Monday, October 2, 2017

How I Decide What Shows to Watch Live and Record for Later

You may know from reading the reviews I post in this blog and various other posts that I have a way of watching many different shows all at once. I once could do four shows at once with two VCRs that could record stuff, a TV tuner that could record something, and a show to watch live as it airs. The whole process can be complicated and I gave you a hint of this life in a post entitled a week in the life of a TV junkie. So how do I decide what gets watched or recorded on what format? Well, things are always subject to change, but I figured that I might as well mention all the various rules I have about it.

Before I go too far, I should say that things are subject to change in the format that I use as things go along. What I do some of the time, I don’t do all of the time. Each day and week is different than the next and that is why I never know for sure what is happening. Plus, I have to record things for someone else which can be bothersome at times.

Normally, what I watch live is considered a priority one show. What I record on my laptop is considered a priority two show. What I record on tape is considered a priority three show. Anything that conflicts with them that I like but decide not to watch sometimes due to that many good things being on at once is a priority four show. There has not yet been a priority five show. If there are good things on each network all at the same time, that is rare and doesn’t always happen. Even then, there is likely some show that I don’t care enough about to watch even if I do like it.

Starting out, the shows that I would watch would be whatever has been on longest is watched live, the second longest is on my laptop, the third longest or shortest amount of time would be on tape. This isn’t always the case going on. For one, I try to avoid reruns, but I can’t always do that every time. Also, I only avoid reruns if I have seen it because I can miss episodes a lot. I also want to give priority to special episodes which may only count as season finales.

There tends to be a gap between when I record something on tape and when I watch it as unless I am really far behind on them. That is why any show I have not seen most not be put on tape since I want to know then and there if I like it or not. This could affect the recording schedule. Also, if something is on instead of the usual programming, I tend to ignore it unless I have nothing else to watch.

It can be hard to keep track of some shows. If I know that one is ending or could end, I try to watch the last episode live instead of recording it. I do have to record some on tape at times and do this by choice at times. If I can’t see something live, I record what I can although I can’t record everything. Sometimes I can’t watch anything at all even if I am at home all day.

One of the things that I have changed in the rules is keeping up with the ratings of shows. This means that if I know a show could be ending, I can avoid putting it on tape if and when possible. Now new shows are more likely to get cancelled than most existing shows. This means that even shows that I like more or have been on longer can get put on tape instead. Another thing that I have to worry about is reception problems with channels where I live and I might have to avoid putting these shows on my laptop due to these problems.


Honestly, I don’t know what else there is to say regarding it. I could do a log about it for this blog, but I don’t think that it is worth anyone’s time, not even mine. I watch what I watch when I can watch it. I don’t watch what I can’t see whenever it is that I can’t see it. I watch too much TV. I don’t watch what doesn’t come in as that isn’t worth anyone’s time. I try to avoid watching things online whenever I can as a lot of network’s websites’ aren’t reliable. I hope that they can change that as I know that someone reads this blog, although it probably isn’t always the same person. At least I don’t do this for nothing. I’ll be back with new posts at some point in time and if I do wind up on an odd hiatus for any reason, then I hope to be back by the next month sometime.

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