Add ability to manually tune channels and schedule recordings

General Discussions Plex Features
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I’m sure these features have been requested before but we really need to …

  1. be able to tune our receivers when there is no EPG data.
  2. manually schedule a recording. i.e. specify a specific time and channel to record regardless of the availability of EPG data.

The recent (and currently ongoing) EPG server outage demonstrates the need for these features.; We are dead in the water until this gets fixed. Adding these features would also allow us to continue to view OTA tv even if there is an internet service outage.

6 Likes
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Yes. I will second this!

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I would be interested in hearing from Plex devs about why this basic feature isn’t in the product already. Is there an architectural issue that makes adding it exceedingly difficult?

It took multiple refreshes of the EPG on Superbowl Sunday this year before Plex got the program information and allowed me to record it.

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Bumping this thread to keep it alive.

Plex devs and support: Severe weaknesses in the EPG are a perennial forum topic, and the complaints seem to get no love whatsoever from the Plex team. I am one more Plex Pass subscriber whose #1 reason for subscribing is DVR capability.

There are a lot of us out here–just briefly skimming the forums, there’s a lot of frustration, and you’ve even lost subscribers because of EPG issues.

It would help a lot if you would at least provide us with workarounds and a roadmap for when we can expect to see improvements. Even if the answer is “well, we don’t really know” it would be nice to know that whoever is in charge of these features at Plex isn’t just ignoring us.

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The whole logic of the DVR needs to be changed. I’ve had multiple sports programs that have not recorded because of an EPG issues. I’m guessing it’s because the EPG info was updated slightly and then the Plex logic thought it was a different show. Plex would show the recording still in the recording list, but show “no upcoming airings” when it should have been recording. If I could just program times and channels I would guess it would work mo

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I suspect you are right. They have an architectural problem that will cost a lot to figure out.

PLEX devs, why won’t you just say so if that’s the problem?

A HUGE driver of Plex Pass subscriptions is DVR functionality. How can you not take these complaints seriously?

I want whoever is in charge of DVR features to start engaging with the community.

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So there really is no way to manually program Plex to record? That seems insane to me. My EPG data always has holes in it, and now it sounds like the updates are causing additional issues with that. Even with good reliable EPG data, I often have reasons to manually schedule a recording. If this is really how it works, I cannot rely on it for my DVR and need to keep looking for an alternative.

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Manual scheduling of recordings would be very very useful indeed.

e.g. I tried to record a 24-hour sports event the other day. The station (and the EPG) had broken the transmission in two parts of the same name. Plex only recorded the first part.

Another reason: Here in Germany, some networks chance their scheduling pretty often due to actual events. Most times, the EPG fails to reflect a change on short notice. Manual scheduling would help to overcome this problem.

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