# Tivo Series 2 Remote/Menu Suggestions



## hawke581701 (Mar 12, 2009)

hi, i'm a new Tivo Series 2 user and love the device. i have some suggestions and if i'm missing something please let me know...

REMOTE CONTROL

I find the remote control awkward and non-intuitive. the button placement and size do not seem well-thought-out...for example, the "Play" button is tiny and hard to find while the "Pause" button is massive and centrally located. also the remote is not backlit which is a shame. the other buttons that are most often used seem to be scattered around the remote rather than logically grouped.

TIVO MENU and OPERATION

I would suggest putting a link to "SEASON PASS" on the MAIN menu, as well as the "TO DO LIST". right now you have to go through "Find Programs" to get there which wastes a step or two.

Also - it's odd that upcoming shows that are set to record do not show as such on the on-screen guide...it would make sense to have these highlighted so you can see your To Do list visually and at-a-glance.

I also find it cumbersome to resolve and view conflicts with season passes - i suggest this be done more visually so we can see the conflict on the guide itself with overlaps/conflicts shown in red or a visual indicator.

Tivo Suggestions are great but i don't see a way to 'tweak' their operation - like being able to control when and how they record - i've found myself fighting with the remote trying to stop a Tivo Suggestion from recording right during my primetime shows - it would be nice to have Tivo Suggestions NOT record during any Season Pass recording timespace.

those are my major thoughts!  cheers

Ed


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## WayneCarter (Mar 16, 2003)

hawke581701 said:


> REMOTE CONTROL
> 
> ...for example, the "Play" button is tiny and hard to find while the "Pause" button is massive and centrally located.


In case you haven't discovered it yet, "Pause" is a toggle - "Pause" pauses, a second "Pause" unpauses.



> also the remote is not backlit which is a shame.


Yep, but with a little use, you learn where the buttons are by feel.



> I find the remote control awkward and non-intuitive. the button placement and size do not seem well-thought-out ... the other buttons that are most often used seem to be scattered around the remote rather than logically grouped.


This is probably related to how much I use TiVo, but the only buttons I use much that seem "hard to get to" are "Clear" and "Enter". The "peanut" is arranged in four functional groups, 

Content selection (the round gray button at the top and the buttons around it) is used mainly to select what you want to watch and/or record.
General control (volume up/dn, mute, record, channel up/dn - hey the groupings aren't 100% ).
Intra-program navigation (the yellow "Pause" button and the gray buttons around and below it).
"Seldom used" (Numeric buttons, clear, enter)
As you get used to the remote, you'll probably find yourself grabbing the remote so the buttons related to the task at hand are all a thumb's reach away.



> TIVO MENU and OPERATION
> 
> I would suggest putting a link to "SEASON PASS" on the MAIN menu, as well as the "TO DO LIST". right now you have to go through "Find Programs" to get there which wastes a step or two.


Yeah, I'd like that as well (and have suggested it). TiVo has some "shortcuts" of the form "TiVo" button followed by a numeric key. I don't use them as they require two hands



> Also - it's odd that upcoming shows that are set to record do not show as such on the on-screen guide...it would make sense to have these highlighted so you can see your To Do list visually and at-a-glance.
> 
> I also find it cumbersome to resolve and view conflicts with season passes - i suggest this be done more visually so we can see the conflict on the guide itself with overlaps/conflicts shown in red or a visual indicator.


I agree, but considering how often this has been suggested, I assume there is a technical reason it hasn't been implemented - ie too much processing to check all the different sources for the recording (to-do list, wishlist, season pass, ... ) and all the priorities of each.



> Tivo Suggestions are great but i don't see a way to 'tweak' their operation - like being able to control when and how they record - i've found myself fighting with the remote trying to stop a Tivo Suggestion from recording right during my primetime shows - it would be nice to have Tivo Suggestions NOT record during any Season Pass recording timespace.


I find the best way to control Suggestions is to Record what you want to watch. If a show is being recorded or was previously recorded, the whole thing is buffered (vs 30 minutes if not recorded), the "buffer" is "safe" from inadvertent channel changes, and it will not be interrupted to record a Suggestion. AND a recorded show will still be there should you get interrupted or fall asleep.


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

hawke581701 said:


> also the remote is not backlit which is a shame.


That is the budget remote they include with the Series 2 and TiVo HD to keep the price down. You could upgrade to a Glo remote, ot a backlit universal.


> TIVO MENU and OPERATION
> 
> I would suggest putting a link to "SEASON PASS" on the MAIN menu, as well as the "TO DO LIST". right now you have to go through "Find Programs" to get there which wastes a step or two.


There are shortcuts:
From TiVo Central, you can press the following numbers to get to various menus.
* 0 = Show the TiVo cartoon introduction
* 1 = Season Pass Manager
* 2 = To Do List
* 3 = Search Using Wishlists
* 4 = Search by Title
* 5 = Browse by Channel
* 6 = Browse by Time
* 7 = Record Time/Channel
* 8 = TiVo's Suggestions
* 9 = Showcases
* TiVo = Now Playing


> Also - it's odd that upcoming shows that are set to record do not show as such on the on-screen guide...it would make sense to have these highlighted so you can see your To Do list visually and at-a-glance.


An oft made request, but until they implement it, the ToDo list is the best indication of what will and will not record, and what has and hasn't and why.


> I also find it cumbersome to resolve and view conflicts with season passes - i suggest this be done more visually so we can see the conflict on the guide itself with overlaps/conflicts shown in red or a visual indicator.
> Tivo Suggestions are great but i don't see a way to 'tweak' their operation - like being able to control when and how they record - i've found myself fighting with the remote trying to stop a Tivo Suggestion from recording right during my primetime shows - it would be nice to have Tivo Suggestions NOT record during any Season Pass recording timespace.


The solution is simple, record the programs you want to watch and plany your TV viewing from the Now Playing list. You do not really have to watch Live TV anymore.


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