Can Tivo record a program if it's running late?
 

I am sorry if this has been discussed but I did a search here and on google and could not find anything relevant.

I remember years ago on terrestrial TV that they started to broadcast a signal that would allow recorders to record a program in full even it it was late starting.

I think the system had a three letter name but I cannot remember.

Is this system still used today and more importantly is it available through VM and will Tivo use it or does Tivo do a similar thing through some other method.

Re: Can Tivo record a program if it's running late?
 

Request for delete, Completely wrong thread, Apologies

Re: Can Tivo record a program if it's running late?
 

I think you are referring to Programme Delivery Control, or PDC as it is more widely known. Freeview+ uses a very similar system that is based on PDC but they call it something else.

Tivo dosen't have that feature or a dynamic EPG (a guide that updates instantly with commands sent by the platform or broadcaster, as used by BSkyB on some of the channels on their platform).

I believe Tivo gives an option to pad a live programme when you add it to your recording planner, or of course you can just set your own padding on any show much like with V+.

Re: Can Tivo record a program if it's running late?
 

PDC is specific to analogue TV (it sends the data in the same way as teletext). The DVB digital TV standards were designed from scratch to allow real-time updates, so don't need PDC.

The snag is TiVo doesn't use DVB mechanisms to get its EPG data. Instead the TiVo pulls the data from a server when it feels like it. So if the data on the server gets updated, there is a delay before it appears on the TiVo. There currently isn't a way to update all TiVos instantly.

Re: Can Tivo record a program if it's running late?
 

The V+'s seem to spring to life once an hour for a couple of minutes so that is probably the EPG update, but I think the Tivo uses a different EPG.

Re: Can Tivo record a program if it's running late?
 

V+ updates once a day, just after midnight I think.

Re: Can Tivo record a program if it's running late?
 

Tivo has a live connection to VM but whether it can do EPG updates in any useful timeframe is unknown (under system preferences you'll see 'Real-Time connection active'). The full update seem to be about every 25 hours so the time changes constantly.

Padding is somewhat necessary on all systems.. I remember how poor PDC actually was in execution, as the broadcasters never bothered actually updating it (and Sky suffers from similar problems which is why they have padding options, too). Luckily discounting sport, which always overrruns, schedules are fairly fixed.

Re: Can Tivo record a program if it's running late?
 

Apart from BBC and Channel 4. I have had numerous problems with their schedule running late. With 5 minutes of padding, I've missed the end of several BBC programmes. Have since changed it to 10 minutes, but for HD recordings this wastes valuable disk space on V+HD. Roll on TiVo, if only for the 1TB drive!

Re: Can Tivo record a program if it's running late?
 

Got to admit my V+ was pretty reliable bar sport on ESPN.

Re: Can Tivo record a program if it's running late?
 

Thanks for the info. Not what I wanted to hear though :)