Considering TIVO, have questions.

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

So I've been considering getting a tivo and subscription, but still
havea few questions. First, I have a harmony 659 remote control, that
I'm sure will work with the tivo. This remote has a feature that
allows programming info to be uploaded, so the remote's LCD serves as
a channel guide. The problem is, that at least one on the channel's is
not in sync: whenever the remote is updated, or even looking at the
cable company's channel guide, it tells you the show will start 2
hours before it actually starts, Ie, if the channel guide says it will
start at noon, it really starts at 2:00 pm. Anyways, is there a way to
adjust for this on the tivo so I can record the show I want, not what
was on before it, without manually setting up record times? Thanks.

 

[sinner]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

* GTD Wrote in alt.video.ptv.tivo:

> So I've been considering getting a tivo and subscription, but
> still havea few questions. First, I have a harmony 659 remote
> control, that I'm sure will work with the tivo. This remote has a
> feature that allows programming info to be uploaded, so the
> remote's LCD serves as a channel guide. The problem is, that at
> least one on the channel's is not in sync: whenever the remote is
> updated, or even looking at the cable company's channel guide, it
> tells you the show will start 2 hours before it actually starts,
> Ie, if the channel guide says it will start at noon, it really
> starts at 2:00 pm.

The harmony gets Time and Timezone information from your PC. Check that
information, fix where necessary and update the remote.

--
David

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

> The harmony gets Time and Timezone information from your PC. Check that
> information, fix where necessary and update the remote.
>

That's true, but I don't think that problem will affect his Tivo
programming at all. You won't be using the guide info on the remote to
program the Tivo, you'll be using Tivo's guide info. Assuming you set
the tivo up correctly, you won't have any problem there.

Speaking of which, I just got my Harmony 688 this Monday. I've got it
programmed up fairly well, and it works nicely. However there are some
tweaks I'd like to do, and I have a couple questions:

- I know it's been said multiple times that a lot of tv's and/or
components have undocumented discrete codes for functions that the
native remote only has toggles for. If my components have those, will
the Harmony know about them and use them by default, or do I have to
manually customize it to use them? If I hit some of the activity
buttons 2 or more times in a row, it toggles through the TV input,
screwing up the settings, and I'd like to avoid that if possible.

- What's the model number for a 40 hour 540 series 2 Tivo brand DVR? I
put in TCD540040, but for some reason it keeps insisting that I program
in the "power off" button, of which I have none (I have it programmed to
stay on all the time, so it really doesn't make much difference).
However, it makes me wonder if the model number is incorrect. I'm
trying to avoid pulling the Tivo out of my entertainment rack, the
cables are a bit short and it would be a half hour job :-(.

Randy S.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

In article <kh0rc1hmihog4ipk6duv6comn6toe5ufji@4ax.com>,
GTD <duuh@stoopid.net> writes:
>
> So I've been considering getting a tivo and subscription, but still
> havea few questions. First, I have a harmony 659 remote control, that
> I'm sure will work with the tivo. This remote has a feature that
> allows programming info to be uploaded, so the remote's LCD serves as
> a channel guide. The problem is, that at least one on the channel's is
> not in sync: whenever the remote is updated, or even looking at the
> cable company's channel guide, it tells you the show will start 2
> hours before it actually starts, Ie, if the channel guide says it will
> start at noon, it really starts at 2:00 pm. Anyways, is there a way to
> adjust for this on the tivo so I can record the show I want, not what
> was on before it, without manually setting up record times? Thanks.

I'm unfamiliar with the remote you mention, but with TiVo, chances are you
wouldn't use any remote feature to schedule recordings, aside from basic
button presses to control the TiVo. That is, the whole point of having a
TiVo is that *IT* does the looking for programs and scheduling them, not
some other tool. Assuming the TiVo's clock and time zone are set
correctly, it shouldn't be thrown by having a clock that's off. The clock
is set automatically during its "daily" call (actually less than daily
with recent versions of the software), and you set the time zone during
setup.

--
Rod Smith, rodsmith@rodsbooks.com
http/www.rodsbooks.com
Author of books on Linux, FreeBSD, and networking

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

On Thu, 07 Jul 2005 19:38:40 GMT, SINNER
<arcade.master@googlemail.net> wrote:

>* GTD Wrote in alt.video.ptv.tivo:
>
>> So I've been considering getting a tivo and subscription, but
>> still havea few questions. First, I have a harmony 659 remote
>> control, that I'm sure will work with the tivo. This remote has a
>> feature that allows programming info to be uploaded, so the
>> remote's LCD serves as a channel guide. The problem is, that at
>> least one on the channel's is not in sync: whenever the remote is
>> updated, or even looking at the cable company's channel guide, it
>> tells you the show will start 2 hours before it actually starts,
>> Ie, if the channel guide says it will start at noon, it really
>> starts at 2:00 pm.
>
>The harmony gets Time and Timezone information from your PC. Check that
>information, fix where necessary and update the remote.

If that were the problem, then ALL the channels on the remote would be
wrong, but only a couple are. Also, it seems the cable company is
getting false information, because those same channels are also wrong
on their channel guide.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

>I'm unfamiliar with the remote you mention, but with TiVo, chances are you
>wouldn't use any remote feature to schedule recordings, aside from basic
>button presses to control the TiVo. That is, the whole point of having a
>TiVo is that *IT* does the looking for programs and scheduling them, not
>some other tool.
OK, so my question is: If the information TIVO finds, lists a channel
incorrectly, say, 2 hours off is there a way to have tivo account for
that? (Notice I said 'A' channel, because the problem is NOT that ALL
channels list incorrect program listings, only a couple, and those are
exactly 2 hours off, all the time, every time, including what is
listed on the cable companys "cablel guide" (The channel thatshows
programming information for all channels)

>Assuming the TiVo's clock and time zone are set
>correctly, it shouldn't be thrown by having a clock that's off. The clock
>is set automatically during its "daily" call (actually less than daily
>with recent versions of the software), and you set the time zone during
>setup.
This is not the problem, Like I said, it is NOT all the channels or a
clock not being set problem, the problem is that the scheuling
information that both my cable company's cable guide AND my remote
get, is incorrectfor a couple of the, not all of them.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

>>The harmony gets Time and Timezone information from your PC. Check that
>>information, fix where necessary and update the remote.
>
>
> If that were the problem, then ALL the channels on the remote would be
> wrong, but only a couple are. Also, it seems the cable company is
> getting false information, because those same channels are also wrong
> on their channel guide.

It sounds like your cable company is providing incorrect guide data.
I'd bring it to thier attention.

Randy S.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

> OK, so my question is: If the information TIVO finds, lists a channel
> incorrectly, say, 2 hours off is there a way to have tivo account for
> that? (Notice I said 'A' channel, because the problem is NOT that ALL
> channels list incorrect program listings, only a couple, and those are
> exactly 2 hours off, all the time, every time, including what is
> listed on the cable companys "cablel guide" (The channel thatshows
> programming information for all channels)

I do not believe so. Tivo does not want you to worry about times and/or
channels, you pick the show, it schedules the recording. The (rare)
shortcoming of this is that it totally depends upon guide data, if the
guide data is wrong, then Tivo will of course be wrong as well.

The short term workaround is to use manual (ick!) recordings by time and
channel for shows on those stations (you can do this, it's just much
more tedious). The long term fix is to get your cable company to
provide the correct damn information!


>>Assuming the TiVo's clock and time zone are set
>>correctly, it shouldn't be thrown by having a clock that's off. The clock
>>is set automatically during its "daily" call (actually less than daily
>>with recent versions of the software), and you set the time zone during
>>setup.
>
> This is not the problem, Like I said, it is NOT all the channels or a
> clock not being set problem, the problem is that the scheuling
> information that both my cable company's cable guide AND my remote
> get, is incorrectfor a couple of the, not all of them.

As the old saying goes, Garbage in, Garbage out. Tivo can only work as
good as the data it's given is. There is no mechanism to time shift
individual stations because that happens so rarely (has anyone else
heard of anything like this?), that it would be a waste of UI space.
Scream and yell at your cable company. Or go to Satellite ;-).

Randy S.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

On 2005-07-08, GTD <duuh@stoopid.net> wrote:
>
>>I'm unfamiliar with the remote you mention, but with TiVo, chances are you
>>wouldn't use any remote feature to schedule recordings, aside from basic
>>button presses to control the TiVo. That is, the whole point of having a
>>TiVo is that *IT* does the looking for programs and scheduling them, not
>>some other tool.
> OK, so my question is: If the information TIVO finds, lists a channel
> incorrectly, say, 2 hours off is there a way to have tivo account for
> that? (Notice I said 'A' channel, because the problem is NOT that ALL
> channels list incorrect program listings, only a couple, and those are
> exactly 2 hours off, all the time, every time, including what is
> listed on the cable companys "cablel guide" (The channel thatshows
> programming information for all channels)

The TiVo hardware does not have that capability but the TiVo company does.
There are people at TiVo you can contact (via the web I think) and explain
the issue to them and they will investigate and attempt to get the guide
data which is sent to your TiVo corrected (assuming it's not just another
user problem).

--
This is my .sig

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

>
>The TiVo hardware does not have that capability but the TiVo company does.
>There are people at TiVo you can contact (via the web I think) and explain
>the issue to them and they will investigate and attempt to get the guide
>data which is sent to your TiVo corrected (assuming it's not just another
>user problem).
Cool, that sounds easier that getting the cable company to fix it.
Talking to them is like talking to a brick...
Thanks

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

In article <98vtc1pienkjq720vdmb8gc26dro69l4ef@4ax.com>,
GTD <duuh@stoopid.net> wrote:
>
>>
>>The TiVo hardware does not have that capability but the TiVo company does.
>>There are people at TiVo you can contact (via the web I think) and explain
>>the issue to them and they will investigate and attempt to get the guide
>>data which is sent to your TiVo corrected (assuming it's not just another
>>user problem).
>Cool, that sounds easier that getting the cable company to fix it.
>Talking to them is like talking to a brick...

BTW, the info of how to submit lineup info is at:
http/customersupport.tivo.com/knowbase/root/public/tv1051.htm?

or just go to tivo.com, customer support, and search for 'lineup' in the
search field.
--
mattack@gmail.com

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

GTD wrote:
> So I've been considering getting a tivo and subscription, but still
> havea few questions. First, I have a harmony 659 remote control, that
> I'm sure will work with the tivo. This remote has a feature that
> allows programming info to be uploaded, so the remote's LCD serves as
> a channel guide. The problem is, that at least one on the channel's is
> not in sync: whenever the remote is updated, or even looking at the
> cable company's channel guide, it tells you the show will start 2
> hours before it actually starts, Ie, if the channel guide says it will
> start at noon, it really starts at 2:00 pm. Anyways, is there a way to
> adjust for this on the tivo so I can record the show I want, not what
> was on before it, without manually setting up record times? Thanks.

Where in the heck is the uploaded programming info coming from?

The information feed that TiVo uses is the same as what is displayed
on http/www.zap2it.com/. If the information on that web site is
correct and the info uploaded into your remote is incorrect, then
forget about the LCD and just use TiVo's on-screen menus to
schedule a recording.

-Joe

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

>The information feed that TiVo uses is the same as what is displayed
>on http/www.zap2it.com/. If the information on that web site is
>correct
It's not, it displays the same incorrect information that my remote
AND the "Cable Guide" channel does....

>and the info uploaded into your remote is incorrect, then
>forget about the LCD and just use TiVo's on-screen menus
It sounds like those will be incorrect also.

>to
>schedule a recording.
>
> -Joe

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

In article <c0vvc153fkka03q16d3jq430irbivitof7@4ax.com>,
GTD <duuh@stoopid.net> writes:
>
>>The information feed that TiVo uses is the same as what is displayed
>>on http/www.zap2it.com/. If the information on that web site is
>>correct
> It's not, it displays the same incorrect information that my remote
> AND the "Cable Guide" channel does....
>
>>and the info uploaded into your remote is incorrect, then
>>forget about the LCD and just use TiVo's on-screen menus
> It sounds like those will be incorrect also.

This sounds like an odd time zone problem on the part of whatever channel
is submitting the information. I'm guessing this is a local channel whose
times are off, because I'd expect such a problem with a national channel
would have been noticed and fixed long ago.

Anyhow, as others have said, people at TiVo (the company) can look into
this and push to get it fixed. AFAIK, the TiVo software can't compensate
directly.

--
Rod Smith, rodsmith@rodsbooks.com
http/www.rodsbooks.com
Author of books on Linux, FreeBSD, and networking

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

On Sat, 9 Jul 2005 17:46:03 -0000, rodsmith@nessus.rodsbooks.com (Rod
Smith) wrote:

>In article <c0vvc153fkka03q16d3jq430irbivitof7@4ax.com>,
> GTD <duuh@stoopid.net> writes:
>>
>>>The information feed that TiVo uses is the same as what is displayed
>>>on http/www.zap2it.com/. If the information on that web site is
>>>correct
>> It's not, it displays the same incorrect information that my remote
>> AND the "Cable Guide" channel does....
>>
>>>and the info uploaded into your remote is incorrect, then
>>>forget about the LCD and just use TiVo's on-screen menus
>> It sounds like those will be incorrect also.
>
>This sounds like an odd time zone problem on the part of whatever channel
>is submitting the information. I'm guessing this is a local channel whose
>times are off, because I'd expect such a problem with a national channel
>would have been noticed and fixed long ago.
>
>Anyhow, as others have said, people at TiVo (the company) can look into
>this and push to get it fixed. AFAIK, the TiVo software can't compensate
>directly.
Actually one of the channels is AMC, and I can't find the other, but
all local channels are accounted for (I live in Alaska, there's not
many local channels). I talked to the cable company and they looked at
me like I was speaking martian or something.... Thanks for the help
everyone...

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

> Actually one of the channels is AMC, and I can't find the other, but
> all local channels are accounted for (I live in Alaska, there's not
> many local channels). I talked to the cable company and they looked at
> me like I was speaking martian or something.... Thanks for the help
> everyone...

Of course, because if you were speaking english they would have had to
do something about it :-(. Cable companies' customer service continues
to amaze, no?

Randy S.

 

[sinner]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

* Randy S. wrote in alt.video.ptv.tivo:

>> The harmony gets Time and Timezone information from your PC. Check that
>> information, fix where necessary and update the remote.


> That's true, but I don't think that problem will affect his Tivo
> programming at all. You won't be using the guide info on the remote to
> program the Tivo, you'll be using Tivo's guide info. Assuming you set
> the tivo up correctly, you won't have any problem there.

But his remote downloads guide data to display on the face of the
remote, I would think that times in the guide data would link back to
the time in the remote. I don't know how Harmony puts the scheduling in
there. I have the Harmony 880 and DirecTivo and I have not been able to
do it.

> Speaking of which, I just got my Harmony 688 this Monday. I've got it
> programmed up fairly well, and it works nicely. However there are some
> tweaks I'd like to do, and I have a couple questions:

> - I know it's been said multiple times that a lot of tv's and/or
> components have undocumented discrete codes for functions that the
> native remote only has toggles for. If my components have those, will
> the Harmony know about them and use them by default, or do I have to
> manually customize it to use them?

on mine, it displays ALL the codes that are usable even if the original
remote did not have those functions.

> If I hit some of the activity
> buttons 2 or more times in a row, it toggles through the TV input,
> screwing up the settings, and I'd like to avoid that if possible.

OK, Mine (the 880) must be a little different. I cant hit an activity
button more than one, once hit, it changes the function of that button,
sorry cant help with this.

--
David
Dealing with failure is easy:
Work hard to improve.
Success is also easy to handle:
You've solved the wrong problem.
Work hard to improve.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

>>That's true, but I don't think that problem will affect his Tivo
>>programming at all. You won't be using the guide info on the remote to
>>program the Tivo, you'll be using Tivo's guide info. Assuming you set
>>the tivo up correctly, you won't have any problem there.
>
>
> But his remote downloads guide data to display on the face of the
> remote, I would think that times in the guide data would link back to
> the time in the remote. I don't know how Harmony puts the scheduling in
> there. I have the Harmony 880 and DirecTivo and I have not been able to
> do it.

My 688 does that as well (I've got mine working, though the schedule
thing is of limited usefulness since the Tivo's has so much more info).
But it gets the information when you sync it to the Logitech/Harmony
website via the USB cable. The guide source is liable to be completely
different (or it could be exactly the same, I have no way of knowing).
If the Tivo's schedule is correct, then it won't make any difference.
If the schedules are off in the same manner, then they're probably
coming from the same source, and whatever would fix the one would also
fix the other.

>>Speaking of which, I just got my Harmony 688 this Monday. I've got it
>>programmed up fairly well, and it works nicely. However there are some
>>tweaks I'd like to do, and I have a couple questions:
>
>
>>- I know it's been said multiple times that a lot of tv's and/or
>>components have undocumented discrete codes for functions that the
>>native remote only has toggles for. If my components have those, will
>>the Harmony know about them and use them by default, or do I have to
>>manually customize it to use them?
>
> on mine, it displays ALL the codes that are usable even if the original
> remote did not have those functions.

Ok, that's good to know. Did the preprogrammed activities use the
discrete codes by default, or did you have to modify the default
activities to use the better discrete codes?

>>If I hit some of the activity
>>buttons 2 or more times in a row, it toggles through the TV input,
>>screwing up the settings, and I'd like to avoid that if possible.
>
> OK, Mine (the 880) must be a little different. I cant hit an activity
> button more than one, once hit, it changes the function of that button,
> sorry cant help with this.

It sounds like the 880 uses soft buttons (i.e. lcd labeled) for
activities, whereas the 688 uses dedicated buttons along the top.

I can probably figure out how to fix it, it's just that it works 98%
correctly now, and I don't want to screw up and make it any worse ;-).
The most important buttons are easily accessible. I do have to add one
for "clear" though.

--
Randy S.

 

[sinner]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

* Randy S. wrote in alt.video.ptv.tivo:

[...]

>>>- I know it's been said multiple times that a lot of tv's and/or
>>>components have undocumented discrete codes for functions that the
>>>native remote only has toggles for. If my components have those, will
>>>the Harmony know about them and use them by default, or do I have to
>>>manually customize it to use them?

>> on mine, it displays ALL the codes that are usable even if the original
>> remote did not have those functions.

> Ok, that's good to know. Did the preprogrammed activities use the
> discrete codes by default, or did you have to modify the default
> activities to use the better discrete codes?

I guess they would if the activity somehow required it but I havent had
anything that complex.

>>>If I hit some of the activity
>>>buttons 2 or more times in a row, it toggles through the TV input,
>>>screwing up the settings, and I'd like to avoid that if possible.

>> OK, Mine (the 880) must be a little different. I cant hit an activity
>> button more than one, once hit, it changes the function of that button,
>> sorry cant help with this.

> It sounds like the 880 uses soft buttons (i.e. lcd labeled) for
> activities, whereas the 688 uses dedicated buttons along the top.

Correct.

> I can probably figure out how to fix it, it's just that it works 98%
> correctly now, and I don't want to screw up and make it any worse ;-).
> The most important buttons are easily accessible. I do have to add one
> for "clear" though.

Yup, had that issue also. In fact the remote has a CLEAR button that was
unused by default and it took my DTivo model numbers without suggesting
alternates.

--
David
Some don't prefer the pursuit of happiness to the happiness of pursuit.