# DVR question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 20, 2009, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-question/486711 "2009-02-20T14:07:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-question/486711/1 "2009-02-20T14:07:55Z")
We recently replaced our DVD/VCRs with DVR, and in general are quite pleased. But the other night we set it to record an hour-long program (Bones), and it cut off the final couple of minutes of the show and the trailer for next week. I’m not sure if the TV schedule was running a couple of minutes late or what. But I do know that in recent years shows have more commonly been “supersized” on occasion - stretching beyond their usual allotted 30-60 minutes. I’d hope my DVR were intelligent enough to accommodate such scheduling, but I’m not confident. When we used to set our VCR, we could always set it to start a couple of minutes early and end a couple of minutes late to avoid any such problems. But with the DVR, you just click on a show to record it, instead of setting specific start/end times. Is anyone aware whether this is a common occurrance, or whether there is any work-around? ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-question/486711/2 "2009-02-20T14:19:00Z")
I don’t know about your DVR, but on mine there is an option to record a few minutes past the scheduled end time. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-question/486711/3 "2009-02-20T14:27:07Z")
I’ll have to check for that. Doesn’t come up on the immediate menu. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-question/486711/4 "2009-02-20T14:33:33Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > I’ll have to check for that. > Doesn’t come up on the immediate menu. For each timer you should have “edit” and “options” Check the options. Check your manual or look up your model online. Sometimes you can’t avoid this from happening if something previous runs way over or the schedule is wrong, etc.. As soon as you notice, use the search function to find the same program at a different time/date and set the DVR to record it once. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-question/486711/5 "2009-02-20T15:02:43Z")
Some DVRs can even react to last-minute changes in the schedule, such as when a previous sports event overruns, and adjust the timer accordingly. They use programme start information transmitted by the broadcasters as part of the digital stream, so they do rely on them to be accurate. If, within the start and end times you have set, the signal for the start of the next programme is not detected, they just keep on recording until the signal arrives (up to some maximum duration). It’s a godsend sometimes 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-question/486711/6 "2009-02-20T15:19:45Z")
Does anyone have this problem? I have also just started with DVD-R and I have to say I am disappointed. They seem very temperamental in that the DVD will often stop, skip, freeze, “pixilated” and often will not work on a different machine. Sometimes they will play sometimes they will freeze. Is it the recording speed or brand of blank DVDs. ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-question/486711/7 "2009-02-20T15:21:25Z")
There are tons of different DVRs out there with tons of different configuration options. What is your DVR’s manufacturer and model? ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-question/486711/8 "2009-02-20T17:46:44Z")
I’ll check my make and model when I get home. But I have noticed an issue with occasional pixellation. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-question/486711/9 "2009-02-20T19:59:04Z")
I notice that it won’t play back sound every once in a while. If I rewind and play it again it does. I can’t wait until AT&T comes into my neighborhood. I’ve heard their digital TV service is pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-question/486711/10 "2009-02-20T20:09:39Z")
> [@Icerigger](#): > > Does anyone have this problem? I have also just started with DVD-R and I have to say I am disappointed. They seem very temperamental in that the DVD will often stop, skip, freeze, “pixilated” and often will not work on a different machine. Sometimes they will play sometimes they will freeze. Is it the recording speed or brand of blank DVDs. Maybe I’m reading you wrong, but I think you’re talking about something completely different from the rest of the thread. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-question/486711/11 "2009-02-21T04:42:29Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > Some DVRs can even react to last-minute changes in the schedule, such as when a previous sports event overruns, and adjust the timer accordingly. They use programme start information transmitted by the broadcasters as part of the digital stream, so they do rely on them to be accurate. If, within the start and end times you have set, the signal for the start of the next programme is not detected, they just keep on recording until the signal arrives (up to some maximum duration). > It’s a godsend sometimes 😃 Whose DVR do you have (cable system and hardware maker)? I have always wanted a DVR to be smart enough to record the actual program, regardless of when it starts and stops, and not just start and stop at the scheduled times. But neither the one I had from Comcast (Scientific Atlanta) tears ago nor the one I have now with Verizon FIOS (Motorola) has been this smart. So I’d like to know whose is. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-question/486711/12 "2009-02-21T10:42:00Z")
One word people: **TiVo!** There is no substitute… ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-question/486711/13 "2009-02-21T11:01:52Z")
DVRs are generally not smart enough to accommodate “supersizing”. You’ll just have to manually change the settings for recording that show, to record a couple of minutes longer. I have to do that with Scrubs reruns. Hostile Dialect, Hostile Dialect, Narcissist ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-question/486711/14 "2009-02-21T12:37:40Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > Whose DVR do you have (cable system and hardware maker)? I have always wanted a DVR to be smart enough to record the actual program, regardless of when it starts and stops, and not just start and stop at the scheduled times. But neither the one I had from Comcast (Scientific Atlanta) tears ago nor the one I have now with Verizon FIOS (Motorola) has been this smart. So I’d like to know whose is. None of them do this really effectively, automatically anyway. They’re ALL driven by a program guide of some sort. It’s more up to the program guide provider to correct this issue. Because the cable/satellite providers can’t force the program guide providers to be proactive and, you know, adjust the start and stop time of a given program that’s going over, many of the cable/satellite providers have written into their software “minutes to start early” and “minutes to stop late” options. That’s about the best you can do these days. And yes, even TiVo is helpless to this. I had TiVo for a couple years and I grew to absolutely HATE it. I have the Dish Network’s two-room HD-DVR and it’s everything a DVR should be. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-question/486711/15 "2009-02-21T12:53:31Z")
> [@DudleyGarrett](#): > > None of them do this really effectively, automatically anyway. They’re ALL driven by a program guide of some sort. It’s more up to the program guide provider to correct this issue. Because the cable/satellite providers can’t force the program guide providers to be proactive and, you know, adjust the start and stop time of a given program that’s going over, many of the cable/satellite providers have written into their software “minutes to start early” and “minutes to stop late” options. That’s about the best you can do these days. > > And yes, even TiVo is helpless to this. I had TiVo for a couple years and I grew to absolutely HATE it. I have the Dish Network’s two-room HD-DVR and it’s everything a DVR should be. Well, maybe it’s a UK-only thing. Here, the digital TV stream includes signals to indicate the start of the programmes. It’s not something that particular cable or satellite companies provide. DVRs can make use of that signalling in order to extend recordings when necessary. ---
**Author:** ![J-P\_L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/j-p_l/32/3156_2.png) [@J-P\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J-P_L)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-question/486711/16 "2009-02-21T15:27:04Z")
I have that problem with recording LOST for some reason, I choose to record it from a time-delayed channel and it tends to run late by a few minutes. After the first time, I simply set the DVR to also record the next program, problem solved. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-question/486711/17 "2009-02-21T15:42:42Z")
For sports to be safe always record the next show or 2 to cover OT or a long game. Also for shows after games they can often be pushed back so to be safe there it’s best to record the whole night. NFL games often run long so CBS and FOX shows on Sunday can start 30 minutes later.