# Mini can't find a tuner?



## m_jonis (Jan 3, 2002)

I've got 2 Tivo Premier XL 4 units with the latest update, along with 2 Tivo Mini's with the latest update.

I believe they have the dynamic tuner allocation now.

Last night was the first time I've run into this.

Mini-1 -> Tivo Living Room
Mini-2 -> tivo Bedroom

Tivo Living room was recording 3 shows, so it should have a free tuner, yes?
When to Mini-1 clicked Live TV, and it gave me an error stating there were no free tuners and did I want to watch a recording

????

I could've sworn that somewhere in the Tivo Premiere there used to be a setting for how many tuners could be reserved or something, but maybe that went away with the dynamic tuning allocation because I couldn't find it.

Further, the Mini-2 is in the basement and is rarely used, so I can't imagine it would grab a tuner (hasn't been used in WEEKS) for that long and even if it did, it should've grabbed the other Tuner.

Is there a way to tell which tuners are used for what from the main Tivo?


----------



## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

m_jonis said:


> Tivo Living room was recording 3 shows, so it should have a free tuner, yes?


Not if the 4th tuner was being used by the Premiere for live TV.


----------



## ShayL (Jul 18, 2007)

Do you have suggestions turned on? I don't think the TiVo is smart enough to kill a suggestion recording to give it to the mini.


----------



## m_jonis (Jan 3, 2002)

ShayL said:


> Do you have suggestions turned on? I don't think the TiVo is smart enough to kill a suggestion recording to give it to the mini.


I checked the premiere and it was only recording 3 items. None of which were suggestions.

I didn't realize that the mini wouldn't show the "live" TV of the first tuner, but I guess that makes sense. Sort of.

Too bad it's so darn expensive for the Roamio with 6 tuners.


----------



## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

m_jonis said:


> I checked the premiere and it was only recording 3 items. None of which were suggestions.
> 
> I didn't realize that the mini wouldn't show the "live" TV of the first tuner, but I guess that makes sense. Sort of.
> 
> Too bad it's so darn expensive for the Roamio with 6 tuners.


If you tune the Premiere to one of the 3 channels that is recording, it MIGHT release the 4th tuner to the Mini.


----------



## m_jonis (Jan 3, 2002)

Thank you for the information. It doesn't happen too often. Who knows, maybe in Sept. if they do offer a rack-mount Roamio with buttloads of tuners, I'll buy that and sell my two XL


----------



## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

One tuner is always reserved for the Host TiVo. So the most tuners that are available to a Mini from the XL is three. And if three things are being recrorded, then a tuner will not be available to the mini. It is the same with the six tuner ROamio. it reserves one tuner , and the other five can be available to the mini. But if all five are in use, then the Mini can't get a tuner.


----------



## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

aaronwt said:


> One tuner is always reserved for the Host TiVo. So the most tuners that are available to a Mini from the XL is three. And if three things are being recrorded, then a tuner will not be available to the mini. It is the same with the six tuner ROamio. it reserves one tuner , and the other five can be available to the mini. But if all five are in use, then the Mini can't get a tuner.


I'm pretty sure I've had my Roamio Plus recording 4 things and 2 Minis using 2 tuners for live TV at the same time, but I have to be watching one of the recording channels on the Roamio for it to work.


----------



## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

tarheelblue32 said:


> I'm pretty sure I've had my Roamio Plus recording 4 things and 2 Minis using 2 tuners for live TV at the same time, but I have to be watching one of the recording channels on the Roamio for it to work.


Yes. That is the only way that will work. The Roamio has to be viewing one of the channels that was being recorded. But what happens if the Roamio tries to tune to a channel that isn't being recorded? Does it drop the Mini?

EDIT: Hmm. I just tested it on my Roamio Pro. When I tried to change to another channel. It gave me the option of stopping the recording of the channel being viewed, or stopping the recording on another channel. So it gave priority to the Mini and did not even give an option of taking that tuner.


----------



## m_jonis (Jan 3, 2002)

Thanks for the info, everyone!


----------



## swak (Apr 8, 2014)

m_jonis said:


> Thanks for the info, everyone!


I have a roamio basic and 4 minis. Today was the first time getting the message that a tuner wasn't available (or something to that effect). I know my roamio has only 4 tuners but never thought it would be an issue since normally no more than 2 tvs would ever be used at once and we don't record a lot.

I re-booted the roamio and the issue was fixed.

Now the question, when done using one of my mini's should I park it at TiVo Central before shutting off the tv to release a tuner? Don't know if that works...just guessing.


----------



## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

swak said:


> Now the question, when done using one of my mini's should I park it at TiVo Central before shutting off the tv to release a tuner? Don't know if that works...just guessing.


Yes, that will release the tuner back to the host DVR.


----------



## swak (Apr 8, 2014)

tarheelblue32 said:


> Yes, that will release the tuner back to the host DVR.


Thanks for the reply, my wife was worried when she turned on her tv this morning. :up:


----------

