# Shared 'To Be Recorded' List



## TDK1044 (Apr 8, 2010)

How do we persuade D* just how important it is to be able to see a shared 'To Be Recorded' list, so that we can see on any DVR all of the recordings that are set up on all of the DVRs?

I had a situation last night, where my wife wanted to record a series starting in about a week. I had a feeling that I'd already set the series recording up on one of our boxes, but I couldn't remember for sure. Therefore, my only option was to go to each box and check the 'To Be Recorded' list. I found the recording set up on the third box I checked.

This is truly asinine. We can set recordings remotely from a Laptop or an i-pad, but we have no way to see a shared list of what we have set up to record?

DirecTV deserves a lot of praise for a lot of things, but this omission is naive in my view.

If any Admin here has the ear of someone at DirecTV, please forward this post to them.


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

I'll do you one better... I'll agree with you, at least in spirit. 

We've been asking for collaborative scheduling and a merged to-do list for a long time. It just hasn't happened, possibly because for most of that time there were few homes with more than one DVR. 

DIRECTV is rumored to be developing a DVR with possibly 5 tuners that would let most homes have just one DVR again, making the issue moot. A forum search for "HR34" will probably tell you what we've heard about this DVR.


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## TDK1044 (Apr 8, 2010)

Great info. Thanks, Stuart.


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## HDJulie (Aug 10, 2008)

Well, that sucks. I doubt that I'll ever go with one DVR because you can't have redundancy & all of your shows are on one hard drive so if that hard drive fails, all of the shows are lost. 

Won't the HR34 also render the MRV thing moot? The point to the HR34 is to have dumb clients at every other tv, right? So MRV would have to be part of the HR34 anyway.


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## hilmar2k (Mar 18, 2007)

Stuart Sweet said:


> I'll do you one better... I'll agree with you, at least in spirit.
> 
> We've been asking for collaborative scheduling and a merged to-do list for a long time. It just hasn't happened, *possibly because for most of that time there were few homes with more than one DVR*.
> 
> DIRECTV is rumored to be developing a DVR with possibly 5 tuners that would let most homes have just one DVR again, making the issue moot. A forum search for "HR34" will probably tell you what we've heard about this DVR.


Only one DVR?!?!?!?


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## Richierich (Jan 10, 2008)

Yes, we need collaborative scheduling to be implemented by Directv.


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## jdspencer (Nov 8, 2003)

I'll second that opinion.

DirecTV should know how many homes have more than one DVR by checking the accounts and because of the number of DECA installs they have done and by checking how many have MRV enabled. 


Collaborative scheduling is a must have.


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## NCDolphinFan (Apr 25, 2007)

I think the schedule should be in the DirecTV "cloud" tied to our account. We should have one list of series/programs to record that can be accessed and updated from any receiver or web browser or iPad/iPhone/Android app, etc. If you have 3 DVRs on your account, you get to record up to 6 programs at a time. For a series or program you could even allow a preferred DVR-to-record-on to be specified if you want, but that would not be necessary. Let the system balance the load over the DVRs you have given the number of recordings requested and the available disk space.

Just a thought.


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## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

Righr now, I'll settle for a TVapp that could view my Google Docs DirecTV scheduling spreadsheet.


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## TDK1044 (Apr 8, 2010)

I really don't know why a shared to be recorded list wasn't part of the initial release? Why would you offer the customer the ability to record in multiple rooms and play back on any DVR in any room, but not give them a way to check what they have set up to record on each DVR?

I now have my own Shared Record List App...it's an old notepad and pen. It has DVR1, DVR2, DVR3 written on it, and then dated entries of what is set to record on each DVR. Are you reading this DirecTV!?:lol::lol:

I have a lot of time and respect for DirecTV. They have always been good to me. I don't want to be with another provider, but my pad has a limited number of pages! :lol::lol:


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

Why? All I can do is guess. 

The number of people with multiple DVRs is actually a very small percentage of subscribers. The most common setup continues to be one DVR and 2 - 3 receivers. With Whole Home, certainly most people don't need more than that. 

Collaborative scheduling would be cool but at some point, apparently, the need to be cool has to be evaluated with the need to have a return on the time investment.


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## TDK1044 (Apr 8, 2010)

perfectly fair response, Stuart. So, if they do actually produce a 5 tuner DVR, could I replace my main view DVR with it and still keep Whole Home DVR with the DVRs I have in the bedrooms? Or are they thinking of dropping MRV in favor of a properly thought out version of U-verse based on a single DVR home?


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## jdspencer (Nov 8, 2003)

Stuart Sweet said:


> Why? All I can do is guess.
> 
> The number of people with multiple DVRs is actually a very small percentage of subscribers. The most common setup continues to be one DVR and 2 - 3 receivers. With Whole Home, certainly most people don't need more than that.
> 
> Collaborative scheduling would be cool but at some point, apparently, the need to be cool has to be evaluated with the need to have a return on the time investment.


New installs may have that combination of receivers, but what about the subscribers that had multiple DVRs before MRV became available. I originally had my two DVRs in the living room, but when the MRV beta became available I moved one to the bedroom. I assumed that I would be able to at least see what programs were scheduled to be recorded on the remote DVR. And then be able to set a program to record on the remote one. I don't need to have collaborative scheduling, just the ability to see the play list and set a recording.


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

jdspencer said:


> I don't need to have collaborative scheduling, just the ability to see the* play list* and set a recording.


You mean see the TDL, right? If so, I agree.

The ability to schedule a recording on a different DVR than the one you're currently sitting in front of, along with unifying the TDL's, similar to the way PLAYLISTS are currently combined, would be very useful, IMHO, and a very workable alternative to automated collaborative scheduling.

Right now I have DVR's on 3 floors of my home, and recordings evenly divided among all of them to maximize how many we can record simultaneously. It's a real PITA, if I'm in the family room, to go up two flights to the bedroom, just to double-check that a particular show is scheduled to record tonite.


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## TDK1044 (Apr 8, 2010)

It's an interesting question though. Will D* opt for expanding the MRV platform, or will they build a platform based on what U-verse offers....namely a single DVR home?

It seems to me that the only purpose in building a 5 tuner DVR is to go the U-verse route. Of course, if I could replace one of my current DVRs with a 5 tuner DVR and keep MRV, then I'd be in hog heaven.


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## hilmar2k (Mar 18, 2007)

TDK1044 said:


> It's an interesting question though. Will D* opt for expanding the MRV platform, or will they build a platform based on what U-verse offers....namely a single DVR home?
> 
> It seems to me that the only purpose in building a 5 tuner DVR is to go the U-verse route. *Of course, if I could replace one of my current DVRs with a 5 tuner DVR and keep MRV, then I'd be in hog heaven. *


I thought it was confirmed that you could do this.


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## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

Stuart Sweet said:


> Why? All I can do is guess.
> 
> *The number of people with multiple DVRs is actually a very small percentage of subscribers.* The most common setup continues to be one DVR and 2 - 3 receivers. With Whole Home, certainly most people don't need more than that.
> 
> Collaborative scheduling would be cool but at some point, apparently, the need to be cool has to be evaluated with the need to have a return on the time investment.


Probably is, but that should not be a reason to totally ignore them.

One reason why, multiple DVRs owner are also probably your top paying customers as well. Making them WORK in order to enjoy their equipment really doesn't sit well with them. Does DirecTV really want these customers to be unsatisfied?


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## TDK1044 (Apr 8, 2010)

hilmar2k said:


> I thought it was confirmed that you could do this.


Not that I'm aware of. I'm not even aware that D* has *officially* confirmed the 5 tuner DVR.


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## lparsons21 (Mar 4, 2006)

Count me as one who wants a shared 'to be recorded list'. Having just come back to D*, I actually thought it was already there...


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## TDK1044 (Apr 8, 2010)

lparsons21 said:


> Count me as one who wants a shared 'to be recorded list'. Having just come back to D*, I actually thought it was already there...


You can borrow my notepad if you like.


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## lparsons21 (Mar 4, 2006)

TDK1044 said:


> You can borrow my notepad if you like.




I promised my son that if I set something to record on 'his' DVR, I wouldn't put the 'must have' flag on it!!


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

jdspencer said:


> DirecTV should know how many homes have more than one DVR by checking the accounts and because of the number of DECA installs they have done and by checking how many have MRV enabled.


I suspect that DIRECTV knows that the database engine in the HR2x is pretty much maxed out and taking on a master ToDo list for addtional DVRs is just too much to ask of the software.

Imagine setups where there are hundreds of programs available and the software needs to determine what is already there as well as coordinating what is coming. It is a tall order indeed for a 300-400MHz RISC processor with limited RAM and widely acknowledged performance issues.

I would remind that the 50 series limit is probably at least a nod to these limits.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

TDK1044 said:


> I'm not even aware that D* has *officially* confirmed the 5 tuner DVR.


You don't keep up with DIRECTV press releases, do you?

http://investor.directv.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=578966


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## TDK1044 (Apr 8, 2010)

harsh said:


> You don't keep up with DIRECTV press releases, do you?
> 
> http://investor.directv.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=578966


Sure I do. But unlike you, I can read. Show me where it mentions a 5 tuner DVR in that press release.

As Stuart states in his post:

'DIRECTV is *rumored *to be developing a DVR with possibly 5 tuners that would let most homes have just one DVR again.'

That's why I said that D* hasn't officially confirmed a 5 tuner DVR. Do try and keep up.


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## lparsons21 (Mar 4, 2006)

harsh said:


> I would remind that the 50 series limit is probably at least a nod to these limits.


I hadn't thought of that, but that could be the biggest reason not to have a consolidated list.


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## TDK1044 (Apr 8, 2010)

lparsons21 said:


> I hadn't thought of that, but that could be the biggest reason not to have a consolidated list.


I guess we could be heading for D*-verse then.


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## hilmar2k (Mar 18, 2007)

TDK1044 said:


> Not that I'm aware of. I'm not even aware that D* has *officially* confirmed the 5 tuner DVR.


http://www.dbstalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=25932&d=1309969499


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## TDK1044 (Apr 8, 2010)

hilmar2k said:


> http://www.dbstalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=25932&d=1309969499


That I hadn't seen. My apologies, harsh.


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## hilmar2k (Mar 18, 2007)

TDK1044 said:


> That I hadn't seen. My apologies, harsh.


It also confirms what I said prior about it working with MRV.


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## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

harsh said:


> . . . .
> 
> I would remind that the *50 series limit* is probably at least a nod to these limits.


Not checking, but i must have 130+ spread across my three HR21-100s.


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## fornold (Sep 4, 2006)

If the IP Control wasn't nerfed so bad, it would be easy to write an app to manage things.


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## TDK1044 (Apr 8, 2010)

hilmar2k said:


> It also confirms what I said prior about it working with MRV.


Yeah, I noticed that. Cool.


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## hilmar2k (Mar 18, 2007)

TDK1044 said:


> Yeah, I noticed that. Cool.


Cool? I believe you said you'd be in "hog heaven". I expect something a little more than "cool".


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## TDK1044 (Apr 8, 2010)

hilmar2k said:


> Cool? I believe you said you'd be in "hog heaven". I expect something a little more than "cool".


You're right. A five tuner box plus two two tuner boxes would be awesome. As soon as Solid Signal gets the new boxes, I'm in.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

Drucifer said:


> Not checking, but i must have 130+ spread across my three HR21-100s.


I'm pretty sure you don't expect that one DVR could handle that load.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

fornold said:


> If the IP Control wasn't nerfed so bad, it would be easy to write an app to manage things.


It isn't so much that it is boofy but rather that it is an unfinished project. It also doesn't help that there are two disparate protocols with overlapping features.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

TDK1044 said:


> That I hadn't seen. My apologies, harsh.


To be honest, that page was from a "oopsie" posting of the new HD DVR manual. IIRC, it was up for less than a day. DIRECTV (and other companies) drop these "trial balloons" strategically on their websites to generate excitement and assess interest periodically.

I seem to recall the early HMC prototype (CES 2005) was to have four satellite tuners although that's not confirmed in the press release quoted below.

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?p=465033#post465033


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## TDK1044 (Apr 8, 2010)

I know it could be argued that with a 5 tuner box, the need for a shared 'to be recorded' list is negated. I would argue though that as a customer who invested in MRV, D* should offer the ability to see what is set to record on each DVR, without having to create a work around involving an investment of hundreds of Dollars on a new DVR. 

D-verse is all well and good, and it will work well in many homes, but some households require the ability for different people to be able to record in different rooms at the same time, without discovering the hard way that the 4 available streams/tuners on the only DVR in the house are already being used.

The next 6 months will be interesting.


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## balboadave (Mar 3, 2010)

harsh said:


> I suspect that DIRECTV knows that the database engine in the HR2x is pretty much maxed out and taking on a master ToDo list for addtional DVRs is just too much to ask of the software.
> 
> Imagine setups where there are hundreds of programs available and the software needs to determine what is already there as well as coordinating what is coming. It is a tall order indeed for a 300-400MHz RISC processor with limited RAM and widely acknowledged performance issues.
> 
> I would remind that the 50 series limit is probably at least a nod to these limits.





Drucifer said:


> Not checking, but i must have 130+ spread across my three HR21-100s.





harsh said:


> I'm pretty sure you don't expect that one DVR could handle that load.


A consolidated ToDo list only needs to combine what's on the local and remote DVR(s), just like the consolidated My Playlist. There's no additional load.

Even with consolidated scheduling, a single HR2x doesn't need to handle the processing load. Any commands to record a show or a series would be sent to a selected DVR. That DVR processes the command internally, and sends the results back to the consolidated list on the local DVR. Just like trickplay (trickrecord?). They all remain independent. The only difficulty is organizing the GUI so it's easy to use and operate. That might require the rumored HD GUI, but still, it is not a terribly difficult function to implement. It's just a matter of demand and resources.


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## chlaw (Jun 2, 2009)

I just got the whole home dvr service and have 3 HD DVRs in my set up with 4 other HD receivers. I would love a shared To Do list and hadn't even noticed that there wasn't one there. As I was looking at it last night I was trying to figure out how to pick which of the 3 DVRs to record on so I could spread the load. Am I right from reading these prior posts that it is not possible to do that? If I pick a show on a guide on a non-DVR receiver, what DVR does it get recorded on? Thanks for any help and does anyone know if there is a FAQ thread or document somewhere on the site?


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## Diana C (Mar 30, 2007)

chlaw said:


> ...If I pick a show on a guide on a non-DVR receiver, what DVR does it get recorded on? Thanks for any help and does anyone know if there is a FAQ thread or document somewhere on the site?


If you hit record on a non-DVR you get a screen that allows you to pick which DVR to use. You can also program a default DVR.

If they gave us the same option on the DVRs and a merge/filter option on the to do list, it would go a LONG way towards meeting the user need.


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## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

chlaw said:


> I just got the whole home dvr service and have 3 HD DVRs in my set up with 4 other HD receivers. I would love a shared To Do list and hadn't even noticed that there wasn't one there. As I was looking at it last night I was trying to figure out how to pick which of the 3 DVRs to record on so I could spread the load. Am I right from reading these prior posts that it is not possible to do that? If I pick a show on a guide on a non-DVR receiver, what DVR does it get recorded on? Thanks for any help and does anyone know if there is a FAQ thread or document somewhere on the site?


From a H you can pick the HR to record. Except for viewing a combine list of recording shows from any receiver, *a H unit picking a HR to record is the ONLY current MRV Network feature*.

To keep track, lots of us multi-DVR owners keep a spread sheet. I, like a lot of others, assign channels to each DVR. With Network Channels, lack of encore showings, getting the higher priorities.


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## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

Drucifer said:


> Right now, I'll settle for a TVapp that could view my Google Docs DirecTV scheduling spreadsheet.


Did a work-around.

I got my Google Series Manager spread sheets in a TVapp by capturing them with a paint program. I then uploaded these to my *flickr* account. And *flickr* is a TVapp.

Anyone here with *flickr* and the TVapp can view 'em by adding *Druzifer* in the TVapp add contact option. The SML images are in Set: _DirecTV Series Manager_.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

I'm starting to find the iPad app the easiest way to set recordings to units.


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

inkahauts said:


> I'm starting to find the iPad app the easiest way to set recordings to units.


Yup. Or an iPhone, Droid phone, web browser or an H2x.

Problem is you can't tell if those record requests actually made it to the TDL, without physically being in front of the unit you scheduled it on. Hopefully a shortcoming that will be addressed soon!


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

"Steve" said:


> Yup. Or an iPhone, Droid phone, web browser or an H2x.
> 
> Problem is you can't tell if those record requests actually made it to the TDL, without physically being in front of the unit you scheduled it on. Hopefully a shortcoming that will be addressed soon!


At least an H2x will tell you if the DVR is actually free enough to record at that point.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

I figure its still easier to set them all up on the ipad, and then latter go back and check the SM to make sure my prioritization is in the order I want it.


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## TDK1044 (Apr 8, 2010)

Setting recordings on multiple DVRs remotely is great...I use my i-pad and my laptop to do that, but the need for a shared 'to be recorded' list is essential.

You are sitting watching TV, and you suddenly spot a show that you want to record. If the DVR you are viewing through already has a recording scheduled for the same time as the new show you want to record, what are your options?

1) Set the recording on another DVR using your i-pad, and hope that it isn't using both tuners at the time of the new recording.
2) Get up and physically go to another room and turn on the TV and DVR to see if you can set the recording.

Whoever released MRV with no ability to see a shared 'to be recorded' list, should be made to watch Nancy Grace on Dancing With The Stars......in HD.


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## balboadave (Mar 3, 2010)

TDK1044 said:


> Setting recordings on multiple DVRs remotely is great...I use my i-pad and my laptop to do that, but the need for a shared 'to be recorded' list is essential.
> 
> You are sitting watching TV, and you suddenly spot a show that you want to record. If the DVR you are viewing through already has a recording scheduled for the same time as the new show you want to record, what are your options?
> 
> ...


I've dodged that problem by filling up my remote DVR with as many SLs as possible, leaving my local DVR available for those last minute updates.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"TDK1044" said:


> Setting recordings on multiple DVRs remotely is great...I use my i-pad and my laptop to do that, but the need for a shared 'to be recorded' list is essential.
> 
> You are sitting watching TV, and you suddenly spot a show that you want to record. If the DVR you are viewing through already has a recording scheduled for the same time as the new show you want to record, what are your options?
> 
> ...


I would absolutely love to see a symbol added to the guide similar to the record icons we have now that would symbolize that a program is set to be recorded on another unit (and say which one) in the house somewhere. That would make life so much better. I also still feel tha they should let's us set a recoding form the guide on a dvr to any other dvr too.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"balboadave" said:


> I've dodged that problem by filling up my remote DVR with as many SLs as possible, leaving my local DVR available for those last minute updates.


Actually, I do something similar. I record certain channels on certain dvrs, so I know if something is on a channel, which dvr to schedule it on that will avoid conflicts as much as possible. And I assign their dvr names based in the channels they record.


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## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

inkahauts said:


> Actually, I do something similar. *I record certain channels on certain dvrs*, so I know if something is on a channel, which dvr to schedule it on that will avoid conflicts as much as possible. And I assign their dvr names based in the channels they record.


How do remember which channels are assigned to which DVR?


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## pfp (Apr 28, 2009)

Drucifer said:


> How do remember which channels are assigned to which DVR?


CBS (5) and FOX (10) on one DVR 
NBC (12) and ABC (15) on another.

FX goes on the FOX DVR
Syfy, USA go on the NBC DVR.

Doesn't take but a day or to to get used to it.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

I use the naming capabilities in three places so it is always easy to see what goes on what dvrs for all the major channels and sports.

I name my dvrs on the web account, name the dvrs in the name function of the whole home setup, and I also use favorite lists and name the favorites list I use most with the name of the ddvr so I can easily see it when I am in the guide.

Example...

I have one unit at home called.. 2 Kings USCFB

I record all shows on channel 2, all kings hockey games, and all usc football games.

I set up my folks units this way too. One of theirs is called 2 4 5 TNT FX

So all shows on 2 (cbs) 4 (nbc) 5 (ktla) and tnt and fx.


Some things are easy to remember though. I could easily see not mentioning both cbs and nbc (2 & 4) and just mentioning 2 and remembering 4 was there as well to get more channels listed if needed. It gets harder the more channels you record and the fewer dvrs you have, but its still possible. I once used to list them based on channel rangers, for example... I had one dvr that was 2 4 240 264 and one that was 5 13 265 600. Just a matter of how you can schedule and remember it best for yourself.

I also have all this on an excel sheet and can always pull it up if for some reason I forget.  But for the majority of channels, its always right there in front of me.


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## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

Never thought of naming the DVRs by channels, but isn't that space limited to 15 characters?

I use Google Docs/Spreadsheet & TVapps/Flickr


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

"Drucifer" said:


> Never thought of naming the DVRs by channels, but isn't that space limited to 15 characters?
> 
> I use Google Docs/Spreadsheet & TVapps/Flickr


Yep, that's why you may need to be creative and organized, but it can be done!


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## TDK1044 (Apr 8, 2010)

All great suggestions, but all we are doing is creating a work around to solve a problem. The real solution is for D* to give us some method of knowing what is set to record on each DVR.


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

TDK1044 said:


> The real solution is for D* to give us some method of knowing what is set to record on each DVR.


I already have it. It's called "sneaker-net". 

Agree with you 1000%, BTW.


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## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

Steve said:


> I already have it. It's called "sneaker-net".
> 
> Agree with you 1000%, BTW.


Guess mine is stair-climber net, then.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

!rolling

I seriously just want record icons in the guide denoting shows set to be recorded on another dvr. Have I mentioned that lately?


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## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

inkahauts said:


> !rolling
> 
> I seriously just want record icons in the guide denoting shows set to be recorded on another dvr. Have I mentioned that lately?


Well DirecTV uses a







*** with a white star next to it for keywords recording. The same icon between small *M*







*V* on both sides. Of course something beside orange for the R background would also help.


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## balboadave (Mar 3, 2010)

TDK1044 said:


> All great suggestions, but all we are doing is creating a work around to solve a problem. The real solution is for D* to give us some method of knowing what is set to record on each DVR.


True, but in the meantime I'm making some tasty lemonade. Back when I had 2 DirecTiVos, I manually kept track of what was recorded on each tuner. Now with my 2 HR-24s, I had to get even more detailed since fewer are SLs allowed, although having Whole Home gave me greater flexibility. Even if all the suggestions you, me, and others are requesting are implemented, and I hope they are, I don't see any reason for me to stop making the list, although it might be easier to implement and verify. Bottom line, my "workaround" is a requirement until they lose the SL limit and rewrite Series Manager to integrate and schedule every receiver on the network, something I don't see happening anytime soon.


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## Schoenbaum (Sep 2, 2006)

Come on. Among other things I am also a professional software engineer. It would not be that difficult nor consume too many hardware resources to allow the DVR's to be able to coordinate. You should not only be able to have a consolidated to-do list but you should also be able to select a target dvr when creating a recording or editing an existing recording schedule.

The problem is that they did not consider the multi-DVR user to be a significant use case and did nothing to address it.

What disappoints me more is that regardless of the number of customers with multiple DVRs, the multi-DVR customers have to be some of their most lucrative (I pay > $165/mo) so I would think that argument alone could be used as justification to adding a couple of resources to look into a solution.

DirecTV needs to take a few lessons from Nordstrom when it comes to keeping their customers happy.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

Schoenbaum said:


> Come on. Among other things I am also a professional software engineer. It would not be that difficult nor consume too many hardware resources to allow the DVR's to be able to coordinate. You should not only be able to have a consolidated to-do list


I can see this being massively difficult, a MAJOR resource hog, and extremely confusing to the customer. Just take into account people like my folks, who have 4 dvrs. Or worse, someone like me, with 7, or at the extreme, someone like Tom R that has what, 11!?!?! And which unit gets to decide for collaborations which program gets pushed to another unit, and which unit if they are collaborating? What happens if that unit, or any unit falls off the network? The HR34 is what is needed to solve these issues, I don;t see that ever coming to the system.



Schoenbaum said:


> you should also be able to select a target dvr when creating a recording or editing an existing recording schedule.


TOTALLY agree. That is a major function missing, including automatically offering to record somethgin on another dvr if a conflict exsist when you are setting a recording. Should be added as an option with cancel 1, cancel 2, and cancel recording.



Schoenbaum said:


> The problem is that they did not consider the multi-DVR user to be a significant use case and did nothing to address it.
> 
> What disappoints me more is that regardless of the number of customers with multiple DVRs, the multi-DVR customers have to be some of their most lucrative (I pay > $165/mo) so I would think that argument alone could be used as justification to adding a couple of resources to look into a solution.
> 
> DirecTV needs to take a few lessons from Nordstrom when it comes to keeping their customers happy.


I think they considered it, but that they felt the average user was more important and who needed to be addressed first. So that's what they did. They made it as simple as possible. They always error on the side of simplicity first, they don't want to do anything that could create confusion among the masses to give an extra option that would hardly get used by more than a small select group.

I don't think they erred correctly on the remote record scheduling from one dvr to another, (but then my ipad is slowly taking over that process anyway) but I think they are dead on at the moment for collaborative scheduling.


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

inkahauts said:


> I can see this being massively difficult, a MAJOR resource hog, and extremely confusing to the customer. Just take into account people like my folks, who have 4 dvrs. Or worse, someone like me, with 7, or at the extreme, someone like Tom R that has what, 11!?!?! And which unit gets to decide for collaborations which program gets pushed to another unit, and which unit if they are collaborating? What happens if that unit, or any unit falls off the network? The HR34 is what is needed to solve these issues, I don;t see that ever coming to the system.


While collaboration would be great, at this point, I'd simply like to see TDL's, HISTORIES and SERIES MANAGERS optionally combined using the same logic already in place for the UPL.

IOW, each DVR would have a set-up option to not only publish its PLAYLIST to the network, but its TDL, HISTORY and/or SERIES MANAGER as well. And like the UPL, you should be able to delete any show in the TDL or SERIES MANAGER remotely.



Schoenbaum said:


> [...] you should also be able to select a target dvr when creating a recording


Agree. That, combined with a unified TDL, HISTORY and SERIES MANAGER should allow me to remotely accomplish what I need on any DVRs I've designated to "share".


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

Schoenbaum said:


> It would not be that difficult nor consume too many hardware resources to allow the DVR's to be able to coordinate.


Is your background in embedded devices and/or cluster computing?

If you've experienced an HR2x struggling to respond to a press of the guide button on the remote I'm not sure you can believe that resources aren't already stretched to some extent.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

Steve said:


> While collaboration would be great, at this point, I'd simply like to see TDL's, HISTORIES and SERIES MANAGERS optionally combined using the same logic already in place for the UPL.
> 
> IOW, each DVR would have a set-up option to not only publish its PLAYLIST to the network, but its TDL, HISTORY and/or SERIES MANAGER as well. And like the UPL, you should be able to delete any show in the TDL or SERIES MANAGER remotely.
> 
> Agree. That, combined with a unified TDL, HISTORY and SERIES MANAGER should allow me to remotely accomplish what I need on any DVRs I've designated to "share".


Can you imagine the confusion to the customer if they see all sl's from all dvrs in one list? They put their top 3 shows at the top, and think they will all record, because they are the highest priorities, and yet they are all three on the same dvr and one will be left out without collaborative scheduling of some sort. That's why I don't think this would work...

At a minimum you would have to move the dvr notation to the same line as the title so you don't have to have it highlighted to see it, but even then, itd be far too counter intuitive to the masses. Remember, the masses could never even set their vcr clocks. 

Now I would be for allowing you to see each one individually from any unit. Say when you hit manage recordings, a new screen pops up that lets you select a dvr, then you get to taken to the screen we get now for manage recordings, with the name of the dvr you're messing with in very large lettering across the top of the screen. Gets rid of most of the confusion


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

inkahauts said:


> Can you imagine the confusion to the customer if they see all sl's from all dvrs in one list? They put their top 3 shows at the top, and think they will all record, because they are the highest priorities, *and yet they are all three on the same dvr and one will be left out without collaborative scheduling of some sort.* That's why I don't think this would work...


I assume just like the UPL you'd be able to identify on which DVRs shows on a unified TDL or unified Series Manager list reside. What might make it easier to view combined lists would be coloring each DVRs show titles differently.

That said, I'd take being able to view each DVR's TDL and Series Manager separately as a plan "b", as long as I can do it remotely. HISTORY should be a unified list, tho, so at a glance, I can see that all last night's shows recorded at the same time my UPL is sorted A-Z. That's just me tho. Not sure if this would work for everyone.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

Steve said:


> I assume just like the UPL you'd be able to identify on which DVRs shows on a unified TDL or unified Series Manager list reside. What might make it easier to view combined lists would be coloring each DVRs show titles differently.
> 
> That said, I'd take being able to view each DVR's TDL and Series Manager separately as a plan "b", as long as I can do it remotely. HISTORY should be a unified list, tho, so at a glance, I can see that all last night's shows recorded at the same time my UPL is sorted A-Z. That's just me tho. Not sure if this would work for everyone.


I think you just give the masses more credit than I do. 

I think people would say, yeah, that's where I set it up, but it will record where ever there is space. Its just not as intuitive to me.

As you say, plan B I am good with,including the unified history. You don't do anything in there.

I still say the number one thing is indication of a program being set to record on a remote unit in the guide, and being able to set a recording to a remote dvr from another dvr.


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## TDK1044 (Apr 8, 2010)

Couldn't they use the i-pad app to create an optional panel in the home screen to display an icon identifying which DVR you just confirmed a recording on? Even that would be better than nothing!


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## caseyf5 (Mar 22, 2009)

Hello TDK1044,

Regarding your last paragraph. "Whoever released MRV with no ability to see a shared 'to be recorded' list, should be made to watch Nancy Grace on Dancing With The Stars......in HD." Isn't that defined by the constitution as "cruel and unusual punishment"?


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## TDK1044 (Apr 8, 2010)

caseyf5 said:


> Hello TDK1044,
> 
> Regarding your last paragraph. "Whoever released MRV with no ability to see a shared 'to be recorded' list, should be made to watch Nancy Grace on Dancing With The Stars......in HD." Isn't that defined by the constitution as "cruel and unusual punishment"?


Yes indeed.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

caseyf5 said:


> Isn't that defined by the constitution as "cruel and unusual punishment"?


English Bill of Rights (1689)

8th Amendment to US Constitution (1787)


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