# R15 did not record Amazing Race



## chad73 (Jan 24, 2005)

Last night the R15 did not record the Amazing Race even though it was marked to record. I had the same problem Sunday night with Survivor. I have to babysit the recorder and unselect the item to record, then tell it to record it again.

This doesn't happen to every show I have setup to record but it seems to happen several times a week.

I can put up with a few bugs, but when a show is not recorded to me that is more than a bug.

I know others have had issues with programs not recording, but how widespread is this?

How many of you are missing programs that you have set to record?


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## ISWIZ (Nov 18, 2005)

Chad,

It is a problem they are working on BUT, call 1-800-DIRECTV and tell them you need to speak to the DVR group. Explain the problem, making sure they know it's the R15, they will (should) acknowledge they're working on it. Keep calling each time so they know it's not going away. I have seen improvement in some series that would not record properly that now are so I know it's working better but it's not right yet.

PS

Manual record will work, it's the series info in the guide that's messed up.


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## walters (Nov 18, 2005)

Sounds like maybe they have a problem when a series changes it's duration (e.g. a 2-hour finale)?


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## benn5325 (Mar 16, 2004)

I had a problem with Nip/Tuck last night. I had it set to start and finish on time.
But for some reason it started 15 mins early and ended 15 mins early:nono2:


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## ISWIZ (Nov 18, 2005)

walters said:


> Sounds like maybe they have a problem when a series changes it's duration (e.g. a 2-hour finale)?


I don't think that's the problem. It again seems to be guide related and the while early Survivor was 2 hours, it showed up looking in the prioritizer as ready to be recorded but yet did not show up in the TODO list so it did not record.

I had another "weekly series" that I had tried to set when I initially got the R15 and it would not let me, like it was a "single episode" vs a series. To circumvent it I set a manual weekly record. I tried to set the same series 2 days ago and now it is seeing it as a series and is working fine.

I suspect there are programmers parsing data and slowly (due to the vast database of programs) getting it fixed. My local evening news is still not able to be set as a series. I'm sure LOCAL channels are way down the list.


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## fredo (Dec 1, 2005)

My R15 did not record TAR last night either, my first missed recording btw. I checked the Todo list the night before and saw that it was in the list. When I checked last night, it wasn't recorded. I was sad. I'll have to find the episode thru other means now.


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## tall1 (Aug 9, 2005)

fredo said:


> My R15 did not record TAR last night either, my first missed recording btw. I checked the Todo list the night before and saw that it was in the list. When I checked last night, it wasn't recorded. I was sad. I'll have to find the episode thru other means now.


You didn't miss much. Not to be a spoiler but one of the challenges involved trying shoes on.  At least it was consistent with the bird watching and finger painting challenges. Glad it is over.


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## raott (Nov 23, 2005)

In any second, the R15 apologists will be jumping in to let you know that you shouldn't expect such an advanced feature as actually recording the shows you tell it to because this is directv's first dvr.


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## ISWIZ (Nov 18, 2005)

At least it came with two tuners and didn't need an update before they worked.


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## Wolffpack (Jul 29, 2003)

raott said:


> In any second, the R15 apologists will be jumping in to let you know that you shouldn't expect such an advanced feature as actually recording the shows you tell it to because this is directv's first dvr.


!Devil_lol


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## zortapa (Nov 16, 2005)

I had recording problems (partial and missed recordings) from when I setup my R15 on 11/11 through 12/4. Since 12/5 I have not had any problems. During the past 9+ days I have had 18 series links and 1 autorecord programmed along with a variety of other one-time recording and everything has worked perfectly. 

I think part of the reason for this was the additional information that was added to the guide on or about 12/4. I also suspect that another part of the reason is that I have not had to do much programming lately. It almost seems like the missed recordings might result from the R15 (or the user?) getting a little confused when the user is adding/deleting/modifying a number of recodings. 

Oh well, at least in my case once everything was setup properly the R15 became very stable.


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## Malibu13 (Sep 12, 2004)

raott said:


> In any second, the R15 apologists will be jumping in to let you know that you shouldn't expect such an advanced feature as actually recording the shows you tell it to because this is directv's first dvr.


ok, let me be the first to jump in, but i'm not gonna say what you so graciously suggested would be said. i don't think anyone here will be willing to say that there are not issues with this thing, serious issues at that, but it is amazing that each and every post of yours is a "jump" to bash anything related to the R15. you don't like it, that's fine and your opinion should be respected. if you actually have an R15, why did you buy it in the first place? or why have you not sent it back? quit trolling the threads and let others have meaningful discussions about this product that they have purchased for whatever reason. why has it got to become a "pis**ing contest to see who can troll the most threads.

while i'm not defending the issues with the R15, i am defending the rights of those of us who have elected to purchase one, to get the best information we possibly can, in order to cope with the problems and not having to wade our way through the troll mud.

now i'm gonna go take a "chill pill" and get off the podium:soapbox: my apologies in advance, in case you take offense to the post. BTW, the "Ignore List" is an amazing tool.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

I really need to get back into the forum swing of things.... too darn busy outside the real world.

Is it possible that you hit the 100 ToDo List "limit".... 
That is a known issue with the unit... (50/100) 

Still doesn't excuse the fact that it couldn't record it, but at least that would be a solid reason for the lack of the recording.


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## Malibu13 (Sep 12, 2004)

ebonovic said:


> I really need to get back into the forum swing of things.... too darn busy outside the real world.


good to see you alive and well earl


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## raott (Nov 23, 2005)

db54 said:


> now i'm gonna go take a "chill pill" and get off the podium:soapbox: my apologies in advance, in case you take offense to the post. BTW, the "Ignore List" is an amazing tool.


DB54, I was being sarcastic and was making a joke and no I don't take offense, it takes much more than that to get me offended.

However, that being said,
- any comment I have made about the shortcomings of the R15 are based on facts

- I post to keep the threads about the R15 honest because a few people continue to acknowlege but then trivialize the R15's issues.

- A person contemplating a purchase of their first DVR needs to understand the shortcomings and in its current state, the R15 is not reliable. A person buying a DVR isn't going to want to hear about this being directv's first in-house DVR and to give them some time to get things fixed, after the season finale of their favorite show didn't bother to record.

- Having to constantly babysit your DVR because it cannot manage to record shows like Survivor, The Amazing Race and the regional FSN's is not a minor problem. A major point of a DVR is not to have to babysit.

- I worked for a major electronics and industrial manufacturer for 8 years and we would never have introduced a new product with such obvious flaws and where there was an obvious rush to get the unit out the door and where testing must have been either limited or not very robust.

- I also post because eventually my R15 will have to move from my room with only one line and become my home's main DVR. Directv needs to see the negative feedback and get the issues fixed.


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## ad301 (Mar 30, 2004)

raott said:


> DB54, I was being sarcastic and was making a joke and no I don't take offense, it takes much more than that to get me offended.
> 
> However, that being said,
> - any comment I have made about the shortcomings of the R15 are based on facts
> ...


I agree with everything you said in this post.

I think it is very important to keep these issues open for discussion, but db54 has mentioned more than a few times that "whiners" like us should just shut up. What he and his like-minded friends seem to forget is that we all have an interest in seeing this box morph into a reliable and robust machine, capable of operating as a main dvr without the continual and repeated problems we have all experienced. Some of us take the approach of testing and pointing out problems, in the hopes that they will be fixed. Others take comfort in every correctly recorded program, crowing about how things are getting better, even as other programs are being missed. Down the road, if this box eventually works correctly and reliably, maybe all of us beta testers can be happy that we contributed, each in our own way, to making that happen.


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## ad301 (Mar 30, 2004)

zortapa said:


> I had recording problems (partial and missed recordings) from when I setup my R15 on 11/11 through 12/4. Since 12/5 I have not had any problems. During the past 9+ days I have had 18 series links and 1 autorecord programmed along with a variety of other one-time recording and everything has worked perfectly.
> 
> I think part of the reason for this was the additional information that was added to the guide on or about 12/4.


Can you expand on this a bit? What do you see that is new or different since 12/4?



zortapa said:


> I also suspect that another part of the reason is that I have not had to do much programming lately. It almost seems like the missed recordings might result from the R15 (or the user?) getting a little confused when the user is adding/deleting/modifying a number of recodings.


I'm guessing it's the r15 and not the user.  But I had also noticed a similar thing. The more changes you make to the prioritizer, the more likely it seems to cause problems. Also, I found that if you add more than 2 or 3 auto-recording finds into the mix, it really gummed up the works.

Why would this be? I don't think this is guide data related. (Pure speculation mode on.) The r15 seems to do it's "thinking" in the background all the time, and every time you add a series link, it goes to the top of the list and causes a complete recalculation of the todo items. Look for showing of series1, look for showings of series2, look for non-conflicting showings of series3, look for non-confliciting showings of series4,..........series-x, where x=number of items in prioritizer. Now add another series. Oops, it's time to re-calculate. Look for showing of new series1, look for showings of series2, look for non-conflicting showings of series3, look for non-confliciting showings of series4,..........series-x+1. Now, let's move the new series1 down the list, say to #20. Each time you move it down a notch, it starts the re-calculation over again. That's why it is so sluggish in moving shows around the prioritizer. This is also why it is just dumb to add every new show to the top of the prioritizer. It always has to re-calculate every item, rather than just the new one if added to the bottom. So, why does it seem to get confused? Maybe, there's too much re-calculating going on all the time??? (Speculation off.)



zortapa said:


> Oh well, at least in my case once everything was setup properly the R15 became very stable.


So, the question is, is that because you stopped fiddling with the prioritizer, or has the guide data actually changed?


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## ISWIZ (Nov 18, 2005)

ad301,

I originally (11/17) tried to setup my R15 with all the same setups as my DTIVO. At that time some of the series links on the R15 were not working. For instance, I had set a SL for "Monday Nite Live" on 629. It would not see it as a series but the DTIVO would. I simply set up a manual record for time and channel. A week ago I again tried the SL on the same show, it took and is working. 
I have seen this with a couple other series. Though not working as it should it is improving/changing which ever term one likes. I can do series on the National news ahows but my local station still will not. I figure that is one of the last things that are fixed and understand that, that's not an apology for the error, just someone that troubleshoots computers and networks and understand that you work to get the majority of people up and going before you work on an individual users problems.
I have called DTV numerous times and the last conversation I had with 2nd Tier DVR folks sounded more like they were understanding the problems more than that the first call.


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## tall1 (Aug 9, 2005)

db54 said:


> if you actually have an R15, why did you buy it in the first place?


Because I received a R10 in September and liked it so much I ordered another "DVR" a few weeks ago and an R15 showed up.



db54 said:


> or why have you not sent it back?


 Because D* told me, "All sales are final". Even if they did a warranty swap out, they would swap it out for only "like kind" equipment which means I would receive another R15.

I hope others don't get hoodwinked like I did. I feel I can bash the s*** outta D* for basically pulling a bait and switch.


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## Wolffpack (Jul 29, 2003)

tall1 said:


> Even if they did a warranty swap out, they would swap it out for only "like kind" equipment which means I would receive another R15.


Ha, I like that. Wonder how many here believe an R15 is "like kind" to an R10.



tall1 said:


> I hope others don't get hoodwinked like I did. I feel I can bash the s*** outta D* for basically pulling a bait and switch.


I'd agree.


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## Malibu13 (Sep 12, 2004)

raott said:


> DB54, I was being sarcastic and was making a joke and no I don't take offense, it takes much more than that to get me offended.
> 
> However, that being said,
> - any comment I have made about the shortcomings of the R15 are based on facts
> ...


raott, no offense taken .......and the above post is exactly the response i was looking for instead of general sarcasm. your explanations for your dissatisfaction with the R15, is exactly what most of us are looking for. it's much more informative when we state our reasons behind our opinions.

my only hope is to keep the threads informative, where we all learn from each other. my post was not necessarily intended to "bash" you. it was basically directed at the type of posts that do not have the informational content.

my apologies


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## Malibu13 (Sep 12, 2004)

ad301 said:


> I agree with everything you said in this post.
> 
> but db54 has mentioned more than a few times that "whiners" like us should just shut up.


find a post that i told anyone to shut up ....or just maybe rephrase your comment


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## John Duncan Yoyo (Nov 22, 2005)

tall1 said:


> Because I received a R10 in September and liked it so much I ordered another "DVR" a few weeks ago and an R15 showed up.
> 
> Because D* told me, "All sales are final". Even if they did a warranty swap out, they would swap it out for only "like kind" equipment which means I would receive another R15.
> 
> I hope others don't get hoodwinked like I did. I feel I can bash the s*** outta D* for basically pulling a bait and switch.


Have you tried calling customer retention yet?


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## Lee L (Aug 15, 2002)

Wow, reading these posts give me a nice flashback to my Dish Network days. How nice it is to have a DVR that pretty much always records things without being babysat.


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