Need to stop recording early!

[rnewman]

In win7 MC recording defaults I can start recording early and stop later.
BUT
without resetting system clock every day I can not STOP recording early.
I have a quad Ceton CableCard tuner that records individual programs even if on same channel. So unless I start/stop on exact time, I sometimes have
zero tuners availiable because of overlap even on the same channel.
It is bad enough that some networks start/stop not on the hour/ half hour but
many networks start early if my system clock is any indication.

Any way to keep system clock a minute early even with time updates?
Any way of stopping recordings early??
Thanks,
Ray

 

[Snowdog]

WMC is very limited software. I have the same problem. I actually use Hauppauge WinTV software when I need to stop a program a bit early. I also have to use WinTV to record a channel WMC won't see. I am really not impressed with WMC software. I just use it for isolated recordings of shows with nothing around them as guide recording.

 

[dsperber]

Your only real option is to "add recording" manually, setting up your own scheduled one-off or series recording (i.e. once, daily, weekly) for the channel you want and the start/stop time you specify. You can also rename that recording to whatever you want so it looks right both in upcoming scheduled recordings as well as once it's been recorded.

Otherwise, I'm afraid there is no "end early" option using the regular recording-setting wizard.

 

[Snowdog]

Your only real option is to "add recording" manually,

How do you do that?

 

[dsperber]

Your only real option is to "add recording" manually,

How do you do that?

Push the "show current recordings list" button on your remote, to present your current existing recordings.

At the top of the list are two additional items that you can navigate to, so that you can see "scheduled upcoming recordings" as well as "add recording".

Cursor-up to the "add recording" item, and press OK on the remote to enter the wizard. The rest should be intuitive, but the "rename" item should be pushed before you SAVE, so that you can then name it whatever you want. There are two keyboard layouts to use (if you want to use the mouse/cursor/OK instead of the keybaord), one that is an onscreen QWERTY typewriter, and the other is like a phone keypad.

You may need to practice (and then delete, retry, etc.) if this is your first time manually adding a recording.

 

[rnewman]

I guess I have to add more tuners.
It does not help that all channels/networks do not start/stop right on the hour or half. It also does not help that WMC record two programs in a row on the same channel as two different recordings that will overlap with record early and/or stop recording late.
Any way of doing a script recording?? (batch) autohotkey?

Thanks,
Ray

 

[Snowdog]

Push the "show current recordings list" button on your remote, to present your current existing recordings.

I don't have a remote. How do you do this from keyboard/mouse?

 

[dsperber]

I don't have a remote. How do you do this from keyboard/mouse?

Use the keyboard and keyboard shortcuts to control WMC. Use HELP to get the list.

Or, you can look at this list from Microsoft, as to how to control your TV with the keyboard.

 

[dsperber]

It also does not help that WMC record two programs in a row on the same channel as two different recordings that will overlap with record early and/or stop recording late.

As you suggest... maybe you need more tuners if you want to record more programs individually than you have tuners to accomplish that, even if you have the Ceton card (as I do as well).

If you use the Guide to set your recordings, either one-off or series, then each recording is for one program. Why would you not want this? It makes it easy to set recordings, and it makes it easy to play back from the list or your recordings.

If your problem is that you need more then 4 separate tuners can provide (meaning you need more than 4 recordings going on at the same time), then you need a different approach to recording, or you need more tuners.

Why not just allocate one tuner for consecutive programs on one channel (say for primetime 8-11PM on Thursday night), by manually setting a recording for that 3-hour block... as one block... instead of using the Guide to record each hour or half-hour individually by program name? Just manually "add recording" (like you'd do with an old-fashioned VCR), give it a name like "Thursday NBC primetime" and be done with it? That will leave your three other tuners free for other recordings during that block?

Sure, this approach means you will not be able to play/delete individual programs during that block by name but rather will have to use fast-forward or 30-second skip to navigate, but if you feel that's the lesser of two evils then do it that way.

Me, I have no problem with 4 tuners satisfying my recording/viewing needs.

Now it's true, I also have a separate ATI TV Wonder 650 PCI 1-tuner OTA/ATSC tuner card in my HTPC as well as my Ceton card. The Ceton card is fed by my TWC/LA coax cable, and my ATI card is fed from my roof OTA antenna. So maybe that's a luxury option you might not have. I use my ATI card for all network channel recording (as long as there's not a need for two or more recordings at once, in which case I schedule the overflow on the Ceton tuners).

I prefer the OTA/ATSC versions anyway, because the HD quality is superior. Here in TWC/LA land the local networks are recompressed and delivered at a reduced bitrate and quality, and I prefer the unrecompressed original OTA video quality.

But I've never had a conflict of wanting to record so many programs at one time that 4-tuners on the Ceton card ever was insufficient, which means I needed to record more than 4 programs at one time... which is virtually unheard of for me. But, your TV habits may be different but this really might justify a revision of your recording scheduling technique.

Note that you can also schedule recordings for later repeat airings of cable shows, which often occur... in case there is flat out an impossible scheduling conflict where you really needed to have five first-run recordings at once. Why not just manually schedule things to circumvent this problem, by looking ahead in the Guide and manually scheduling a later airing for recording?

The Ceton 4-tuner card and WMC certainly beats a 2-tuner DVR from TWC/LA in my opinion.

 

[rnewman]

Actually I have two dual HDhomeRun tuners as well.
So this takes care of local stations.
BUT
WMC uses two different tuners for recording two programs in a row on the same channel. I have run out of tuners when recording two programs in a row that are scheduled to start/stop 3-4 minutes off the hour/half. and watching another channel. TNT does that many times. This is mostly a problem with the new season.
Can't count on re-runs, so we record everything we might like.
As the season goes on, no probem.
Waiting to purchase HDhomeRun Prime.
Ray

 

[rnewman]

So far this fall, Ceton Quad cable card tuner and two dual HDhomeRun tuners work well.
In the summer most of the "new" programs I needed to record where non-local (recorded by HDhomeRun tuners) and overlapped time frames. I just received HDhomeRun Prime's triple cablecard tuner and will be adding it as well.
Thanks,
Ray