bjdraw

The buffer issue is very annoying, to reproduce it. Watch Live TV and pause for 10 seconds and then hit play. Then hit the record button. You will now be watching Live TV without the ability to go back and watch the 10 seconds you missed while pausing. I'd be shocked if this wasn't filed already.

What happens to me is that when I press Record, MC jumps to the end of the buffer, as if I had pressed "Live TV", which of course is wrong. However, I can still back up in the buffer, even after changing to a different channel and back. Now this is where it gets strange. The recording does not include the buffer. For example, I started watching PBS NewsHour at 6:45 PM, which goes off at 7 PM. I pressed the Record button at 6:55. I could back up in Live TV all the way to 6:45, but when I went to the recording of the program, the recording did not include the buffer, and nothing was available prior to 6:55, when I pressed Record.

It's really kinda comical. I just tried the same thing with "House" I described for the PBS program, and nothing is available on the recording prior to 7:05 PM. However, with the program still recording, I can go to the guide and watch it as Live TV, and back up all the way to 7 PM.

So, I see two problems here:

1. MC treats pressing "Record" like simultaneously pressing "Live TV" and "Record". This is bad because you lose your place when time-shifting Live TV.

2. Pressing "Record" does not include the buffer in the recording. This is bad because you can't start watching something, get distracted and miss a few minutes, and press "Record", as MC will lose the buffer, making it impossible for you to go back and watch what you missed.

bjdraw

I just tried it again and when I hit record it takes me to live TV. But you are right, I can still rewind and watch the buffer, which is not the way I recall it working.

See my message just above, and try doing that with the recording you made.

 

So why do some people see these problems and others dont? It makes no sense.  The tuner problem has been driving me crazy for years, ever since MCE2005.

Tim, my experiences are exactly the same. Ultimately the problem is how the buffer works. They really need to scrap and rewrite it. And while they are at it make it possible for each tuner to run a buffer 24x7 if set to. Then of course add the ability to record the buffer.

tims029334

So, I see two problems here:

1. MC treats pressing "Record" like simultaneously pressing "Live TV" and "Record". This is bad because you lose your place when time-shifting Live TV.

2. Pressing "Record" does not include the buffer in the recording. This is bad because you can't start watching something, get distracted and miss a few minutes, and press "Record", as MC will lose the buffer, making it impossible for you to go back and watch what you missed.

 

problem #1 is trivial. if the biggest issue you have is temporarily losing your place, life is pretty good.

problem #2 has been referenced before. there are patent issues (don't recall if Tivo or other) that preclude adding the buffer to the recording. obviously this is technically simple to accomplish, but sometimes problems are legal instead of technical.

I think the recent suits between TiVo, AT&T and Microsoft has proven that MS doesn't seem to scared of getting sued by TiVo. I think it is just a bad implementation that goes back to the original version of MC and it has just never been re-written. But part of it is that parts of MS still see MC as a Windows app like the Calculator and not as a full time DVR platform.

It has nothing to do with being "scared" of getting sued. Any big company with lots of lawyers (MS) is smart enough to avoid knowingly violating another company's patent rights. Win7 is the revenue stream, while Media Center is just another application. There is little chance they will make a patent mistake in a free app that could affect Win7 revenue - it's not worth it.

 If I understood the OP correctly, he has the 2250 defined as 4 tuners:

2xAnalog

2xClearQAM

If so, that's most likely the problem - the 2250 only has two tuners and can only tune 2 channels at one (total, regardless of if they are ClearQAM or Analog).

I'd bet if you re-configure MCE so it only sees 2 hybriad tuners (didn't Win7 MCE add support for Hybrid tuners?) the issue goes away.

 

erkotz

 If I understood the OP correctly, he has the 2250 defined as 4 tuners:

2xAnalog

2xClearQAM

If so, that's most likely the problem - the 2250 only has two tuners and can only tune 2 channels at one (total, regardless of if they are ClearQAM or Analog).

I'd bet if you re-configure MCE so it only sees 2 hybriad tuners (didn't Win7 MCE add support for Hybrid tuners?) the issue goes away.

 

 

that's how the hybrid tuners are defined in Win7. during setup, a 2250 will be seen as both 2x analog and 2x digital. media center is smart enough to know it can only use a maximum of 2 physical of the 4 virtual tuners simultaneously. in the OP's case, he has two 2250's and will see 4x analog and 4x digital tuners at setup.

bjdraw

I think the recent suits between TiVo, AT&T and Microsoft has proven that MS doesn't seem to scared of getting sued by TiVo. I think it is just a bad implementation that goes back to the original version of MC and it has just never been re-written. But part of it is that parts of MS still see MC as a Windows app like the Calculator and not as a full time DVR platform.

 

AFAIK, the talk about patents is pure speculation. I know that my Motorola DVR does things intelligently, so it's not like TiVo has got a lock on things and is preventing everyone in the world from creating DVRs that work right.

 

tims029334

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AFAIK, the talk about patents is pure speculation. I know that my Motorola DVR does things intelligently, so it's not like TiVo has got a lock on things and is preventing everyone in the world from creating DVRs that work right.

 

 

ah yes, the very thoughtful "pure speculation" response. i realize you don't like the possibility of patent issues because it makes your rants seem quite silly. are you familiar with basic business concepts?

think about it. motorola sells a product. so they could make a business case to pay for a license if the feature was worthwhile financially. now in the case of media center, how much did you pay for it? nothing. not a dime. it's a freebie. MS makes money selling Win7 licenses, not selling media center. if MS fixed every "problem" that you complain about on this board, they still wouldn't sell significantly more Win7 licenses. they wouldn't even sell enough to pay for the additional development and licensing costs. so why on earth would MS spend any more development dollars on media center than they have to when there is no ROI? say what you want about them, but they are not stupid.

i'm amazed (and thrilled) that they give us an app that's as good as it is for absolutely no cost.

Just did a search and was able to learn that Mediaroom will let you record the buffer, so I doubt it is a patent issue.

maybe it is, maybe it isn't. only MS knows. how many Mediaroom's do you suppose they sell? whatever the number, it's not in the same ballpark as Win7.  if they have to pay a per seat license, then the cost of licensing for Win7 could be prohibitive since every copy comes with media center. they could also license technology for one product and not another. just because this Mediaroom can do it (and i'll assume you know what you're talking about here because i've never heard of it until now) doesn't imply that media center will have access to the same technology or licensing agreement.

bjdraw

The buffer issue is very annoying, to reproduce it. Watch Live TV and pause for 10 seconds and then hit play. Then hit the record button. You will now be watching Live TV without the ability to go back and watch the 10 seconds you missed while pausing. I'd be shocked if this wasn't filed already.

Sorry to bump an old thread Ben, but this has been standard MCE operating procedure since at least MCE2k5. It is very frustrating. I could be watching the news in the morning and see something I'd like to show my wife later that night but I can't because when you hit record it doesn't save your channel buffer no matter where in that buffer you are.

6-year-old problem and not likely to work different anytime soon. "Working as intended."