# Our dvr is not recording timed events reliably **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 11, 2008, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/our-dvr-is-not-recording-timed-events-reliably/467444 "2008-10-11T06:06:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/our-dvr-is-not-recording-timed-events-reliably/467444/1 "2008-10-11T06:06:09Z")
We have programs set for it to record, and it seems to be picking and choosing which ones it will record, and how long it will record for (an hour show gets 18 minutes recorded; 90 minutes gets 30 minutes; etc.). There doesn’t seem to be any reason we can think of for this, and there doesn’t seem to be any pattern; some timed events record flawlessly, others are completely missed. Does anybody know why it might be doing this, and if there’s anything we can do to fix it? This is an $800 machine (we picked it up for half-price because it was a demo with a lost box); we had an expectation that a higher-end model would work longer than a year. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/our-dvr-is-not-recording-timed-events-reliably/467444/2 "2008-10-11T09:11:12Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > We have programs set for it to record, and it seems to be picking and choosing which ones it will record, and how long it will record for (an hour show gets 18 minutes recorded; 90 minutes gets 30 minutes; etc.). There doesn’t seem to be any reason we can think of for this, and there doesn’t seem to be any pattern; some timed events record flawlessly, others are completely missed. Does anybody know why it might be doing this, and if there’s anything we can do to fix it? This is an $800 machine (we picked it up for half-price because it was a demo with a lost box); we had an expectation that a higher-end model would work longer than a year. Not quite sure why, but something vaguely similar has been happening to mine - an LG machine that I’ve had for more than a year. It just got to the point where I’ve written a message to the support website complaining about it. Is yours connected with that company too? ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/our-dvr-is-not-recording-timed-events-reliably/467444/3 "2008-10-11T12:17:25Z")
When weird stuff starts happening with my cable/satellite/dvr stuff I pull the plug, wait 30 seconds or so and plug it back in per the various providers’ instructions. It’ll take a few minutes to reboot and then everything’s fine again. Have you tried that? ---
**Author:** ![flex727](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/258eb7/32.png) [@flex727](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flex727)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/our-dvr-is-not-recording-timed-events-reliably/467444/4 "2008-10-11T15:46:53Z")
Brand / model? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/our-dvr-is-not-recording-timed-events-reliably/467444/5 "2008-10-11T17:56:06Z")
It IS an LG! I will add my complaint to their message board. And no, I haven’t tried unplugging it - good call. Will try that today… ---
**Author:** ![G1llyB4tes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e0b2c6/32.png) [@G1llyB4tes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G1llyB4tes)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/our-dvr-is-not-recording-timed-events-reliably/467444/6 "2008-10-11T21:43:50Z")
Hate to say it, but LG products stink. Speaking from past personal experience I would never buy one of their products. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2008, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/our-dvr-is-not-recording-timed-events-reliably/467444/7 "2008-10-12T05:46:41Z")
Well, sure, NOW you tell me. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/our-dvr-is-not-recording-timed-events-reliably/467444/8 "2008-11-24T13:42:48Z")
Grr, gerbils ate my brilliant first post. Do the gerbils get into enforcing the ‘no zombie threads’ thing now? Anyway, I think I might know what caused your issue now, **featherlou** , at least I suspect what’s contributing to mine. There’s some ‘do not record this’ signal, that LG has been supporting, that came into widespread use around September. Apparently it’s actually tied to specific commercials, which would explain why the effect is erratic, though I don’t really understand why anybody would complain about pirating commercials over the internet, even. So, as they say, ‘this behavious is not an issue. This behaviour is by design.’ :rolleyes: I wonder if it would be possible to get a TV tuner installed in my computer that wouldn’t choke on these things. ---
**Author:** ![RedSwinglineOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a9adbd/32.png) [@RedSwinglineOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedSwinglineOne)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/our-dvr-is-not-recording-timed-events-reliably/467444/9 "2008-11-24T18:37:45Z")
> [@mack](#): > > … I pull the plug, wait 30 seconds or so and plug it back in per the various providers’ instructions. It’ll take a few minutes to reboot and then everything’s fine again… I don’t know what brand my drv is, but if I press and hold the on/off button when it screws up, it restarts just like a computer does.