DIRECTV allows clients to record programs they wish to watch at a later time on their DVR or digital video recorder. This lets you freeze live TV and reverse or advance through your recorded programs. But at times, by some mistake; these records are erased or deleted. If you have by any chance deleted a particular recording that you wished to view, there is no need to panic. DIRECTV offers you an opportunity to restore the recordings that you accidentally deleted.
What Is Undelete On DIRECTV?
Directv receiver has a program called undelete that enables one to regain DVR recordings that have been erased. It is important to note that when you delete a recording, DIRECTV does not erase it from the system right away. Rather, it flags the area in the recording media that contains the recorded information as a free space that can be used to store new records.
The undelete feature just lets you inform your DIRECTV box that you still want that recording that it just deleted. In this case, undelete is useful till it is certain that no other data has been written on it; then it can recover that prior deleted show or movie.
Time Limitations For Undeleting DIRECTV Content
There are only a few options for restoring deleted records and you have a certain period for performing this operation. Programming content stored in DIRECTV receivers can only be retrieved from programs that have been deleted in the last 30 days. Deleted recordings are erased after 30 days and cannot be recovered again because the space for them is overwritten.
So if you come to your senses immediately after deleting something accidentally and you want to watch it again, undelete should technically provide for that. However, after one month, that content vanishes and is never to be seen again in the feed.
How To Undelete Recordings On DIRECTV
Deleting recordings and undeleting is possible on a DIRECTV receiver and it is quite simple to do. Here are the steps:
1. Using Your DIRECTV Remote – Press the LIST Button
The first operation is to call up your recorded content list. To do this, press the button labeled ‘LIST’ on your DIRECTV remote control.
2. How to get to the deleted folder
Right at the top of your file list, there should be a folder named ‘Deleted. ’ To open it, use the arrow keys and the SELECT button on your remote control.
3. Locate and choose the deleted recording you are interested in recovering
You will now see the list of recordings that were deleted recently and can still be restored if you want. Move through the list and make use of the arrow and SELECT buttons to select the particular episode or movie that you want to restore.
4. Select To Recover The Deleted Recording
When you have decided which of the deleted recordings you would like to restore, the option ‘undelete’ will appear at the bottom of the Mac’s screen. Select “Undelete” and click OK again when the pop-up message to confirm the action appears.
5. Your Recording Will Reappear Back In Your Playlist
After they are undeleted the restored recording will be just as easy to access as any other recording which is still stored on your DVR. It can be watched as soon as it is available or it may be kept safely in the list to watch it later.
And that’s all folks! These are just a few simple remote button presses that enable you to use the undelete function after accidentally deleting your recordings.
What If Undelete Doesn't Work?
Sometimes, undeleting content may not be possible even if it was deleted less than 30 days ago. Why? As mentioned earlier, DIRECTV only keeps deleted recordings for some time depending on the time that space occupied by that particular recording is taken up by new programs.
Therefore if your DVR has been quite busy with a lot of recordings having been made after you erased a particular show, then it is likely that the erased content was replaced by new data.
You may start also to notice that some recordings are just impossible to delete. For instance, partial recordings may not be eligible for the feature, notes the writer. Of course, when something has been deleted for over a month, it cannot be retrieved because of the retention policy of DIRECTV.
Alternative Options If A Recording Is Not Recoverable
If you find yourself in a situation where that particular show or movie that you were eager to watch has been removed and cannot be restored, don’t panic! You still have options:
- On Demand – DIRECTV On Demand is a service that has over 10,000 titles that are available through your receiver. Try if your deleted movie/show is available in this way.
- Streaming Apps: Several streaming apps such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, YouTube, etc., are installed in the DIRECTV receivers to view the programs online.
- More Episodes – With the help of your listings, you will be able to find out whether that episode you deleted will be on again soon on its network channel allowing you to set it to record again.
Thus while undeleting recordings is convenient when it functions even deleted content that is eventually irretrievable does not always mean you have missed your opportunity to view it through other avenues.
Summary
The undelete function of the DIRECTV ensures that deleted DVR recordings can be recovered within a short duration of 30 days or when the content has not been overwritten. This means that all one needs to do is to go to the Deleted folder, look for the desired recording, right-click and select undelete, and viola! The recording is back as if it never got deleted.