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Channel4 recording always missing last minute


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Old 16-11-2010, 14:02
snapey999
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I had a quick look through the threads and found nothing related to this.

I am having problems with recordings on Channel4. Everything I record at the 9pm till 10pm slot misses the final miute of the program. This happens for me with 'The Event', 'Pillars Of The Earth' and 'Coppers'. Its a right right bloody pain in the arse and confusing when I sit down to watch the next episode of 'Pillars Of The Earth' to find that it starts with a funeral of a main charater that I never saw die. I thought I missed an epsiode.

Who do I complain to to get C4 to sort out the accuracy of the epg program switchover? If I am not alone a complaint in numbers would be useful.

I also get a similar problem with films on Five when a film is interrupted for the news, I lose the last minute of the first half of the film. I get around this now by recording the news.

I know I can set my Foxsat to record for one minute extra but I shouldnt have to and I fear that this would increase the chance of recording clashes.
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Old 16-11-2010, 14:19
Flyer 10
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Ive notice a few channels delay the start of a program so you have to watch or skip the ads, so the actual program will start at 1003 and finish later than usual.

Both 4 and 5 seem to do this.
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Old 16-11-2010, 15:05
pad_ehh
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I record the NFL on Channel 4 at 1am to 4:45am, I also have an extra 2 mins added to the end of all recordings. Quite regularly I am missing the last few minutes of a game because the show either overruns or Channel 4 don't start the show until later than advertised.

It is very annoying, especially when the whole convenience of "pressing a button to record a whole series" doesn't work because you're mising parts of every episode and manual recordings have to be set up so you can watch all of the programme.
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Old 16-11-2010, 15:08
Flyer 10
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i recorded the 1st game and it went down to the last play, which was cut off.

I never bothered again. Its not exactly great for increasing their viewing figures.
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Old 16-11-2010, 15:20
carvell
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Channel 4 always do this to the 9pm slot. Your best bet is to just set a manual timer, that's what I've had to do.
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Old 16-11-2010, 17:05
germanycalling
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Last bit of Coppers was chopped off last night. I assume C4 are using the going home clock to set up their timings.
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Old 16-11-2010, 21:04
davesull
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I had the same problem with Pillars of the Earth so this week before watching the latest episode I thought (Clever Me!) I'll just watch the last couple of minutes of the previous week on 4oD. But it wasn't available because 4oD only keeps its recordings for a week!

At least I've now watched the last minute of this week's episode on 4oD. Next week's final one is a double from 9pm to 11.15pm so it will be interesting to see how much they manage to mess that up.
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Old 16-11-2010, 22:47
welshblob
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C4 are known for this, always miss the last bit of Grand Designs!
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Old 17-11-2010, 00:12
pad_ehh
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Watching recordings from weeks ago that I'm only getting around to watching now and am surprised to find that a lot fo recordings are missing the end. Programmes on BBC 3 and Channel 4 are the most repeat offenders for this. Not a happy camper. What good's recording a programme when the end is cut off because broadcasters can't start/stop a programme on time or give the wrong listings details.

Example - American Dad / Family Guy on BBC 3, if two episodes are on in a row, usually the first or second episode is billed as being shorter than the other, so if you were only recording one you're going to get the ending chopped off, or get the ending of the previous episode taking up space on the recording for the following episode, meaning the end of the episode you want goes missing.

Completely amateurish on the broadcasters part.
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Old 17-11-2010, 11:54
goggled
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Another victim here

If I add time to the end and there is a following program that will use the same tuner, am I right to think the start signal will stop the channel 4 output?

Is there any way to make channel 4 padding automatic?
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Old 17-11-2010, 13:02
snapey999
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I forgot about grand designs but im pleased to see that I am not alone. I suspect it is the advert shifting/cramming which is responsible, a practice which I think was first introduced when they showed lost. Thats still no excuse for the epg air time not to mirror real airtime.

I have contacted channel4 and gave the link to this thread. I suspect nothing will happen but its worth a try. I also ticked the box asking for a response. I will share what they say.
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Old 17-11-2010, 18:09
snapey999
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Response from Channel 4

Thank you for contacting Channel 4 Viewer Enquiries.

I am sorry that you are missing the end of the programme. However, I am afraid this is an issue with Freesat as they have not updated their time codes for programmes. We have no involvement in Freesat's recording system and it cannot be resolved by Channel 4.

I am sorry I cannot help with this issue.

Kind regards,

Dylan Redmond
Looks like I will be contacting Freesat. What are the chances of Freesat passing blame back onto Channel4?
Channel 4 Viewer Enquiries
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Old 17-11-2010, 18:22
snapey999
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I just phoned Freesat and got a much better than expected response. By that I mean I spoke to a human and that Freesat do sound like they will look into it. Also as suspected Freesat claim that their time codes are supplied by Channel 4 and that Channel 4 is probably at fault.

So I guess its just a matter of sitting back and seeing if the problem is resolved
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Old 18-11-2010, 10:57
Rik HS
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For C4, E4, M4 the "time codes" appear to be transmitted exactly according to the EPG. So if a program is from 21:00 to 22:00 the recording will always be exactly between those times - it never varies even by a minute (whereas BBC and ITV recordings are "always" exact and the actual recording time is often a few minutes adrift to reflect when the program actually started and stopped).

Since programs on C4, E4, M4 often overrun the scheduled time (and sometimes start early) you need to convert the recording to manual weekly timers using the yellow button in the schedule list and then add some padding.

It's not just freeset, I've experienced exactly the same on Freeview since the first digital recorders came out in 2004.
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Old 18-11-2010, 11:58
fat-tony
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I have "True Blood" set to series record on C4. (no padding or any manual timers set). In each one, the recording starts during the end-titles of the previous programme and finishes during the end-titles of "True Blood". So far I haven't missed any of the actual programme material.
I always assumed that it was a standard practice (or maybe just an error!) that Channel 4 inserted the recording "triggers" at the end of prior programmes instead of at the start of the programme you have set to record. If the trigger is just set on a timer by Channel 4, then it is pretty pointless. How come BBC (mostly) and ITV (always) manage to set the trigger to the exact start of the programme? ITV carries ads, same as C4, and sometimes Corrie starts a couple of minutes after the scheduled time, but the recording trigger is always spot on! Come on C4 - sort it out!
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Old 18-11-2010, 17:38
snapey999
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Bloody typical! The chap from Freesat said he would test out a recording on Grand Designs last night and of course C4 only cut the last the last few seconds, This is the first time in this series that the final shot from the crane thingy has not been cut. Makes me look like im complaining about nothing.
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Old 18-11-2010, 20:02
DenonDave
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Bloody typical! The chap from Freesat said he would test out a recording on Grand Designs last night and of course C4 only cut the last the last few seconds, This is the first time in this series that the final shot from the crane thingy has not been cut. Makes me look like im complaining about nothing.

Tell him I'll back you up on that
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Old 18-11-2010, 21:21
M60
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I spoke to someone at Channel 4 Viewer Enquiries about this today and they told me it's due to programme overrun, a feeble excuse!! It's damn annoying when I miss the last minute of some programmes and only on C4 (which I mainly watch).
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Old 18-11-2010, 22:30
Flyer 10
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We know programs overrun but why are they doing it on scheduled programs and why are they not updating the EPG to allow for the overrun?
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Old 18-11-2010, 22:57
fat-tony
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For C4, E4, M4 the "time codes" appear to be transmitted exactly according to the EPG. So if a program is from 21:00 to 22:00 the recording will always be exactly between those times - it never varies even by a minute (whereas BBC and ITV recordings are "always" exact and the actual recording time is often a few minutes adrift to reflect when the program actually started and stopped).
Looks like you're right about the trigger being linked to the scheduled (as opposed to actual) start time. At dead-on 10pm tonight the EPG entry for True Blood popped up and my Humax started recording, even though the previous programme hadn't quite ended. There's not a lot of point in C4 doing this as it defeats the purpose of exact recording. It's a throwback to the old VCR timer days!
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Old 20-11-2010, 16:09
snapey999
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So C4 blame either Freesat or overruns depending on who you speak to.

Freesat blame C4.

What ever the excuse is nothing should cause problems like this this often or for this length of time unless the broadcaster is doing it on purpose to put more adverts in to a program or to make you recordings virtualy fail so that so you are more likely to watch their channel and record another.

I just had the idea of contacting Ofcom and this is what their websites says in relation to scheduling.
We are not responsible for deciding which programmes are broadcast when – this is the job of the broadcasters.

You may wish to contact the broadcaster directly to express your views.
There are no other options to do with scheduling and I assume thats just a generic message refering to general scheduling problems. I will try contacting Ofcom manually ignoring their standard forms and FAQs and see if that get me anywhere.

Lets see if C4 can screw up the grand finale of Pillars of the Earth tonight.
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Old 20-11-2010, 16:26
snapey999
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Am I being stupid or blind or have ofcom got a really bad website?

Can someone tell me if they can find somewhere on the ofcom site where they can contact ofcom about the above issues. I can complain if a program has upset or offended me, subtitles or similar have upset or offended me or if im being harrased by journalists. It appears that there is nowhere to complain if a broadcaster is upsetting or offending me

So we will be listened to if:
Audio description that was too intrusive
Audio description that was insufficiently detailed
The absence of signing on a programme advertised as being with signing
Inaccuracies in the signing
Subtitling that was too slow
Subtitling that was too fast
Etc
Etc

But if a broadcaster regularly causes everybody recording with a freesat box to miss the last minute cliff hanger or sum up of a tv program Ofcom dont care because there isnt a box to tick for that. Whats the point..........
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Old 20-11-2010, 19:44
goggled
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Comments please on my post #10.
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Old 22-11-2010, 18:43
Ardee
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I thought the Humax used the CRID to decide when a programme started and finished? Is that not so?
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Old 22-11-2010, 18:54
grahamlthompson
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I thought the Humax used the CRID to decide when a programme started and finished? Is that not so?
No the crid's tells the box which is the next programme in the series to be recorded. Accurate recording (start and stop) relies on the now and next information being altered at the correct times.
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