TiVo tips for golf fans

With golf on so many channels and at different times with different titles, it can be difficult to schedule a TiVo to catch it all. There is a way to get most of what you’re looking for without having to program the system daily or weekly. It will still use the season pass system, but requires some manual input and is set up through the wish lists.

Let’s say you’re just interested in watching all PGA tour events.
Under TiVo Central, choose Pick Programs to Record
Then select Search Using WishLists
Select Create New WishList
Select Keyword WishList
Enter in the words PGA GOLF and select Done creating Keywords
Select Sports as the category and Golf as the subcategory (this will help prevent – but not eliminate – recording shows about PGA Golf in addition to the events)
Choose Auto-record WishList programs

Done! This setting will record all PGA Golf events with those words in their title, including European PGA Golf.
Caution: Be aware that not all events have that in their title (I have a separate Keyword Wish List for Masters).
Caution: Also, this example won’t pick up LPGA events just because it contains PGA in the string. You’ll need a separate wish list for that. (You can use an asterisk as a wild card by pressing the “slow” key on the remote when entering in the letters for your wish list, but it only works at the end of a word.)

To be even more accurate in getting only the programming you want recorded, you can check in your To Do List to make sure the programs you want are there and delete any programs it has picked up that you don’t want. A shortcut to access your To Do List is from TiVo Central, press the number 2 (as in 2-do) and voila, you’re there.

Tip number two

Golf often goes longer than scheduled. Tired of your TiVo cutting off after the allotted time and missing the playoff or having to program it to record two shows after the event to make sure you get it all? There’s an easier way. (Works for any sporting event that goes into overtime and extends beyond the scheduled time.)

Whether you have it set as a season pass or to record one-time only, select the program from your To Do List or Season Pass Manager. If you do it in the Season Pass Manager, you’ll only have to do it once.
From the To Do List, select the name of the program you want and then select Options.
From the Season Pass Manager, select the name of the program and then select Change recording options.
Scroll down to Stop Recording and use the left and right arrow keys to toggle between choices for how long you want it to record. I have my golf set to record 1 hour longer than scheduled.
Press the Select button twice to activate your changes and you’re done. It might give you warnings if you have programs that overlap because of your new choices, and you can accept or decline.

The more I know how to manipulate it, the more my TiVo satisfies me. It doesn’t even care that I have another TiVo in the bedroom.

Next post.