plummerld's profile

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Thursday, June 9th, 2022 10:59 PM

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Cloud DVR versus Physical DVR

Possibly it's because I've been a software engineer for 40+ years, but I'm confused. I recently took the X1 Koolaid, moving from a Non-X1 DVR to the XG1v4 which came with the addition of the Cloud. The joke is that the way our account was setup, using the Beta Stream app, we already had Cloud recording, just could not see it from the physical non-X1 box.

So, my question is how the current combined recording storage works! Do I really have 300 hours of recording capacity or is the cloud mirroring the physical box so that I can see the content from internet devices? Nowhere in the labyrinth of Comcast have I found any detailed explanation of this. Additionally, I can see a percent used when I bring up the recording page on the box. Is this percent used on the combination, the physical box only or what???

I also see that one can purchase additional hours of Cloud recording. OK, how does this work? Now I would have 150 hours of physical and 300 hours of Cloud???

If different recordings are in each location, can they be seen from all viewing locations?? I'm sure I've got more questions (count on it), but this is a start.

Gold Problem Solver

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5.9K Messages

3 years ago

I believe all new DVR's are only cloud.  They can likely help get past videos transferred if they fit.

You will probably wish you kept the old DVR.

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239 Messages

3 years ago

@MNtundraRET​ Actually, they do contain hard drives, monstrous 500GB ones. First, this is from the article, X1 DVR Services Overview:

Storage Capacity: Currently, your X1 DVR can record approximately 150 total hours of HD programming on the hard drive, and 150 hours of Cloud DVR storage per X1 DVR. You can purchase additional Cloud DVR storage hours by visiting www.xfinity.com.

Second, from the diagnostics screen of the XG1v4:

Third from the FCC:
So, my questions above, would still like answers. What I find interesting, is the diagnostic reference to an external hard drive, apparently 1TB, showing 500GB used. My guess would be that the Cloud is actually acting as a mirror, with an allocation of 500GB, used to contain the mirror. It also appears that the leftover 500GB could represent the space that is used if you pay to double the Cloud storage.

(edited)

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519 Messages

Hello, @plummerl I appreciate you reaching out to us here on our Xfinity forums page regarding our dvr services. Our dvr come with 150 hours of HD programming. I am including a link with more facts on our dvr services. Please click https://comca.st/3xEkFAP to learn more. 

I no longer work for Comcast.

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239 Messages

@XfinityLamont​ this is some kind of joke, right??? I even referenced the link above. Please, slowly read my first posting in this thread. The actual questions are there.

I know that the physical DVR holds 150 hours of HD (500GB hard drive). It also says "and 150 hours of Cloud". In common ENGLISH, this would mean 150 hours DVR PLUS 150 hours CLOUD. Total of 300 hours. It says nothing about having the CLOUD be a mirror of the physical DVR. This would mean we have a total of 150 hours, not 300 hours. When you offer to double the CLOUD to 300 hours, the DVR remains at 150 hours. How does this work, if the cloud really mirrors the DVR??????

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519 Messages

Sorry for any confusion. Yes, @plummerl Our dvr include 150 hours HD recording on the Hard drive. In addition it does also include 150 hours of cloud recording. Are you not showing the 15 cloud on your end? 

I no longer work for Comcast.

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239 Messages

@XfinityLamont​ as I have repeatedly stated. Nothing in the X1 user interface shows a distinction between the physical DVR and the CLOUD. On the recording page it shows a single percent used value. That's it. Nothing saying that it's the percent of either DVR or CLOUD. I have found nothing that asks me where I want the recording to be stored!

From the X1 Cloud DVR FAQ:

In the event of a DVR box swap, will I still have access to my recordings?
Recordings made after June 7, 2016, or after the date you began using X1 Cloud DVR (whichever is later) will be accessible from your new TV Box as well as from mobile devices and computers.

With this statement, it would appear that the DVR Box recordings are backed up to the CLOUD DVR. How else can I read this statement?????

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519 Messages

Sorry if I misunderstood. Yes, all recording scheduled from your box or online are backed up via the cloud. I am including two links below with more information about our dvr services https://comca.st/3twqopK and https://comca.st/3QiuUSr. Let me know if this helps. Thanks again @plummerl

I no longer work for Comcast.

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5.9K Messages

3 years ago

@plummerl :

Thank you for the information. I have had DSL from day 1 in my area. I refuse to switch to Comcast Internet in order to use an X1 box.

I only use Comcast for standard cable. Never had a problem with DSL broadband. We spend more time on You Tube watching 4K and our collection of Real 3D movies. I can convert 2D sports (or any program) to 3D too.

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7.9K Messages

3 years ago

The only way to tell if playing a recording is local or Cloud is to look at the icon when you hit the down arrow to show the timebar. If it just says "DVR", then it is a local recording. If there is a cloud symbol in front of "DVR", then it is a cloud recording. Only QAM channels can be recorded locally. If you record something on one of the IP-only channels, then it will always be Cloud.

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5.9K Messages

3 years ago

@plummerl 

My first reply quoted below was likely correct for the final sentence. I haven't seen many happy customers who gave up their old DVR.

Quote: "

I believe all new DVR's are only cloud.  They can likely help get past videos transferred if they fit.

You will probably wish you kept the old DVR. "

Regular Visitor

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13 Messages

2 years ago

All new DVRs are strictly cloud these days. The boxes no longer have hard drives in them (this is why the new 4k boxes are MUCH smaller than the old 1080 boxes).  I was having issues with our storage space indicator fluctuating, and the customer service agents training seemed to be limited to “let my try a system refresh on my end.”  Beyond that, they were stumped, every time.

So, myself having technological experience of 30 years, just started analyzing the situation and speaking to agents at the XFinity store, where they are MUCH more knowledgeable than the internet agents, because the store reps have to be prepared for any question, whereas on the internet the minimally-trained, novice-level reps are frontline, and the more advanced reps are only bothered when needed for help…and I learned that the (cloud) storage attached to DVR boxes is separate from the cloud storage that allows you to use X1 using the Xfinity Stream app.  This is why storage space indicators can be wonky.  Ours would show 67% full with 200 recordings, then just minutes later, show 90% full with 205 recordings.  So I would u plug the box, plug it back in, and when it rebooted it would be back to about 67% with 205 recordings.  So, unplugging the box and plugging back in will solve this, temporarily.  This is apparently because the DVR storage and cloud storage for mobile device use of X1 are supposed to work together, but it can be buggy. I wish I didn’t have to unplug/re-plug in my damn box every day just to prevent issues.

(edited)

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239 Messages

@Schbond​ I have a month old XG1v4. It very definitely has a hard drive, a 2-1/2 inch, 500GB. A 2-1/2" drive easily fits into the XG1v4 chassis. If you look above in the thread (3rd post down) you can see the internal photo from the FCC registration document. The external eSATA is active, you can watch an external drive power up, but Comcast has locked it out in the firmware. The post also shows the XG1v4 diagnostic page with the internal hard drive listed. From the unbelievable number of conflicting answers given by Comcast employees, it would seem that the only ones who truly know anything would be the engineering department! Some talk about seeing a cloud symbol on certain recordings, I've never seen one, even by using the Stream phone app, using my wireless data path, not the home internet.

(edited)

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