# Im a first time Tivo Owner. My Tivo is recording shows I didnt tell it to record.



## enzo thecat (Apr 8, 2014)

Hi. This is my 3rd day with Tivo. The Roamio box started recording movies last night. They didnt appear in "My shows", but about 4 movies had the red recording label next to them on the guide. If I wanted to watch them from he beginning, I could. I came from Comcast DVRs so this is all new to me. Is the Tivo recording shows it thinks I might be interested in? If so, where is it storing them and how do I delete them? I dont want it recording anything I dont tell tell it to record because I have enough to manage without having to delete shows and movies all the time.

If there are already threads on this matter, can someone post a link, please? Not really sure what to search for.


Thanks in advance for your help.


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## Tico (Dec 10, 2002)

Here you go.
Tivo Suggestions

They are stored at the bottom of your Now playing list in a Tivo Suggestions folder.



> When the DVR has empty space, it will automatically record some TiVo Suggestions. This is an excellent way for you to discover new shows that may be of interest to you. You can find recorded TiVo Suggestions at the bottom of the TiVo Recordings list below the recordings you requested. Suggestions will have a TiVo icon next to them and will be stored in a TiVo Suggestions folder if Groups are enabled.
> 
> TiVo Suggestions never replace shows you request or prevent them from being recorded. TiVo Suggestions are always the first programs deleted to make room for recordings you request.


http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/205


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## kbmb (Jun 22, 2004)

Your Tivo is likely recording suggestions. You can read about them here:
http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/205

Couple of quick points:

- If you have folders turned on, they should all be within a Suggestions folder. They will also show up in a shows folder

- Suggestions do not impact storage space. They don't make the storage meter go down and they will never stop your Tivo from recording actual shows that you schedule

- You can turn them off if you want.

-Kevin


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## rad1701 (Aug 17, 2003)

TIVO's default is to record things it thinks you might enjoy based on your recording habits, etc. You can just delete them and there is a setting to turn this off in the settings menu somewhere - just can't recall exactly where it is but it's there.


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

In my opinion, the ability of the Tivo to record suggestions is one of its best features. Since it does not impact season passes, I would give it a try for a while and see how it captures items you may be interested in.


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## enzo thecat (Apr 8, 2014)

jrtroo said:


> In my opinion, the ability of the Tivo to record suggestions is one of its best features. Since it does not impact season passes, I would give it a try for a while and see how it captures items you may be interested in.


Thank you so much, guys!!! I LOVE the Tivo system so far.

My only complaint is that I can't find answers to questions such as these. There should be a user tutorial or help menu that explains these features. Its a little overwhelming right now, but over time and with help from friendly people here, I'm sure I'll get it all figured out.


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## kbmb (Jun 22, 2004)

I suggest you download the Roamio Viewers Guide PDF:
http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2734

-Kevin


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## enzo thecat (Apr 8, 2014)

kbmb said:


> I suggest you download the Roamio Viewers Guide PDF:
> http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2734
> 
> -Kevin


THERE YOU GO......THATS WHAT I NEEDED!!! THANKS!!!


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## Joe01880 (Feb 8, 2009)

The best advice I can give to a first time TiVo owner is,
1) actually read your owners manual.
2) Play around with TiVo, learn what it does and does not do.
Goto the different sections on your TiVo, look up what they do, use your manual and the TiVo website, even this forum to learn all the cool stuff your TiVo will do, also it's limitations.
TiVo's are the best DVR's out there IMO but like any other system you need to learn the software in order to make good use of it.
Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

Make sure you use the 30 second skip code. It took me a couple of months before I found out about it.


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## DeltaOne (Sep 29, 2013)

Joe01880 said:


> The best advice I can give to a first time TiVo owner is, 1) actually read your owners manual. 2) Play around with TiVo, learn what it does and does not do.


I think it's helpful to re-read the manual after you've used a device for a few weeks or so. I always learn or re-learn a few things that way.

I've had my TiVo for about nine months and was looking at the manual this morning (someone posted the link). Just skimming the pages. Found a shortcut that'll be useful -- press the Tivo button twice to go right to My Shows. And I'm anxious to try the shortcut to jump right to the To Do list.


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## rhettf (Apr 5, 2012)

DeltaOne said:


> I think it's helpful to re-read the manual after you've used a device for a few weeks or so. I always learn or re-learn a few things that way.
> 
> I've had my TiVo for about nine months and was looking at the manual this morning (someone posted the link). Just skimming the pages. Found a shortcut that'll be useful -- press the Tivo button twice to go right to My Shows. And I'm anxious to try the shortcut to jump right to the To Do list.


Yeah there are lots of great shortcuts.

Tivo then:

1 - Season Pass
2 - To Do List
3 - Wishlist
4 - search
5 - Browse
6 - History
0 - TiVo Cartoon (the one that plays when you first boot).

Another cool one is that you can manage channels you receive directly in the mini guide or grid guide (I prefer the TiVo guide). I find this really useful since I delete every non-HD channel since I don't care for them. Whenever there is a channel lineup or new channel change I can quickly delete the channel from my guide.

to do this: Press Select while in Live TV to bring up the mini guide (or guide if you use the grid guide). Then select the channel name (push left). Press select again and you'll get a menu with three options: Watch Channel, Delete Channel from your Line Up, and something else I can't recall of the top of my head.


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## BuffaloDenny (Dec 9, 2004)

Joe01880 said:


> The best advice I can give to a first time TiVo owner is,
> 1) actually read your owners manual.
> 2) Play around with TiVo, learn what it does and does not do.
> Goto the different sections on your TiVo, look up what they do, use your manual and the TiVo website, even this forum to learn all the cool stuff your TiVo will do, also it's limitations.
> ...


Mine didn't come with a manual - where do you get one?


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## tatergator1 (Mar 27, 2008)

BuffaloDenny said:


> Mine didn't come with a manual - where do you get one?


The link in post #7 of this thread. For whatever reason, Tivo decided the cost savings of not including a printed manual were enough to justify leaving those new users that have never used a Tivo to fend for themselves in figuring out how it works.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

tarheelblue32 said:


> Make sure you use the 30 second skip code. It took me a couple of months before I found out about it.


Or try the default 30 second scan. I used the 30 second skip for a decade. When the 30 second scan came out I thought I would not like it. But I found that I loved it and had no desire to go back to using the 30 second skip.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

aaronwt said:


> Or try the default 30 second scan. I used the 30 second skip for a decade. When the 30 second scan came out I thought I would not like it. But I found that I loved it and had no desire to go back to using the 30 second skip.


Really? After I inputted the code for the 30-second skip, I realized just how much I hated the default 30-second scan. I guess reasonable people can disagree.


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## enzo thecat (Apr 8, 2014)

Thank you so much everyone. I went home at lunch and started reading the manual. Didnt have much time until I had to come back to the office. But already, I found a fix to a nuisance...the folders (or whatever they call them). I dont like my programs compartmentalized in folders. I like to see them all individually. Apparently hitting the red "C" button gets rid of the folders.


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## ncfoster (Jan 22, 2011)

jrtroo said:


> In my opinion, the ability of the Tivo to record suggestions is one of its best features. Since it does not impact season passes, I would give it a try for a while and see how it captures items you may be interested in.


I think it is going to depend on your viewing habits, and what you want to get out of your Tivo. Which model(s) you have, will also play a role.

I came from a Premiere with only 2 tuners, and I HATED Suggestions, because I would find that the tuner that I "wasn't using" was constantly changed to channels I didn't want it on, making it nearly impossible to use tuner swapping without thinking ahead and recording everything.

Even on my Roamio Pro, the 6 tuners haven't made me turn on Suggestions, because I am a seriously heavy user of tuner-swapping. I may be the exception, but I do a lot of live sports viewing, on top of the recordings that I do. There are many times that I am swapping between two or three live games, two or three other things are recording, and I have a kid channel queued up, in case I need to cede the TV to them for a few minutes to preserve sanity in the house. 

Also, add into the mix that we have a Mini, which could grab a tuner at any time.

So, which is more useful to you? Having something pre-recorded that you might want to watch later? Or having instant access to your live tuners? To me, I am far more likely to use the live tuners. In this age of streaming, it is so uncommon that I miss something that I wish I had recorded that isn't easily available elsewhere for free, and I record enough as it is that I never want for anything to watch.


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## skid71 (Mar 20, 2013)

tarheelblue32 said:


> Really? After I inputted the code for the 30-second skip, I realized just how much I hated the default 30-second scan. I guess reasonable people can disagree.


That is ludicrous and unreasonable! I disagree!
I keeeed....I keeeed. 

I thought I would like the skip better, but found that we actually see some stuff on scan, rewind and watch it. Who knew?


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

skid71 said:


> I thought I would like the skip better, but found that we actually see some stuff on scan


I guess it depends on how you intend to use the 30-second button. I only use the 30-second scan/skip button on commercials, which I would rather not see at all, so the skip works better for me than the scan. When I want to scan through a program, I just use the FF button.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

skid71 said:


> That is ludicrous and unreasonable! I disagree!
> I keeeed....I keeeed.
> 
> I thought I would like the skip better, but found that we actually see some stuff on scan, rewind and watch it. Who knew?


That is the same reason I like the scan better.


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## caughey (May 26, 2007)

rhettf said:


> to do this: Press Select while in Live TV to bring up the mini guide (or guide if you use the grid guide). Then select the channel name (push left). Press select again and you'll get a menu with three options: Watch Channel, Delete Channel from your Line Up, and something else I can't recall of the top of my head.


Hey, that's awesome! I prefer the Live Guide to the grid guide, but have been switching to the grid guide when it's time to clean house. I've only "used" the mini-guide before when I push the wrong button (or catch a falling remote) so I didn't know you could delete channels from there too. I'll be deleting even more channels now.


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## danterner (Mar 4, 2005)

enzo thecat said:


> Thank you so much, guys!!! I LOVE the Tivo system so far. My only complaint is that I can't find answers to questions such as these. There should be a user tutorial or help menu that explains these features. Its a little overwhelming right now, but over time and with help from friendly people here, I'm sure I'll get it all figured out.


It's been a few years since my last new tivo, so I'm not sure if this is still done, but my recollection is that over the first week or so you'll start to see a few short tutorial videos covering different aspects of the system pop up in your Now Playing list. I think the first one doesn't appear for the first few days.

Also, regarding Suggestions, you can train tivo so it records better suggestions by giving shows thumbs ups or thumbs downs (up to three).


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## Tico (Dec 10, 2002)

rhettf said:


> Yeah there are lots of great shortcuts.
> 
> Tivo then:
> 
> 0 - TiVo Cartoon (the one that plays when you first boot).


Man, I wish I never showed my kids this one.

LOL


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

enzo thecat said:


> Thank you so much, guys!!! I LOVE the Tivo system so far.
> 
> My only complaint is that I can't find answers to questions such as these. There should be a user tutorial or help menu that explains these features. Its a little overwhelming right now, but over time and with help from friendly people here, I'm sure I'll get it all figured out.


If you read the [email protected]$# manual, it's covered in there!


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## vurbano (Apr 20, 2004)

tarheelblue32 said:


> I guess it depends on how you intend to use the 30-second button. I only use the 30-second scan/skip button on commercials, which I would rather not see at all, so the skip works better for me than the scan. When I want to scan through a program, I just use the FF button.


ditto


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## bbrown9 (Mar 12, 2011)

jrtroo said:


> In my opinion, the ability of the Tivo to record suggestions is one of its best features. Since it does not impact season passes, I would give it a try for a while and see how it captures items you may be interested in.


I think it's the worst feature. I'm really glad I can turn it off. I don't like having it record things that I didn't tell it to record. I have plenty of content without having stuff I'll never watch stored on my disk. Yeah, I know it will get deleted first if space becomes an issue, but why put it there in the first place?


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

Because it may be something you or other folks in teh household will enjoy. Otherwise, IMO, its wasted space on the drive that could have something for you. Instead of surfing live tv, surf suggestions that were recorded based upon your feedback.


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## Sportsnut (Apr 11, 2014)

I'm a first time owner for a couple weeks now and noticed the suggestions after a couple of days. I recorded the news the first night I had it set up. The next few days it recorded every local news show that was on those days. It recorded other shows based on other shows I recorded. However, it didn't decrease the available space on the hard drive. I guess it does that because it will delete the suggestions as soon as space is needed but it is actually recording the suggestions on the hard drive and temporarily taking up more space isn't it?

By the way, as the OP stated the Roamio didn't come with an owner's manual, not even a cd version. I know the trend is to not include hard copy owner's manuals anymore with most electronics but with something like a Tivo it should be included. It only came with a basic setup guide. I had to search the website the first night to figure out how to get to the "Menu" since I've never seen a remote control without a Menu button before. I got the answer very quickly thanks to an instant chat session with Tivo but an owner's manual would have answered that. Other than that I'm very happy so far with my new Roamio.


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

Suggestions take no space as they are meant to not impact your assigned TO DO items. You can easily move something of interested into the My Shows list if you want to view it later.


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## waynomo (Nov 9, 2002)

You also affect what suggestions are recorded with the thumbs up and thumbs down buttons.


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## midas (Jun 1, 2000)

Suggestions have always been my main attraction to Tivo. A few weeks to training a new unit and I pretty much never have to watch anything live except for news.


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## swerver (May 18, 2012)

TiVo is recording on all six tuners at all times, regardless of suggestions. So if you are turning off suggestions to "keep your drive clear" then don't bother.


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## c133roamioerrors (Dec 28, 2013)

When I got my xl4, there were some surprising and unattractive defaults. I learned how to turn them off. First thing I did when I set up my roamio pro was turn off the defaults. My wife will record anything that moves and then delete later if she isn't interested. There are a lot of recorded shows to go through and having a bunch of recorded suggestions mucks things up. The default should be record what you want. If you want suggestions, you should have to set the option. On the xl4, I had to delete about 50 shows that were recorded as suggestions. It's not a space issue. My shows should be my shows not my shows and suggested recordings.

My wife has an issue with the Netflix interface. You can't clean up the previously watched. Some shows have multiple seasons and you want to keep them to resume at next episode. Who wants to have to wade through a bunch of crap to get where you want to be. Nevermind.....the Roamio pro is perfect the way it is.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

tarheelblue32 said:


> Really? After I inputted the code for the 30-second skip, I realized just how much I hated the default 30-second scan. I guess reasonable people can disagree.


After reading this thread the other day I input the 30-second skip on my Roamio Pro. I tried it for a few hours but I just couldn't stand it anymore. I went back to the 30 second scan. And I had really enjoyed the 30 second skip for around ten years. But now I can't seem to stand using it.


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## hasbeen (Feb 21, 2015)

Where is the 30 second skip code? I am a new user. All I can find in settings is either the 30 sec scan or advance to next tick mark. I come from DVRs that did 30 second skip and I would like to continue to use that. Thanks.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

hasbeen said:


> Where is the 30 second skip code? I am a new user. All I can find in settings is either the 30 sec scan or advance to next tick mark. I come from DVRs that did 30 second skip and I would like to continue to use that. Thanks.


While playing back a recorded show enter: Select-Play-Select-3-0-Select


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

tatergator1 said:


> The link in post #7 of this thread. For whatever reason, Tivo decided the cost savings of not including a printed manual were enough to justify leaving those new users that have never used a Tivo to fend for themselves in figuring out how it works.


Thank you for your welcome, on-point sarcasm. What I further find "odd" is that the e-manual is almost hidden--as far as I recall, its website location (or even availability) is not even mentioned in the Roamio "quick-start guide" and I really had to search for it online, not finding it through the TiVo website. Would seem to make sense to me: if you're not going to include a manual with your product, telling the consumer how to use the product that the consumer has just shelled out a lot of money for, at least include a separate, apparent, brightly-colored information sheet telling the consumer where to find the manual online. Or hey, even include a reference at the end of the TiVo startup cartoon.



skid71 said:


> I thought I would like the skip better, but found that we actually see some stuff on scan, rewind and watch it. Who knew?


Coming to a new Roamio, I'm also actually preferring, I think, the 30-second scan over the skip, as I sometimes see something during a commercial break that I even want to watch (a promo for a new show, etc.).


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## passname22 (Feb 17, 2015)

DeltaOne said:


> press the Tivo button twice to go right to My Shows.


nice, this is going to be so useful to me



tatergator1 said:


> Tivo decided the cost savings of not including a printed manual were enough to justify leaving those new users that have never used a Tivo to fend for themselves in figuring out how it works.


I don't care about the manual but give us a tour on-screen. I can figure out how to use it but the short cuts isn't something I'll know about. on screen they advertise one-pass(swear to god one pass ad is ON EVERY PAGE ON MY TIVO), THUMPS to RECORD, lame tv shows when u hit pause, but god damn they never tell us anything useful.


aaronwt said:


> Or try the default 30 second scan. I used the 30 second skip for a decade. When the 30 second scan came out I thought I would not like it. But I found that I loved it and had no desire to go back to using the 30 second skip.


my tivo is already default to scan. checked the setting and I don't see 30 skip.



tarheelblue32 said:


> While playing back a recorded show enter: Select-Play-Select-3-0-Select


god damn it, why are these settings hidden? I gotta go and check this when I get home. Although I don't use 30second skip/scan. I just press fast forward 3 times till my show comes back on and press 10sec rewind if I go too far. I love the 10sec rewind especially watching golf.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

passname22 said:


> god damn it, why are these settings hidden? I gotta go and check this when I get home. Although I don't use 30second skip/scan. I just press fast forward 3 times till my show comes back on and press 10sec rewind if I go too far. I love the 10sec rewind especially watching golf.


The 30-second skip has never been publicized by TiVo, seemingly out of deference to the broadcasters (and possibly for fear of a lawsuit over the feature, as the broadcasters did earlier with a TiVo competitor which openly marketed the feature). It's always been a tip/hack easy to find on forums, articles about TiVo, or otherwise. As versus the now built-in 30-second scan.


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## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

passname22 said:


> I don't care about the manual but give us a tour on-screen. I can figure out how to use it but the short cuts isn't something I'll know about. on screen they advertise one-pass(swear to god one pass ad is ON EVERY PAGE ON MY TIVO), THUMPS to RECORD, lame tv shows when u hit pause, but god damn they never tell us anything useful.


Didn't you get the "getting to know your new Tivo" emails after you registered it? I've always gotten a series of them after registering a new box over the course of a week.


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## passname22 (Feb 17, 2015)

dianebrat said:


> Didn't you get the "getting to know your new Tivo" emails after you registered it? I've always gotten a series of them after registering a new box over the course of a week.


I delete anything that looks like spam.

I don't know why tivo suggestion is default in settings, just like motion smooth on TV.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

I think TiVo Suggestions is the default because it doesn't do any harm--any space Suggestions use will be overwritten if space is needed by your own selections. And many people probably find the Suggestions of value. But if not, simply turn the feature off.


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## passname22 (Feb 17, 2015)

Mikeguy said:


> I think TiVo Suggestions is the default because it doesn't do any harm--any space Suggestions use will be overwritten if space is needed by your own selections. And many people probably find the Suggestions of value. But if not, simply turn the feature off.


waste energy, waste tuner. yeah I turned it off, I just don't understand why it's default. like TV motion smoothness, most ppl hate it but it's set to default.



DeltaOne said:


> press the Tivo button twice to go right to My Shows.


 I didn't find this useful, it's not double click that goes straight to shows. It's click and click.

I like the scan 30sec incase they have funny commerical playing, the mountain dew is hilarious.

Tivo is so easy to use that you don't need a guide, only thing I had to figure out myself was zoom shortcut which btw tells you on screen AFter you press it. lol why would you tell me how to use it after I just used it?


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

passname22 said:


> waste energy, waste tuner. yeah I turned it off, I just don't understand why it's default. like TV motion smoothness, most ppl hate it but it's set to default.


I'm not sure most people hate it--in fact, I think it's likely the opposite. Suggestions just found scads of interesting movies for me this weekend, that I wouldn't have know about.

But again, easily turned off, as you did.


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## LoadStar (Jul 24, 2001)

passname22 said:


> waste energy, waste tuner.


The TiVo is always recording, no matter what. Whenever it isn't recording a program, it's recording the live buffer. There's negligible difference between those in the amount of energy that is consumed.

As far as the "waste tuner" thing, the tuner is released if it is needed for something else. There's no waste of a tuner if it is recording a suggestion.

There's really very little if any reason to turn off suggestions.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Good points, LodeStar--thanks for the engineering points!


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## Jeeters (Feb 25, 2003)

Mikeguy said:


> [...] What I further find "odd" is that the e-manual is almost hidden--as far as I recall, its website location (or even availability) is not even mentioned in the Roamio "quick-start guide" and I really had to search for it online, not finding it through the TiVo website. Would seem to make sense to me: if you're not going to include a manual with your product, telling the consumer how to use the product that the consumer has just shelled out a lot of money for, at least include a separate, apparent, brightly-colored information sheet telling the consumer where to find the manual online. Or hey, even include a reference at the end of the TiVo startup cartoon.


At the end of the startup guide, there's a "Want to learn more?" along with a link to a "howto" page on TiVo's website. That page has several youtube videos that help explain the user interface, and also has links to PDFs for the detailed "viewer's guide" manuals.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Jeeters said:


> At the end of the startup guide, there's a "Want to learn more?" along with a link to a "howto" page on TiVo's website. That page has several youtube videos that help explain the user interface, and also has links to PDFs for the detailed "viewer's guide" manuals.


I finally did catch the link to the online manual at the TiVo website, at the Welcome Center - Roamio/Get set up and connected page (http://www.tivo.com/my-account/welcome-center-roamio/get-set-up)-- although it confusingly is mis-labeled as a "'Viewer's Guide' poster." I also did find a link elsewhere at the TiVo site under articles, and you are correct (thanks!), the guide (correctly) is listed half-way down on the Roamio "How-to" page under one's TiVo account, after more than a screen's worth of verbiage and posted videos for OnePass. http://www.tivo.com/my-account/how-to

It just seems to me, though, that if TiVo isn't going to include a paper copy of the manual or otherwise be considerate enough to make it available upon request, it should make reference to the manual and where it can be obtained the first thing and absolutely apparent, and not secondary (at best). Despite what TiVo might like to think (along with Microsoft with Windows 8), not everything in the use of the box is apparent--including as I was exploring a few options yesterday, running back and forth from the manual on a computer in an office on the second floor of my home to the Roamio in the living room on the first floor.  In my humble opinion, an exquisite and not necessarily absolutely apparent device as a TiVo requires an easily-usable manual, at the very least as a reference. (And hey, TiVo, how about making the manual a bit more comprehensive--especially with it being available only online, changes should be easier for you.  )


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