on simultaneously, and the DVR needs both tuners to record. :rant:

 

[mentsmin]

This is what I thought. Granted, I have a 612 (no 2nd output), but I'm constantly getting the 2-minute warning popup because tuner 1 is needed for a recording. 99% of the time it's because my pre-teen daughter has set so many shows to record, two of them are on simultaneously, and the DVR needs both tuners to record. :rant:

This is what I initially thought the problem was, but there was no other recording scheduled.

I didn't personally set up the series recording, so I'm unsure--does it allow you to select which tuner records the program on a by-recording basis? Would this then override the general setting to give preference to TV2?

 

[nezerach]

if there is a recording scheduled right before or right after the one you are looking at. there are settings to start early and end late in the timer options. the default is 1 min early and 3min late on all recordings unless it has been changed. the overlap of those few minutes can push your recodong to the other "available" tuner.

 

[KKlare]

Note, the Options extra time is ignored if there is a conflict and the extra is less than say 3 minutes. It may be different for before and after, too. It may also be ignored if recordings are for successive programs on the same channel.

Too bad: (1) you cannot set negative extra time on programs that you know always end early, (2) you can modify the end time of the timer but the nightly reboot will cause it to be ignored.
-Ken