Can't Stop Magnavox DVD Recorder TITLE Page from Playing Recording

[Novice20]

Thanks to the recommendations and assistance I received in another thread, I bought the Magnavox 513 DVD recorder.

Aside from an annoying design problem - you can't record two programs that are broadcast back-to-back! - it seems to be a good model.

But I am having a problem on the TITLE screen. As soon as I bring up the HDD TITLE screen, it starts to play one of the recordings. It selects the newest one and begins playing it in the TITLE window. STOP and PAUSE buttons have no affect on it. Movng the cursor to another title just starts that title playing.

I don't want to watch the recording in the TITLE window and in fact, I don't want to watch it at all now. I just want to see what was recorded and put titles on them. Having the recording playing automatically is, number one, distracting from what I'm doing with the titles. And number two, it ruins watching the program later when I want to see it, as I have already had to see the beginning of it.

Does anyone know how to stop the TITLE screen from automatically playing the recording? Or know how to stop it when it does?

thank you

[usually_quiet]

Thanks to the recommendations and assistance I received in another thread, I bought the Magnavox 513 DVD recorder.

Aside from an annoying design problem - you can't record two programs that are broadcast back-to-back! - it seems to be a good model.

What do you mean by this? Do you mean that you miss about 30 seconds at the end of one program or the beginning of the next? Are you talking about programs on the same channel or on different ones? Are you using the DVD recorder's tuner or a line in from the cable box to the recorder?

But I am having a problem on the TITLE screen. As soon as I bring up the HDD TITLE screen, it starts to play one of the recordings. It selects the newest one and begins playing it in the TITLE window. STOP and PAUSE buttons have no affect on it. Movng the cursor to another title just starts that title playing.

I don't want to watch the recording in the TITLE window and in fact, I don't want to watch it at all now. I just want to see what was recorded and put titles on them. Having the recording playing automatically is, number one, distracting from what I'm doing with the titles. And number two, it ruins watching the program later when I want to see it, as I have already had to see the beginning of it.

Does anyone know how to stop the TITLE screen from automatically playing the recording? Or know how to stop it when it does?

thank you

You probably can't stop this from happening.

[SLK001]

Thanks to the recommendations and assistance I received in another thread, I bought the Magnavox 513 DVD recorder.

Aside from an annoying design problem - you can't record two programs that are broadcast back-to-back! - it seems to be a good model.

I don't know what you are talking about here. I do this all the time - just make sure that the stop time and the start time don't overlap. They can be the same, but not overlap.

But I am having a problem on the TITLE screen. As soon as I bring up the HDD TITLE screen, it starts to play one of the recordings. It selects the newest one and begins playing it in the TITLE window. STOP and PAUSE buttons have no affect on it. Movng the cursor to another title just starts that title playing.

I don't want to watch the recording in the TITLE window and in fact, I don't want to watch it at all now. I just want to see what was recorded and put titles on them. Having the recording playing automatically is, number one, distracting from what I'm doing with the titles. And number two, it ruins watching the program later when I want to see it, as I have already had to see the beginning of it.

Does anyone know how to stop the TITLE screen from automatically playing the recording? Or know how to stop it when it does?

This is a preview showing in the window. If you don't move off the title window, the preview will play the entire recording. There is an option in the "PLAY" menu to "Play Video from Beginning".

On mine, the preview starts showing commercials that preceed the "main event", since the 513's clock isn't all that accurate - I have to be sure to reset it every month. I start all my recordings 2 minutes early.

[Novice20]

I don't know what you are talking about here. I do this all the time - just make sure that the stop time and the start time don't overlap. They can be the same, but not overlap.

Page 50 in the User's Manual: "When the end time of the programming currently being recorded and the start time of the subsequent program are same: The beginning of the PROG B may be cut off...The first two minutes will be cut off"

Funai Support confirmed that the first two minutes of the second program will indeed be lost, as the manual says,

when PROG A End Time = PROG B Start Time.

[Novice20]

Aside from an annoying design problem - you can't record two programs that are broadcast back-to-back! - it seems to be a good model.

What do you mean by this? Do you mean that you miss about 30 seconds at the end of one program or the beginning of the next? Are you talking about programs on the same channel or on different ones? Are you using the DVD recorder's tuner or a line in from the cable box to the recorder?

The manual, and Funai Support, say close to two minutes will be lost. Support thought it was because the unit thinks it has to change channels for PROG B and so shuts down recording until it has done that. In my case, it is not changing channels as I am recording on channel 3 from the cable box. But there isn't any way to override that stopped-recording two-minute interval

But I am having a problem on the TITLE screen. As soon as I bring up the HDD TITLE screen, it starts to play one of the recordings. It selects the newest one and begins playing it in the TITLE window. STOP and PAUSE buttons have no affect on it. Movng the cursor to another title just starts that title playing.

I don't want to watch the recording in the TITLE window and in fact, I don't want to watch it at all now. I just want to see what was recorded and put titles on them. Having the recording playing automatically is, number one, distracting from what I'm doing with the titles. And number two, it ruins watching the program later when I want to see it, as I have already had to see the beginning of it.

You probably can't stop this from happening.

That's what I was afraid of. Thank you for the answer

[usually_quiet]

Aside from an annoying design problem - you can't record two programs that are broadcast back-to-back! - it seems to be a good model.

What do you mean by this? Do you mean that you miss about 30 seconds at the end of one program or the beginning of the next? Are you talking about programs on the same channel or on different ones? Are you using the DVD recorder's tuner or a line in from the cable box to the recorder?

The manual, and Funai Support, say close to two minutes will be lost. Support thought it was because the unit thinks it has to change channels for PROG B and so shuts down recording until it has done that. In my case, it is not changing channels as I am recording on channel 3 from the cable box. But there isn't any way to override that stopped-recording two-minute interval

There is always a gap between programs when using a DVD recorder, but I think it is usually a minute or so for most DVD recorders.

You may be able work around this problem, since from the recorder's point of view, you are not changing channels. The recorder has the ability to edit recordings stored on the HDD. Record the two programs in one session, that is instead of 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM and 9:00 PM to 10:00 PM, record from 8:00 PM until 10:00 PM and use the recorder's editing features to split the recording into 2 pieces later.

The only other option is to use two recorders. (I realize this is not an economical solution.) You would connect the coax out/pass through from one recorder to the coax in for the other recorder. Recorder #1 records program #1 and recorder #2 records program #2.

[orsetto]

The video playback in the HDD nav screen is a feature common across all brands and models of DVD/HDD recorder: they all will play several minutes of whatever recording is highlighted. I've learned to just hit the mute button on the TV if its a show I haven't seen yet, or quickly move the highlight to another title.

Funai's instruction books and tech support are unhelpful, to put it mildly. They haven't the foggiest idea of how their own products actually work. There is a dedicated Funai Magnavox staffer who contributes occasionally to other forums on his own time, even though he barely speaks English he is a thousand times more comprehensible than the useless manual (which is what all the phone reps base their erroneous advice on).

The Magnavox can and does do normal back to back recordings: I do it, my friends and family do it. We don't lose two entire minutes from the second program: we'd all have returned the units to Wal*Mart if that was the case. My own H2160 and MDR513 operate similarly to my Pioneer DVD/HDD decks: there is a momentary pause at the beginning of the second timer show while the unit changes channels, a few secs at worst, and the recording continues. There is indeed some sort of "gotcha" with the Magnavox reported by some users, however, where if you don't make the settings a certain way the back-to-back recordings get screwed up. I forget offhand what action causes the BTB delay: I'll have to experiment with mine a bit and report back.

[SLK001]

I set my timer for a back-to-back recording on the same channel, each 2 minutes long. The resulting shows were 2 minutes and 1:57 minutes.

So, all I lost was 3 seconds.

I also set my timer for back-to-back recordings on different channels, again, each 2 minutes. The resulting shows were 2 minutes and 1:56 minutes.

So, all I lost was 4 seconds. I watched the recorder "live" on this one and the transition from the first channel to the second was relatively seemless.

[TBoneit]

Aside from an annoying design problem - you can't record two programs that are broadcast back-to-back! - it seems to be a good model.

What do you mean by this? Do you mean that you miss about 30 seconds at the end of one program or the beginning of the next? Are you talking about programs on the same channel or on different ones? Are you using the DVD recorder's tuner or a line in from the cable box to the recorder?

The manual, and Funai Support, say close to two minutes will be lost. Support thought it was because the unit thinks it has to change channels for PROG B and so shuts down recording until it has done that. In my case, it is not changing channels as I am recording on channel 3 from the cable box. But there isn't any way to override that stopped-recording two-minute interval

There is always a gap between programs when using a DVD recorder, but I think it is usually a minute or so for most DVD recorders.

You may be able work around this problem, since from the recorder's point of view, you are not changing channels. The recorder has the ability to edit recordings stored on the HDD. Record the two programs in one session, that is instead of 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM and 9:00 PM to 10:00 PM, record from 8:00 PM until 10:00 PM and use the recorder's editing features to split the recording into 2 pieces later.

The only other option is to use two recorders. (I realize this is not an economical solution.) You would connect the coax out/pass through from one recorder to the coax in for the other recorder. Recorder #1 records program #1 and recorder #2 records program #2.

I second this solution if the back to back are on the same channel. I just start 1 minute early and end 2 minutes late in case something starts early or ends late. Then I just split them on the hard drive and edit the titles. Done back to back recordings with no gap. I also set my forward skip to 30 seconds and the reverse skip to 5 or 10 seconds to allow me to jump past commercials easily.

I do that so I don't end up watching when editing out commercials.

Tons of tips and links on the first page of this message thread
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=940657
Now up to page 503. However as I said on the first page lots of link to tips, helpful settings and such

[Novice20]

I second this solution if the back to back are on the same channel. I just start 1 minute early and end 2 minutes late in case something starts early or ends late. Then I just split them on the hard drive and edit the titles. Done back to back recordings with no gap. I also set my forward skip to 30 seconds and the reverse skip to 5 or 10 seconds to allow me to jump past commercials easily.

I do that so I don't end up watching when editing out commercials.

Tons of tips and links on the first page of this message thread
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=940657
Now up to page 503. However as I said on the first page lots of link to tips, helpful settings and such

Thank you for your helpful advice. Only problem with splitting title is that you wind up seeing much of the first program (fast forward still shows enough that the show you're skipping to divide the title loses its surprises)

The Magnavox can and does do normal back to back recordings: I do it, my friends and family do it. We don't lose two entire minutes from the second program: we'd all have returned the units to Wal*Mart if that was the case. My own H2160 and MDR513 operate similarly to my Pioneer DVD/HDD decks: there is a momentary pause at the beginning of the second timer show while the unit changes channels, a few secs at worst, and the recording continues. There is indeed some sort of "gotcha" with the Magnavox reported by some users, however, where if you don't make the settings a certain way the back-to-back recordings get screwed up. I forget offhand what action causes the BTB delay: I'll have to experiment with mine a bit and report back.

Thank you orsetto. I appreciate your response. Did you ever get a chance to do that experiment?

I set my timer for a back-to-back recording on the same channel, each 2 minutes long. The resulting shows were 2 minutes and 1:57 minutes.

So, all I lost was 3 seconds.

I also set my timer for back-to-back recordings on different channels, again, each 2 minutes. The resulting shows were 2 minutes and 1:56 minutes.

So, all I lost was 4 seconds. I watched the recorder "live" on this one and the transition from the first channel to the second was relatively seemless.

Thank you for testing that for me. That was really very nice of you to take the time to do that.
It is really a big help so I can go ahead with the multiple programs.

[SLK001]

Thank you for testing that for me. That was really very nice of you to take the time to do that. It is really a big help so I can go ahead with the multiple programs.

Just to clarify, I was testing everything using the built-in ATSC tuner. I know that the manual says that you may lose "up to two minutes" of the second recording, but actual testing doesn't reflect anywhere near that.

[orsetto]

Only problem with splitting title is that you wind up seeing much of the first program (fast forward still shows enough that the show you're skipping to divide the title loses its surprises)

This attitude is understandable, but after you've actually used one of these recorders for a while you realize it isn't as big a deal as you thought. Really, unless all you watch are "whodunit" shows or soaps where people regularly come back from the dead after three years, theres very little in the way of "spoilers" that you'll see while fast forwarding to a split point between shows. You kind of develop a mental sleight-of-hand where you just don't register anything while editing: trust me, I cut the commercials out of the entire final season of "Lost" and did not ruin any surprises for myself. If you're truly worried about that, simply don't split the shows before viewing them: just title the recording so you know what it is and can avoid letting it run a preview in the navigation screen.

Thank you orsetto. I appreciate your response. Did you ever get a chance to do that experiment?

I have tried to reproduce the "back to back problem" you are concerned about with my 2160 and 513 Magnavox recorders, but have not been able to do so. They insist on working normally, with a brief hesitation as the channel changes during BTB. I think you would probably be OK unless you made some kind of seriously klutzy error setting the timer.

[oldfart13]

The video playback in the HDD nav screen is a feature common across all brands and models of DVD/HDD recorder: they all will play several minutes of whatever recording is highlighted. I've learned to just hit the mute button on the TV if its a show I haven't seen yet, or quickly move the highlight to another title.

I'm trying to understand that. My Dayteks don't do that. I can highlight every program in the navigation screen and they only show the title number and a still picture. Must have been something that came after the 2005 models that I have. I know the Pioneers have always done as you said. This 510 I have here does it. Annoying at times. I think my 2006/7 Pannies also do it. Hmmm....

Also annoying that the clocks go out of whack so fast on the Funai units. I think I reset the Dayteks about twice a year and then they are only out by 1 - 2 minutes. The Pioneers is rock solid. I never have to adjust that one.

Still might get a Magnavox to test out if I can get across to the states in the near future...

[SLK001]

Also annoying that the clocks go out of whack so fast on the Funai units.

The Funai units (of which the Magnavox 513 is one) can also set their clocks with a digital OTA signal. It can be at the correct time all the time.

When I look at the TITLES MENU, I see nothing but commercials that run before the show that I recorded. They never reveal any of the show, unless I watch them for 2 or 3 minutes.

[usually_quiet]

Also annoying that the clocks go out of whack so fast on the Funai units.

The Funai units (of which the Magnavox 513 is one) can also set their clocks with a digital OTA signal. It can be at the correct time all the time.

When I look at the TITLES MENU, I see nothing but commercials that run before the show that I recorded. They never reveal any of the show, unless I watch them for 2 or 3 minutes.

The digital OTA time is unreliable. It is typically 2 minutes behind the real time where I live, but some individual stations have been off by as much as 5 hours for an entire day.

[SLK001]

The digital OTA time is unreliable. It is typically 2 minutes behind the real time where I live, but some individual stations have been off by as much as 5 hours for an entire day.

When this happens to me, I call (or email, if I can find the address) the station where I have set my DVR to receive the time (I use manual mode to set the clock), talk to the station engineer and ask him to please properly set the clock. They usually like to know that they are sending out bad data. I've been thanked more than once for pointing out a problem with their service.

[Novice20]

I have tried to reproduce the "back to back problem" you are concerned about with my 2160 and 513 Magnavox recorders, but have not been able to do so. They insist on working normally, with a brief hesitation as the channel changes during BTB. I think you would probably be OK unless you made some kind of seriously klutzy error setting the timer.

Thank you, Orsetto. It does work as you described - the few seconds' gap is not a real problem

Just to clarify, I was testing everything using the built-in ATSC tuner. I know that the manual says that you may lose "up to two minutes" of the second recording, but actual testing doesn't reflect anywhere near that.

I set my timer for a back-to-back recording on the same channel, each 2 minutes long. The resulting shows were 2 minutes and 1:57 minutes.

So, all I lost was 3 seconds.

I also set my timer for back-to-back recordings on different channels, again, each 2 minutes. The resulting shows were 2 minutes and 1:56 minutes.

So, all I lost was 4 seconds. I watched the recorder "live" on this one and the transition from the first channel to the second was relatively seemless.

Thank you SLK001 for testing that. I found it is only the minimal gap, as you said.

I appreciate your taking the time, SLK001 and orsetto, to try it and help me with this.

[Seeker47]

. . . theres very little in the way of "spoilers" that you'll see while fast forwarding to a split point between shows. You kind of develop a mental sleight-of-hand where you just don't register anything while editing: trust me, I cut the commercials out of the entire final season of "Lost" and did not ruin any surprises for myself

If you record enough material -- I probably average from 4 to 10 movies per week, plus the occasional documentary or regular show -- and generally don't get around to watching it for awhile, it becomes a non-issue. Given those factors, even though I've edited out commercials &/or chaptered each recording, the retention of any surprises is near zero.

[Side question re the Pioneers: your clear instructions awhile back re the Chaptering procedure quickly made that second nature for me. But is there any good reason why it specified use of the first option, vs. frame accurate ?]

[TBoneit]

As I remember it, frame accurate editing requires a re-encode to burn to DVD.

[Seeker47]

As I remember it, frame accurate editing requires a re-encode to burn to DVD.

It looks like the "Regular" Chapter-making option (can't recall the proper name for it just now) must be at key-Frames only. It only moves forward or back in 1/4 second increments. (Or is that 15 frames ? Not sure. It's +/- 0:0:15 on the DVDR counter, in any case.)

This should be easy enough to test on the Pioneers: any re-encode is going to substantially increase how long it takes to make the DVD, so that would not be something one would fail to notice.

Where you obviously see the re-encode is if the running time / bit-rate exceeded the SL disc capacity, and you have to let the DVDR adjust it to a lower bit-rate. Then, you have much more time required and lower PQ. I go out of my way to avoid that situation.

I do frame-accurate editing (cutting unwanted content, like commercials) on the DVDRs all the time, and it has no discernible impact on how long it takes to burn the DVD, vs., say, a straight-through movie with no commercials or other trims. But I suppose that making the chapters could be a different story ?