Is the "Pause live or recorded shows in one room and pick them up in another" feature a myth?

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@mbutts4901 wrote:

I had U-verse installed about 24 hours ago (a quick 10 hour process!).  One of the features AT&T really pushes is the ability to pause in one room and pick up at the exact same point in another room.  I have talked to a couple different U-verse support techs and they have no idea how this works.  They suggested recording the program.

 

I'm just curious if this is vaporware from the sales department or if there is a way to do this.  The DVR model is VIP2250 and the wireless receivers are ISB7005.

 

I have searched the forums, but most of the postings that mention "pause" are from over a year ago.  I also can't find any manual, getting started guide, or general how-to on this particular feature.

 

On Edit: fixed typo in topic

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It works just the way it's stated.  Pause a program on one box and pick it up on another box. 

Just remember:  DO NOT TURN THE 1st BOX OFF or you will lose the stream.  I just turn the TV off and leave the box ON, at least until you pick the programming up on box #2.  Also, remember that the buffer is 1 hour.

The other option is as stated by CS:  you can record the program and watch it on any box.

Thanks for the reply! 

Here is what I tried:

1. Paused a program on TV #1 (it was a road race and I paused it when a car was in the middle of a curve).
2. Did not turn off TV #1 or box
3. Went to different room and turned on box and TV #2
4. Changed channel to same channel as in first room
5. Program is NOT paused, but is playing about 20-30 seconds ahead of where I had paused (about the time it took to walk between room and turn on TV #2)

The first box was the DVR and the 2nd one was a wireless.  I also tried it between wireless units.

I can rewind on the 2nd TV, but I have to know at which point the first TV was paused to the minute and second.  It's not really "pause live TV and pick them up in another room," it's "go to the other room and rewind to the point you would like to see."  There's nothing paused on the 2nd TV, just manual rewind in the 60 minute buffer.

The three different techs at AT&T phone center all said the live paused program should show up in the recorded items list, which it doesn't.

I appreciate everyone's help.  My patience is a bit worn after a four hour installation outdoors on Thursday, followed by a ten hour (!) installation indoors & out on Friday.  The installers left no instructions, how-to guides, or anything behind.

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@mbutts4901 wrote:

I can rewind on the 2nd TV, but I have to know at which point the first TV was paused to the minute and second.  It's not really "pause live TV and pick them up in another room," it's "go to the other room and rewind to the point you would like to see."  There's nothing paused on the 2nd TV, just manual rewind in the 60 minute buffer.

 

The three different techs at AT&T phone center all said the live paused program should show up in the recorded items list, which it doesn't.

 

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Well, there's a new one.  Never heard that one before but it doesn't surprise me that they'd say such a thing....but then again, NOTHING that CS says surprises me anymore. 

You can access info on many features via the Help screen (remote Menu>Help).

Not all CSRs have Uverse service and are not as experienced with it as we users here in the forum.  You were slightly misinformed by the CSR you spoke to.  If you have two STBs on the same channel and you pause  live TV, when you go to the 2nd TV you will have to rewind back to the point where you paused the first one.  The time will be displayed on the paused TVs time line and you will be able to rewind the second TV back to that point.  Another way to determine where you paused the first TV is to pick an image or point in the program you were watching and rewind back to it. 

If you are watching a recorded program and you pause it on the first TV you can go to a second TV, go to the recorded programs list, select that program,  and press resume playback to watch it at the point you paused it on the first one.

So, just to clarify, if I am watching channel 652 on TV 1, I can press "pause," leave TV 1 and box on, turn TV 2 and box on, go to 652 and I can then rewind back to the Paused frame on TV 1?  i did not know this.

I do know that if I try to pause Live TV on the non-STB it takes a minute or two before I can do that or it will say "Temporarily unavailable."  The last sentence has nothing to do with pausing live TV and switching to another room but that unavailable gives me pause (pun intended) to the room shifting actually working.

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@dhascall wrote:

So, just to clarify, if I am watching channel 652 on TV 1, I can press "pause," leave TV 1 and box on, turn TV 2 and box on, go to 652 and I can then rewind back to the Paused frame on TV 1?  i did not know this.

 

I do know that if I try to pause Live TV on the non-STB it takes a minute or two before I can do that or it will say "Temporarily unavailable."  The last sentence has nothing to do with pausing live TV and switching to another room but that unavailable gives me pause (pun intended) to the room shifting actually working.

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Tried it!  Works fine with one little extra... if TV 1 was already on 652, you can RW TV #2 for the fiull length of the buffer that was on TV 1.  Nice!

Great isn't it?

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@RCSMG wrote:

Great isn't it?

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It does but you have to leave TV1's box on, right?  That could be a bummer if you aere turning in for the night and TV1 is downstairs.

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@dhascall wrote:

It does but you have to leave TV1's box on, right?  That could be a bummer if you aere turning in for the night and TV1 is downstairs.

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Once you have tuned to the channel on TV1, you can turn TV2 off.

The only problem with aviewer's solution is that you don't get the continuous viewing into the next program.  For example, the news comes on after Dr. Phil.  If I record Dr. Phil, I can't leave the TV on and catch the news. 

If I pause STB#1, continue it on STB#2, I can watch the 4:00 pm news AFTER Dr. Phil.

Other than that, It's a good solution.