# Unsolicited mandatory TIVO Infomercials



## LunaC (Dec 20, 2005)

If you are unaware or have not experience this problem, TIVO will automatically and unsolicited switch the channel you are watching to a 30 minute infomercial about TIVO [you will get the TIVO TV icon along with the message "The Following Paid Program is provided exclusively for TIVO Subscribers"]. The DVR will automatically begin recording this 30 minute TVSpot from Teleworld Paid Programs. You are not asked and it does not care what you were watching.
This occurs on my TIVO EVERY NIGHT but the time varies from 11:30 pm through about 1 am. Your settings for TIVO Suggestions has nothing to do with this TIVO unsolicited infomercial.
You CANNOT avoid it, it is built into the programing and a part of the TIVO Service Agreement. You get it whether you want it or not (and I certainly DO NOT want it!).
I have called TIVO higher level administrators which have confirmed what I have said above. You are stuck with it, take it or leave it is pretty much their response.
I wonder if any others have experienced this TIVO nuisance and mandatory infomercial taking up my TV viewing and recording time. It is ARROGANT of TIVO to have this unwanted and unsolicited mandatory informercial and I want it stopped. During my viewing of the Olympics this was a constant nuisance. I appeal to TIVO Corporate Management and all viewers and subscribers to oppose this unsolicited practice by TIVO Management.


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## stevel (Aug 23, 2000)

Um, new around here?

Yes, this is a standard part of what TiVo does. It uses that program (and another sometimes later at night) to provide service data and material for Showcases. It helps subsidize the cost of the TiVo service. The channel changes will not occur if you have a recording in progress that you requested (not Suggestions).


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## Shawn95GT (Oct 7, 2005)

You watch Live TV?

I have run into this exactly once. It was because I had left the Tivo at the network connection screen and after a while it dumps to Live TV. I noticed something really wierd on TV and it was all the commercial 'shorts' all strung end to end.

I have yet to miss a scheduled recording because of it.


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## mgar (Feb 14, 2005)

I have seen this only once. It did let me change the channel. It gave me a message asking if I wanted to quit recording the "update" (not sure if it used the term update, or something else).


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## Robs67 (Dec 26, 2001)

Angry ramblings. Dismissed. Moving on.


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## rainwater (Sep 21, 2004)

What about those unsolicited mandatory suggestions? I can't stand those either.


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## gonzotek (Sep 24, 2004)

LunaC said:


> If you are unaware or have not experience this problem, TIVO will automatically and unsolicited switch the channel you are watching to a 30 minute infomercial about TIVO [you will get the TIVO TV icon along with the message "The Following Paid Program is provided exclusively for TIVO Subscribers"]. The DVR will automatically begin recording this 30 minute TVSpot from Teleworld Paid Programs. You are not asked and it does not care what you were watching.
> This occurs on my TIVO EVERY NIGHT but the time varies from 11:30 pm through about 1 am. Your settings for TIVO Suggestions has nothing to do with this TIVO unsolicited infomercial.
> You CANNOT avoid it, it is built into the programing and a part of the TIVO Service Agreement. You get it whether you want it or not (and I certainly DO NOT want it!).
> I have called TIVO higher level administrators which have confirmed what I have said above. You are stuck with it, take it or leave it is pretty much their response.
> I wonder if any others have experienced this TIVO nuisance and mandatory infomercial taking up my TV viewing and recording time. It is ARROGANT of TIVO to have this unwanted and unsolicited mandatory informercial and I want it stopped. During my viewing of the Olympics this was a constant nuisance. I appeal to TIVO Corporate Management and all viewers and subscribers to oppose this unsolicited practice by TIVO Management.


Couple of things:
1. Before changing the channel, the TiVo will prompt you that it would like to change the channel. If you do nothing it will change on its own. This works just like it would for suggestions or regularly scheduled recordings.
2. You can force it to not record in a couple of ways. If the channel it records on is not one you would ever watch, you can tell the TiVo that you do not recieve the channel, and the TiVo will then never switch to it. If there is programming you would like to be able to watch on that channel, you can set a repeating nightly recording for some other channel for the times that the teleworld program would be recording, and set it to Keep at Most 1 episode so it gets deleted every night.
3. The recorded teleworld content does not use space from the advertised recording capacity of the drive. TiVo reserves a certain portion of the drive for the teleworld programs, showcase content, operation system files, and other miscellaneous content. Your available recording space is not affected by the presence or lack thereof of teleworld or showcase content.
4. As others have noted, it is absolutely possible to change the channel during the recording of the teleworld program.


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## Puppy76 (Oct 7, 2004)

Yikes, had me scared for a minute there 

Dosen't affect me either way, since I don't have cable


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## timr_42 (Oct 14, 2001)

LunaC said:


> You CANNOT avoid it, it is built into the programing and a part of the TIVO Service Agreement. You get it whether you want it or not (and I certainly DO NOT want it!).


I can avoid it. For some reason I never get anything anymore. I don't know what happened, but neither Tivo gets them anymore. Can anyone in St Louis confirm that they still do?


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## Scott Atkinson (Jan 19, 2004)

OTOH, I kinda like the religious channel I find on my series ones every couple of weeks after overnight updates.

Today the guy was talking about how he slowly weaned himself off bombings as he got more religious.

s.


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## lajohn27 (Dec 29, 2003)

I've never asked this question : But for experience forum users - if you tell the TIVO that you do not receive the channel that these programs come on - does it still try to record them? 

J


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## jfh3 (Apr 15, 2004)

LunaC said:


> If you are unaware or have not experience this problem, TIVO will automatically and unsolicited switch the channel you are watching to a 30 minute infomercial about TIVO.


I see - you watch live TV because you are unable to read and don't understand how to best use your Tivo box. 

(By the way, search is your friend ... this is hardly a new "problem".


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## LunaC (Dec 20, 2005)

Since there were a lot of responses very quickly, I will respond in one post rather than respond to each comment individually.

First, please be aware that I have spoken with TIVO Administrators on this matter and am well informed of their response and the work-arounds.
The fact that I said there is nothing you can do about it is a direct quote from a TIVO Administrator. Naturally, they would prefer that you do not delete the channel it is broadcast on. (which I have done, but it uses 2 channels and I do not want to delete the Descovery Channel).
The MAIN point is, I (or anyone else) should NOT have to use work arounds. Thats the very point of TIVO feedback to improve the product not to provide work arounds for bad service. Its simply a very BAD practive when TIVO does not provide the OPTION to remove the practice. TIVO is a paid for service and I do not accept the issue that it is needed to keep cost down. Thats BS. It is an internal commercial, not a third party and you would not see any difference in your rates regardless. If it cost more, give the buyer the option!
As far as Robs67. My comments are positive and proactive. Your unnecessary uttering is wasted space. Get a life!
For gonzotek, one of my main points is that TIVO does in fact NOT ask you before it changes the channel. No questions asked, you get the infomercial no matter what. If I had the option it would not be the same issue. All of your other suggestions are work-arounds, which are appreciated, but not the point as described above.
Thanks for your comments. It remains an unacceptable intrusion by TIVO


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## dgh (Jul 24, 2000)

LunaC said:


> TIVO is a paid for service and I do not accept the issue that it is needed to keep cost down. Thats BS. It is an internal commercial, not a third party and you would not see any difference in your rates regardless.


Oh they do third party ads that way too. And their business model has been advertising supported since 1998. Sorry it's news to you. It does bug some people. They would best avoid TiVo because I don't see them changing this any time soon.


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## LunaC (Dec 20, 2005)

dgh said:


> Oh they do third party ads that way too. And their business model has been advertising supported since 1998. Sorry it's news to you. It does bug some people. They would best avoid TiVo because I don't see them changing this any time soon.


I agree, but customer feedback is critical to TIVO, considering they have a negative (-25%) profit margin, a negative income of -$50 MM, and a negative earnings per share (-$.59). Time to throw out the ole' failed Business Plan and meet customer needs.


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## timr_42 (Oct 14, 2001)

I still don't know what the problem is. For one, it will ask you before changing. It's in the middle of the night. You are not forced into watching anything. 

Can you explain why this is such a big problem? I have never understood what causes people to get upset over this. As was posted earlier, this has been happening for a very loooong time. It's not new.


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## rainwater (Sep 21, 2004)

LunaC said:


> Time to throw out the ole' failed Business Plan and meet customer needs.


Yeah, they should get rid of the Teleworld program, remove fees altogether and get that dreaded FSI. That way everyone is happy. Of course, then they will go out of business.


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## dgh (Jul 24, 2000)

LunaC said:


> Time to throw out the ole' failed Business Plan and meet customer needs.


Which customer?

Hey but on the odd chance that anyone is listening, please bring back lifetime 

Seriously, the first time one of these appeared, there was a poll with at least 200 votes against the ads. And nothing happened. These days it seems like the most of the strongly anti-ad people are already gone. Y-Ask is almost all we have left from that contingent.


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## Kablemodem (May 26, 2001)

What do you do when you turn on the TV and there is a program you are not interested in watching? Do you call the channel and complain that they are forcing you to watch something you don't like or do you just change the channel? Just change the channel. Your remote should have a button for that.


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## jmoak (Jun 20, 2000)

LunaC said:


> You CANNOT avoid it..


Sure I can! ...although I know you won't believe me, It would be detrimental to the continuation of this fine, although misguided and oft regaled thread/rant.

but man... you _gotta_ love that username!!!!


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## LunaC (Dec 20, 2005)

timr_42 said:


> I still don't know what the problem is. For one, it will ask you before changing. It's in the middle of the night. You are not forced into watching anything.
> 
> Can you explain why this is such a big problem? I have never understood what causes people to get upset over this. As was posted earlier, this has been happening for a very loooong time. It's not new.


Perhaps some people are actually asked since I have read that comment now twice. I have NEVER been asked, it switches automatically. (As I posted several times)
Also, the time of day at which it averts my free choice is irrelevant. I happen to like late night TV, but at my own chosing. Some completely miss the issue, and as long as TIVO's intrusion does not intrude on them, the practice is acceptable. Also, TIVO counts on the evolution of acceptance by customers like you. Like politicians who gradually errode your freedoms through voter appathy.
Sad.


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## lajohn27 (Dec 29, 2003)

LunaC said:


> I agree, but customer feedback is critical to TIVO, considering they have a negative (-25%) profit margin, a negative income of -$50 MM, and a negative earnings per share (-$.59). Time to throw out the ole' failed Business Plan and meet customer needs.


I have been planning to mention it now for some time.

I would like to introduce a concept that I'm going to refer to as "Bullwinkle's Law" - in honor of the long gone (from these forums) Richard Bullwinkle.

The concept is this....

Bullwinkle's Law:

As discussion progresses in any TCF thread that was started by someone who has less than 10 posts to their credit and where the thread resembles trolling from the first post; the likelihood of the original poster bringing up stock data approaches one.

And LunaC (great name btw - troll or not) - you can make that three people now for whom the TIVO asks first before changing the channel. Further, you can change the channel and cancel the recording.

And lastly, this is not a gradual erosion. TIVO's have done this FOR YEARS. I had one in 2000 and it did it. Exactly the same as it does it today.

With Apologies (however insincere) to Billy S : Me thinks the lady dost protect too much as this is much ado about nothing....


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## dgh (Jul 24, 2000)

LunaC said:


> Like politicians who gradually errode your freedoms through voter appathy.
> Sad.


I predict Godwinization within 10 more posts


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## lajohn27 (Dec 29, 2003)

Clearly I had Godwin in mind with my previous post.


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## dgh (Jul 24, 2000)

Yeah it wasn't on my screen yet when I hit the Quote button. Great minds...


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## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

I think LunaC is part of a nazi conspiracy who are mad becasue TiVo stole their teleworld codename


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## LunaC (Dec 20, 2005)

End of Issue;
I can see how you self perpetuate a thread with ambiguous and unrelated ridicule to defeat the original constructive criticism directed at TIVO and then call it Trolling. Ingenious, effective, but boring and un-origional.
The Bullwinkle syndrome explains it all. Financials are old story and dont belong here no matter how bad and prolonged. (TIVO thanks you). It would probably have disappeared long ago anyway, had only a positive return.
Gee, I missed the point that this has been an issue FOR YEARS. That makes it all better and I should have never brought it up because the practice therefore became acceptable long ago as implied
I am disappointed with this thread with the hard core TIVO supporters that the issue is irrelevant The if it dont bother me syndrome. The.. Ive heard it before syndrome, the.. oh, its troubling financials again, syndrome. The I just dont want to deal with criticism to TIVO syndrome.
Cya!


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## timr_42 (Oct 14, 2001)

LunaC said:


> End of Issue;
> Cya!


Bye. Don't go away mad.

You really have not told me what makes you upset. If you are watching late night like you said( I have a sleeping disorder, so being up late I understand), it will ask before changing channels. I am not sure, it use to but since I don't get them anymore I really don't know. If you don't want to change channels, tell it. If it does change channels and you don't catch it, change it back.

I have said this a bunch of times, as long as they don't FORCE me to watch anything and since it does not take up any of my recording space, I don't care. The day Tivo makes me watch something is the day I will get upset.


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## lajohn27 (Dec 29, 2003)

Poor LunaC... Nobody likes me.. everybody hates me, I think I'll eat some worms.

But seriously tho, what exactly is your issue? 

So far in this thread...

You've been given numerous solutions to this issue which you promptly ignored in favor of continuing to rant. THAT is why you were labelled a troll. A troll ignores all other posts and continues to rant on whatever. 

Further, not only did you ignore the helpful advice - you brought up financials. What the he** does that have to do with this issue? NOTHING. Again - TROLLING.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT, THIS WILL PREVENT THE RECORDINGS : Deselect the channel from your TIVO's 'Channels I Receive' - it won't record again. You can still schedule season passes and tune to the channel as you please. Even tho, you have deselected it from "Channels I Receive" - you can still record shows and tune to that channel as you wish.

Is the issue that it changes channels without asking? Won't happen if you follow the above instructions. Besides, it asks everyone else; why are you so special?

If it does that to you exactly as you say, submit your service number to any one of the TIVO employees on the forum and have them check up on that?

Your post said "You CANNOT avoid it, it is built into the programing and a part of the TIVO Service Agreement. You get it whether you want it or not (and I certainly DO NOT want it!)."

I have just explained in granular detail how to avoid it. And how to NOT get these recordings to occur. This is called helpful advice. 

Will you take it? Or continue to rant?

J


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## gonzotek (Sep 24, 2004)

If none of the workarounds are enough to satisfy your issue, there's always the option to vote with your dollars and discontinue service. Since it's "part of the TiVo Service Agreement", that you agreed to when signing up and you "certainly DO NOT want it!", that's about the only option I see left to you. Should you happen to have lifetime, I hear that it's a very popular resale value at the moment.


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## lajohn27 (Dec 29, 2003)

And one further addendum that qualifies you as a stock baiting troller.. You have a habit of bringing up stock data... in threads where it's irrelevant.

In this thread.. http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=277629

THIS was at the end of one of your posts..

"[edit: removed stock talk - please read the Forum Rules and Guidelines - unixadm/Moderator]"

And that was in a thread where you "helpfully" pointed out the LIFETIME is attached to the receiver and not transferable... something that has been painfully clear since January 21, 2000. Six years ago.

This is twice now that you have brought up basic tenets of the TIVO service from day one, complained about them like it was a policy change on TIVO's part in an effort to get folks riled up. And in both instances, you have felt the need to bring financials into the thread.

That is called a pattern. I'm calling it now - OFFICIALLY - TROLL.


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## LunaC (Dec 20, 2005)

This is my final reply to you guys (the hardcore TIVO guys that are in this thread), and probably my last post in this Forum as you either dont desire or are incapable of an intelligent debate without resorting to your defensive antics.
Obviously you have not read all of the post in this thread.
Lajohn27. I told you already I deleted the channel but thats not the issue. I should not have to resort to work-arounds and remove a channel from my selections because TIVO intrudes on my programming. Enough said. The only solution is for TIVO to stop the intrusive practice, .. read the thread.
As I said, the Cannot avoid it is a direct quote from TIVO Administrators! I know how to get around it, but how many tivo subscribers do not? I spent a lot of time on the phone with TIVO. Instead of you wanting to learn from my experience, you chose another direction.
The issue is if you cant figure it out. Does TIVO have the right (commercial competitive right.. and dont respond if you dont understand the difference) for unsolicited commercial programming on your DVR without your permission (I WILL NOT REPEAT THIS AGAIN BUT IT DOES NOT ASK PERMISSION, in spite of what is said above). I dont care how easy or difficult it is for you to circumvent this intrusion, you are trolling a different issue by proceeding in that direction.
You are not FORCED to watch the infomercial, but you ARE forced to take action to avoid watching it at an interruption to you that was not scheduled, initiated or desired by you.
There are alternatives to TIVO and I have already invested in that direction.. (invested ohoh, there goes another financial word again, ). I can record digital, HDTV, Dolby7.1,
And edit the commercials and play through component conectors to HDTV or transfer to my video iPod, no thanks to TIVO.
You TIVO hardcore, wake up.
This time, no more response, I am outta here. My comments will be directed directly to TIVO and the market place.


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## lajohn27 (Dec 29, 2003)

I apologize. I missed your post where you indicated that work arounds did not please you. My bad. 

What's to learn? TIVO has clearly stated they will persue this revenue stream and they will continue down this path. Half the time these shows features clips of upcoming TV shows, most users would find that useful.

You keep harping on the it doesn't ask permission angle. It does. Mine does. Several other posters in thread it asks.. And on the off chance it does not - change the freaking channel.

Yes. They have the right. Its been in the terms of service since day one. Again, you keep reacting like this is new. Its not.

In fact, from the factory, your DVR has a slice of hard drive space reserved for this very purpose so it does not detract from the advertised capacity.

Too bad you poo-poohed lifetime in another thread. I'd offer to buy your TIVO from you.


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## gonzotek (Sep 24, 2004)

LunaC said:


> ... Does TIVO have the right (commercial competitive right.. and dont respond if you dont understand the difference) for unsolicited commercial programming on your DVR without your permission...


Did you NOT agree to the service agreement explicitly GIVING TiVo this right?
http://www.tivo.com/5.11.2.asp


> 12. Advertising and Promotions. The TiVo service is advertiser supported. The hard disk drive of your TiVo DVR contains reserved space in addition to the advertised recording capacity. TiVo reserves the right to send content (including advertising and promotional material) to such reserved portions of your TiVo DVR's hard disk drive as part of the TiVo service. In order to send such content, you agree that TiVo may tune your TiVo DVR to a particular channel at a particular time.


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## Puppy76 (Oct 7, 2004)

I vote he was a Troll. If he wasn't, maybe he would have thought to ask why his Tivo wasn't asking him before changing channels (if that was even true).



Kablemodem said:


> What do you do when you turn on the TV and there is a program you are not interested in watching? Do you call the channel and complain that they are forcing you to watch something you don't like or do you just change the channel? Just change the channel. Your remote should have a button for that.


Hilarious!


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## jfh3 (Apr 15, 2004)

LunaC said:


> This is my final reply to you guys (the hardcore TIVO guys that are in this thread), and probably my last post in this Forum as you either dont desire or are incapable of an intelligent debate without resorting to your defensive antics.
> Obviously you have not read all of the post in this thread.
> Lajohn27. I told you already I deleted the channel but thats not the issue. I should not have to resort to work-arounds and remove a channel from my selections because TIVO intrudes on my programming. Enough said. The only solution is for TIVO to stop the intrusive practice, .. read the thread.
> As I said, the Cannot avoid it is a direct quote from TIVO Administrators! I know how to get around it, but how many tivo subscribers do not? I spent a lot of time on the phone with TIVO. Instead of you wanting to learn from my experience, you chose another direction.
> ...


Sorry, but it's not "unsolicited" recording - it's something you've agreed to by accepting the terms of service, so it's "solicited".

And, if you have a better idea on how Tivo could deliver this material to analog subs, feel free to post it.


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## ChuckyBox (Oct 3, 2005)

LunaC said:


> There are alternatives to TIVO and I have already invested in that direction..


So this wasn't really about you being inconvenienced by the teleworld recordings, was it?


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## JYoung (Jan 16, 2002)

LunaC said:


> Th.
> The issue is if you cant figure it out. Does TIVO have the right (commercial competitive right.. and dont respond if you dont understand the difference) for unsolicited commercial programming on your DVR without your permission (I WILL NOT REPEAT THIS AGAIN BUT IT DOES NOT ASK PERMISSION, in spite of what is said above). I dont care how easy or difficult it is for you to circumvent this intrusion, you are trolling a different issue by proceeding in that direction.
> You are not FORCED to watch the infomercial, but you ARE forced to take action to avoid watching it at an interruption to you that was not scheduled, initiated or desired by you.


Absolutely untrue.
I happened to be up when one of my TiVos was about to record Teleworld.
It was on live TV (I had it on in the background) and it asked to change channels.


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## Moebius (Nov 25, 2002)

Ok, I'll jump in for the heck of it. LunaC,
I've read your posts, and your argument/complaint is clear. Now, I'd like to offer a different perspective.

You have cable, a service which you pay for. Yet every single channel on that cable (the service you pay for) has commercials. There's nothing you can do to avoid them, period. They're going to air them no matter how much you complain. The only thing you could possibly do is employ a workaround, such as TiVo. 

So, if you still have cable, you have obviously accepted that the networks (much like TiVo) are driven in part by ad revenues. It's just a fact of life. So why can you not accept the same thing of TiVo? You work around the cable company forcing their commercials on you, but you refuse to do the same for TiVo. Why? They're both services you pay for. They both make it clear that the policy is not going to change, they both have workarounds available. So why accept one and lambast the other for the same practice.

Plus, on a side note I've never seen a TiVo not prompt when about to change channels, so if that part of your complaint is true, then there's something else wrong. I've dealt with that on many occasions. I'm watching something, TiVo prompts, I say don't change channel and it's done. Just like if it wanted to record a suggestion.


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## smak (Feb 11, 2000)

gonzotek said:


> Did you NOT agree to the service agreement explicitly GIVING TiVo this right?
> http://www.tivo.com/5.11.2.asp


If the service agreement was worded and spaced anything like any of his posts, maybe he read two lines and got a headache and gave up.

-smak-


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## megazone (Mar 3, 2002)

If you've touched the remote within 30 minutes it should prompt, if you have not touched the remote in 30 minutes the TiVo times out and believes you're no longer watching, so then it is free to change channels for Suggestions, Teleworld Paid Programming, etc.

And I've never seen this 'every night' - I suppose if you keep preventing it from recording it'll try the next time the content comes around, normally it is one, maybe two nights a week.


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## msilano (Jan 20, 2003)

Come on guys. let's stop feeding the troll.

AND MY NAME IS DR MARCUS NGUMBE AND I HAVE A BUSINESS PROPOSITION OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE AND SENSITIVITY for you.

My TIVO has recently started RECORDING PROGRAMS that I AM UNWILLING to WATCH. THIS IS AN OUTRAGE.

Please join me in this venture, BROTHER, by sending me your contact INFORMATION, BANK ROUTING NUMBER and PIN Code.


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## David Platt (Dec 13, 2001)

LunaC said:


> As far as Robs67. My comments are positive and proactive. Your unnecessary uttering is wasted space. Get a life!


That is one of the funniest things I have read in a LONG time.

"I'm positive and pro-active. Screw you!" 

You keep nattering on about unacceptable, unacceptable, unacceptable. Yet you accepted it when you agreed to the TiVo service agreement. Explain the contradiction.


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## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

stupid nazis 


just officially record the show you are watching. TiVo will leave it alone at that point. Use Keep at Most 1 if you want to make it happen regularly and not take up much room on the HD


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## Jabberer (Oct 4, 2000)

dgh said:


> I predict Godwinization within 10 more posts


Well, since I inadvertently fell into that in a previous thread a couple of weeks ago, I feel that I should be the one:

*Its Just Like The Nazis.*

Im not sure how, but it must be some way 

Edit: DOH! Beaten by 7 minutes!


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## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

ZeoTiVo at March16 said:


> I think LunaC is part of a nazi conspiracy who are mad becasue TiVo stole their teleworld codename


actually beaten by about 18 hours


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## bobcarn (Nov 18, 2001)

I can understand LunaC's gripe, and if anyone actually takes the time to read the postings, you'll understand a few things better.

1) Tivo does not ask ahead of time if it's OK to change the channel. He/She is just watching TV and the channel switches over to an advertisement. Yes, that would be incredibly annoying since with a channel change, you lose the buffer and can't even rewind to see what you missed.

2) Tivo seems to get its extra content from two different channels, one of which is the Discovery Channel during the daytime and one that LunaC doesn't want to delete.

If Tivo is asking viewers if it's OK to switch channels, but it's not doing it for LunaC, then I would definitely complain to customer service and ask them why it doesn't ask first. I believe only once or twice I was actually watching TV when it switched over to record content, but I remember it asking me first. I remember because it was worded a little differently. Something to the extent of "Tivo wishes to change channels to record additional content", which is different than the normal channel-changing message.


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## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

bobcarn said:


> I can understand LunaC's gripe, and if anyone actually takes the time to read the postings, you'll understand a few things better.
> 
> 1) Tivo does not ask ahead of time if it's OK to change the channel. He/She is just watching TV and the channel switches over to an advertisement. Yes, that would be incredibly annoying since with a channel change, you lose the buffer and can't even rewind to see what you missed.
> 
> ...


read Megazone's post above. He correctly identifies that LunaC is most likely just letting the TiVo play on whatever channel - like 2 or more hours of Olympic coverage. so no remote button hit in 30 minutes - yes the channel will just change. 
LunaC needs to either 
record what he is watching 
press a button on the remote every 25 minutes or so
feed the cable directly to his TV and bypass the TiVo if he is just watching Live TV anyway.

but no, LunaC wants TiVo to change what they have done for the past 5 years to little complaint form the subscriber base just to make LunaC happy.


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## lajohn27 (Dec 29, 2003)

Bob:

I read Luna's posts (well, all but that one I missed) and I completely understand the gripe. And I honestly think that part of it is fictionalized - esp given Luna's posting history.

J


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## Puppy76 (Oct 7, 2004)

megazone said:


> If you've touched the remote within 30 minutes it should prompt, if you have not touched the remote in 30 minutes the TiVo times out and believes you're no longer watching, so then it is free to change channels for Suggestions, Teleworld Paid Programming, etc.


I had no idea about that. I guess I've never gone a half hour without touching the remote. In fact half the time I'm hitting play just to see how much I have left (I need something to do while I'm watching ).


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## Stu_Bee (Jan 15, 2002)

megazone said:


> If you've touched the remote within 30 minutes it should prompt, if you have not touched the remote in 30 minutes the TiVo times out and believes you're no longer watching, so then it is free to change channels for Suggestions, Teleworld Paid Programming, etc.


Hmmm...wonder why it operates this way. What would be the harm in Tivo popping up with a prompt that it's gonna change the channel. If you aren't watching the tv then it will change anyways.


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## juststained (Nov 2, 2005)

I have had my Tivo for nearly two years and lived with a roommate who had one for a year before that and I have NEVER even heard of this or seen hide nor hair of this "Teleworld" thing? Am I out of the loop or am I very lucky to never have been affected by this is anyway?

Weird


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## bostlaw (May 16, 2005)

Squashed like a bug. Long live lunacy. Hey, let's talk about that lifetime thing now...


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## jwreiner (Aug 19, 2003)

I've been annoyed at my TiVo changing channels to record the TV Guide gibberish several times. Yes, I know that TiVo has been doing this for years, but it seems like it used to happen a couple of times a week, not every day, and the recording used to start in the very early morning, not midnight.

Some of us do watch live TV from time to time, and we occasionally walk away from the TV because the TiVo has this wonderful thing called a live buffer. It is not fun to walk back and find out that what you were watching is long gone and this pointless TV Guide garbage is being recorded.

Since I'm a TiVo customer, and not a TiVo shareholder, I don't like this. I find it hard to believe that anyone likes it. What exactly is so horrible about a customer complaining about annoying "features"? I assume TiVo makes decisions about how much advertising to ram down our throats by comparing how much money they will make to how much users are willing to tolerate.

I'm willing to tolerate this, but that doesn't mean I have to like it, and I can certainly understand people who are less willing to put up with it.


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## Moebius (Nov 25, 2002)

The thing I don't get is I've never seen it not prompt. Even if I hadn't touched the remote in a few hours (which was the case one night I had dozed off) I still got the prompt. Said TiVo would like to change channels to record enhanced content or something like that. I said no, stay on this channel, end of story. The only time I've seen it not prompt is if I was either in the menu system for a while, or watching a recording. Then it just switched on its own. 

I don't neccesarily like it, but hardly seems worth a complaint from me. If I was going to, I might as well call Comcast and tell them to stop airing commercials as it's pretty much the same thing.


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## Stu_Bee (Jan 15, 2002)

Maybe it's just an unknown (to Tivo) bug that it doesn't prompt before changing the channel. I've never heard this complaint before, but if the frequency of Tivo teleworld recordings is increasing I can see why it's being noticed now. We're not all 9-5ers.


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## TiVoStephen (Jun 27, 2000)

Folks, the DVR will ALWAYS prompt one minute before a channel change. It doesn't matter if you have touched the remote or not. It doesn't matter if it's a Season Pass recording, a Suggestion, one of the teleworld broadcasts being discussed, or anything else: If your DVR has to change channels, it will warn you one minute before. If you don't respond with the "No, Stay on this channel" answer, then it will change channels.


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## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

jwreiner said:


> Since I'm a TiVo customer, and not a TiVo shareholder, I don't like this. I find it hard to believe that anyone likes it. What exactly is so horrible about a customer complaining about annoying "features"?


well your post was in the form of a complaint and well stated. The OP was in the form of a RANT and TiVo can not do this ,etc...

in other words you posted a very constructive post.
I am sure you read all the reasons why this happens and things you can do to prevent it. Not much else to add except two other thoughts.

you can do a wishlist for TeleWorld and then at least see what times the "show" is scheduled.

Also if I am watching something via the buffer and will walk away for more than 10 minutes I hit the record button to make sure the shoiw is there when I get back - maybe 2 days later sometimes on my crazy schedule. 
Teleworld will never preempt a deliberately scheduled recording


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## MickeS (Dec 26, 2002)

LunaC said:


> This is my final reply to you guys (the hardcore TIVO guys that are in this thread), and probably my last post in this Forum as you either dont desire or are incapable of an intelligent debate without resorting to your defensive antics.


That's a pretty funny sentence.


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## dgh (Jul 24, 2000)

ZeoTiVo said:


> Also if I am watching something via the buffer and will walk away for more than 10 minutes I hit the record button to make sure the shoiw is there when I get back - maybe 2 days later sometimes on my crazy schedule.
> Teleworld will never preempt a deliberately scheduled recording


Yeah, I frequently hit pause thinking I'll be back in 5 minutes and I'm back hours later or the next day.

Of course, I never loose anything that way because.... I record everything. If it's important, record it. I don't want my TiVo to not change channels just because I forgot I left it paused like I do several times per week.


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## MickeS (Dec 26, 2002)

Yeah, I do the same, it's not like it's much harder to hit record and then select before I pause. But it did take a little while to get into the habit.


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## Stu_Bee (Jan 15, 2002)

TiVoOpsMgr said:


> Folks, the DVR will ALWAYS prompt one minute before a channel change.


Cool. So either the OP is finding some kind of bug...or, more likely, he's doing something like pausing buffered tv...walking away from the TV for a few minutes, then coming back to resume buffered viewing. The he discovers a channel change occured during watching the resumed buffer. Did that a few times myself 'til I learned to hit the record button.

Alas, the OP is now gone so no futher troubleshooting feedback will be provided.


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## MickeS (Dec 26, 2002)

> Cool. So either the OP is finding some kind of bug...or, more likely, he's doing something like pausing buffered tv...walking away from the TV for a few minutes, then coming back to resume buffered viewing. The he discovers a channel change occured during watching the resumed buffer. Did that a few times myself 'til I learned to hit the record button.


That seems more likely, and it will obviously be a problem especially during 1+ hr long shows. After that had happened to me a few times is when I started to hit the record button before I hit pause.

I don't know where this idea comes from that TiVo doesn't show a message if you don't touch the remote within a certain period of time. I've seen it mentioned in other threads too. Some kind of TiVo myth I guess.


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## Phantom Gremlin (Jun 20, 2002)

TiVoOpsMgr said:


> Folks, the DVR will ALWAYS prompt one minute before a channel change. It doesn't matter if you have touched the remote or not. It doesn't matter if it's a Season Pass recording, a Suggestion, one of the teleworld broadcasts being discussed, or anything else: If your DVR has to change channels, it will warn you one minute before. If you don't respond with the "No, Stay on this channel" answer, then it will change channels.


I'm tempted to say "liar, liar, pants on fire". But I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and simply say that maybe this is current behavior, but it hasn't always worked this way.

I remember fighting with my DirecTiVo several years ago at about 2 AM when it decided to simultaneously record not one, but two different undesired channels. I think one from DirecTV and one from Teleworld. It was very very annoying.

My best guess is there are bugs in the algorithms TiVo uses to ask permission. Because I've seen this behavior on multiple occasions. Not when the TiVo has been idle for 1/2 hour, but when I've been aggressively flipping channels and flipping between tuners.

It's been a while, but I think one of the bugs is this: Tivo asks permission at 1:59 AM. You say NO. You keep flipping and switching tuners. At 2:00 AM the TiVo just switches on its own to a push program.

For all I know, it may still do this. But I'm so far behind in my recorded programs that I have very little time to be flipping channels trying to watch live TV.

DirecTiVo behavior is certainly within the scope of this discussion, since this is Coffee House, not specific sub-category.

I've posted about this in the past, but I tried a quick search of my posts and it may not go back far enough in time.

And finally, I'm P***ED off at all the TiVo fanboi's in this thread. Just because YOUR TiVo hasn't done anything like this to YOU, doesn't mean that it's not a real problem/bug (take your choice). The OP may or may not be a troll, but the problem is real. Instead of accepting that reality, the fanboi's want to close their eyes and click their heels together and wish that the problem goes away.


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## lajohn27 (Dec 29, 2003)

Phantom (& Luna for that matter)

If your TIVO is indeed changing channels without prompting - no problem. Hook it up to a standard VCR or something else you can record the image of this happening. Send that, along with your TIVO Service number to someone at TIVO and have it looked into. That is (as has been stated many times) not how Showcases are supposed to be recorded.

To find when the programs are scheduled, do a Program Search by Title for "Teleworld" and then you'll know when to try to catch the problem when it happens.

Call me a fanboi if you want.. But there are solutions if the user is willing to be proactive and PART OF the solution. Twice this poster came here (Luna) with riling people up on their mind.. and twice they brought up stock data in threads where it was completely immaterial, while completely ignoring everyone trying to help them. That is in fact the very definition of a troll.

If your TIVO isn't behaving as Stephen points out that it should - prove it - and maybe you can help fix a major bug. I had problems with a particular type of satellite receiver not responding to IR commands from my TIVO. I sent the remote control into TIVO Engineering for review and voila - I got my remote back and the problem was fixed in a minor update a few days after that.

Merely complaining about a problem on message boards and calling people names very rarely fixes things in my experience. 

It takes action.

J


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## HDTiVo (Nov 27, 2002)

TiVoOpsMgr said:


> Folks, the DVR will ALWAYS prompt one minute before a channel change.


[Joke]Rather last minute, don't you think?[/Joke]


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## mec1991 (Nov 5, 2004)

Phantom Gremlin said:


> And finally, I'm P***ED off at all the TiVo fanboi's in this thread. Just because YOUR TiVo hasn't done anything like this to YOU, doesn't mean that it's not a real problem/bug (take your choice). The OP may or may not be a troll, but the problem is real. Instead of accepting that reality, the fanboi's want to close their eyes and click their heels together and wish that the problem goes away.


As lajohn27 posted, help TiVo with proof if this is happening so they can fix it. I don't have DirecTv but my S1 Sony has never done this. We are not saying it does not happen, we're just being pi***y with a damn troll (not you). If new posters would come here without a chip on their shoulder they would get more help.


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## Phantom Gremlin (Jun 20, 2002)

lajohn27 said:


> If your TIVO is indeed changing channels without prompting - no problem. Hook it up to a standard VCR or something else you can record the image of this happening.


You make a good point. I hadn't thought of that. But since my problem was with a SAT-T60 and I rarely flip channels live any more, I think it would be an exercise in futility. If the problem happened a lot, then many other people would be complaining.



> Merely complaining about a problem on message boards and calling people names very rarely fixes things in my experience.


Given the relationship (or lack thereof) between TiVo and DirecTV, there's no chance of the problem (if it still exists) getting fixed anyway.

My big annoyance is that, whenever anyone says anything bad about the great god TiVo, countless people immediately rush in to label that person a *heretic* (or is that a troll) and belittle the substance of the complaint.


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## Phantom Gremlin (Jun 20, 2002)

lajohn27 said:


> If your TIVO is indeed changing channels without prompting - no problem. Hook it up to a standard VCR or something else you can record the image of this happening.


Forget the current discussion about this specific channel changing problem. I just thought of a more general circumstance.

I think the above is a great idea for beta testers. I have a DVD recorder with a hard disk. That means I can conveniently record everything I'm doing without the hassles of handling physical VHS tapes. When I find a problem, I could then, and only then, make a DVD recording

Not that I'm volunteering to be a beta tester for anything. I have DirecTiVos, and as we all know those things are "feature complete" at this point in time.


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## jmoak (Jun 20, 2000)

Phantom Gremlin said:


> Tivo asks permission at 1:59 AM. You say NO. You keep flipping and switching tuners. At 2:00 AM the TiVo just switches on its own


If this is the case, your dtivo is defective. Follow lajohn27's advice or contact TiVoOpsMgr directly. If you feel that there's no chance of the problem getting fixed and won't even attempt to get it fixed, I don't know how _anyone_ can help.

My big annoyance is that when some individuals have a problem, they immediately act as if there are thousands and thousands of other folks experiencing the same problem and they are somehow "The Brave Crusader for the Downtrodden". They ignore suggestions on how to fix or minimize the problem, get abusive to those who later point out the posts that pose solutions and anyone who has a different point of view or has never experienced the problem are labeled "fanbois" who simply want to close their eyes and click their heels together and wish that the problem goes away, even though it's not a problem for them or maybe have never even experienced it.

Now I must admit that there are those who may get a bit overzealous at times, but when good natured attempts to help are met with, "Your unnecessary uttering is wasted space", "Get a life!" and "liar, liar, pants on fire", it tends to have a detrimental effect on the replies that follow.

....and the cumlative effect of this as the thread progresses... well, it can get pretty bad for everyone involved.


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## lajohn27 (Dec 29, 2003)

Additional thought : Feature complete does not mean they won't and don't issue bug fixes when appropriate.

Agreed that some times things can and do get out of hand in these threads. In this case, I think the OP's tone and subsequent posts set the standard for his/her treatment.

Another thread on this exact same subject has taken a different approach and gone in a slightly different direction. Net result is the same - "Take an effort to source the problem and help fix it..." being the solution.

J


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## quango (Sep 25, 2005)

TiVoOpsMgr said:



> Folks, the DVR will ALWAYS prompt one minute before a channel change. It doesn't matter if you have touched the remote or not. It doesn't matter if it's a Season Pass recording, a Suggestion, one of the teleworld broadcasts being discussed, or anything else: If your DVR has to change channels, it will warn you one minute before. If you don't respond with the "No, Stay on this channel" answer, then it will change channels.


Well, there is one rather obvious exception: if you're not currently watching Live TV (for example, you went into the TiVo menus or are watching a recorded program), you won't be prompted.

That said, the OP clearly wasn't in either of these situations. Maybe he/she dozed off during the channel change prompt?


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