# Is there a way to auto tune a program on the D Dvr



## max1 (Aug 12, 2005)

Is there a way to auto tune a program on the D Dvr 

Hi, all, is there way to auto tune to a program on the D dvr without recording a episode? D really messed up on this feature not everything you watch wants to be recorded. I really miss this feature. At least with E's dvr i was able to program things ahead of time and it would automaticaly go there. I like the D service but the Dvr is about a 6 on a scale 1-10. Would appreciate any suggestions. Max.


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## Wolffpack (Jul 29, 2003)

Maybe some clarification is needed.

You want your DirecTV DVR to change channels for you at a specific time but not record?


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## spanishannouncetable (Apr 23, 2002)

You could always program a 1 minute repeating manual recording w/KAM=1 on the channel you like. When the recording stops the foreground tuner stays on the channel and your 1 minute recording gets deleted every day automatically.


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## CCarncross (Jul 19, 2005)

In all honesty its recording it anyway in theform of the buffer. In really only takes a few seconds to delete especially if you're in deleting something else...


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## Wolffpack (Jul 29, 2003)

What are you actually looking for here Max?


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## max1 (Aug 12, 2005)

For example when I had E's Dvr I was always able to go through the guide and when I saw a program to watch later. I would hit select and about a minute before program starts it would go directly to that channel. On the basic receiver it has that function but just disappointed that D's Dvr doesn't have that feature-I am beginning to think it may have been a mistake to go with D. I can alway swap receivers I suppose. Max.


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## Wolffpack (Jul 29, 2003)

So why wouldn't you record that show you saw? What if you're not in the room when the receiver switches channels? What if you got tired and forgot you planned on watching something later? If you record it you can watch it whenever. That's the purpose of a DVR.

Recording it will not stop your DVR from doing anything else. I guess I don't see why you don't see recording the show you want to watch as an option.

EDIT: Unless you question is regarding setting up a Series Link. You don't have to record every episode of a show. If you're going through the guide and see a one hour show you want to watch you can just press record and get that one show, not every show.


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

The standard receivers DirecTV offers have that feature - it is called autotune. It is not included on the R15. I guess the assumption was the R15 would simply record the show, and that the only reason to have autotune would be to support external recording, such as on a vcr.

You are not the first person to ask about this. It seems quite a few people use the autotune feature to switch to a channel, but don't want to record it.

There is a thread here for recommendations for future upgrades. Check that, and if it is not already there, add a post to that thread requesting autotune be added to the R15. It may or may not happen, but certainly won't if it isn't asked for.

Carl


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

I used to use Autotune a lot... before having a DVR...
After I got used to DVRing, and flat out stoped watching anything live except for sporting events, the autotune feature was something I forgot about till people starting brining it up again.


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## max1 (Aug 12, 2005)

Not every show I want to watch I want recorded. With baseball coming up it's going to be hard to watch the Cubs games. Now I will have to check the guide daily just to see what time they are on. At least with E I was able to program the guide and it would go directly to that channel. I may check with my dealer see what he says. I may just go back to E. Their DVR was better than this. Max.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

max1 said:


> With baseball coming up it's going to be hard to watch the Cubs games


And what does that have to do with DVRs...    
Go White Sox!!!!



max1 said:


> I may check with my dealer see what he says. I may just go back to E. Their DVR was better than this. Max.


If the dealer knows what he/she is talking about, they will give you the exact same answer we are giving you here. No DirecTV DVR (unless the UTV does it), has the AutoTune functionality.

It may come down the road... as it shouldn't be that difficult to implement (aka scheduled recording, just don't record it) but as of right now... your only options are to set it up as a recording.

FYI... If you are watching something, and it wants to change the channel to get ready for a recording... It will prompt you on the screen, so you can cancel the recording and still get your notification.

One of these days I should try to get my hands on a DishNetwork DVR... just to try it out for myself, to see if it is as really bad as the DirecTV Forum communities have pegged it to be.


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## DesignDawg (Jan 8, 2006)

Earl Bonovich said:


> And what does that have to do with DVRs...
> Go White Sox!!!!
> 
> If the dealer knows what he/she is talking about, they will give you the exact same answer we are giving you here. No DirecTV DVR (unless the UTV does it), has the AutoTune functionality.


And, BTW, YES! The UTV DOES have this feature! GO TEAM! 

Ricky


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## Bobman (Jan 3, 2006)

The TV in my bedroom turns off and on at whatever time you set if for and I use it as an alarm clock in the morning. 

With my DirecTiVo I set a SP on both tuners to record the same channel for only 5 minutes (I think I had to stagger the start times by 1 min to get it to work). Then when my TV turns on the news is on too.

I dont know if this can be done on the R-15 or not as I havent tried it.


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## spanishannouncetable (Apr 23, 2002)

max1 said:


> Not every show I want to watch I want recorded. With baseball coming up it's going to be hard to watch the Cubs games. Now I will have to check the guide daily just to see what time they are on. At least with E I was able to program the guide and it would go directly to that channel. I may check with my dealer see what he says. I may just go back to E. Their DVR was better than this. Max.




Your reasoning confuses me. You want it to change channels at a certain time but not record, then stay on that channel buffering a 90 minute window you can scroll back through, correct ?

Yet, if you set it to record the channel (via manual record or using the guide and padding it to run long if necessary) it will -
- create a buffer that's as long as you want,
- lock the tuner to that channel instead of risking a channel change to record something else, and
- allow you to delete the recording the minute you get done watching it.

Either we're missing some important info on your situation, or your thinking is still clouded by your use of this feature in the past. More details would help.


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## jimdoo (Nov 23, 2005)

The OP is looking for the feature that the D10 has called auto-tune. For some reason the R15 manual mentions this feature and it's pictured in the manual however the unit does not actually have the feature. This is nice when you simply want the unit to automatically tune to a station for a program you want to watch but not record. Am I and the OP the only one's that think this is a nice feature? The older Hughes boxes had this- it's nice!


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

What's the point of autotuning to a channel you aren't going to record?


Just set it to record, that way you get the "autotune" feature and can watch it live and just delete the recording when the show is over. No harm no foul.


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## Wolffpack (Jul 29, 2003)

I think I am understanding the OP better. But I'm not sure. Here's what I gather.

I don't know when a Cubs game will come on or when they are all scheduled. But I want my receiver to switch to ANY Cubs game when it starts....cuz I want to watch it.

Now, with the R15 I'm not sure you can even set every Cubs game to record. But, to the OP just set it to record. That way, if you're at work when the game starts you can still see it when you get home.


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## max1 (Aug 12, 2005)

jimdoo said:


> The OP is looking for the feature that the D10 has called auto-tune. For some reason the R15 manual mentions this feature and it's pictured in the manual however the unit does not actually have the feature. This is nice when you simply want the unit to automatically tune to a station for a program you want to watch but not record. Am I and the OP the only one's that think this is a nice feature? The older Hughes boxes had this- it's nice!


Right the Auto Tune feature is what I am looking for. I am just surprised that the Dvr with D doesn't have that feature. For example my bro has cox and he can check the guide for up to 9 days and if he sees a program he can set it so when the time comes it will go directly to that channel about a minute before it starts. I know with the receiver in the kitchen we can do that-Can I swap receivers so I will be able to use the feature?Max.


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## spanishannouncetable (Apr 23, 2002)

max1 said:


> Right the Auto Tune feature is what I am looking for. I am just surprised that the Dvr with D doesn't have that feature. For example my bro has cox and he can check the guide for up to 9 days and if he sees a program he can set it so when the time comes it will go directly to that channel about a minute before it starts. I know with the receiver in the kitchen we can do that-Can I swap receivers so I will be able to use the feature?Max.


I don't know whether to :lol: or :crying:

The D-10 only has "auto-tune" because it is not a DVR. This function was created to allow a satellite receiver or cable box to work in tandem with a VCR set to RECORD shows. That people use it as reminder to change channels but not record it on their VCR was a secondary purpose.

The DTiVo, R-15, UTV and every other DVR use "auto-tune" as well, but it is an enhanced version of it. No VCR required. It's like having 2 VCRs and a satellite receiver in one package.

So set your R-15, let it "auto-tune", and accept the benefit of having it recorded as well. You'll be glad you did


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## cobra2225 (Feb 4, 2006)

max1 said:


> For example when I had E's Dvr I was always able to go through the guide and when I saw a program to watch later. I would hit select and about a minute before program starts it would go directly to that channel. On the basic receiver it has that function but just disappointed that D's Dvr doesn't have that feature-I am beginning to think it may have been a mistake to go with D. I can alway swap receivers I suppose. Max.


i called dtv about 4 days ago asking about the autotune, they have no plan's
at all to ad this to the r-15
****


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## outbackpaul (Feb 9, 2006)

I can tell you that all of us ex-Dish Network customers are used to that feature. I want it to. I was convinced that the R15 had autotune and a RF antenna because I had seen both mentioned in the manual before I switched. I can't believe the RF antenna isn't active.


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## cabanaboy1977 (Nov 16, 2005)

RunnerFL said:


> What's the point of autotuning to a channel you aren't going to record?
> 
> Just set it to record, that way you get the "autotune" feature and can watch it live and just delete the recording when the show is over. No harm no foul.


We had our UTV set to auto tune to Monty Python. The nice thing about auto tune is if your already using both tuners that it will ask you if you wanted to switch or not and you had to hit ok to get it to switch (it's the only time that you had to hit the button to get it to do something). So you had the choice to leave the programs you where watching/recording to view the other show or not to. That's what I liked about the autotune feature. So the idea of setting it to record doesn't really get the same results as the autotune.


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## Mavrick (Feb 1, 2006)

outbackpaul said:


> I can tell you that all of us ex-Dish Network customers are used to that feature. I want it to. I was convinced that the R15 had autotune and a RF antenna because I had seen both mentioned in the manual before I switched. I can't believe the RF antenna isn't active.


The RF antenna will supposdly be active in the future but none of of no excatly when.

As for the autotune feature I used it alot with my stand alone reciver's and it is still present in all the standalone models. But since I now have DVR recievers I have not found a real need for it for I record 99% of what I watch now so that I dont have to watch commercials.

To me in the days of DVR's I perfer memorex over live any day.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

outbackpaul said:


> I can tell you that all of us ex-Dish Network customers are used to that feature. I want it to. I was convinced that the R15 had autotune and a RF antenna because I had seen both mentioned in the manual before I switched. I can't believe the RF antenna isn't active.


Can you give me a page number in the manual where AUTOTUNE was mentioned... be it the online pre-release manual, the paper one you got with your R15, or what ever...

As for the RF antenna... the mentionin the manual is that there is a port for it... but I am 75% sure, that it is listed as future use... but I would have to check that when I get home.


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## max1 (Aug 12, 2005)

cobra2225 said:


> i called dtv about 4 days ago asking about the autotune, they have no plan's
> at all to ad this to the r-15
> ****


Ok thanks Cobra I had planned on calling D but no need. I am going to change receivers and put the DVR in the kitchen and use the old one so I can use that feature. I am going to probably switch to Digital Cable this spring since they will have that feature with their Dvr. Thanks for your help guys. Max.


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## DesignDawg (Jan 8, 2006)

Earl Bonovich said:


> Can you give me a page number in the manual where AUTOTUNE was mentioned... be it the online pre-release manual, the paper one you got with your R15, or what ever...
> 
> As for the RF antenna... the mentionin the manual is that there is a port for it... but I am 75% sure, that it is listed as future use... but I would have to check that when I get home.


You know what, Earl, I just searched the online manual, and searching keywords (partial and complete) of auto, tune, autotune, I found nothing pertaining to autotune, and you're 100% correct. The ONLY details it gives about the RF remote port is "for future use".

I expected you to be wrong on this, but apparently not...

Ricky

EDIT: And after that, I just went back and read the online manual cover to cover, and it doesn't mention any feature like autotune, or anything with similar functionality with a different name. *Myth: BUSTED!*


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## fredo (Dec 1, 2005)

Geez, why is everyone jumping on people for wanting an autotune function. Why the need to try to make people feel stupid for wanting an autotune function on the R15, "Why do you want an autotune function, it's a dvr, just set it to record dummy" is what it's beginning to feel like...


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

I don't think we are "jumping" on anyone for wanting the feature... The last couple posts where to account for statments... "it was in the manual"

I have no issues with the autotune feature... It is/was a valuable tool to use. I say WAS as, after 5 years of DVRing material... I haven't even once (until recent discussion) thought about it again.

AutoTune is nothing more then a scheduled recording, that doesn't record.

If those of you that posted where made to feel "stupid" I guess that could be attributed to the nature of online forums and the typed word syndrom.

If I wanted to make you feel stupid it would have been like:
"Dummy... just record it, smack... pick two fingers...."

That was the intent, and I don't think it was the intent of anyone here.

There are valid reasons for autotune... but it is a feature who's value has drastically dropped since the advent of DVRs.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

DesignDawg said:


> You know what, Earl, I just searched the online manual, and searching keywords (partial and complete) of auto, tune, autotune, I found nothing pertaining to autotune, and you're 100% correct. The ONLY details it gives about the RF remote port is "for future use".
> 
> I expected you to be wrong on this, but apparently not...
> 
> ...


I'm glad you got my back on this.... :grin:  :sure:


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## wohlfie (Dec 28, 2005)

max1 said:


> For example my bro has cox and he can check the guide for up to 9 days and if he sees a program he can set it so when the time comes it will go directly to that channel about a minute before it starts.


Okay - we are beating a dead horse, but clearly still not understanding .... so I will make an attempt.

Max-

The functionality you decsribe above is almost excatly what will happen if you search the guide and mark upcoming shows to record. What is wrong with RECORDING and then deleting? As others have pointed out, it is little extra work and ensures you don't miss it somehow. What advantage is there to just Autotuning rather than recording?

That being asked - I can think of two possible reasons for the mis-communication and explanation of the issue/complaint.

1. If you set a game to Record, and when it comes on you are watching something else, it will prompt you, similar to what Max said above (IF YOU HAVE ONLY ONE LINE AND ARE USING ONE TUNER). But if you have two lines/tuners, and the second is not busy, it will just start recording in the background as you watch the first tuner. If it important to you to watch LIVE, then you could "miss" it...

2. Or, it sounds like the issue might be one of "setting up" the Autotune vs. Record. If the complaint is that searching the guide and marking individual games to record is a pain when the game times aren't 'regular' and a Series lInk can't be set, the solution should be "AUTORECORD" which can be set by keyword searches (e.g. "Cubs"). Did the old Autotune do this and you (Max) are not familiar with 'Find by Keyword'?

There seems to be a lot of confusion between Record, Series Link, and AutoRecord and the manual is not helpful. One of you all had to explain it to me...

Anyway, propbably just wasting everybodys time but thought i would take a stab at understanding Max's complaint.


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## Mavrick (Feb 1, 2006)

wohlfie said:


> Okay - we are beating a dead horse, but clearly still not understanding .... so I will make an attempt.
> 
> Max-
> 
> ...


I understand what you are saying wohlfie and it makes complete sense to me.

Great Job!


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## jimdoo (Nov 23, 2005)

DesignDawg said:


> You know what, Earl, I just searched the online manual, and searching keywords (partial and complete) of auto, tune, autotune, I found nothing pertaining to autotune, and you're 100% correct. The ONLY details it gives about the RF remote port is "for future use".
> 
> I expected you to be wrong on this, but apparently not...
> 
> ...


The feature is not discussed in the printed manual. However it is shown in screen shots in ch 2- page 27- hence the user may think it's an included feature.


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## cabanaboy1977 (Nov 16, 2005)

jimdoo said:


> The feature is not discussed in the printed manual. However it is shown in screen shots in ch 2- page 27- hence the user may think it's an included feature.


I thought I was going crazy. I new I had seen a screenshot of it somewhere.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

Well I'll be... sure is there...

Interesting... Another case of bad editing of the manual..
(there is another screen shot that is very poorly done regarding running two signals to the box)

Thanks JimDoo


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## Geronimo (Mar 23, 2002)

I am an E* user and Ic an say that I do use autotune on my DVR. I don't use it everyday but it does come in handy when i want to make sure that i don't miss the beginning of a live program (sports mostly) while I watch some recoded program.

I could live without it but it is nice.


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## DesignDawg (Jan 8, 2006)

jimdoo said:


> The feature is not discussed in the printed manual. However it is shown in screen shots in ch 2- page 27- hence the user may think it's an included feature.


Haha! Holy crap! There it is! I gotta say...I can't believe anyone would go to the trouble of looking at and reading all the buttons on all those pictures! Crazy. You know, I was Mr "Mark my words" about this manual. I challenged people every day that the manual that came out WITH the R15 was going to bear no resemblance to this online manual. I swore up and down this was a rough first draft, and the actual manual would be very complete, very different, and much much longer. Boy, was I shocked when I got my R15! The manual is pitiful. --And it's almost exactly the same. Crazy.

Ricky


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

You know... once we all get the 109f update...

We should start to work on the 
DBSTalk.Com's Publishing:
R15 - For the Real End User
The unauthorized manual for DirecTV's R15

("I got dibs on that")......


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## DesignDawg (Jan 8, 2006)

P.S.-- You know, I already mentioned that the UTV had this feature, and I'll admit, I used it. But it was always like, at 8:53, during a commercial break, I would start browsing the guide to see what was coming on at 9:00. "Oh. Cool. History of the Pinata. SELECT-TUNE TO THIS CHANNEL AUTOMATICALLY WHEN SHOW AIRS."

I probably did that pretty often. It was just a way for me to go ahead and pick what I was going to watch next and not have to remember "Is Food network in the 200s or the 300s...." at 9:00. I still know very few of the channel numbers.

So, using it like that, sure, I made the choice to autotune rather than record. I don't want to record every show I watch necessarily. Plus, if I use record now in place of autotune the way I used to do it, it won't necessarily change the channel I'm watching when the next show comes on. It may record it on the other tuner.

But, I haven't missed the feature since I switched to DTiVo and R15. Go figure.

Ricky


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## DesignDawg (Jan 8, 2006)

Earl Bonovich said:


> ("I got dibs on that")......


No sh**.


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## Golfjunky (Nov 15, 2005)

I think there is a lot of confusion on what the autotune can be used for. The problem with recording a program instead of using autotune is that a DVR will start recording the program in the background (if not using both tuners). I want to tune to the live channel. Here's my scenerio:

I use autotune on my UTV to change to the channel I want to watch before bed. I use it to switch everynight to the live news at 11:00pm. Then at 11:35 it switches to Leno. I use the sleep function on my TV to shut off. If I know the shows I want to watch when falling asleep, I don't have to bother to remember to change channels.

In the morning my TV is my alarm clock. It turns on at 5:15am. I tune the UTV to the morning new at 5am, so when my TV comes on, I'm on the correct channel and I don't have to reach for the remote. It's more of a convenience thing. 

Hopefully, now you can see how this can be useful.

-Golfjunky-


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

Golfjunky said:


> I think there is a lot of confusion on what the autotune can be used for. The problem with recording a program instead of using autotune is that a DVR will start recording the program in the background (if not using both tuners). I want to tune to the live channel. Here's my scenerio:
> 
> I use autotune on my UTV to change to the channel I want to watch before bed. I use it to switch everynight to the live news at 11:00pm. Then at 11:35 it switches to Leno. I use the sleep function on my TV to shut off. If I know the shows I want to watch when falling asleep, I don't have to bother to remember to change channels.
> 
> ...


True...
Same can be done by setting TWO manual records...

one for 2 minutes from 5:14 to 5:16
one for 3 minutes from 5:15 to 5:17

For the same channel.

But the AutoTune feature would work better with it..


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## outbackpaul (Feb 9, 2006)

Golfjunky said:


> I think there is a lot of confusion on what the autotune can be used for. The problem with recording a program instead of using autotune is that a DVR will start recording the program in the background (if not using both tuners). I want to tune to the live channel. Here's my scenerio:
> 
> I use autotune on my UTV to change to the channel I want to watch before bed. I use it to switch everynight to the live news at 11:00pm. Then at 11:35 it switches to Leno. I use the sleep function on my TV to shut off. If I know the shows I want to watch when falling asleep, I don't have to bother to remember to change channels.
> 
> ...


THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I USE THIS FOR!! I never ever want to record the news but if I'm home I'd like to watch it real time. I don't want to be bothered with remembering to change the channel.


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## NVBlue (Aug 4, 2005)

Use the "Wish List" to find and automatically record what you want.


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## TigersFanJJ (Feb 17, 2006)

I'm guessing that those of you that find the autotune pointless don't have a one year old that lives in the same house as you. 

Because he loves the Doodlebops, but there's no way in hell I'm going to waste time or hard drive space recording that show. :flaiming


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## Bud33 (Jan 26, 2006)

I'm just starting to use a DVR . I was with E* for a number of years then switched to D* about 2 years ago and finally added a R-15 at Christmas time. (Couldn't pass up a free-be:sure: ) )
My first thought was that I really missed my auto tune (to lazy to change channels ) then the other night I set up my DVR to auto tune/record my evenings programs and about 8:25 fell asleep. Guess what- - - I didn't miss a thing. :grin: 
Now I'm glad it sets the auto tune/record


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## cabanaboy1977 (Nov 16, 2005)

TigersFanJJ said:


> I'm guessing that those of you that find the autotune pointless don't have a one year old that lives in the same house as you.
> 
> Because he loves the Doodlebops, but there's no way in hell I'm going to waste time or hard drive space recording that show. :flaiming


LOL, I feel your pain. My one year old loves that show too.


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