# Genie (HR44-700) buffer on start



## CDJohnson25 (Nov 4, 2007)

When I wake up my Genie HR44-700 (e.g. in the morning or after work) there is no buffer on the channel it woke up on.

However, my HR24-100 always has a 90 minute buffer on the channel it wakes up on.

Another thread touched on this issue, and stated the buffer is there. What can be done to get the buffer on a Genie?


----------



## itzme (Jan 17, 2008)

I've been trying to understand the buffer logic with my hr44 and my c41, and I can't. I've done some experimenting and found a tip that works sometimes if you're trying to find a buffer. Try changing to another channel and then back to the channel that you suspect might be buffered (last watched or recorded from) on either the genie or the client, switching tuners never worked for me, but actually changing the channels has worked on occasion. I suspect because the DVR or the client can't really detect on and off, but can detect the channel change, and then it even offers up the << To Watch from the Beginning message. Also remember that Genie is always looking for free tuners to use for content that DTV pushes to your hard drive.

Buttom line, if you want to watch something, record it. Buffers on wake up are just too unpredictable to rely on, and they aren't a feature anyway.


----------



## CDJohnson25 (Nov 4, 2007)

only reason I'm looking for it on the Genie is that, occasionally, when I start watching TV, there is something interesting on that I am not recording and had no plans to record. With the HR24, I could back up 90 minutes or less and maybe catch the beginning. It was a nice feature that is still on my HR24, but not available on HR44 as far as I can tell.


----------



## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

itzme said:


> Buttom line, if you want to watch something, record it. Buffers on wake up are just too unpredictable to rely on, and they aren't a feature anyway.


Ya. I now think of my HR44 itself as just another RVU client. When I turn it on, I only expect to see a buffer when it was last tuned to a channel that happens to be currently recording.


----------



## itzme (Jan 17, 2008)

CDJohnson25 said:


> only reason I'm looking for it on the Genie is that, occasionally, when I start watching TV, there is something interesting on that I am not recording and had no plans to record. With the HR24, I could back up 90 minutes or less and maybe catch the beginning. It was a nice feature that is still on my HR24, but not available on HR44 as far as I can tell.


I totally hear ya! I'm the same way. If my hr24 wasn't so noisy, I'd bring it back to the bedroom just for that buffer ability.


----------



## NR4P (Jan 16, 2007)

Genie's haven't had buffers since the HR34 was introduced. Occasionally something is buffered but its never been a feature of Genie.


----------



## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

Here's a workaround: Select the channel you think would be most interesting to have a buffer. Set it to start an hour before you arise, and to go three hours after. Set the Series Link to keep one show.

There, you've got your mega-buffer, and it can't go away with an accidental button push, and one show won't push you over if you forget about it or go on vacation.


----------



## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

Its leave the unit turned on to the channel you want It in the morning, or do not expect a buffer. Thats about the only thing you can do.


Sent from my iPad using DBSTalk mobile app


----------



## CDJohnson25 (Nov 4, 2007)

Laxguy said:


> Here's a workaround: Select the channel you think would be most interesting to have a buffer. Set it to start an hour before you arise, and to go three hours after. Set it to keep one show.
> 
> There, you've got your mega-buffer, and it can't go away with an accidental button push.


LOL, yeah, I've done that DOH! accidental button push with the buffer before.

as to your suggestion, thank you, but I'd probably end up recording a bunch of stuff I would never watch. My need for the buffer is fairly random, but nice when available.


----------



## NR4P (Jan 16, 2007)

inkahauts said:


> Its leave the unit turned on to the channel you want It in the morning, or do not expect a buffer. Thats about the only thing you can do.
> 
> Sent from my iPad using DBSTalk mobile app


I agree, no one says you have to turn off the Genie. Many folks leave them on. Just don't forget to turn off the power save feature so it stays on.


----------



## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

CDJohnson25 said:


> LOL, yeah, I've done that DOH! accidental button push with the buffer before.
> 
> as to your suggestion, thank you, but I'd probably end up recording a bunch of stuff I would never watch. My need for the buffer is fairly random, but nice when available.


That's why the SL is set to save a max of one. Set it to perhaps a morning news program.


----------



## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

The lack of buffering on Genies is a known "feature." Turning off the front panel lights and power saver, and never turning it off is a good solution. Realistically you don't save "that" much power anyway.

I've noticed in general that the live buffer is preserved for roughly four hours, unless a recording takes place during that time (whether it is scheduled, or one of the on demand or Genie Recommends programs) at which point the buffer is dumped.

My suspicion is that this "feature" came about to meet strict energy star requirements, and to be able to explicitly state that the DVR's hard drive isn't unnecessarily chugging along when unused (which, honestly, is a big complaint for some folks.)


----------



## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

Stuart Sweet said:


> My suspicion is that this "feature" came about to meet strict energy star requirements, and to be able to explicitly state that the DVR's hard drive isn't unnecessarily chugging along when unused (which, honestly, is a big complaint for some folks.)


This makes sense, although some might not like it


----------



## itzme (Jan 17, 2008)

Thanks, Stuart. Can you offer any input about why it takes a channel change vs. a tuner change to reveal a buffer that may be there? When I leave my hr44 and move to my c41 ( both always left on) is when I notice this.


----------



## acostapimps (Nov 6, 2011)

On many occasions when I turn on the HR44-700 I still see a buffer on the same channel I had after switching off, but maybe it randomly works.


----------



## CDJohnson25 (Nov 4, 2007)

ok, I turned off Power Saving and left the Genie on since last night. When I came home from work this afternoon, I had a 90 minute buffer on the channel it was left on. I adjusted the panel lights to off, and used black electrical tape over the blue DTV light.

This will work for me. Thanks all for helping


----------



## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

Thanks, Stuart. Can you offer any input about why it takes a channel change vs. a tuner change to reveal a buffer that may be there? When I leave my hr44 and move to my c41 ( both always left on) is when I notice this.


Um,huh? You mean why can you move to the c41 and change to the same channel and see the buffer that was n the 44 you just left? Actually, when you do that, you aren't really changing channels in that case, you are changing tuners,as it knows that channel is already tuned to on another tuner and just switches tuners so its sharing the tuner with multiple clients and there by leaves the other tuners free for other things. Makes it easier for the genie to do more things at once by optimizing tuner usage.


Sent from my iPad using DBSTalk mobile app


----------



## itzme (Jan 17, 2008)

inkahauts said:


> Um,huh? You mean why can you move to the c41 and change to the same channel and see the buffer that was n the 44 you just left? Actually, when you do that, you aren't really changing channels in that case, you are changing tuners,as it knows that channel is already tuned to on another tuner and just switches tuners so its sharing the tuner with multiple clients and there by leaves the other tuners free for other things. Makes it easier for the genie to do more things at once by optimizing tuner usage.
> 
> Sent from my iPad using DBSTalk mobile app


Yes! And I understand that. But what I'm wondering is why that buffer usually doesn't reveal itself on the C41 if I switch tuners (Doubleplay's down btn) to get to it- even if I hit down twice and flip between tuners on the C41, when one or both of those tuners were just tuned on the HR44. The buffer only seems to reveals itself (long green line) if I _Channel Change_ or _Quick Tune_ to it on the C41. Does that make sense? This is a difficult question to ask. :hair:

So assuming I leave the HR44 and C41 on all the time, and I was watching CNN and double-tuned to TWC on the 44, then moved to the C41 that was on, say ABC and I push the down button which happens to take me to CNN. The buffer is not there. BUT if I hit 2-0-4 to get to CNN (or Quicktune to CNN), only then do I access the buffer. It'd be nice to see those buffers instantly and/or by just hitting the down btn on the C41.

EDITED MORE: so you turn on the TV at the C41 and its at either CNN or TWC and you think, "shucks, there's no buffers this time" BUT then you start changing channels and GO BACK to either CNN or TWC and Voila!, there are buffers there.


----------



## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

Yes! And I understand that. But what I'm wondering is why that buffer usually doesn't reveal itself on the C41 if I switch tuners (Doubleplay's down btn) to get to it- even if I hit down twice and flip between tuners on the C41, when one or both of those tuners were just tuned on the HR44. The buffer only seems to reveals itself (long green line) if I Channel Change or Quick Tune to it on the C41. Does that make sense? This is a difficult question to ask. :hair:

So assuming I leave the HR44 and C41 on all the time, and I was watching CNN and double-tuned to TWC on the 44, then moved to the C41 that was on, say ABC and I push the down button which happens to take me to CNN. The buffer is not there. BUT if I hit 2-0-4 to get to CNN (or Quicktune to CNN), only then do I access the buffer. It'd be nice to see those buffers instantly and/or by just hitting the down btn on the C41.

EDITED MORE: so you turn on the TV at the C41 and its at either CNN or TWC and you think, "shucks, there's no buffers this time" BUT then you start changing channels and GO BACK to either CNN or TWC and Voila!, there are buffers there.


Ah, well my guess is that when it starts up it simply Choses an unused tuner and tunes to the last channel it remembered being set to. However, when you purposefully change channels it then looks at the other tuners and if it sees one already tuned to the channel it will grab that one with the buffer. At least that is what it sounds like its doing.

I have never tried tuning to a station, then turning the mini off, then coming back ages latter after having the same channel on another device and seeing if it grabs the buffer or not. Maybe I'll try that latter.


Sent from my iPad using DBSTalk mobile app


----------

