A DISH timer is your instruction that tells the receiver what programs you want to watch in the future. For most ERDs (External Recording Device) or VCRs, you select a specific program on a specific channel and tell the receiver how often you want to record that program. Be sure to configure the receiver to control your VCR.
There are four types
- VCR records an event on a previously inserted tape for later viewing. Make sure you have your VCR connected and turned on. Also, be sure to set the receiver to tell the VCR to start or stop recording.
- Auto Tune automatically changes the channel for live viewing of the event.
- Reminder creates an onscreen reminder when the event is about to air.
- Ext automatically changes the channel for live viewing of the event and sends commands to a compatible external device, such as the Pocket DISH, which is connected to the S-Video or RCA-type outputs of your receiver. This option is not available unless you enable it. This allows you to record to the external device, rather than to the receiver’s hard drive.
Frequency
Deciding how often you want to watch a show will help you make the best decision:
- Once records a show once (good for movies, sporting events, or other one-time shows).
- Weekly record a program once a week, at that time, on that channel.
- Daily record a program once a day, at that time, on that channel
- Mon-Fri records a program once a day, Monday through Friday, at the selected time, on that channel.
When a timer starts
For two minutes before a recording starts, the receiver can display a digital countdown (timer reminder) on the TV screen. This countdown appears when the program begins. While the countdown is displayed, you can do one of the following:
- Press CANCEL to erase the symbol from the TV screen. This does not stop the timer from starting.
- Press INFO or SELECT to view more information. If you do this, you have the following options:
- Select OK to continue the timer.
- Select Stop Timer to stop the timer.
Note: pressing INFO on the timer reminder only works once. Subsequently, pressing INFO results in the current program information being displayed.
Special Considerations
- For locked programs, you must enter the receiver password before you can create an automatic timer. You can create a manual timer for a locked program without an automatic timer. You can create a manual timer for a locked program without entering the password. However, if you do this when the timer is running, the receiver may only display an error or password entry menu.
- For Pay Per View programs, you must request a Pay Per View program when creating a timer.
- For locked programs, if you set a timer for a program that is locked in your area, when the timer works, the receiver may only display an error.
Reasons for skipping timers
If a timer is skipped, the reason is indicated in the timer list.
- Priority This timer had a lower priority than other events that were currently being recorded.
- User a user chose to skip that timer.
- Duplicate event there is already another timer set to record that program.
- There are events on the DVR, the show has already been recorded and can be viewed in the Daily Schedule list.
- It is not a new episode used for new episode timers. Currently, a New Episode is one that has the current year in the information list in the Program Guide.
- Wrong event for weekly, daily, and Monday through Friday timers. If the guide has a different event listed, the stopwatch will be skipped. For example, the timer was set on a Saturday for Daily, but the show airs only Monday through Friday, so the timer will be skipped on weekends.
Using the timer list
Use the list of timers to:
- View the general list of timers.
- Create a manual timer
- Edit a timer.
Setting an automatic timer
- You can create an automatic timer for a future event. The following instructions explain the easiest way to set an automatic timer.
- Find the future program you want to record using the Program Guide or the Browsing Banner. The program can be an over-the-air or satellite program.
- Select the future event. The Create Timer screen appears
- Select the timer frequency
- Select a type of timer.
- Select Create timer to finish creating the new timer.
Setting a manual timer
- Press Menu and select Timers.
- Select Create timer.
- Select the timer frequency
- Select the type of timer
- Select the Channel (satellite or mobile), using the ARROWS on the remote control or the NUMERIC KEYPAD to find the channel.
- Select Edit time
- Set the start time and end time, making sure to specify AM or PM
- Set the date
- Select Create timer
- Select Done
Delete a timer
- Press MENU and then select Timers
- Select timers to delete
- Select Delete. Timers are removed
Overlap
If you try to create event timers in overlapping programs, the receiver displays a screen with the dates and times of both programs. The receiver also displays this screen if the time of a program has changed causing one timer to overlap another. You must delete or edit one of the timers.
Enable Record Link
Your receiver has a timer function called Record Link. This function sends data (audio, video, and other commands) to an external device that you can connect to the receiver’s RCA or S-video type outputs, allowing the program to be stored on an external device.
Advice
- It is very important to leave the receiver enabled to receive updates. By doing this, the receiver can have the latest software and Program Guide information. Make sure the Updates feature is enabled.
- If your VCR does not respond to commands from the receiver, see if you accidentally left the protective film on the front panel of the receiver.