# Add a digital clock to the Roamio (and mini?)



## ajfjc

After having a TiVo for only 2 weeks now (Roamio Pro and one Mini for now) I'm really happy with it overall so far. However, one very annoying item is that there is no digital clock on the front of the Roamio, and it would be nice to have on the Mini as well but maybe more understandable to not have one there.

We had 2 TWC cable boxes, and while they were very expensive to rent and performed poorly, they did have a digital clock on the front. I had to go out and buy 2 digital alarm clocks to put under each TV so we could maintain the simple function of easily viewing the time at a glance in daylight and in the dark as we enjoyed with the TWC cable boxes. I purchased alarm clocks that don't have to be manually set, they show the correct time when you plug them in, and they were $20 each.

I guess I'll just have to wait one more month to recoup my investment in TiVo over renting 2 DVR cable boxes from TWC, but c'mon, add a digital clock to the front of the Roamio please! 

Don't you agree?


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## Arcady

It's a DVR, not a clock. Why should it have a clock on the front? If there was a clock there, I would have to turn it off on my bedroom TiVo, because I don't want the light from it.

Adding a display to the front would increase the cost of the box.


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## just4fn44

I wish it had a slot for a VHS tape also.


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## Arcady

just4fn44 said:


> I wish it had a slot for a VHS tape also.


I don't know about that, but if there was a slot that ejected grilled cheese sandwiches, that would be great.


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## ThAbtO

A Tivo Pizza dispenser!


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## waynomo

Let's be serious and stick to traditional TV ideas. 
.
I'd like it to have a BS detector so that whenever someone (politician, newscaster, etc.) told a lie or some other fabricated "truth" that it superimpose a big red BS on the screen.


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## SullyND

Here you go.


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## jrtroo

ajfjc said:


> Don't you agree?


No, I have a million clocks, phones, tablets, and can easily hit right circle to see the time on the screen.


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## Grakthis

Guys, being smarmy dicks and pretending that clocks on A/V hardware in the living room has not been SOP since the 70's makes you look like a bunch of pedantic *******s.

People have gotten clocks on their A/V hardware for most of their lives, and when A/V hardware doesn't have a clock, they think "this is weird, I wish this had a clock."

It may not make any sense that people started putting clocks on A/V hardware in the 70's, but they did. So if you want to say "Nah, we don't need it" then go for it. But don't condescendingly talk down to people who happen to be used to looking at their VCR/Cable Box/DVD Player/BD Player for the time.


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## Arcady

The reason VCRs had a clock was because you had to use it to set up a recording.

When the first cable boxes with an LED channel display came out, they decided to have it show the time when not in use to display a channel number.

It is not condescending to suggest that a device that has no reason to have a clock on the front... not have a clock on the front.

Unless TiVo puts a big display on the front that does something other than show the time, then it's a waste of money. I'm all for a return to the Series 3 OLED idea, where it showed what was recording, but how big would it have to be with 6 tuners?

I'd rather see an iPhone/iPod Touch app that could replicate that, and you could leave an old iPhone 3 or 4 sitting by the TV to show the same info.


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## jrtroo

I'm not being swarmy, people totally forget that the time comes up with one button push.


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## Dan203

The original S3 unit had a clock on it. It cost $800. When they released the TiVo HD, which did not have a clock, the price came down to $300. (also had a cheaper case and a smaller HDD, but the display accounted for a large portion of the price)


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## ajfjc

Lots of good comments.

Note that microwaves have a clock, so do ovens, and I think some toaster ovens do too. Smart phones do a lot more than a phone, and they even have a clock on the lock screen. I know I can hit a button on the TiVo remote to see the time on the screen, but having a simple digital clock on the front of the cable box to glance at without having to touch the remote or my smart phone etc. is something I became used to and would be inexpensive to include - I'd guess a couple of dollars at most.

To keep things in perspective, the digital clocks I purchases are working just fine, and more importantly we really love the TiVo Roamio Pro!


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## Arcady

ajfjc said:


> Note that microwaves have a clock, so do ovens, and I think some toaster ovens do too.


You sometimes cook food with a timer, right? Those devices need a clock.


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## MScottC

Not only do you cook with a timer, they also have a front panel display that is needed for other purposes such as setting cooking temperatures etc. Re-purposing the display for telling time is probably the cheapest thing to do with it, when it's not in use.


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## Arcady

Yeah, and remembering how to change the clock on the oven, microwave and coffee maker twice a year is sure fun...


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## jrtroo

I turn the clock function off of at least two devices in the kitchen. They are always just a little bit different, so the microwave and oven clocks are off, coffeemaker and radio stay on.


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## Dan203

ajfjc said:


> Lots of good comments.
> 
> Note that microwaves have a clock, so do ovens, and I think some toaster ovens do too. Smart phones do a lot more than a phone, and they even have a clock on the lock screen. I know I can hit a button on the TiVo remote to see the time on the screen, but having a simple digital clock on the front of the cable box to glance at without having to touch the remote or my smart phone etc. is something I became used to and would be inexpensive to include - I'd guess a couple of dollars at most.
> 
> To keep things in perspective, the digital clocks I purchases are working just fine, and more importantly we really love the TiVo Roamio Pro!


Try this... Play a recording. Then on the remote click Select-Play-Select-9-Select. That will enable a permanent clock in the upper right corner of the screen. My wife uses this on her TiVo. I find it distracting so I turn it off on mine.


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## davidblackledge

waynomo said:


> Let's be serious and stick to traditional TV ideas.
> .
> I'd like it to have a BS detector so that whenever someone (politician, newscaster, etc.) told a lie or some other fabricated "truth" that it superimpose a big red BS on the screen.





SullyND said:


> Here you go.


Dang...I really hoped that was going to be a link to one of those voice stress lie detector thingies with an option to hook it up to the TV.


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## CraigThom

ajfjc said:


> Note that microwaves have a clock, so do ovens, and I think some toaster ovens do too.


My microwave has a clock, but, if I don't set it, the display stays dark when not in use instead of blinking to remind me the clock is not set. My range is not as kind; I have to set it.

My little weather station and my thermostat have clocks, too, but, unlike the stupid range, they adjust themselves after power outages and Daylight Saving Time changes. But they aren't always right. Go figure.

This was just a suggestion for a clock. It's a place for suggestions.

I think the biggest argument against it is that it would add to the cost of making the unit, and I don't think many people want it. If there was already a display on the front that could show a clock through software that would be a different thing.

My receiver and Blu-ray player have displays but no clocks that I can find.


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## OrangeCrush

Having just switched over to Tivo, the clock was the first thing my SO complained about, so I'm looking for a solution. Setting a regular clock-radio in the entertainment center will probably get scoffed at.

Has anyone found a small, unobtrusive LED clock that I can set in there? It needs to be visible in the dark without pushing a button or making a noise or anything silly. Essentially.. a standalone clock to set in front of the TIVO to silence a complaint. 

I've had a surprisingly difficult time finding one.


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## TonyD79

I have a smallish timex alarm clock (not clock radio) that can tuck into almost any gap in a home theater set up (used to sit under the gap in my rear projection tv when I had that). It is old but a search on Amazon for timex alarm clock shows a lot of small clocks.


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## dmurphy

Grakthis said:


> People have gotten clocks on their A/V hardware for most of their lives, and when A/V hardware doesn't have a clock, they think "this is weird, I wish this had a clock."
> 
> It may not make any sense that people started putting clocks on A/V hardware in the 70's, but they did. So if you want to say "Nah, we don't need it" then go for it. But don't condescendingly talk down to people who happen to be used to looking at their VCR/Cable Box/DVD Player/BD Player for the time.


Was a DirecTV customer for 15+ years before switching to FiOS. D* doesn't do the clock thing. Thought it looked so weird on the FiOS boxes that I electrical-taped over them.

Glad the TiVo's don't have it. One less light to annoy me.


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## RoamioJeff

And the clock should have a 12:00 flashing mode for nostalgic value.


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## Sam Ray

Arcady said:


> You sometimes cook food with a timer, right? Those devices need a clock.


A clock and a timer are different. A clock needs to know what the current time is; either by us entering it or by it getting from a source such as the internet (NTP) or a satellite signal. A timer does not need to know what time it is.

A Tivo is a computer capable of many things. People typically personalize computers for use the way they want to use them; that is what the term "Personal Computer" means. One person's preferences is not everyone's preferences.


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## adessmith

It would cost a lot more than simply "adding a clock" for tivo to add a screen that shows time. It wouldn't make any sense for the time on the front of the device to be independent of the time the box already keeps... so its not just a matter of building a clock into the box, its adding a screen that interfaces with the computer inside of the tivo to display the system time.
I know people want to think "LCD Clocks are cheap, it wouldn't cost but a few dollars to add"... but then remember the tivo is just a computer that the clock would need to interface with.
See if you can find a device to put in a computers drive bay that pulls the time from the system and displays it on the front of the computer? Usually it's going to be something like a fan controller that would do that... you can't really find an add-on display that does nothing except display your systems time.
It's fine if the device needs a display already, the clock is usually a secondary function on a screen that is needed for something else, but to add a display simply for displaying the system time would be a huge waste of money.
Besides, a lot of people put their components in cabinets or closets these days and never look at them.


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## bradleys

Sam Ray said:


> A clock and a timer are different. A clock needs to know what the current time is; either by us entering it or by it getting from a source such as an internet (NTP) or a satellite signal. A timer does not need to know what time it is.
> 
> A Tivo is a computer capable of many things. People typically personalize computers for use the way they want to use them; that is what the term "Personal Computer" means. One person's preferences is not everyone's preferences.


A TiVo is a dedicated Consumer Electronic device, not a personal computer.

Let us think about this, does Roku have a clock? No. Does Apple TV have a clock? No. Does Tablo or any of the other modern streaming / recording devices have a clock? No...

These devices are investing in RF remotes to allow them to be hidden from view, not used as a clock. Just because VCR's of the past had (Much Maligned) clocks to support timing functionality - does not mean it fits a modern design scheme. And that isn't just TiVo's interpretation, it is the same design decision made by every modern CE device.

So, stop being stuck in the '80s...


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## Mikeguy

Hey, don't knock the 80s.


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## sfhub

There is probably some i2c bus available or could be made available if TiVo really wanted to do it.
Back to Basics: Building a 7 Segment Display Clock for a Raspberry Pi
Adafruit 0.56" 4-Digit 7-Segment Display w/I2C Backpack - Red

There are packages that would control the display and display system time.


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## mattyro7878

Select play select 9 select....Voila! Digital click on your TiVo.


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## PSU_Sudzi

Or you could hang a clock on a wall or near the TV.


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## HerronScott

PSU_Sudzi said:


> Or you could hang a clock on a wall or near the TV.


Yep, we have one of the atomic clock/temp/humidity units on our TV stand. We can see the time and the temperature outside. 

Scott


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## wpatters1229

mattyro7878 said:


> Select play select 9 select....Voila! Digital click on your TiVo.


I just wish they would add showing the clocking as an option in the setup section so you can always have it showing even after a por. BUT if the clock goes away I at least know that the device has a por happen.


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## TonyD79

PSU_Sudzi said:


> Or you could hang a clock on a wall or near the TV.


I have a cheap Radio Shack digital clock on top of my home entertainment system below my TV.


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## aphoid

I got a bolt last year and miss the OLED screen from my Series3 that had a clock and, more importantly, told me what was being recorded at the moment. That lack of screen kept me from buying a Series4 or Series5, but the Bolt finally offered enough. To replace the clock functionality, we ended up taking an ancient iPad, installing a free clock app on it, and putting that on the entertainment console.


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## PSU_Sudzi

This setup works for me.


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## mattyro7878

But it's not hi tech o cool. And go bout daylight savings? TiVo took care of all that. Now you have to get up twice a year. No way, man!


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## Bsteenson

Always had the screen clock on (select-play-select-9-select) in previous models and software, but on new hydra software it has to be reactivated every time you switch to a new program. Anyone found a solution?


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## TonyD79

Bsteenson said:


> Always had the screen clock on (select-play-select-9-select) in previous models and software, but on new hydra software it has to be reactivated every time you switch to a new program. Anyone found a solution?


I think they have been discussed. A small digital clock next to the tv.


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## rucka

I just wish Hydra didn't kill the Select Play 9 Select code that allowed for a clock on the upper right hand screen of the TV


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## emuman100

bradleys said:


> A TiVo is a dedicated Consumer Electronic device, not a personal computer.
> 
> Let us think about this, does Roku have a clock? No. Does Apple TV have a clock? No. Does Tablo or any of the other modern streaming / recording devices have a clock? No...
> 
> These devices are investing in RF remotes to allow them to be hidden from view, not used as a clock. Just because VCR's of the past had (Much Maligned) clocks to support timing functionality - does not mean it fits a modern design scheme. And that isn't just TiVo's interpretation, it is the same design decision made by every modern CE device.
> 
> So, stop being stuck in the '80s...


The reason why clocks are not included on these devices is because manufacturers are getting cheap. The consumer electronics industry has trained its customers that removal of a clock display is "modern design". The whole point is to make something look sleek and different and they can claim "modern design", when it's really a cost-saving measure. Not only are most of these crappy consumer devices lasting only a fraction of how long consumer electronics had lasted in the past 15 years, more features are being removed. So the result is a cheaply made consumer device that has a useful life of only a tiny fraction of what it used to be 15 years ago. (and an even lesser fraction of 25 to 30 years ago)

So, it's not "modern design", it's capitalism.


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## m.s

Bsteenson said:


> Always had the screen clock on (select-play-select-9-select) in previous models and software, but on new hydra software it has to be reactivated every time you switch to a new program. Anyone found a solution?


Sure, just hit "info" on the remote. Clock-on-demand.


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## bradleys

emuman100 said:


> The reason why clocks are not included on these devices is because manufacturers are getting cheap. The consumer electronics industry has trained its customers that removal of a clock display is "modern design". The whole point is to make something look sleek and different and they can claim "modern design", when it's really a cost-saving measure. Not only are most of these crappy consumer devices lasting only a fraction of how long consumer electronics had lasted in the past 15 years, more features are being removed. So the result is a cheaply made consumer device that has a useful life of only a tiny fraction of what it used to be 15 years ago. (and an even lesser fraction of 25 to 30 years ago)
> 
> So, it's not "modern design", it's capitalism.


No, the reason VCR's had a clock was so that scheduled recordings could be facilitated. It was a functional requirement and often too small to be used as an actual timekeeper in a room. And we all remember the jokes about the clock constantly flashing 12 because nobody could figure out how to set the damn thing.

If there was a real consumer desire for a clock, believe me, Tivo and everyone else would build them into the design - It just would not be that expensive.


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## Ilene

m.s said:


> Sure, just hit "info" on the remote. Clock-on-demand.


I just got a Bolt and I really am missing the clock in the upper corner. It also lets you know how much time you are into a show. I use it a lot. Guess I will just make the Select-Play-Select- 9 each time I start watching...


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## emuman100

bradleys said:


> No, the reason VCR's had a clock was so that scheduled recordings could be facilitated. It was a functional requirement and often too small to be used as an actual timekeeper in a room. And we all remember the jokes about the clock constantly flashing 12 because nobody could figure out how to set the damn thing.
> 
> If there was a real consumer desire for a clock, believe me, Tivo and everyone else would build them into the design - It just would not be that expensive.


Tivo and most consumer devices have clocks. When Tivo dials up and boots up, the clock is set (look at the kernel messages) for the same reason VCRs have clocks. If a manufacturer can convince a consumer that "modern and sleek" is a $0.05 plastic front panel instead of a $0.27 front panel with display, they will do it. You don't need a display on a VCR to use it the clock function (some VCRs don't have displays, for the same reason Tivo doesn't) because it also could be set by the menu. It's because manufacturers are cheaping out and convincing the consumer that cheaping out is "modern and sleek".


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## SullyND

The only "clocks" I have in my house are the oven and microwave. If I could get rid of them I would. If I need to know the time I look at my watch or phone. If I don't have them on me I ask Alexa. A clock on my TiVo would be wasted as it is behind a door.


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## TonyD79

emuman100 said:


> Tivo and most consumer devices have clocks. When Tivo dials up and boots up, the clock is set (look at the kernel messages) for the same reason VCRs have clocks. If a manufacturer can convince a consumer that "modern and sleek" is a $0.05 plastic front panel instead of a $0.27 front panel with display, they will do it. You don't need a display on a VCR to use it the clock function (some VCRs don't have displays, for the same reason Tivo doesn't) because it also could be set by the menu. It's because manufacturers are cheaping out and convincing the consumer that cheaping out is "modern and sleek".


Well, the first VCRs required programming from the screen on the front which meant the clock. It was later in the life of dvrs that had options to program via the remote and on the tv screen. And I think even my last one required setting the clock from the box itself and not via the GUI.


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## bradleys

emuman100 said:


> Tivo and most consumer devices have clocks. When Tivo dials up and boots up, the clock is set (look at the kernel messages) for the same reason VCRs have clocks. If a manufacturer can convince a consumer that "modern and sleek" is a $0.05 plastic front panel instead of a $0.27 front panel with display, they will do it. You don't need a display on a VCR to use it the clock function (some VCRs don't have displays, for the same reason Tivo doesn't) because it also could be set by the menu. It's because manufacturers are cheaping out and convincing the consumer that cheaping out is "modern and sleek".


Yes, TiVo monitors the time and even can display an on-screen clock. No nobody is arguing that.

The original VCR's were not connected to the "cloud" and had to have a physical timekeeper to support functionality. thus a clock on the front of the device.

Buy a damn clock, Jesus Christ, this isn't some major issue. TiVo, Apple TV, Roku et, all are not going to put a clock on the front because 1) they do not need it to support functionality, 2) there is a general desire to hide gear, not put it out in front, and 3) you can just go buy a simple clock to tell time. That is not the business they are in.


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## emuman100

bradleys said:


> Buy a damn clock, Jesus Christ, this isn't some major issue. TiVo, Apple TV, Roku et, all are not going to put a clock on the front because 1) they do not need it to support functionality, 2) there is a general desire to hide gear, not put it out in front, and 3) you can just go buy a simple clock to tell time. That is not the business they are in.


Many modern cable boxes have displays on the front panel displaying the time. Clever marketing is the reason why people are trained by the industry that cheaping out is "modern and sleek". It's the reason why consumer electronics went from beautiful pieces of engineering to total crap.


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## TonyD79

Wow. We have someone who thinks a digital clock is beautiful.


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## JoeKustra

It's funny. If you read this thread from the beginning (2015), it's virtually the same stuff repeated again and again. There should be a (nice) word for this pattern of behavior.


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## Eliza

I cannot believe there are so many replies, mostly repetitive, to this thread. I just started reading and couldn't stop. Thanks for the laughs. And jmo, I don't need a clock on the TiVo, we have a clock on the wall about 4 foot from the Tv. I also use info button to see time if I want to use my remote. Hope everyone is having a nice day.


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## Bsteenson

m.s said:


> Sure, just hit "info" on the remote. Clock-on-demand.


No. I want the clock displayed on the screen, as it also shows how far into the program you are so you can tell how much time is left.


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## m.s

Bsteenson said:


> No. I want the clock displayed on the screen, as it also shows how far into the program you are so you can tell how much time is left.


You're doing it wrong. Rarely is the time left in a show related to wall time, because with a TiVo you can record shows to play back anytime and even pause live TV!

Of course you could just, you know, buy a clock or a watch.


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## ajwees41

Bsteenson said:


> No. I want the clock displayed on the screen, as it also shows how far into the program you are so you can tell how much time is left.


so how would that work if your watching a recorded show?

that's not a clock, but if you press info or play it should show how far you are in the program.


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## Bsteenson

m.s said:


> You're doing it wrong. Rarely is the time left in a show related to wall time, because with a TiVo you can record shows to play back anytime and even pause live TV!
> 
> Of course you could just, you know, buy a clock or a watch.


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## Bsteenson

This is a feature that has existed almost since the beginning of TiVo -- and still exists now. You turn it on by pressing select-play-select-9-select while watching a recorded program. It shows two clocks in the upper right corner. The first is how many hours, minutes and seconds you are into the recording you are watching. The second is the time of day. My complaint is that before this latest OS update, once you turned it on it stayed on until a restart. Now you have to turn it on again for every new recorded show that you watch.


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## caughey

"Alexa, what time is it?"










Grakthis said:


> ...pretending that clocks on A/V hardware in the living room has not been SOP since the 70's...


VCRs had front panel clocks. Later, _some _cable boxes had front panel clocks. I've never had a receiver, turntable, cassette player, CD player, DVD player, Blu-Ray player, game console, or TV with a front panel clock. Only a few even had an internal clock. TiVo has never had a front panel clock, except for Series3. If a clock was a vital part of the living room A/V experience for 40 years, every TV would have one.
​


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