Program Reminder

dhascall - You have many very good suggestions here -

Presenting the warning a couple of minutes before the problem will occur is fabulous.

Listing ALL the possibilities is critical.

Providing show info to aid the decision process is a great help.

One click from the single screen - Yes.

I think another item needed is the name of the STB tuned to the selection to assist the decision making.

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@aviewer wrote:

dhascall - You have many very good suggestions here -

Presenting the warning a couple of minutes before the problem will occur is fabulous.

Listing ALL the possibilities is critical.

Providing show info to aid the decision process is a great help.

One click from the single screen - Yes.

 

I think another item needed is the name of the STB tuned to the selection to assist the decision making.

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Thanks - glad that you liked that.  One issue that we have is that (most of you know) my wife is disabled and has issues running the remote.  Sometimes I get the all streams are in use error when I think that there shouldn't be.  I go to the other STB's and see that one never got shut down.  The TV is off but not the box.  It would be nice if it would say "STB 4 is on but is not enaged" (ie. the TV is off, as it would be showing the press okay to watch TV would be displaying)..

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@aviewer wrote:
dhascall - Yes, the display of the STB name is needed to identify that the unused box is on. You got it right up to the last comma. The "press ok" would not be displayed. The box is on, but cannot be seen because the TV is off. See if you can catch it and edit for future reference.

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No - what I meant was if the TV was actually on, the "Press OK" would be visible.  Since it's not, the only way that you would know is by the glowing green STB light.  AND some folks put the STB in cabinets behind doors or with smoked doors and you may not even know that the box is on, even when the TV is off.  Clear as mud, I know.

I read through this whole topic.  There is  a simple request for one to be reminded when a program they want to watch is going to be on in a few minutes.  That is not a major thing to do.  And avoiding the fact that U-verse has not done this simple task by refering people to record the program is NOT a solution, it is a way to avoid the fact that they haven't done it, and/or don't plan on doing it.  It is so simple, I just wonder why it isn't done already.  Telling me to record it in lieu of getting a reminder, is like telling me to gargle instead of brushing my teeth.  It just isn't the same thing at all.  And however many people tell you to suck it up and just record it instead of wanting a reminder, are justifying U-verse not dealing with a low tech issue. 

[Inappropriate content removed]

Perhaps they have not done it for the same reason there is no longer a place in your refrigerator to place the large block of ice, nor a hand crank on the front of your car.

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@oufanindallas wrote:

I'm not a programmer, I don't play one on TV, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but all these folks who claim it's an easy fix need to do the programming for Microsoft CE and see if they can come up with a better solution.

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Good point. If it was an easy fix, wouldn't it have been implemented years ago?

Here's my  thought: A standard box from Time Warner, Dish, Comcast, whoever, has tuner cards in it that "tune" to the channel when the appropriate button is pressed, right? This means that the channels are sent to the box all at once. It's my belief that AT&T works in the exact opposite way, that the channels are "stored" somewhere else and the box sends a signal to "call" for the channel once the buttons are pressed.

As others have said, with four HD streams, just record stuff and watch it via channel 9999 or the "Recorded TV" button 10-15 minutes after it started recording.

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@baseballisback wrote:

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@oufanindallas wrote:

I'm not a programmer, I don't play one on TV, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but all these folks who claim it's an easy fix need to do the programming for Microsoft CE and see if they can come up with a better solution.

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Good point. If it was an easy fix, wouldn't it have been implemented years ago?

 

Here's my  thought: A standard box from Time Warner, Dish, Comcast, whoever, has tuner cards in it that "tune" to the channel when the appropriate button is pressed, right? This means that the channels are sent to the box all at once. It's my belief that AT&T works in the exact opposite way, that the channels are "stored" somewhere else and the box sends a signal to "call" for the channel once the buttons are pressed.

 

 

As others have said, with four HD streams, just record stuff and watch it via channel 9999 or the "Recorded TV" button 10-15 minutes after it started recording.

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That's a pretty good description of how it works.  The box knows what channels are available and when you attempt to tune one it starts a process to have that channel stream sent to the box.  When it no longer wants that channel, it cancels the stream.

However, this is more like a guide feature; the box has the program guide; you'd have to set the reminder on a program in the guide and the box would then have to store an time-based event to trigger when the time arrived.  I'm guessing that, other than the DVR, there's no provision in the box architecture to do anything on a prescribed time.

Added to this, would the event be only for the box that set the request, or all boxes?  If all boxes, would it not annoy other users?  If only one box, what happens if you move to another box after setting the event?

In any case, even the UX design is more complicated than most requesters have thought about.  And, again, is contrary to the freedom from apointment TV that the DVR grants you.

I was only looking for how to set a reminder for a show on Uverse and came accross this. I can't believe how, what appears to be the regulars that post here, think that recording a show is a solution and for one to think otherwise signifies that they are somehow behind the times or thier way of thinking is warped.

I was just going to come to the conclusion that you can't set a reminder and go on my way like probably thousands have but decided to post my veiw.

Recording a show is not even a remote solution or acceptable work around. The reminder is a convenience and from having service from 3 other cable providers and reading through the post,it appears that all other cable companies seem to see the value in this convenience.

If recording is a solution then so is watching it on the on demand portion of Uverse or looking for it on the internet and watching it there. If that is the case then why even have the guide button. I can just do everything on demand at my own time and convnience.

OH, I get it!!! Thanks for setting me straight. I now see that what I really need to do us dump Uverse and cable altogether get Netflix etc. then I won't need those reminders. I can just watch it on my own terms. I guess you are right, I am behind the times.

I don't understand the following statement:  "Recording a show is not even a remote solution or acceptable work around" UNLESS you don't have a DVR. 

While I loved the 'reminder' feature of Comcast, it is certainly not a dealbreaker with Uverse.  Setting a recording neither indicates warped thinking or being behind the times (albeit I am old).

Let me offer a scenario:  DH finds that the movie "Bullitt" is on TCM at 3:00pm on a Thursday but he's at work.  It's not available On Demand and you can only watch TCM online live so we're back to square one.  Besides, why watch a movie on a computer moniter if you have a 60" HDTV?  Even if a reminder was an option, it would be useless.  The logical solution is to DVR it.

Reminders have their place and use and I do miss that feature but you can't say recording is useless.  That's crazy talk.

@Marlinmo   Guess you don't get it that if you record something, you can start watching an hour program about 20 mins in and zip thru all commerccials/promos.  You'll end just about the time the show ends that way too.

I abolutely hate watching anything live due to the commercials.  Love my DVR.

Chris
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@mibrnsurg wrote:

@Marlinmo   Guess you don't get it that if you record something, you can start watching an hour program about 20 mins in and zip thru all commerccials/promos.  You'll end just about the time the show ends that way too.

 

I abolutely hate watching anything live due to the commercials.  Love my DVR.

 

Chris
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That too!  It took one football season for DH to become a believer.  He sets the DVR, delays the start of his viewing and FFs thru the commercials. And what if there are 2 games on at the same time?  Reminders would prove useless.

Another perk of using the DVR, if you (or the cat) accidently changes the channel, you don't miss any of the programming.