# Questions about mini capabilities (and copy once content)



## jea-jea (Jun 22, 2014)

I am considering the purchase of Either a Roamio Plus or a Roamio plus and one or two Minis. 
Cable provider is Brighthouse. 
Brighthouse flags everything except local channels as copy once.

1 Can you play recordings flagged as copy once from a mini?

2 Can you view live TV flagged as copy once from a mini?

3 Can you pause and/or start recording when viewing live TV from a mini?

4 When playing a recording at a mini can you pause and resume it?

5 Does the 30 day money back work if you purchase from Best Buy?


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

1. Yes

2. Yes

3. Yes

4. Yes

5. I think so


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## Diana Collins (Aug 21, 2002)

The only thing that you can playback at the DVR that you can't playback at the Mini is Amazon Instant Video downloaded content. However, there is a workaround that allows even that if you use the iOS app to launch the playback on the TV (haven't tried it from the Android app). You just select the Mini in question as the box you are accessing, and any Amazon recordings on the host DVR will show as playable.


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## jea-jea (Jun 22, 2014)

Thanks for the replies. Looks like a Roamio and two minis will replace two rented DVRs and set top box with more tuners and a lot more storage space.


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## telemark (Nov 12, 2013)

jea-jea said:


> 5. Does the 30 day money back work if you purchase from Best Buy?


You should double check on #5 when in the store. On typical products, most people will get a 14 day return period.

If Tivos get 30 days, it would be an exception.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

If you are a Best Buy Reward Zone member you can get up to a 45 day return period. Depening on yout Reward Zone level. Otherwise their current 15 return period is pathetic. The 45 day return period has come in handy for me a few times when the price dropped around five or six weeks after I made a purchase.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

tarheelblue32 said:


> 1. Yes
> 
> 2. Yes
> 
> ...


for #5 yes for TiVo service, and I think Amazon ($88.50) has a 30 day return.


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## lpwcomp (May 6, 2002)

Regarding #4, I thought the Mini worked differently, as in there was no way to keep what is in the live buffer.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

lpwcomp said:


> Regarding #4, I thought the Mini worked differently, as in there was no way to keep what is in the live buffer.


The Mini maintains a live buffer for the 1 channel you are watching. The Mini just won't allow you to flip back and forth between multiple channels and maintain a buffer the way the Roamio can.


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## lpwcomp (May 6, 2002)

tarheelblue32 said:


> The Mini maintains a live buffer for the 1 channel you are watching. The Mini just won't allow you to flip back and forth between multiple channels and maintain a buffer the way the Roamio can.


You misunderstand me. I know there is a live buffer. But I was under the impression that you couldn't _*save*_ the live buffer. IOW, you can't decide to record what you are watching and have the live buffer be part of the recording.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

lpwcomp said:


> You misunderstand me. I know there is a live buffer. But I was under the impression that you couldn't _*save*_ the live buffer. IOW, you can't decide to record what you are watching and have the live buffer be part of the recording.


Yes you can start recording the live buffer, the recording will take place on the attached TiVo not on the Mini, think of the Mini as a TiVo extender as it does nothing but control the attached TiVo and stream programs from the attached TiVo.


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## lpwcomp (May 6, 2002)

lessd said:


> Yes you can start recording the live buffer, the recording will take place on the attached TiVo not on the Mini, think of the Mini as a TiVo extender as it does nothing but control the attached TiVo and stream programs from the attached TiVo.


I know how a Mini works. I was just under the impression that a tuner assigned to a Mini could not be used to create a permanent recording, even if initiated from the Mini.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

tarheelblue32 said:


> The Mini maintains a live buffer for the 1 channel you are watching. The Mini just won't allow you to flip back and forth between multiple channels and maintain a buffer the way the Roamio can.


Is the buffer actually on the Mini? I thought it was still on the Roamio? I can select live tv on the Mini and there is already a 30 minute buffer there. Then I can go back to the menus and then go to my Roamio, go to the same tuner and that buffer is still there. Even if I go to a new channel, a buffer will eventually fill to thirty minutes. Once LiveTv is stopped on the Mini, the thirty minute buffer will still be on the Roamio on that tuner.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

lpwcomp said:


> I know how a Mini works. I was just under the impression that a tuner assigned to a Mini could not be used to create a permanent recording, even if initiated from the Mini.


If you select record from the Mini, while on Live Tv, it will start recording from that point using a different tuner. You would need to stop live TV, go to the guide and select record, and then the Roamio will select the tuner already on that channel and buffer for the recording. At least that is how it has been working with my Minis and Roamio Pro. For the few times I have done this and payed attention to what happened.


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## lpwcomp (May 6, 2002)

aaronwt said:


> If you select record from the Mini, while on Live Tv, it will start recording from that point using a different tuner. You would need to stop live TV, go to the guide and select record, and then the Roamio will select the tuner already on that channel and buffer for the recording. At least that is how it has been working with my Minis and Roamio Pro. For the few times I have done this and payed attention to what happened.


OK, I understand. Sorta kludgey and cumbersome, IMHO.

If tarheelblue32 was implying that the buffer actually resides on the Mini, he is mistaken. The Mini has 0 record capability aside from whatever small buffer it needs for streaming.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

aaronwt said:


> Is the buffer actually on the Mini? I thought it was still on the Roamio? I can select live tv on the Mini and there is already a 30 minute buffer there. Then I can go back to the menus and then go to my Roamio, go to the same tuner and that buffer is still there. Even if I go to a new channel, a buffer will eventually fill to thirty minutes. Once LiveTv is stopped on the Mini, the thirty minute buffer will still be on the Roamio on that tuner.


No, the buffer is not on the Mini, it is on the Roamio itself. But the only time it really matters that the buffer is stored remotely is if you want the ability to switch back and forth between multiple channels with buffers maintained. But for a single live channel, using the buffer with the Mini is the same as using it on the Roamio proper, for all practical purposes.



lpwcomp said:


> If tarheelblue32 was implying that the buffer actually resides on the Mini, he is mistaken. The Mini has 0 record capability aside from whatever small buffer it needs for streaming.


I did not mean to imply that.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

The only real limitation of the Mini in practice is the inability to switch back and forth between tuners that are recording. That was rather useful during March Madness. I can't think of anything other than certain sporting events where it would be...


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