# Unable to delete paused shows



## lgnad (Feb 14, 2013)

Got my mini like 3 days after it came out... Had a little struggle with the setup (came on here and learned I had to have the xl4 connect, etc. and got it rolling again) and outside of one little quirk, I'm liking it... Even the PQ seems superior to the comcast box it replaced.

A few times I've been watching shows on the xl4 and paused and decided to finish watching in the bedroom on the mini. Once finished, it is unable to delete the show. It usually just sits there with the x next to it, and eventually just gives up. I've tried waiting a min or two and it didn't help

When I return to the living room the next day, I can delete it normally.

I haven't seen this behavior when I watch a show from the beginning on the mini. Anyone else experiencing this?


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

lgnad said:


> Got my mini like 3 days after it came out... Had a little struggle with the setup (came on here and learned I had to have the xl4 connect, etc. and got it rolling again) and outside of one little quirk, I'm liking it... Even the PQ seems superior to the comcast box it replaced.
> 
> A few times I've been watching shows on the xl4 and paused and decided to finish watching in the bedroom on the mini. Once finished, it is unable to delete the show. It usually just sits there with the x next to it, and eventually just gives up. I've tried waiting a min or two and it didn't help
> 
> ...


If you pause the show on the Mini the Mini stays connected to that show for 90 minutes, if you just stop the show on the Mini (say by going to Live TV) you can pick it up on any TiVo inc the Mini itself, you can also then delete it at will.


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## lgnad (Feb 14, 2013)

this only happens with shows that are started on the xl4, and then paused. The mini then cannot delete the show after picking up where I left off and finishing the show. It tries, and eventually the x just disappears.

Ones started and finished on the mini are delete-able at will.

So, I'm wondering if this is the behavior that everyone sees? 
It's like the xl4 has the show locked down because its paused.

Ty!


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## moyekj (Jan 24, 2006)

No I haven't seen it and have no trouble deleting via the Mini. But instead of pausing on the XL4 I usually exit out with TiVo button. The pause point is still preserved that way when you resume play with the Mini. So try that instead of pausing on the XL4 next time.


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## wendlan (Apr 21, 2002)

> this only happens with shows that are started on the xl4, and then paused. The mini then cannot delete the show after picking up where I left off and finishing the show. It tries, and eventually the x just disappears.


This week, I saw the exact behavior you described. I started Survivor in the living room, paused it, finished it on the Mini in the bedroom, and wasn't able to delete it from Mini when the show was over. I even rebooted the Mini - same result, and was only able to delete it from the XL4 in the living room.


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## lpwcomp (May 6, 2002)

After pausing on the XL4, what did you then do _*on the XL4*_ before going to watch it on the Mini?


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## moyekj (Jan 24, 2006)

lpwcomp said:


> After pausing on the XL4, what did you then do _*on the XL4*_ before going to watch it on the Mini?


 I think they are just leaving it paused on the XL4 which is what is causing the problem.


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## lpwcomp (May 6, 2002)

moyekj said:


> I think they are just leaving it paused on the XL4 which is what is causing the problem.


If that is the case, then IMHO the TiVo is behaving properly.


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## wendlan (Apr 21, 2002)

> After pausing on the XL4, what did you then do on the XL4 before going to watch it on the Mini?


Yes, in my case - I paused it on the XL4, turned off the TV, and left the room. That's a good point -- I have to try exiting back to the Tivo home screen on the XL4 before going to the Mini.


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## Arcady (Oct 14, 2004)

Wouldn't the main TiVo think the show is still in use if it is just paused on the screen?


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## moyekj (Jan 24, 2006)

Arcady said:


> Wouldn't the main TiVo think the show is still in use if it is just paused on the screen?


 Yes, which is why it doesn't (and shouldn't) delete it. I still get instances when "stop & delete" option doesn't work properly though that is not related to pause, so it's still not 100%.


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## jfh3 (Apr 15, 2004)

What is described is normal behavior and will be the same with any remote TiVo, Mini or DVR. If a show is paused in the host, it cannot be deleted from the remote.


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## lgnad (Feb 14, 2013)

jfh3 said:


> What is described is normal behavior and will be the same with any remote TiVo, Mini or DVR. If a show is paused in the host, it cannot be deleted from the remote.


I haven't done much MRS since I always have had enough tuners/watched on the big XL4... so I just tried this with MRS from a 2 tuner premier streaming to the XL4 and the behavior is identical to what I experienced on the Mini, you are 100% correct. The problem is the user experience:

Source program is recently paused on the host dvr, as discussed. The "remote" unit tries to delete the show, it marks it with an X and the highlight jumps down to the next item. Sometimes you get the busy "spinning bullets" for a few moments several seconds after hitting the clear button, sometimes not. Then it just sits there with the x just chillin there... Well, you can make the x disappear by backing out to Tivo central and returning, or selecting another show and returning.

If it isn't supposed to be able to delete the show, then shouldn't warning/rejection message should be shown, or if possible a warning/choice window confirming that you really want to delete it, to override the pause "lock"? (Like when you try to delete a show that is currently recording)

Sounds like if Mini use grows beyond tech-savy people this could generate a goodly amount of support calls/user frustration, or at the very least its not a very "slick" handling of the situation. Pausing on one TV, finishing the view on another and then killing the show off is something a lot of folks would expect to be able to do in a "whole home solution" from time to time, I'd think... since this is exactly what I've been doing most nights since getting the Mini! 

Thanks for your replies, folks!


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

If you don't pause it then there are no issues. You can just hit live Tv instead of pausing. And when you go to another TiVo or Mini and play that recording it will start where you left off. And you will also be ale to delete it.

Fo rme, the only time I will pause a program is when I'm still going to be watching from the same TiVo. Once I'm finished on that TiVo it goes back to live TV or a menu where the program is not playing. When I go to another room it will resume where I left off. There is no need to pause it.


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## jmpage2 (Jan 21, 2004)

I don't see exactly what you are complaining about. If you left the show paused on the main TiVo then TiVo has to assume someone might still want to resume watching the show there. You are basically asking TiVo to make the behavior so that a Mini can override the rights of other TiVos in the household.

Or.... you could just learn to pause, then hit the left arrow key (or TiVo key) then turn your TV off in the main room, then your problem is solved.


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## lgnad (Feb 14, 2013)

jmpage2 said:


> I don't see exactly what you are complaining about. If you left the show paused on the main TiVo then TiVo has to assume someone might still want to resume watching the show there. You are basically asking TiVo to make the behavior so that a Mini can override the rights of other TiVos in the household.
> 
> Or.... you could just learn to pause, then hit the left arrow key (or TiVo key) then turn your TV off in the main room, then your problem is solved.


Pause, hit left arrow and the show is still locked down by the pause-lock. You are describing exactly what I was doing when having the problem.

Now that I fully understand the behavior of streaming today on Tivo's (including the correct work-around... thanks Aaronwt!), I'm observing/sharing that non-technical people who decide to switch rooms are going to be frustrated, since the natural thing is going to be to push the large, yellow pause button and then having it display the x like it is deleting the show and just give up without any notification is extremely non-elegant.

Sorry if observing that something that I needed to fiddle around with a bit to fully understand and might be even more confusing to completely non-tech savvy people who expect things to just work, comes off as "complaining".


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## jfh3 (Apr 15, 2004)

I agree with the point about the UI experience. I can certainly see how it could be confusing to casual users. There are many reasons I pause a show on the host, so the left arrow out isn't always desired/practical.

It annoys me I can't delete a paused program remotely. I appreciate the fact it's locked, but there should be a way around that from the remote box. But this feature wouldn't be on my current top 10 features wanted list.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

jfh3 said:


> I agree with the point about the UI experience. I can certainly see how it could be confusing to casual users. There are many reasons I pause a show on the host, so the left arrow out isn't always desired/practical.
> 
> It annoys me I can't delete a paused program remotely. I appreciate the fact it's locked, but there should be a way around that from the remote box. But this feature wouldn't be on my current top 10 features wanted list.


Don't hit pause. There is no reason to hit pause on a TiVo when you are finished watching. Just hit live TV to end watching the recording and when you come back to watch it on that TiVo, or from another TiVo or Mini, it will start where you left off before, when you hit Live TV.

When you hit pause while watching a recording, it will stay that way for days, weeks etc. until you come back to that machine and unpause it. So as far as the TiVo knows you are still watching it from that box. It is paused with a static screen. So you can't delete it from another location since it is still being watched on the box where it is paused.


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## jfh3 (Apr 15, 2004)

I know all that. But I'd rather hit pause, primarily because I don't want to see what's on live TV, especially during baseball season.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

jfh3 said:


> I know all that. But I'd rather hit pause, primarily because I don't want to see what's on live TV, especially during baseball season.


Turn off the TV first, then hit the Live TV button and you won't be able to see the score.


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## moyekj (Jan 24, 2006)

jfh3 said:


> I know all that. But I'd rather hit pause, primarily because I don't want to see what's on live TV, especially during baseball season.


 No need to hit live TV, just hit TiVo button. That's what I always do. Of course it will time out to live TV after 15 mins anyway, but TV has long been turned off by then.


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## lpwcomp (May 6, 2002)

moyekj said:


> No need to hit live TV, just hit TiVo button. That's what I always do. Of course it will time out to live TV after 15 mins anyway, but TV has long been turned off by then.


If he's using a Premiere w/HDUI, that will not work. The show will continue playing in the window if not paused. Going to live TV or playing a different recording is the only way to release the lock.


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## Arcady (Oct 14, 2004)

We turned off the video window on our TiVos. I thought most people would do the same.

You leave that stupid thing on?


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## lpwcomp (May 6, 2002)

Arcady said:


> We turned off the video window on our TiVos. I thought most people would do the same.
> 
> You leave that stupid thing on?


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## moyekj (Jan 24, 2006)

lpwcomp said:


> If he's using a Premiere w/HDUI, that will not work. The show will continue playing in the window if not paused. Going to live TV or playing a different recording is the only way to release the lock.


 Good point. I don't care for that PIP spoiler window so it's the 2nd thing I turn off right after suggestions for a new series 4 unit, so pressing TiVo button is sufficient for that case.


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## lpwcomp (May 6, 2002)

moyekj said:


> Good point. I don't care for that PIP spoiler window so it's the 2nd thing I turn off right after suggestions for a new series 4 unit, so pressing TiVo button is sufficient for that case.


I don't have a Mini to test with but based on Premiere-Premiere tests, disabling the video window makes no difference. If you're using the HDUI, going to TiVo central does not release the lock. And it takes 15-20 minutes to automatically switch to live TV from TiVo Central.

Putting it in "Standby" doesn't release it either.

I keep the video window enabled since there are times I am *listening* to live TV while working on my computer but want to check something on the TiVo and continue listening. I don't mind having to hit "Slow" to temporarily disable it. I sorta wish that worked when viewing the guide, but I understand why it doesn't.

BTW, suggestions is the _*second*_ thing I disable. The first is the annoying sound effects.


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## Arcady (Oct 14, 2004)

Everyone disables different things when they get a TiVo.

I bet everyone wishes they could disable the discovery bar.

We turn off the video preview and sound effects, but we use suggestions.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

lpwcomp said:


> I don't have a Mini to test with but based on Premiere-Premiere tests, disabling the video window makes no difference. If you're using the HDUI, going to TiVo central does not release the lock. And it takes 15-20 minutes to automatically switch to live TV from TiVo Central.
> 
> Putting it in "Standby" doesn't release it either.
> 
> ...


Hitting the TiVo button, instantly releases the tuner for another Mini to use.

So I guess no need to even worry about standby, since you have to go to the first screen from the TiVo button before going into standby.

If you hit guide, the live channel or recording will continue to play in the corner.


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## moyekj (Jan 24, 2006)

lpwcomp said:


> BTW, suggestions is the _*second*_ thing I disable. The first is the annoying sound effects.


 You're right. Forgot about the sound effects being the 1st thing to disable. It's annoying you can't disable that before going through guided setup...
Hitting TiVo has always worked for me to release lock on a show and save the pause point since I haven't had problems resuming MRS and deleting shows from other TiVos after doing so.


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## Arcady (Oct 14, 2004)

moyekj said:


> Hitting TiVo has always worked for me to release lock on a show and save the pause point since I haven't had problems resuming MRS and deleting shows from other TiVos after doing so.


Same here.


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## lpwcomp (May 6, 2002)

aaronwt said:


> Hitting the TiVo button, instantly releases the tuner for another Mini to use.


I assume you mean if you hit the TiVo button on the Mini. We were talking about hitting the TiVo button on the Premiere as opposed to simply leaving it paused.



aaronwt said:


> So I guess no need to even worry about standby, since you have to go to the first screen from the TiVo button before going into standby.


Only brought that up since I usually put my TiVos in standby when not in use to avoid recording the EAS stuff.



aaronwt said:


> If you hit guide, the live channel or recording will continue to play in the corner.


Yes, I know. I just sometimes wish there were a way to make it go away.

Definitely wish you could disable the discovery bar.


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## lpwcomp (May 6, 2002)

moyekj said:


> You're right. Forgot about the sound effects being the 1st thing to disable. It's annoying you can't disable that before going through guided setup...
> Hitting TiVo has always worked for me to release lock on a show and save the pause point since I haven't had problems resuming MRS and deleting shows from other TiVos after doing so.





Arcady said:


> Same here.


How long after hitting the TiVo button did you delete it? IOW, are you certain that it had not timed out and gone to live TV, which would release the lock?

This whole discussion has me wondering - What happens if the same recording is being watched from multiple locations?


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