Can anyone explain this - Sky records before its start time?

--Tony--

I'm really confused by this behaviour and hope someone can explain whats going on, this had happened a few times now.

I watch half a program and need to go out so press the record button on my sky HD box, when I go to watch the program its all there right from the start of the show (from before the point I even pressed record).

I don't think its getting it from anytime and can only think that as the show (Eastenders) was on another channel later in the night that its grabbing the rest of the show from there.

Any ideas?

sco0ter

If you have been watching the channel you are recording then the sky+ box has already got the previous 30 minutes (or whatever you have your live rewind set to ) stored on the box so when you press record it saves from as far back as it can or from the start of the recording program if its within the time limit.

Dack

Sky plus, much like the freeview hdd boxes, has a live buffer (so you can pause what you are watching).

On the Thompson box I have I've got the buffer set to 30 minutes. This means that if I start recording a programme it's already got upto 30 minutes of the program already stored and it can then basically change the 'live buffer' into a recording and carry on from the time you pressed record. This, in effect, means I can always record the complete program upto about 30 minutes into it (as at that point the buffer would start to be over-written)

fwor

I don't know specifically about Sky, as I've never used it, but my PVR does exactly the same thing, known as "LiveTV".

Everything that you watch is recorded to the hard disk so that you stop and rewind if you want to. When you select "record" it simply switches the status of the file to "Recorded" rather than "LiveTV".

If it's like mine, it will also make sure that the live recordings get wiped before any that you chose to record so that it doesn't compromise hard disk space too much.

deanos

There are loads of nifty things on Sky+

basill

That is quite normal for Sky+ and a useful feature. As others have said the box will use its rewind buffer to try and record the whole show even if you start the recording part way through.
If you only want to record the bit you are about to miss you could change up one channel and back to your program before you press record. This will empty the buffer and you will only save the part you wanted. I do this sometimes with films so I know only the bit after bedtime will be saved.

B

Lynxette

As has been said, it's part of the 'live buffer' - Handy, though, if you watch a bit of a show, and end up thinking; "Oh! <Loved one's name> would really enjoy this!", cause you can end up just pressing record and it'll catch it from beginning.

--Tony--

Thanks all, that make sense now. :T

Ben_Doone

deanos wrote: »

There are loads of nifty things on Sky+

I wouldn't know, I'm poor.

Conor_3

Ben_Doone wrote: »

I wouldn't know, I'm poor.

TBH, with the endless repeats they're showing, I'd say you had common sense.

I reckon the only reason many stay with Sky is because of the recording functionality of the Sky+ and the fact it is cheaper to pay Sky to have this than buy a twin tuner freeview PVR and new TV aerial.

Basically you get a new show shown on Channel X which is then repeated endlessly for a few months at which point they'll show the entire season again in a day. That show will then end up being shown on Channel Y etc etc etc until you've seen it repeated a thousand times spread over several different channels.