Training Intelligent Recording

[tmiranda]

I am still trying to sort out how to properly "train" Intelligent Recording. How do I tell Sage I do not like all episodes of a certain show? If I set "Don't Like" for a certain show it no longer record that episode, but it does record other episodes of the same show. What am I doing wrong?

[Mark SS]

IR is a pretty poorly implemented feature and lacks basic functions like that you mention. I leave it disabled but use neilm's web server and the IR suggestions plugin to review whats being proposed and then manually tag them for recording if interested

[tmiranda]

So there is no way to tell Sage that I do not like an entire series?

I generally keep IR on but then use nielm's web server to weed out what I do not want. This works, but is too labor intensive. I generally like IR since it often finds shows I like, I just wish I knew a better way to keep its attention focused

[Opus4]

There are a couple things you can do:

1. Enable aggressive negative profiling in Detailed Setup -> Customize, or
2. Mark more episodes of the series as Don't Like

I would try aggressive negative profiling first. But, I found that some series just have to have more episodes marked as Don't Like before it overrides the 'like' factor from other things you've watched.

- Andy

[tmiranda]

Thanks Andy, I'll try that. I never did bother to find out what "Aggressive Negative Profiling" was, now I know....

[nielm]

I also have an Intelligent Suggestions plugin for Sage (as well as a page in the webserver). This shows IR scheduled recordings grouped by category/title (or whatever you want), and if you select a group, you can hit don't like on a whole group... Repeat until bored (or until you have fewer suggested IR shows!!!)

If you don't have IR enabled, you can use the same screen to see what it might like to record, and schedule it manually...

[jominor]

Originally Posted by Mark SS

IR is a pretty poorly implemented feature and lacks basic functions like that you mention. I leave it disabled but use neilm's web server and the IR suggestions plugin to review whats being proposed and then manually tag them for recording if interested

I couldn't disagree more! I've been using Sage for more than 2 years and it works very well. I has picked up many shows that I've enjoyed and overwhelmingly doesn't grab shows I've tagged as don't like.

I would suggest lack of training for your problems.

[Mark SS]

Originally Posted by jominor

I would suggest lack of training for your problems.

I quite often have the news on in the background if I'm doing something else, I NEVER EVER want it to record as an IR suggestion. I've marked hundreds of news shows as Don't Like, yet IR will always suggest it!

It may be that I've been spoilt by Tivo for several years and Sage hasn't got anywhere near Tivos PVR abilities, yet. It may also be due to the poor EPG data we're stuck with in the UK, so categorisation of shows is very bad.

Either way, I'm sure many people would welcome an option to set "Never Record" for both a particular show, channel and category.

[src666]

My understanding of the situation is that IR works well, except for one fatal flaw - it pays attention to what you watch. Not what you choose to record, but what you watch. So if you channel surf, it thinks you watched everything. If you leave live TV running past a program you like, into a program you don't like, it thinks you want to watch it.

And if you have told it over and over and over again that you don't like Seinfeld, then you jump into a Seinfeld episode, suddenly you must like Seinfeld.

For those people who rarely watch live TV, never channel surf, and stick pretty close to their favorites, IR works well. For others, it's a constant pain.

[jominor]

Originally Posted by Mark SS

I quite often have the news on in the background if I'm doing something else, I NEVER EVER want it to record as an IR suggestion. I've marked hundreds of news shows as Don't Like, yet IR will always suggest it!

It may be that I've been spoilt by Tivo for several years and Sage hasn't got anywhere near Tivos PVR abilities, yet. It may also be due to the poor EPG data we're stuck with in the UK, so categorisation of shows is very bad.

Either way, I'm sure many people would welcome an option to set "Never Record" for both a particular show, channel and category.

I agree with the "never record" for a particular show. However, even since someone suggested using additional recordings and the don't like together, I stopped getting shows I didn't want.
I personally prefer IR's proactiveness. "Go out and find stuff" as opposed to me having to tell it to get stuff.

[jominor]

Originally Posted by src666

My understanding of the situation is that IR works well, except for one fatal flaw - it pays attention to what you watch. Not what you choose to record, but what you watch. So if you channel surf, it thinks you watched everything. If you leave live TV running past a program you like, into a program you don't like, it thinks you want to watch it.

And if you have told it over and over and over again that you don't like Seinfeld, then you jump into a Seinfeld episode, suddenly you must like Seinfeld.

For those people who rarely watch live TV, never channel surf, and stick pretty close to their favorites, IR works well. For others, it's a constant pain.

It's also an issue of time. Like you mentioned, I mostly stick to Favorites. However, IR has been a major contributor to a favorites because it found stiff I would not otherwise have watched.

I initially started with watch(and pausing) Live TV and had few favorites. Now, after more than two years, I have many favorites and watch very little LiveTV. However, even when watching something Live on occasion, I cannot think of any shows that have appeared to any unreasonable degree. Also, since Sage removes them, I don't mind the shows coming and going.

But again, its very subjective.