How to record a tv program?

How to record TV program on the fly using Microsoft Media Center right at the hour?

• Today I was trying to use Microsoft Media Center to record a program right at 4pm. It was on Windows 7. So when it was 3:59:45pm, the TV station already started playing an "intro" or a summary of the following program, which I also want to record, to serve as a summary for the whole program. So I pressed Record (update: the red record icon) on the program, and the smart Media Center recorded 3:59:45 to 3:59:59 as 1 program, thinking that the task is complete -- that the intention of the user is to record from 3:59:45 to 3:59:59. I know the common explanation is: Media Center thought you want to record the program from 3pm to 4pm, and you start at 3:59:45, which is (yes, technically to an idiot's brain), in fact 3pm still. So it intelligently recorded the mere 14 seconds. So how can it be accomplished, when I see a program I didn't schedule earlier and want to record from 3:59:45 to 5:01 as 1 continuous program? I can press Record again, except on the screen, there is no apparent way to tell whether recording is going on. Are there solutions to solve these issues for the genius Media Center app?

• Answer:

  So I pressed Record on the program "Program" meaning WMC, and not the TV program? I'm assuming you pressed the red "Record" button (that's on the left end of all the control icons), rather than the "Record" in a pop-up menu or from the program's details page. Other than scheduling the program recording to begin X minutes ahead of the official start time (or at least use the "record (this program)" command selection rather than the red record icon), no. WMC needs to attach metadata for the program name, synopsis etc., so it has to use the current program, even if somekind of transition content or commercial is actual being received. There is no option to "blend" the active recording into the next program. This is simply one of the consequences of recording programs with metadata (instead of VCR-like start and stop recording events) and keeping the interface simple.