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Does CBS Block Your DVR?
Some viewers claim that "The Eye" network is keeping an eye on you -- and a tight grip on it content.
Survivor
The tribe has spoken: Some viewers are having problems recording “Survivor” on CBS. Photo: © 2007 CBS/Jeffrey R. Staab.
April 16, 2008 | by Rachel Cericola

The guys over at Sound & Vision say that CBS is blocking them from recording favorite shows.

Writer John Sciacca says that his digital video recorder sometimes even plays tricks, showing the record light. Then when he goes back to watch his beloved “Survivor,” it’s not on his DVR. The network has spoken—well not really.

Gizmodo put in a call to the network and they are working to fix the mystery problem. A quick web search also found that Sciacca isn’t the only one being cut off from the Tribal Council. There are plenty of viewers commiserating online about missing out on their favorite program. Even more bizarre, the problem is not limited to one type of DVR.

Unfortunately, they couldn’t blame the glitches on the poor performance of “Secret Talents of the Stars.”

Sure, I’ve missed the last minute of “The Office” and a few other shows, but I’ve learned to schedule my recordings to go an extra five minutes. Annoying? You bet. However, I never have to worry about missing that pivotal moment of “Lost” again.

The problem is supposedly not universal, which makes it more puzzling. Not sure if it’s Sciacca’s equipment, a random glitch or CBS and its evil “eye.” There’s nothing on CBS that I want to record—bring back “Murder She Wrote!”

Have you experienced such problems? Miss out on a massive cliffhanger? Drop me a comment below.



Rachel Cericola - Contributing Writer
Over the past 15 years, Rachel Cericola has covered entertainment, web and technology trends. Check her out at www.rachelcericola.com.



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Comments (4) Most recent displayed first.
Posted by Nancy Brown  on  09/12/08  at  07:01 PM

This phenomenon is not limited to DVD.  I am unable to clearly record any program on CBS.  The program will record on my VHS, but it rolls.  I can’t stop it with tracking.  It only happens with CBS programs.o

Posted by JSK  on  06/02/08  at  09:28 AM

I have a Dish Network ViP 522 and it probably isn’t related to this issue, but my wife was watching American Idol and it got to the end where Ryan Seacrest said “.. and the Next American Idol is ... David ...” and the recording ended.  My wife was mad and I was ROFL (which made her even more mad).  Anyhow, if Fox would invest in a clock, this wouldn’t happen.  This must have happened to others as well because Talk Soup showed the same type of incident (except with a Tivo).

I haven’t had many other problems, except when the guide data is wrong.  A few times, it stopped recording a series and I have to set the timer up again and it works after that.

Posted by Clint Shepherd  on  04/18/08  at  09:20 PM

CBS shows having trouble with DVR. DVR has been having trouble with HD shows dropping their sound. Picture is fine. Background is good (background music, cars on the street and dogs barking) but foreground, main actors voices are gone.

Posted by Jeff Rada  on  04/18/08  at  12:40 PM

I have had a couple of ABC programs (Lost for example) not record. The record light came on but nothing was actually recorded. This was on a directv HD DVR. It has happend a couple of time now.



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