Widescreen Movie Center

ReplayTV Revealed

Many of the details about ReplayTV's functionality are not adequately documented and can be quite confusing. This is my attempt to summarize some of the "nitty gritty" with regard to some of the more complicated functionality of ReplayTV.

Please send additions and corrections to martin@metronet.com.

Auto Deletion
Recording Priority
What does "at or around x:xx" mean
What does the power button do?
Secret Screens, etc.
Jump around in a Replay Show
Fine Tuning cable box control Other ReplayTV Sites

Revision History

05/01/01 Added 611 Service Screen info.

02/17/01 Added "MODESTO GIRL" CFP command.

01/28/01 Added more "jump" information and cable box control fine tuning.

12/16/00 Revised for software version 3.0.

08/14/00 Added CFP field values for toggling hidden features.

07/21/00 ReplayTV 2.1 released! Added 777-Replay Zones and 516-Replay Zones secret features.

05/01/00 Fixed deletion/priority info based on definitive word from ReplayTV.

02/29/99 ReplayTV 2.0 released!

11/18/99 Updated contents of 243-Zone screen which changed with new software release.

7/14/99 Theme keywords only match entire words.

7/13/99 Accidentally hit "Regenesis" so now describe what it appears to do.

7/1/99 Added What does the power button do? section.

Auto Deletion

There are circumstances under which shows will be deleted from the Replay Guide automatically to make room for new shows. This is how it works.

Recording a new guaranteed Replay Channel show

  • If limit (shows/time) on this Replay Channel is met:
    • Delete the oldest show on this Replay Channel.
  • Otherwise, if disk is full:
    • Delete the oldest not guaranteed show(s) on any Replay Channel to make room.

Recording a new not guaranteed Replay Channel show

  • If disk is full or limit (shows/time) is met
    • Replay Channel with no shows
      • Don't record show
    • Theme-based Replay Channel with shows
      • Replace oldest show on this Replay Channel
    • Show-based channel containing shows
      • Delete oldest show on this Replay Channel to make room, but only if it is more than 24 hours old.

Recording Priority

When two shows that different Replay Channels want to record occur at the same time (or overlap) the following priorities are used to decide which show gets recorded. The types of channels listed first take priority over those lower in the list.

  • Guaranteed
    • show-based/single record
      • Highest priority, can not conflict
    • theme or zone-based
      • Show that starts first
      • Show that is on lower numbered channel
  • Not guaranteed
    • Show that starts first
    • Show show-based or single record
      • Replay channel that was created earlier
    • theme or zone-based
      • Show on lower numbered channel

    If two shows that overlap match the same theme-based Replay Channel, the one with the lower Channel Guide channel number wil be recorded.

    You may see a lower priority show get recorded instead of a higher priority show if the lower priority program requires less disk space and the disk doesn't have room for the higher priority show. I saw this happening once and was a bit confused as to why a not guaranteed, theme-based show was being recorded when there was a not guaranteed show on at the same time.

    Also note that for some period of time after you define a non-guaranteed replay channel, it will get the lowest priority (since everything else was already internally scheduled). This could last for up to 24 hours.

    What does "at or around x:xx" mean exactly

    Then you define a show-based Replay Channel, it indicates that it will record shows with a given name on a given channel at or around the time the show used to define the Replay Channel airs. The latest word (from a ReplayTV programmer) is that it looks one show earlier or later if there is something on else on at the specified time. So, if Friends is usually on at 7 but something else is on there instead it will only find it if it immediately precedes or follows the unexpected show, regardless of how far it has to look.

    Secret Screens, etc.

    Hold down power for 4 seconds
    Reboots the machine.

    111-Replay Zone
    Brings up a Tic Tac Toe game (if enabled by the CFP command).

    243-Replay Zone
    Brings up a menu. Note that this screen and the functions in it are NOT supported by ReplayTV and are untested. Use at your own risk.

    1. Exit - Exits the menu
    2. Toggle Clock - Turns on and off a clock display
    3. Toggle CPU Meter - Turns on and off a % display of CPU usage and a load graph in the top right corner.
    4. Net connect - Executes the nightly phone connection on demand.
    5. Refresh Partition - Erases all record shows and reformats/erases disk.
    6. Clear Channel Guide - Self explanatory, untested.
    7. Graphic Test - unknown
    8. Memmeter - Displays some memory usage information
    9. -
    10. -

    The bottom box is actually a text input area, the CFP (Claw Foot Portal) field. Press SEL when over it and you are presented with a keyboard. The following codes can be entered into the field:

    DISABLE DISK SPINDOWN
    ENABLE DISK SPINDOWN    		 Toggle disk spindown during the power off state.
    JULIE Displays the message "Spencer loves Julie"
    MODESTO GIRL Turns red dots in program guide to hearts. Enter again to change back to circles. (The hearts appear on Valentines day automatically).
    SPORTSGUARD ON
    SPORTSGUARD OFF    		 Enables a global padding feature (in default record options) to extend all sports recordings.
    PLAY CONTINUOUSLY Toggles an additional menu item when a replay show is selected that allows looped play of the show. Not supported, may or may not work well.
    TIC TAC TOE Enables a tic tac toe game accessed by pressing 111-Replay Zone

    411-Replay Zone
    Diagnostic screen reports software version/date and last modem connection statistics.

    611-Replay Zone, then 116-Replay Zone
    Service Screen, change country and Replay Zone prefix (no info on what these do).

    777-Replay Zone
    Demo mode (disabled on home machines) and a button to Restore Factory Settings which clears the Replay Guide, reboots, restores the welcome message and requires you to go through setup again.

    49152-Zones
    When entered at the initial Quick Startup screen will exit the setup and let you at least use the unit as an expensive VCR.

    What does the power button do?

    1. Toggles the little green light on the front of the ReplayTV unit.
    2. Turns the video outputs on and off.
    3. If power is off and no recording is being made, the ReplayTV goes into a sleep state and the drive spins down etc. When this happens a "Please Wait..." screen will be displayed for a few seconds while the drive spins back up when you turn it on.

    Jump around within a Replay Show

    When watching a Replay Show, you can enter the number of minutes you want to jump to and then the Jump button to jump to a specific location in a program. For example 1-0-Jump takes you 10 minutes into the program.

    You can also jump forward or backward by a specific number of minutes by entering the number followed by Quick Skip or Instant Replay. For example, 3-Quick Skip moves you forward 3 minutes (the length of most commercial breaks!).

    Fine Tuning cable box control

    If you go to the setup menu and work your way to the section involving picking out the code numbers for the cable box. Then choose a code number and push zones. You get a fine tuning screen.

    Other ReplayTV Sites

    ReplayTV
    Tele-Portal.com - Links to reviews, etc.
    ReplayTV vs. TiVO Comparison
    PVR Comparisons
    The Future of Television
    ReplayTV Notes - Another collection of helpful tips for ReplayTV users.
    ReplayTV 4000 Hacking



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    Last updated Tuesday, 22-Apr-2003 21:58:17 CDT

    Steve Martin