# HMC Buffer When Unit is Off



## DBSNewbie (Nov 3, 2007)

On the HR2x DVRs, when the unit is turned off, the buffer stays on, allowing the user to rewind a program when turning on the TV (D* Box) in the morning, for example, and see the earlier portions what was showing on the channel in which it was tuned to.

However, on my HR34, the unit does not start buffering until the unit is turned on. I did notice, though, that since the latest update (1/9), the buffer will stay on *sometimes* even after the unit has been turned off.

Some mornings, when I first turn on the TV (and D* box), I can rewind. Other times I can't. If I turn it off for a short bit, then turn it back on, the buffer stays buffering.

How is the HR34 supposed to behave in regards to the buffer? Is it supposed to stop buffering after a set period of time of the unit being off?

Also, does the new HR44 behave in the same manner as the HR34 does?

Thanks


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## BAHitman (Oct 24, 2007)

I have never noticed that it has buffered while off, but then I usually hit ON, PAUSE, then LIST, and while the TV and AVR are doing their power up routine, the playlist is on the screen when those things get done...


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## WestDC (Feb 9, 2008)

Whatever Channel you are set to when you power the HDDVR off it will hold that buffer for 90 min Continual .

I know this (HOW) I leave one HDVDR BSM'T off (at times) on Channel 256(any channel of your interest) - When I tun on my MB TV (HD) receiver and I happen to go to that channel and see something of interest (already in the middle of show) I hit record and it will display where I want to record it and I select the BSM'T HDDVR .

When I go to the play list and select that show it will say 1 hour or 30 min partial recording depending on when I pressed record from the MB.

This will also work on any powered off HDDVR when you turn it on and if something that is currently playing on the last channel set you hit record and it will record the buffer for you to go back to the start and watch it now or later 

I think that is what you are asking.


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## CCarncross (Jul 19, 2005)

I believe others have witnessed this same behavior from the HR34's....I know the HR2x series have the buffer. I believe it will be addressed in a future software update.


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

The Genie (HR34) buffering is different than the HR2x buffering. You can't count on the HR34 being buffered out of standby, based at least in part by client use. Tuners are managed and assigned differently than they are on an HR2x.


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## DBSNewbie (Nov 3, 2007)

Yes. I am completely aware that the HR34 does not buffer while the unit is off (in standby mode). Or, at least that's the way it should be, for now, until a future update. That's the way it has behaved for the last year that I've had it - until recently.

Since the last update, I've noticed that when the unit is first turned on (like in the morning, for example) sometimes the previous 90 minutes are buffered (that can be rewinded to) and sometimes not.

Prior to the update, the previous 90-minute buffer was never there, when the unit was first turned on.

It happened again this morning. I woke up to Good Morning America on ABC (Channel 7 - Los Angeles) and the previous 90 minutes were buffered.

I think I may have a theory on when it does and does not buffer while the unit is off. As I had mentioned, when I turned on the TV, it was tuned to ABC. Last night, an episode of Modern Family was recorded, which happens to be on ABC.

I'm guessing that if a recording happens to be on the same channel the HR34 was last/ or currently tuned to, then the buffer engages. I will try to experiment with it for a bit and see if that is the case.

I'm wondering if any HR34 (or HR44) users out there can test their units and see whether or not it does buffer while in standby-off mode and if a recording on the same tuned-channel theory has any truth behind it.

Thanks.


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

DBSNewbie said:


> I'm wondering if any HR34 (or HR44) users out there can test their units and see whether or not it does buffer while in standby-off mode and if a recording on the same tuned-channel theory has any truth behind it.
> 
> Thanks.


My personal experience has been that it generally does buffer under that circumstance, but not always. I have absolutely had (many) situations where it did not buffer (even when that channel was being recorded).


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## steve053 (May 11, 2007)

DBSNewbie said:


> ....Since the last update, I've noticed that when the unit is first turned on (like in the morning, for example) sometimes the previous 90 minutes are buffered (that can be rewinded to) and sometimes not.
> 
> Prior to the update, the previous 90-minute buffer was never there, when the unit was first turned on.
> 
> ...


My wife mentioned/complained about this exact issue this morning. Sometimes the HR34 will be buffering when off and sometimes it won't. This morning she was watching the morning news and turned off the TV off around 6 a.m. When she turned the TV on again at 6:30 a.m. there was no buffer (and the channel had not been changed). I can also confirm that nothing was recording or completed recording during that 30 minute window. In fact, the most recent recording completed prior to midnight. That completed recording was on a different channel.

I also noticed that when I open the iPad app the 'currently watching' never identifies what's being watched. It only updates when I manually select a show via 'watch on tv' in the iPad app. This behavior began when I updagraded from an HR20-100 to the HR34. The HR20-100 always correctly identified what was currently being watched.


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

steve053 said:


> I also noticed that when I open the iPad app the 'currently watching' never identifies what's being watched. It only updates when I manually select a show via 'watch on tv' in the iPad app. This behavior began when I updagraded from an HR20-100 to the HR34. The HR20-100 always correctly identified what was currently being watched.


I found that the Currently Watching will only work for the HR34 if the HR34 is not in standby. As soon as you put it into standby mode, it can't figure out what the active tuner is.

- Merg


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## Diana C (Mar 30, 2007)

It seems pretty clear that the HR34 is tuned to nothing when it is in standby (i.e. front panel lights off). If you try to connect to an HR34 with the DirecTV iPad app, the "Currently viewing" panel never loads. Turn the HR34 on and it will then load, showing the current channel.


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## goodwilldrums (Jan 24, 2013)

I've noticed that after watching something on the DVR (list), I'll press exit, and return to live programing there will be no buffer. But then, at times, there is a buffer.

And I have too have had these inconsistencies happen when I turn the DVR on after it's been turned off all night or during the day. Sometimes there's a 90 minute buffer, other times it's as if I have just tuned to that channel, when in fact it's been sitting on that channel all day long.

I cannot for the life of me figure out the HR34's pattern on this. It's very inconsistent, and driving me crazy. 

This has to be a bug right? It's not something that we the users are all doing wrong right?


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## Justin23 (Jan 11, 2008)

If the HR34 has been idle for 4 hours, the Energy Saver kicks in. If it's happening during shorter periods of idle...don't know.


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## goodwilldrums (Jan 24, 2013)

I may have found a way to keep the buffer going.

I've tested it all throughout the day and it seems that if you rewind just a bit it will not refresh and act as if you've just tuned to that channel.

It seems as if the bug is when you stay live on the programming you're watching. 

It's almost as if you have to trick it in thinking you're behind live TV.

So in the meantime, this is what I'm going with to get around this bug, if and until they get around to fixing it.


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## steve053 (May 11, 2007)

Last night we turned on a program a few minutes after 8 p.m. Rather than watch the program and commercials we switched to a recored program. We did not change the channel on the 'live' tv.

Less than 20 minutes latter we finished watching the recorded program. When we went back to the live tv, there was no buffer. 

We tried to skip back, but again, there was nothing in the buffer.


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## wesg (May 31, 2013)

The HR44 and HR34 are using the same software. The buffering is a problem with both and does not work like previous HR recieves (hr24 and prior) . This has been a known issue on DTV Forums at least for the last 6 months with no resolution. The buffering for the 34 and 44 is sporatic no matter what I have tried.


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

For those whom buffers are important, perhaps not putting the unit in Standby is a temp. solution. Standby saves but a few watts according to other's testing. 
I never rely on buffering, though I'd like to have it. If there's anything I remotely think I want to go back to in order to watch or just check out, I hit R.


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## wesg (May 31, 2013)

I have Powersaver off, Auto "find a program" off, Does not make a difference. Software needs to be fixed. PS: Other than software the HR44 is a sweet unit. It is less than half the size of the HR34, has an external power supply, is blazing fast with no delays. Definetly get a HR44 if you can.


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## CCarncross (Jul 19, 2005)

The workaround is until they fix the buffer situation, if they are going to, just leave it on.....probably only saves a nickel of month if you turn it off. I think there is a reason there is no buffer when in standby, and I think it has to do with the 5 tuners, instead of just the pair. But that is just a guess, as I believe both 5-tuner models have this issue.


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## joshjr (Aug 2, 2008)

I seem to lose the buffer when going from live content to recorded content and then back to live content. I don't understand why either. I also miss turning on the DVR and seeing that it had stored the last 90 minutes of the channel it was on. That was a great feature and I used it a lot. Its nice not always having to record everything. I find it very annoying thought to end watching a recording and then the live channel has nothing stored to rewind to. Seems like it should as the box was on the entire time. Just because I watched recorded programming does not mean I did not want to come back to what was on. I have learned to just record it but liked it a lot better when I didn't have to.


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## h_a_h_3 (Apr 8, 2008)

This morning I put a my kill-a-watt on the HR44 and C41 installed last week. C41 was 3W off, 4.5W on; HR44 was 19-20W both "off" and "on". The now-gone HR21 was 40W both "off" and "on".


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## wesg (May 31, 2013)

Joshjr, I total agree with what you are saying and have had the same problem. Have tried the "go back a little" trick, use "double play trick", all to no avail. I am going to try leaving HR44 on all the time (including overnight) again and see what happens . (this worked one night but not the next?) If you have additional HR receivers and buffer did not hold on 34 & 44 you can run to other other receiver (hr 24 & prior) and if channel you want was on it will be buffered and if you hit record you can now pick program up thru list on 34 & 44 or manually record a time period on 34 & 44, but what a waste of time. They need to fix software. When we 1st got the HR34 it took my wife less than an hour to discover the buffering problem and she still uses a flip phone and no computer, so the geniuses at DTV should have seen this coming.???? DTV said because there are 5 tuners it may be getting confused on which one to use to buffer. (software problem) When we switched to HR44 same problem but a much better unit than the 34.


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## Diana C (Mar 30, 2007)

In the current software it seems that an active tuner continues to be active and buffering after it is released (either by turning off the Genie, turning off a client, or a recording concluding) - at least fora short time. If you turn off a client, and then turn it back on again within a couple of minutes, you can still have a live TV buffer. The Genie may buffer a local tuner longer (perhaps indefinitely), but the catch is that when you turn it back on after being off for a prolonged period, you may not get the same tuner you had last time. Once a new tuner becomes active, the "stale" live buffer is dropped.

All that said, I don't think DirecTV ever stated that the buffering of live TV while the DVR was off is an actual feature of their DVRs.


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## wesg (May 31, 2013)

If leaving unit on all the time made buffering consistent I would be glad to leave it on all the time, that does not work on HR34 or HR44. It has worked on all HR's before (24 & prior on or off) which had 2 tuners so now with 5 tuners no longer works and if unit gets confused has to be a software issue. The HR 44 is a great unit just would like DTV to fix the software..


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## Scott Kocourek (Jun 13, 2009)

I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for a full time buffer on the Genie. I have mine set to record the news every morning and only keep one day, that way I can FF or RW to the weather or anything else I may want to see before work. The rest of the time it goes un-noticed.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

CCarncross said:


> I think there is a reason there is no buffer when in standby, and I think it has to do with the 5 tuners, instead of just the pair. But that is just a guess, as I believe both 5-tuner models have this issue.


Maybe not the five tuners directly, but that the Genies are servers to clients that is [my guess] why it handles tuner/buffering differently.

Some times the buffer is there and other times just a few mins of watching a recording dumps the buffer.


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

Scott Kocourek said:


> I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for a full time buffer on the Genie. I have mine set to record the news every morning and only keep one day, that way I can FF or RW to the weather or anything else I may want to see before work. The rest of the time it goes un-noticed.


Well, in fact that's the way that makes the most sense, even if buffers worked the way we (variously) think they should. This way, you've 'got in the can' material you know there's a likelihood of using, rather than a hit-or-miss situation of it picking up whatever channel happened to be on the night before.

When I get back home, I am setting up similarly.

Er, thanks, Scott!


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## wesg (May 31, 2013)

I don't mind setting up recordings thru manual record for a period of time daily (like 3 hours 7am to 10am) but I can't find a way to have the manual recordings delete automatically after 1 or 2 days. Swore I saw this option at one time can not find it now. Any help?


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

wesg said:


> I don't mind setting up recordings thru manual record for a period of time daily (like 3 hours 7am to 10am) but I can't find a way to have the manual recordings delete automatically after 1 or 2 days. Swore I saw this option at one time can not find it now. Any help?


no way


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

wesg said:


> I don't mind setting up recordings thru manual record for a period of time daily (like 3 hours 7am to 10am) but I can't find a way to have the manual recordings delete automatically after 1 or 2 days. Swore I saw this option at one time can not find it now. Any help?


It wouldn't be a manual recording, at least as I use the term. Pick a program that's on at about the time you rise, use Options to keep one recording.


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## jhsanchez (Feb 4, 2006)

I noticed this issue the other day and view it as a severe shortcoming. With the new remote, you cannot even leave the power on and turn off the TV. Also, is there any way to change TV inputs from this new remote? Sure makes it a pain to watch a DVD, not only do I need the DVD remote but also need the TV remote. This is NOT progress.


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

jhsanchez said:


> I noticed this issue the other day and view it as a severe shortcoming. With the new remote, you cannot even leave the power on and turn off the TV. Also, is there any way to change TV inputs from this new remote? Sure makes it a pain to watch a DVD, not only do I need the DVD remote but also need the TV remote. This is NOT progress.


Assuming you are referring to the RC71, to change the input you press and hold the ENTER key


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## jhsanchez (Feb 4, 2006)

Thanks - that was not very obvious...now if I could just make it buffer when off, I'd be a happy guy.


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

See post 29! Not the utmost convenient, but it works everytime you hit record.


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

jhsanchez said:


> Thanks - that was not very obvious


agree!


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## MikeyK20FA5 (Jun 3, 2015)

I am very disappointed with the buffer not working. 
DirecTV was here today because I was complaining about it and also having issues with delayed commands from the remote. 
They took my HR34 and have me A HR44. The remote delay is solved but the buffer does not work at all. The non-genie in the bedroom works fine.


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

See above a few posts for a workaround on the buffer "issue"; Scott's post previous page. 

Good luck!


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

MikeyK20FA5 said:


> I am very disappointed with the buffer not working.
> DirecTV was here today because I was complaining about it and also having issues with delayed commands from the remote.
> They took my HR34 and have me A HR44. The remote delay is solved but the buffer does not work at all. The non-genie in the bedroom works fine.


That is expected as that is not a feature of the Genies.


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## texasbrit (Aug 9, 2006)

Actually the buffer works a lot of the time, just not always. As peds48 says, it's just not a feature of the Genies.


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

And, as I posted, there's a foolproof workaround. It was first suggested by Scott Kocourek.


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