Ill-Timed Exit To Live TV When Recording Is Finished

If I understand what you're saying correctly, you're recording "Program A", and watching already recorded "Program 1." When the recording of Program A stops recording, your playback of "Program 1" stops, and you are switched to "Live TV", which is the ending of the program you were recording (Program A.) You should be happy! It looks like your recording of "Program A" ended before the program did, and you would have never seen the ending if your DVR hadn't switched and shown it to you "live."

You fail to disclose the DVR model and/or IPG being used. I have a Cisco 8642HDC running Contour, and playback recordings while recording new programs every day. I've never been switched to live programming while playing back an already recorded program. I do get switched to live programming when I stop watching the recording, however.

Of more concern to you should be why "Program A" stops recording just before "Program A" ends. I'd extend that timer by a minute if I were you.

And, tune to something like C-SPAN before starting your playback. That might prevent your "spoilers."

I totally feel your pain Domino. I have replaced my DVR three times know and this is new problem I didn't have with the previous three.

I am watching a recorded program, there is another program being recorded in the background As soon as the program being recorded ends, I too am kicked out of the program I was watching and must go back to my recorded shows and play continue.

It's super annoying and I have not found a solution.

Thanks, Domino and Mudslide, for responding so soon.

Thanks, also, for identifying your DVR, Domino.   My DVR is a Scientific Atlanta 8300HD, using the Rovi Passport Guide DVR 3.7.

Mudslide, I'm relieved I'm not the only one experiencing this nuisance.  Exactly as you both say, it's only when Program A stops recording, my playback of "Program 1" stops as well and I'm kicked out to live TV and have to resume playback manually.  Domino, I have on occasion tried to set the tuner to an innocuous channel or extend the recording time, but quite often I'm also recording a Program B in the background, or there's yet another Program C set up to record on the heels of Program A.  So, I appreciate those good tips, but sadly they aren't usually options for me.

Mudslide, out of curiosity, what DVR and software are you running?  Maybe this is a problem specific to the Passport programming of certain DVR models provided by Cox; I've had this same model of DVR for a couple of years now, but I only started having this particular problem when Cox upgraded the software earlier this year.

Again, thanks for the conversation about this issue.

Ma-Ku said:

Thanks, Domino and Mudslide, for responding so soon.

Thanks, also, for identifying your DVR, Domino.   My DVR is a Scientific Atlanta 8300HD, using the Rovi Passport Guide DVR 3.7.

Can be of no further assistance. I've never used the 8300HD or the Passport DVR 3.7. As a "Hail Mary" type of guess, you might ask Cox for a 8240HDC or 8642HDC DVR. Good luck.

Ma-Ku said:

Thanks again for your responses.  This past week, I traded up to a Cisco Explorer 8642HDC, but I discovered that the problem continues, just the same.  That tells me, at least, it's an issue with the Rovi Passport software, and not the DVR. 

Next step:  Write a formal letter of complaint to Cox Communications about this inconvenient and illogical feature of the software.

The Cisco 8642HDC should be running on the Contour IPG, not on the Rovi (Passport) IPG. Are you sure it has Passport? Did you ask for Passport? Call them and tell them that you want your 8642HDC to run on Contour, not Passport. [BTW, Cisco owns the maker of Contour.] They each cost the same $11.99.

Ma-Ku,  Please email me your account info (your name, name on the account, address with city & state and Cox PIN) so I can look into this for you. Domino,   The 8642HDC is an Explorer Series box and uses the Rovi software, not Contour. To my knowledge our network is set up to prevent the wrong software from being distributed to the equipment.

ColleenD said:

Domino,  

The 8642HDC is an Explorer Series box and uses the Rovi software, not Contour. To my knowledge our network is set up to prevent the wrong software from being distributed to the equipment. 

Odd...I've been running Contour on my 8642HDC for two years. My brother-in-law has Contour on his 8642HDC as well. When Trio (Contour) first came out, Cox was installing Passport on some 8642HDC DVRs, and Contour on others. But they stopped putting Passport on the 8642HDC last year. BTW, the 6-tuner 9865HDC is also an Explorer, an Explorer 9865HDC. Methinks you've got the 8642HDC confused with the 8240HDC, which is a Passport DVR.

If the 8642 is running Passport, what is the "Contour Service with Record 2" DVR referred to in your price list?

Contour Service	Monthly Price
Contour Service with Record 2	$11.99
Contour Service with Record 6	$19.99

Domino, 

You, sir are correct :$ in that this model of box can be used for Contour, but in this case it is not. The 8642 was first used as a Rovi box in systems that use SA boxes back before Contour was launched, and have confirmed the model's use will depend on the market it's in.

Thank you, ColeenD.   I appreciate the interest taken in this problem.  I know it might sound like a whining complaint to some, but it really is a persistent nuisance.  I'll gather that info in the morning and contact you.  (BTW, how do I do that?)

Just for the record, my 8642HDC is running the Rovi Passport 3.7 software.  Thanks for the reply, Domino, just the same.

ColleenD said:
Domino, 

You, sir are correct :$ in that this model of box can be used for Contour, but in this case it is not. The 8642 was first used as a Rovi box in systems that use SA boxes back before Contour was launched, and have confirmed the model's use will depend on the market it's in.

Ah, a "market area" difference. Too bad, because a Cisco 8642HDC running Contour is the most trouble-free DVR I've ever used. I used a 8300 and a 8240HDC running Passport and hated it. Haven't had even a "re-boot" on my 8642HDC in many months.

BTW, you claim that the 8642HDC was a Rovi box before Contour. Do you mean before Trio? Trio was being loaded into 8642HDCs long before the name "Contour" was even spoken.

BTW2, in my unofficial local poll, it's 8642HDCs running Contour...9. 8642HDCs running Passport...0.

Ma-Ku said:

Just for the record, my 8642HDC is running the Rovi Passport 3.7 software.  Thanks for the reply, Domino, just the same.

Hint: Scream like crazy, get rid of that Passport 3.7 and move to Contour. Among other things it's got a 16:9 guide, a 3-hour grid, 14 days of listings (instead of Passport's 7), and easier to look at, IMO. Did I mention NO ADVERTISEMENTS?

ColleenD said:
Domino, 

You, sir are correct :$ in that this model of box can be used for Contour, but in this case it is not. The 8642 was first used as a Rovi box in systems that use SA boxes back before Contour was launched, and have confirmed the model's use will depend on the market it's in.

If the 8642HDC uses Passport, which DVR is provided with the "Contour Service with Record 2" ??

Contour Service	Monthly Price
Contour Service with Record 2	$11.99
Contour Service with Record 6	$19.99

Hello, ColleenD:

I don't know what e-mail should I use to contact you with info.  Please advise.  Thanks.

@Ma-Ku

You can email us at cox.help@cox.com with any questions or concerns you have about our services. -Chris