Visitor

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4 Messages

Tuesday, June 16th, 2026

Timers Settings Are Set to On Time but They Start 1 Minute Early and Stop One Minute Late

I have all of my timers set to start/stop on time but some start 1 minute early, 1 minute late or both.

The only solution I have found is a 5 year old post that suggest to turn off "padding" in general preferences. There is no option to do so.

Any suggestion on how to fix this?

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Moderator

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145 Messages

17 days ago

jimhorne247 we understand recorded programs may be stopping and stopping a little off the listed times. I'm sure this can be frustrating. When this happens, it is the network, commercials or programming that can cause the timing difference. If you see this happening with the same shows over and over, you can change the settings to start 3 minutes early and stop 3 minutes later.  

 

Cox Support Forums Moderator

-LJ

Visitor

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4 Messages

I don't want to start recording early and later. I want it to record on time. 3 minutes early/late will overlap the next episode, thus causing a conflict and won't record.

Moderator

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172 Messages


jimhorne247, 

I apologize for the inconvenience any overlaps in recordings are causing you. I have experienced the same thing; however, it's not something we have control over. As an alternative to recording, shows are available in the On Demand section of Contour 24 hours after they originally air which would not include overlaps. This is the only other suggestion I can offer in this situation. I truly wish I had a perfect solution for you. 
-Heather

Honored Contributor

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2.1K Messages

16 days ago

Cox switched to MPEG‑4 encoding in 2021.  Since then, customers have reported delays.  MPEG‑4 compresses the signal more efficiently than the older MPEG‑2 standard, freeing up bandwidth, but this compression process introduces a lag between the original broadcast and the delivered signal.

It's been an issue for 5 years... for everybody subscribed to Cox television service.  Your only fix is to adjust recording times to start and end a minute late. 

Visitor

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4 Messages

It already starts a minute early and ends a minute late. I want it to start/stop on time. I have it set at "on time" but something overrides it.

Honored Contributor

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2.1K Messages

What you said makes no sense. What starts a minute early and ends a minute late?  It isn't programming because that starts late (not early) and ends late because of the delivery delay I explained in my first post.  If your scheduled recording times or set for "on time", they will continue to stop recording before the end of programs because of the delivery delay.  If you record three programs on the same channel back-to-back-to back, adjust all three to end a minute late, but only the second and third need to start a minute late.

This is an issue for everyone that subscribes to Cox television services, not just you. 

Visitor

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4 Messages

Thanks for the explanation. I should have been more specific. 

The timer  starts recording 1 minute before the show starts. So, it is recording the last minute of the previous show. If the previous show was a movie, it's usually credits. If I'm recording a series, for example NCIS, it records the last minute of the previous NCIS.

Then, after the show that I'm watching ends, it continues to record 1 minute longer, thus recording either a part of a commercial or, in the example of NCIS, the first minute of the next show.

Honored Contributor

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2.1K Messages

It sounds like you're recording the entire episode, plus a little extra on the front and back end.  If it conflicts with other recordings, see my previous email about adjusting other programs scheduled to be recorded on the same channel and day.  It's annoying to have to do that, but it's been this way for 5 years.  Cox is unlikely to ever fix it.

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