Tried to record Dro Who=Epic Fail

[Pogma]

How do I record a TV show continuously for 5 hrs or so?
I tried to record Dr Who and it only recorded for 3 mins, ie, it recorded the last few minutes of the previous show, but once that finished, the recording stopped.

 

[AngelProcesser]

You can set up Media Center to automatically record a specific channel at a specific time.

1. On the Windows Media Center start screen, scroll to TV, and then click Recorded TV.
2. Click Add recording, and then click Channel and Time.
3. In Channel, enter the channel that you want to record.
4. In Frequency, click the Plus*
   
   or Minus*
   
   button to specify how often you want to record the channel.
5. If you selected Record Once for Frequency, in Date, click the Plus*
   
   or Minus*
   
   button to specify the recording date.
6. In Start time, enter the time you want the recording to start.
7. In Stop time, enter the time you want the recording to stop.
8. Under Keep, click the Plus*
   
   or Minus*
   
   button to specify how long you want to keep the recorded show.
9. Click Record.

More at http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Record-TV-in-Windows-Media-Center

 

[Pogma]

Fine, but if I'm watching live TV and want to immediately record for 10-60mins, how do I do that?
On all other software programs I've ever used, you just pressed the red record button and it would start immediately and not stop until you stopped it....

 

[AngelProcesser]

That is how it works from me. I hit the record button and it records and also includes the part on disk already.

Which programs are those or do you mean using a DVR/TIVO setup?

 

[Pogma]

Which programs are those or do you mean using a DVR/TIVO setup?

I've always used the software programs that came with my HDTV tuners, ie Divico etc.

I now have a Happuage twin tuner, so I'm thinking as soon as I open WMC, one of the tuners starts to record the channel I'm viewing, but I'm not sure exactly what happens when I just hit the record button, certainly based on last nights experience, it only recorded till the end of the existing program, and didn't continue on with what came next.

Also, I did a scheduled recording the other day for a total record time of 6 hrs, but for whatever reason, it broke the recordings into 2hr segments.....maybe this is because the EPG is linked to WMC and they might advertise this show in 2 hr blocks even though it runs for 6hrs+.

As I said, on XP using a PCI or USB HDTV tuner, I could make an instant record, or I could schedule a record for 5hrs and it would be one big 30gig file for ex.

 

[AngelProcesser]

I'm thinking it's because 2 hours of Recorded TV will burn onto a DVD within WMC with your settings and that more that will not. It's a 'feature' and likely based on the optimizations that occur for your system. I imagine in the future, when Blu-ray quality TV is broadcast and one has a certified Blu-ray burner, the same will occur, but I am curious myself if this limitation would exist for you if you had a blu-ray burner and/or record not using the best setting.

Anyone?

 

[Pogma]

I've chosen the best settings and always record in HD if available....the thing is though, I recorded 2 shows last night, one was Criminal Minds{I just used the EPG red dot method}, and whilst it recorded from 833pm-936pm, it still didn't catch the last few minutes, so it must be responding to the info in the EPG, but clearly, it's out of date, even if only by an hour or so.

Anyway, being that I also recorded the show directly after it, I still got the ending, but obviously not in one file.

It also seems that if I hit the record button on my media playback bar, it will start to record, but will stop at the end of the EPG's listing for the show, so for example, when I made that other recording of Dr Who, I hit record whilst the previous show was on hoping to get in a few minutes early, but obviously the current show was on the verge of finishing, as such, it only recorded for a few minutes, ie the end of the latest EPG update for that program.

The nature of the slightly inacurate EPG data means that you can still lose the last few minutes of an 830pm show, even if the EPG was updated at 745pm to cater for overrun at that point.

This makes it close to impossible to get an entire show in one file unless it actually finished early.

If anyone knows how to record for 60-90min segments, please let us know.

 

[AngelProcesser]

First, ensure your clock is set properly.

I have my settings to record on time (not begin or end early or late) and all my recorded tv shows, whether 30,60,90, or 120 minutes or more (by manually adding time), all start and stop when the show starts or stops including series and movies.

The guide data is from a third party(s), and should be updated regularly...of course, when a network for some reason such as live local events is broadcasting shows off of the scheduled time slots and the guide has not had a chance to correct itself, I can see that that would be an issue although I am sure it's rare...

I do not have a workaround..if anyone does please let us know.

 

[Pogma]

Actually I see now where I can add time to the end....that should solve my scheduled recordings, but I wonder if I can also manually add time if I've done an instant record.....

 

[AngelProcesser]

I just add the next show in the guide...works for me...if I did not need it, hitting delete is fairly easy...I also use the instant record all the time in case I get distracted and the buffer gets full...again, delete is easy.