# Partial recordings + conflicting info + ff failures



## martinso (Sep 12, 2013)

Although I found a thread describing some fast forward/rewind problems, I haven't found a thread that reports a problem with all the symptoms I am experiencing with my new Roamio Plus here in the Seattle area (Comcast), so here goes:

In approximately one out of twenty recordings made from a Season Pass I find this:

1) The info in the My Shows display says "(partial)" and a length of something less than the full show.
2) On the Playing screen, the green bar shows a partial recording, but the length of time shown is different than that shown in the My Shows display.
3) Playing the recording works until I try to fast forward - it begins to go, then gets stuck and displays the same set of images, as if stuck in a loop. The progress hash mark at the bottom just sticks in one spot.
4) Playing through the whole recording wihtout using FF seems to work at times, but trying again sometimes plays just the end of the recording - where according to the displays there isn't any recording. As it plays past the end of the green bar, the progress hash mark again just sticks and doesn't move.

All the shows happen to be broadcast on the local Fox affiliate, in HD.

I am using a cable card that I moved from my old Tivo HD, where it worked flawlessly for years.

There have not been any power failures while these recordings were being made. There are also no overlap issues (gotta love those 6 tuners!).

I have called Tivo 3 times so far (case # 130903-015457), and have been given 4 different responses. First I was told the signal strength to the cable card (100, 40 SNR) was too high. When I called Comcast to ask about this, they turned me away as having no problem as long as I see a clear picture (I do). Then I was told I needed to do a Kickstart, but it might totally wipe out the box, along with my 80 some season passes. I declined, and asked for a new box. Before that arrived, I discovered another symptom - after deleting the season passes that made the bad recordings, I could not get the option to create a new season pass for them, despite finding an upcoming broadcast in the guide. I was told to rebuild the guide data, which I did, which fixed the new symptom, but not the original problem.

So now I have the new box, but wonder if something about the way I set up the old one caused this problem. I can't seem to find anyone at Tivo who has ever seen or heard of this issue. I'd like to find out more before going through the arduous process of setting up the replacement box.


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## fdisker2000 (Nov 27, 2006)

Already being discussed: http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=508353 
Follow TiVoMargret's instructions so TiVo can work on a solution.


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## CoxInPHX (Jan 14, 2011)

Do these recordings have a very brief period of macroblocking within the first 30-60 seconds of the recording?

I do see this issue on maybe 1 in 20 recordings, but mine are only seen on SDV channels, I have never seen it on a local or non-copy protected channel.


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## fdisker2000 (Nov 27, 2006)

I am theorizing on this: I think it has to do with the encoding of the program(mpeg4(h.264)maybe) and the Roamios handling of the programming. 
In my instance I can fwd/rwd during local commercials but during the national feed of the program, I can not.


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## martinso (Sep 12, 2013)

fdisker2000 said:


> Already being discussed: http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=508353
> Follow TiVoMargret's instructions so TiVo can work on a solution.


I looked at that thread and could not any mention of the time info discrepancies, but did note the similar ff/rew issues. I have followed TivoMargert's instructions.

Thanks for the help.


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## innocentfreak (Aug 25, 2001)

I had one partial recording this week on Wednesday night. Only one of the shows was a partial recording though. No breakup or anything. The 30 minute recording just stopped at 10 minutes.


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## rgranber (Aug 25, 2013)

Happened to me once too. one hour Hell on Wheels only recorded 17 minutes.


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## martinso (Sep 12, 2013)

AS I said in my original post, the frequency of this problem is not high - maybe one in 20 recordings is broken. (By broken I mean incorrect/inconsistent time data, partial recording, inability to fast forward.) Hearing that others have experienced this problem is useful information, as it indicates it may not be worth my while to replace my new Roamio with another. Sounds like I need to wait for a fix from TiVo. For what it's worth, here are all the shows that have produced broken recordings to date:

New Girl, Fox
The Mindy Project, Fox
The X-Factor, Fox (twice)
Dancing With the Stars, Fox
Dance Moms, Lifetime

So this indicates to me that it isn't just live shows or shows on a single network. Also, the broken Dance Moms episode was recorded in between 2 other Dance Moms episode, from the same season pass, both of which were recorded correctly.


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## teasip (Aug 24, 2002)

I had two occurrences today. First was a partial recording of the Cowboys meltdown while Ricky Bobby was recording on the other TiVoHD tuner (NASCAR). The other occurrence was with 60 Minutes which I still had in the buffer. Both of these instances had modified recordings due to overlapping when they were first scheduled. I'll have to wait and see if it happens tonight during Breaking Bad/Homeland/Low Winter Sun. I have wondered prior to these occurrences if my 1TB drive was maybe on the early fritz. For grins, I may check the power supply capacitors real quick.


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## Gadfly (Oct 27, 2007)

I have the same problem. 

What does 911 clean 777 clear does?

BTW, I am also a Seattle area Comcast subscriber.


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## steve614 (May 1, 2006)

Gadfly said:


> What does 911 clear 777 clear does?
> 
> .


I assume entering those codes puts a spot marker in the logs so TiVo can easily find the point where the logs report that particular issue.


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## JamesBritt (Sep 17, 2014)

fdisker2000 said:


> Already being discussed: http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=508353
> Follow TiVoMargret's instructions so TiVo can work on a solution.


I have a Tivo Roamio 4-tuner device. I'm having the same issue. However, when I try to follow the advice in that other thread nothing happens other than the "thump" noise when entering digits when watching the video.

Is there a newer method for this?


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## decaf4 (Mar 18, 2004)

I have a 6 tuner Roamio plus and recently have been getting partial recordings. Have the box 1 year but just started happening recently (1 month?). Hones on movies as well as season passes. Very sporadic. One episode of a season pass will be partial and the next is fine. No pattern. No conflicts.


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## daithen (Feb 4, 2003)

decaf4 said:


> I have a 6 tuner Roamio plus and recently have been getting partial recordings. Have the box 1 year but just started happening recently (1 month?). Hones on movies as well as season passes. Very sporadic. One episode of a season pass will be partial and the next is fine. No pattern. No conflicts.


I am having the same problem on my Plus, happens constantly. Last night and tonight both stopped in the middle of the program generating a partial program. Tivo said my SNR (39) is too high and it should be below 35. I have an amplifier on my line. I am going to remove that and see if that lowers the SNR and see if it still is happening. Finger-Crossed


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