How you people going?

I'm working for a STB manufacturer and have a question regarding the PVR.

I'm just wondering if any PVRs being sold in Australia come with pre-recording function.

For your information, Pre-recording is very similar to time-shift function though but it's not exaclty the same.

If you have the pre-recording set to "ON" in system setting, PVR starts pre-recording every single time you turn it on.

Just say you are watching CH7, it means the receiver is pre-recording the CH 7 you are watching but it's not actually writing into HDD until you select the button"Record".

It is using a HDD like a RAM memory and it is automatically deleted when you turn it off.

If you change to CH9, pre-recording starts again from CH9 and pre-recorded file of CH7 gets automatically deleted if you did not select the button "Record" in CH7.

In this pre-recording function, you can always not only rewind the programme and playback the moment you would like to see again but you can also set the starting point of recording to any point within the time you have been watching and record the program.

Time funciton starts to work from the moment you press "Record" or "Pause", but pre-recording function starts to work from the moment you start to watch a channel.

What do you guys think about this function?

Are you saying there is a second HDD for the pre-record?

NO, there is no another HDD for pre-recording, the receiver uses only one HDD.

The Topfield does this. As far as I know it's the only one that can.

The Topfield TF5000pvr does this when you enable time shifting, records whatever channel you are watching for up to 1 hour and dumps older than one hour, it is called the timeshift buffer, when you change channel it dumps the stored buffer and starts recording again, you can also ask to record the buffer (change it to a recording realy) if you find something that you want to keep.

But it still is recording onto the disk - just not in a file you can see from the filelist. It can't record into memory - unless you have 3Gb of memory...

cheers,
John

I can't see the difference between this and time-shifting. This is generally how it works on the Topfield, anyhow.

Basically other PVRs don't have the 1hr timeshift buffer. If you don't hit a button to timeshift there is no ability to rewind.

Hey Charles,

As mentioned the Toppy does exactly what you mention. However it doesn't look like anyone provided an opinion on if they like it or not. From some discussions on the Toppy Forum its a mixed bag.

http://www.topfield-australia.com.au/frm/t...p?TOPIC_ID=1401

Personally I find it pretty useless. It is extremely fragile on the Toppy and just about anything (changing channels, recordings starting/stopping) will empty it. So it is not a useful mode for watching something other than just in passing.

Many people mention using it for a quick rewind in sport, but in the Toppy's case most people sit down and if there's something they might like they hit record. That way they can surf around and just delete the recording before they get up - PVRs are very good for this incidental recording.

A much better implimentation of TS would be for the buffer to not empty after a channel change. That way you could skip around in the adds and not lose entire programs - not sure if this is technically feasible though with digiral signals.

The advertised scenario of "Sitting down and after a bit saying "Oh I like this I'll just go back one hour with the time shift and record it" does seem particularly feeble. In almost any case you'll have not been on that channel anyway or you'll have switched around channels before you realise you wanted the buffer's contents.

TimeShift does have one useful aspect: It keeps the hard drive spinning constantly - This speeds up hard drive access on occassion when you hit the remote but have to wait for file access.

Any implimentation of TimeShift should include the ability to give it a rest at a user set time as it creates noise/heat/wear/power costs if left on indefinitely. Noise would be the big problem. Refer to the Toppy TAP called PBK for something that improves the 'vanilla' TimeShift in this and other excellant ways.

Regards

Peter Gillespie

PS The pinned post All Questions Answered in this forum has some info on Toppy TimeShift I believe.

It's a nice function to have - I use it on Topfield 5000 occassionally.

Tends to be one of those things that I don't use a lot, but I'm glad it's there for when I need it.

e.g. TV on in the background and something happens (esp in sporting events). I'll dash into the room and rewind it so I can see what happened.

Also had occassions where I've been watching a show and decided I wouldn't mind hanging on to a copy to show to someone else, so I'll rewind it to the start and press record so I can keep the whole thing.

Cliff

I think much like Peter, I don't have timeshifting even turned on. That way the Hard drive is not running all the time.

What I have done, is hit record when I know I may have to walk away for a bit, then I come back, "rewind" to the start while it keeps recording the live show. That is something which is darn neat.

So other then a "janet jackson" miss-hap once in a blue moon, I don't think there are times when I want to rewind for the fun of it. I guess a sports event or something of interest may be a time, in which case you can turn on the timeshift buffer just for that.

As you say, a mixed bag. I for one wouldn't buy another PVR without this feature.....

Zed

Same. I actually use it frequently. Don't channel flick a lot so not a big problem with losing the buffer frequently. To be honest don't use the full hour buffer frequently. More just use it to replay something of interest or if you missed something because of a interruption. So losing the buffer isn't actually that big a deal almost always.

ie the times you need the buffer typically don't coincide with actions that lose the buffer. So not an issue IMHO.

Rob

I don't use timeshift often on my Topfield, but I'm glad it's there just in case I miss the news or Janet Jackson's next fashion mishap. If I leave the Toppy on a preferred channel, and if news time comes and goes, it's no real drama if I miss the moment - when I do get back to the TV up to an hour later the headlines and weather's probably still there in the buffer.

OK, the Toppy's timeshift is a bit fragile out of the box, but running one or two TAPs improves it dramatically and removes most of the concern some people have about HDD wear. I run a TAP (PBK) to turn timeshift on from 5:00PM - 11:00PM. Outside those hours I've set it to come on should I press any key on the remote and stay on for 30 minutes after the last key press.

Another TAP (Improbox) can be pre-set to display a warning box when you go to change channel after a user defined period. Hence, after say 20 minutes on one channel, the TAP will remind you you're about to lose the buffer.

So although the Toppy's timeshift might be a bit too simple or just an annoying gimmick straight out of the box, quickly add the TAPs and it can be made very friendly.

I think the way the Topfield has implemented the timeshit buffer feature brilliant, and use it on a daily basis.
One feature I think that could make it better is having the ability to adjust the default 1 hour to a value that suits you better, 2-3 hour buffer would suit me better sometimes.

Hello...ever heard of the Strong 5290?

Shock horror...the Toppy isn't perfect?

Perhaps I'm becoming less fussy as I get older but I'm starting to regard my 5290's foibles as charming, much like the occasional clicks and pops off an LP...

What happens to the Strong's buffer when you change channels?

Calm down, I'm sorry if I scared you. Of course the Toppy is perfect. I didn't mean to imply otherwise. Its just a few subversive users, who have expectations that differ from other (more in tune) Toppy owners that need to be re-educated.

I've heard the process is painless...

Peter Gillespie

It gets erased, which is a shame. I'm sure that behaviour could be changed, but I guess it is a 3yo box in a market where 1yo technology is, in reality, obsolete.

Well that's the same for the Toppy which is why it's "fragile"

I guess Toppy users expect a bit more due to the twin tuners (one keep recording the buffer while the other shows what is on the other channels) but in reality if you want to do that you simply have to hit REC. A machine can't predict what someone want's to keep or doesn't...sorry rambling