Two channels in the same source airing the same show at the same time. DVR recording from one channel. How does it choose?

#1

As you can see on this screenshot, the same episode of Judge Judy is on channel 5985 and 6003 at the same time. The two channels are in the same source (DirecTV) and my DVR is recording channel 6003.

cdvr_dtv_judgejudy_5985_6003

It's actually good that it is recording channel 6003 instead of 5985 because the quality (i.e. bit rate) is better so no complaints. :slightly_smiling_face:

I was just curious how the DVR selects the channels to record in this case.

Definition of the series pass:
cdvr_dtv_judgejudy_pass

I'm wondering if it is because channel 5985 was added later to the lineup, after the series pass was already set up and it was recording channel 6003 originally.

Is that the explanation for this behavior?

#2

It goes by favorites, source priority, then channel number (higher numbers first)

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#3

And it uses favorite channels and source device priority as defined on the server, not clients (some get confused by that).

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#4

This last check is the part I would like to change or be able to manually override decision order.

For instance, in my market Jeopardy is on 4.1 and 12.1. I have on the server HDHR > TVE > XML, 12.1 favorited, 4.1 not. This works 99% of the time. Every once in a while there is a preempt on 12.1 and it records on 4.1, so it is perfect. The other day, there was a preempt on 4.1 and they moved the program to 38.1. I had 38.1 favorited, too, even though its reception isn't as good. Unfortunately, due to that ordering, it recorded 38.1 instead of 12.1 (I have since unfavorited 38.1 to avoid this).

I know I could Advance Pass and say always 12.1 or multiple CONTAINS statements, but that may not work out when there is a preempt on both (it happens). What I really want to say is 12.1 > 4.1 > everything else. It would be nice to have an optional global preference of order, but lacking that just a condition for Advanced Passes would be just as nice.

#5

I think you can specify on the web interface for Passes exactly the channel number you want the Advance Pass to record from

#6

Aware:

#7

Thank you all for your great answers. I went ahead and checked as you suggested...

I have no favorites so that's not it. :slight_smile:

Both channels are in the same source so that's not it either. :slight_smile:

that's it! :slight_smile:

It's interesting. I'm wondering what the rationale was when they made this design decision.

Good to know!

I'm with you on this one.

#8

I notice on the client the highest number channel is shown first but on the web interface it’s the lowest one. Might be a bug.

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#9

The ordering of the numbers displayed in the Schedule is irrelevant to which channel is chosen for recording. They are simply presented as possible channels for when the recording actually occurs.

Some time ago the order of the channels in the web UI was all over the place, and then IIRC changed to actually put them in a sequence.

#10

This is true. :slight_smile:

However, you have to admit though that when you look at the first screenshot, you may think that it will be recording channel 101. :wink:

So there are definitely some small details that need to be corrected here and there for a better user experience.

I'm sure that this will get better over time.

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