And lo On Tue, 01 Feb 2011 17:19:40 -0000, Jim Henderson  
<nos### [at] nospamcom> did spake thusly:

> On Tue, 01 Feb 2011 09:20:28 +0000, Phil Cook v2 wrote:
>
>>> Even worse is when they start one show over the credits of another.  If
>>> I'm recording a programme, how am I supposed to get the whole thing if
>>> you start EARLY?
>>
>> Oh I complained to the BBC on that one - Watch a programme on BBC2 until
>> the end turn over just as the credits roll and find the programme on
>> BBC1 has already started:
>>
>> "We do allow programme-makers some flexibility in running time, although
>> all programmes are expected to run about one minute less than their slot
>> time so that we can accommodate promotional trails and continuity
>> announcements. If a programme is over-running slightly, it may be
>> necessary to begin it a little early."
>
> The thing that really gets to me is that if the provider (Comcast in my
> case) provides the time to my DVR and they host the programmes, how is it
> possible that the programmes cannot (a) start actually on time, and (b)
> the recording can't be jiggered to actually record *the entire programme*
> regardless of what time it actually starts?
>
> I mean really - if I ask it to record The Simpsons (and the machine knows
> that's what I want), if the programme starts 15 minutes late because of a
> news bulletin, time change because of programming earlier in the day
> (Super Bowl, World Series, etc), the dumb thing should *know* that I
> don't care what's on between 7 PM and 7:30 PM if it isn't The Simpsons -
> so it shouldn't record based on time but based on *what I actually wanted
> to record*.  And if the programme starts 2 minutes early or runs 2
> minutes over, then it should record *to completion* and not stop just
> because the time it says it was scheduled for isn't the time it actually
> ran.

The stupid thing is that is how my box works. Supposedly the broadcaster  
sends a start signal which when used in conjunction with the Electronic  
Programme Guide knows that I want to record the listed 7pm programme that  
is now starting at 7:15pm and records from 7:15-7:45. In this case it  
relies on both the guide being updated and the signal being sent. The most  
common complaint I have is that it starts on-time and cuts off early; not  
by much normally, just enough to annoy.

As you say I don't see why this is so hard to do exactly.

-- 
Phil Cook

--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com

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