View Full Version : What is DirecTV On Demand?
rbmcgee
10-19-07, 12:42 AM
I never had it and don't understand what it is. Could someone be so kind as to explain?
mocciat
10-19-07, 12:48 AM
I never had it and don't understand what it is. Could someone be so kind as to explain?
It's D* version of Video on Demand.
phat78boy
10-19-07, 12:51 AM
It is a new service from D* that that will allow you to download shows\movies from different D* content providers. For example you could turn to Showtime's On Demand channel and download their shows or currently running movies. Once the download is complete it will be available for playback like any other show recorded on a DVR. It will require a DVR and the DVR will have to be connected to the Internet. Typical download for regular SD shows is currently running about the same time as a show. So a 30 minute show takes about 30 minutes to download. You are able to watch the show just a few minutes after you start the download.
rbmcgee
10-19-07, 12:53 AM
I guess that's my question. What's video-on-demand?
Is it the ability to download shows that have already been broadcast? All shows? From how long ago?
phat78boy
10-19-07, 12:55 AM
The content is really up to the content provider. The items currently available are items that are currenlty being broadcast. So instead of waiting for it to replay, you can just start the download.
rbmcgee
10-19-07, 12:58 AM
That's phat78boy,
Is this service free? Does it only contain things already broadcast?
DVDKingdom
10-19-07, 01:02 AM
I guess that's my question. What's video-on-demand?
Is it the ability to download shows that have already been broadcast? All shows? From how long ago?
The shows available varies depending upon what the content provider wishes to release. Starz has Early Premiers where some movies will be on Starz on Demand even before airing on the Starz channels. The length of time any program remains available depends on the licensing terms from the provider.
DVDKingdom
10-19-07, 01:05 AM
Is this service free? Does it only contain things already broadcast?
Access to the service will be FREE, but there will be PPV content available to download. If there is an on demand service for a channel you currently subscribe to you can download the programs they make available for free.
rbmcgee
10-19-07, 01:10 AM
The reason I'm interested is that I've an HR20-100 and the CE will enable this capability and I didn't even know what it was much less if it is of interest to me.
As I don't even have any movie channels (and would never PPV a movie), it sounds like I wouldn't benefit. I do find it interesting that everyone else is doing flips over this capability and I couldn't care less.
DVDKingdom
10-19-07, 01:14 AM
The reason I'm interested is that I've an HR20-100 and the CE will enable this capability and I didn't even know what it was much less if it is of interest to me.
As I don't even have any movie channels (and would never PPV a movie), it sounds like I wouldn't benefit. I do find it interesting that everyone else is doing flips over this capability and I couldn't care less.
The premium networks are not the only content providers. Many of the basic channels are also releasing material through on demand. TLC, Discovery, History, National Geographic channel, and many more.
List Of Vod Channels! (http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=96790)
rbmcgee
10-19-07, 01:19 AM
I see. So i can go into the channels I would be interested in and see if I possibly missed something. That sounds cool. If they were originally broadcast in HD would the VOD be HD as well?
mexican-bum
10-19-07, 01:23 AM
I see. So i can go into the channels I would be interested in and see if I possibly missed something. That sounds cool. If they were originally broadcast in HD would the VOD be HD as well?
right now there is very little HD, but expect more HD when released:) Its beta testing right now
rbmcgee
10-19-07, 01:24 AM
Hmmmm. Downloading the CE will be the easy part. Running a line to the HR20 will be the tougher part although this may be worth it after all.
DVDKingdom
10-19-07, 01:49 AM
Hmmmm. Downloading the CE will be the easy part. Running a line to the HR20 will be the tougher part although this may be worth it after all.
If you have a wireless router you could go the wireless route with a wireless ethernet bridge.
Will the DVR need be hard wired with cat5e or can it work with a wireless router?
DVDKingdom
10-19-07, 05:51 AM
Will the DVR need be hard wired with cat5e or can it work with a wireless router?
A wireless router would work if you use a wireless bridge. The HR20 can't use a wireless adapter.
Bowtaz3
10-19-07, 06:09 AM
Ok all you good folks, I have another question for you regarding this. Say I have 2 seperate phonelines in my house. One is hooked up to broadband, the other dialup. The account is in my parents name and their line that the DTV is hooked to is the dialup line. Mine is broadband. If I hooked an ethernet cable from my router to my DVR would DTV say no you can't do that because of it not being their #? Or does that matter? I hope I made sense lol. Thanks all.
MIAMI1683
10-19-07, 06:28 AM
It is a new service from D* that that will allow you to download shows\movies from different D* content providers. For example you could turn to Showtime's On Demand channel and download their shows or currently running movies. Once the download is complete it will be available for playback like any other show recorded on a DVR. It will require a DVR and the DVR will have to be connected to the Internet. Typical download for regular SD shows is currently running about the same time as a show. So a 30 minute show takes about 30 minutes to download. You are able to watch the show just a few minutes after you start the download.
Hey no offense, but I would like to know what conection speed you are running. The reason is I tested my speed last night 7.8 mbps at home, and it is taking me alot longer for VOD to download. I am hard wired with a cat6 cable now and it takes me more like 4 hrs to download a 2 hr movie. I am also sure people I know don't have speeds at home that fast so help me understand it a little more please.
MIAMI1683
10-19-07, 06:30 AM
maybe I am setup wrong is why I am asking
....Say I have 2 seperate phonelines in my house. One is hooked up to broadband, the other dialup. The account is in my parents name and their line that the DTV is hooked to is the dialup line. Mine is broadband. If I hooked an ethernet cable from my router to my DVR would DTV say no you can't do that because of it not being their #?
You can hookup your broadband to your (parent's) DVR. (or even your neighbor's wireless if they don't secure their network;);) )
for those interested in a detailed review....
Earl's First Look at Directv on Demand (http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=96052)
Bowtaz3
10-19-07, 07:37 AM
You can hookup your broadband to your (parent's) DVR. (or even your neighbor's wireless if they don't secure their network;);) ) My parents don't use a DVR. Only me, and I doubt my neighbor can even spell wireless lol.:D
I guess that's my question. What's video-on-demand?
Is it the ability to download shows that have already been broadcast? All shows? From how long ago?
Not to put too fine a point on this, but I think there's a reason that DirecTV isn't calling their service VOD - because it technically isn't. DOD requires a download of your movie or show to your DVR before being able to watch it. It is nice that you're able to watch before the download is done. It's also nice that DOD doesn't require the use of one of your 2 tuners. VOD, as it's normally implemented, is a live feed. So I pick the show/movie I want to watch and it feeds directly to my STB - no DVR necessary. Once I start playing it, I can treat it just like I could a recorded show (pause, rwd, ffwd), even on an STB that's not a DVR.
As for what's available, others have already said this - it's up to the content provider. The Starz early premier is a nice touch - they show movies on demand a couple weeks before they air them on their standard channels. Also, some network shows are available on demand as well. I have fios and we get a couple NBC shows on demand (e.g. Bionic Woman). They're done commercial-free (again, another nice touch), but the shows that are available really depends on the deal the content provider sets up (e.g. Showtime requires that all of the episodes of their series for a particular season are available on demand. So, if I wanted to watch the entire season of Dexter, I could in one sitting).
Hey no offense, but I would like to know what conection speed you are running. The reason is I tested my speed last night 7.8 mbps at home, and it is taking me alot longer for VOD to download. I am hard wired with a cat6 cable now and it takes me more like 4 hrs to download a 2 hr movie. I am also sure people I know don't have speeds at home that fast so help me understand it a little more please.
On a 10mpbs down connection (where I usually get about 9 or so) I can download at just a bit less than a 2 to 1 ratio, ie a standard definition show downloads almost twice as fast as I can watch it.
MIAMI1683
10-19-07, 09:02 AM
On a 10mpbs down connection (where I usually get about 9 or so) I can download at just a bit less than a 2 to 1 ratio, ie a standard definition show downloads almost twice as fast as I can watch it.
well I must be doing something wrong cause it is not even that close for me. I have thought about adding a wireless bridge to see if it gets any better. Right now is really slow. Are you hard wired or wireless o your setup?
kwalker962
10-19-07, 09:11 AM
Access to the service will be FREE, but there will be PPV content available to download. If there is an on demand service for a channel you currently subscribe to you can download the programs they make available for free.
Is there going to be a charge for anything that you download?
Michael D'Angelo
10-19-07, 09:12 AM
Is there going to be a charge for anything that you download?
Some programs there is a charge for and it will be mark with a $ beside the title. If you click on the title you will see how much it cost.
Michael D'Angelo
10-19-07, 09:18 AM
On demand is over rated.
Says you.
Some of us really like DoD and it is getting better and better as they add programs.
well I must be doing something wrong cause it is not even that close for me. I have thought about adding a wireless bridge to see if it gets any better. Right now is really slow. Are you hard wired or wireless o your setup?
I'm hard wired.
Some programs there is a charge for and it will be mark with a $ beside the title. If you click on the title you will see how much it cost.
I don't know how DirecTV is setting their's up, but generally that's the case (some are free and some you get charged for). When I first switched to fios, I was a little ticked off because they have virtually no PPV. Just one full-time PPV channel. Then it dawned on me - duh, that's what VOD is for! I went to the VOD list and that's where you would order movies to watch.
Also, and again this depends on how the service company sets it up, generally you get VOD along with any other packages you sign up for. For example, I get Starz On demand as part of the movie pack deal I signed up for with fios. So, yes I pay for the movie pack, but all the moves on Starz on-demand are included in that price, and are therefore no additional cost to me.
As for VOD being overrated... I used to think the same thing. Until I got it. Even Verizon's limited on-demand (limited compared to say Comcast) is really really nice. It's a God-send if you have small kids (I don't even consider recording things like Dora or Diego because they offer a half dozen episodes of each show every month on demand for free). And it's a nice way to set up movie rentals. Although I can't record VOD to my DVR, because you're not using up an entire channel for every showing of a specific movie, you get alot more offerings with On Demand than you do with traditional PPV. I have dozens of movies to pick from when I go to order something on demand. Heck, Starz on demand gives me access to probably 60 or 70 movies at any one time. And the ability to watch them at any time is really really nice. I know - with a DVR you can record what you want when you want. But in our case, there are lots of times when we're in the mood for a movie. Nothing that we planned to watch, so there's nothing that we've recorded. We'll flip through the premium channels, and see a movie that we wanted to see listed, but it started 20 minutes ago... or that other movie we wanted to see, not starting until 2 in the morning. It's nice if you want options on the fly.
On demand is over rated.
Content on Demand is the future...if you can't see that then you are blind my friend :)
Earl Bonovich
10-19-07, 10:19 AM
On demand is over rated.
On Demand... will live and die by it content base.
If the content is there... it will be great.
As seen recently with all the network websites, posting their shows 24 hours after air time....
If contracts and partnerships can be made, that those shows can be made available On Demand, for small fees .... or even free....
Or even allow them to be listed days early.... On Demand, has a market...
There can even be shows/programs that the networks can't not afford a primetime slot for... but could have an another outlet in the On Demand world... were costs would be lower, and could give great shows a place to refine their show... characters ect... and then maybe move them to network/broadcast TV....
Instead of some great shows being axed after 2 or 3 shows... just because they had a few kinks that need to be ironed out...
Also would be an amazing avenue to offer pilots of shows to large audiences... and get feedback... ect...
Even maybe "community access" channels... could provide On Demand content to DirecTV... to support those once "cable only" outlets for areas...
ect......
Content... Content.... Content.... will dictate if On Demand will be a success or not.
rbmcgee
10-19-07, 10:29 AM
Well, I've slept on it and decided to give DoD a go although I'm not sure I'll ever use it. As Earl says, it's all about the content and I just don't have a handle on that until I play around.
As I've mentioned. a hard wire is going to be difficult. Buying a bridge, for something I may never use, doesn't seem wise. I've got a third option however ... sharing the internet connection from the computer that's already in that room that is using the wire. I have an extra 10/100 linksys card.
Has anyone slaved the internet connection off an XP computer? Does it work?
rbmcgee
10-19-07, 12:54 PM
If anyone cares ... popped in the linksys card, hooked up the HR20, enabled ICS and connected right up. I'm good to go for tonight's CE and DoD.
phat78boy
10-19-07, 12:58 PM
Hey no offense, but I would like to know what conection speed you are running. The reason is I tested my speed last night 7.8 mbps at home, and it is taking me alot longer for VOD to download. I am hard wired with a cat6 cable now and it takes me more like 4 hrs to download a 2 hr movie. I am also sure people I know don't have speeds at home that fast so help me understand it a little more please.
I have a 15MB pipe, cable.
Directvlover
10-19-07, 01:30 PM
The reason I'm interested is that I've an HR20-100 and the CE will enable this capability and I didn't even know what it was much less if it is of interest to me.
As I don't even have any movie channels (and would never PPV a movie), it sounds like I wouldn't benefit. I do find it interesting that everyone else is doing flips over this capability and I couldn't care less.
It can be pretty cool actually. Say you miss a show, and you didn't dvr it...you might be able to catch it on demand and watch it when you want. Plus, you'll never have to go to a video store if you want to rent a movie....just pick one...start it downloading...go make some popcorn, comeback and start watching.
Is this going to be a strictly-HR20 feature? I just switched over to D* and have 2 R15s but didn't think ahead as to HD... :(
DVDKingdom
10-19-07, 10:11 PM
Is this going to be a strictly-HR20 feature? I just switched over to D* and have 2 R15s but didn't think ahead as to HD... :(
The DIRECTV on Demand welcome video says available on the HR20 only.
Does anyone know a typical size of a 1 hr program? SD/HD?
People with broadband access looking at DOD should review their Internet Service Provider (ISP) Fair Access Policy (FAP) rules which if present will limit the continuous download of data to a fixed amount. If a user reaches that amount, the provider typically throttles back the user's access speed typically for a period of time. DirecTV may offer the content free but I bet if the ISP has a FAP limit active, it may cost a user more to increase it to make DOD attractive.
Not all ISPs have a FAP, and many have different tiers of use, but as a Hughes residential satellite user I have been FAPed more than once. I have a friend that went from dial up to residential Hughes. Shortly after he got it he started complaining the speed was slower than his dial-up. Turns out he started listening to a classical radio station on the internet and by each afternoon, he had been FAPed. He no longer listens to a radio station via internet.
Just trying to keep your PC updated with program patches can often FAP a user. Hughes offers no FAP down load between 3AM and 6AM but it's hard to get up a 3AM.
My bottom line, at this time I am not sure I will be interested in DOD because of my ISP FAP limit.
JAYHAWKER2
10-20-07, 08:50 AM
So if phat78boy has a 15mb pipe and can do a 2hr movie in 2hrs, it looks like my
lowly little 1.5mb will take 20 hrs. Sounds like it may not be too feasible for me.
I live at 9000ft in Colorado, beautiful scenery but the infrastructure is a little thin.
Nearest cable head is 20 miles away. At least I was able to drop wildblue sat for
dsl 2 weeks ago. The 7gb monthly FAP was a little restrictive when you have a 16
year old that lives on youtube.:(
vikingguy
10-20-07, 07:09 PM
I use on demand with my xbox 360 time to time I like the service. I am really looking forward to DoD. The only issue I have with xbox DoD is pricing I hope direct tv can beat them there. I would love to have network tv on demand even a week later would be fine. That way if my DVR missed a show I could get a chance to watch it. Or if a friend recomends a show I can catch up on it with out waiting for the DVDs.
spartanstew
10-20-07, 07:24 PM
The SIRECTV on Demand welcome video says available on the HR20 only.
And HR21, IIRC.
tonyd79
10-20-07, 07:44 PM
On Demand can be useful. I caught up to The Tudors on Comcast On Demand.
A lot of the programming on Comcast is commercial free or very limited (History Channel typically has just a commercial at the beginning).
The biggest use will be when they get more HD content.
arturo611
10-20-07, 07:58 PM
I never had it and don't understand what it is. Could someone be so kind as to explain?
Awesome!
steveken
10-21-07, 12:09 AM
How long does it take On Demand to start working once you d/l the CE? I just did it tonight and when I click on the On Demand part in the menu, it doesn't do anything.
insane_jester
10-21-07, 01:27 AM
My OnDemand isn't working yet either its been avaliable to access after the update since 2pm on the 20th but still nothing is showing...
Checked all my internet connections and all
waynebtx
10-21-07, 01:55 AM
Sounds like the only reason your downloading the ce is to get DOD thats not what the ce are about.
DVDKingdom
10-21-07, 03:47 AM
And HR21, IIRC.
The HR21 will, but the software hasn't been updated with VOD support yet.
dchamero
10-21-07, 05:55 AM
Well, I've been testing DOD for 2 days now, and I can see the benefits of it, it it great to have such a big selection to choose from,
BUT.... at least until now, the video quality of the SD shows available (the only 2 HD ones are not working), is pretty low.... (I mean the resolution, not the content)
tonyd79
10-21-07, 11:09 AM
PQ of the SD stuff I have watched is comparable to the SD quality of the "live" stuff and pretty much the same as the SD from Comcast VoD.
Can someone with the CE release give us some examples of what movies, shows, etc. are currently available? Are there any older "classic" TV shows like Comcast has? Also how much content is free vs. paid?
rbmcgee
10-21-07, 11:33 AM
I don't even have any of the music video channels even included in my guide.
I don't subscribe to any of the movie channels (700+ DVDs and counting)
I don't have any kids.
I am out of the mainstream and from what I can see, there is very little in the way of DoD that appeals to me. No surprise.
IcEWoLF
10-21-07, 12:46 PM
I love to see movies real time like what I have on cable via VoD, the satellite technology may never reach the cable VoD technology anytime soon.
I am talking about Live on Demand.
Other than VoD, Satellite TV beats cable in picture quality and the # of channels.
rbmcgee
10-21-07, 12:56 PM
Watching movies in "real time"? I'm not sure what that means. With cable do you get to watch as the movie is being filmed?
ralphfurley
10-21-07, 03:48 PM
Can someone with the CE release give us some examples of what movies, shows, etc. are currently available? Are there any older "classic" TV shows like Comcast has? Also how much content is free vs. paid?
it is a beta so the offerings are pretty sparse right now. that said, I have great hope for DoD...episodes of classic ScoobyDoo, halloween themed Spongebob Squarepants, classic videos from VH1 Classic (AC/DC, Billy Joel). plus older movies from TCM and FMC.
And its a godsend if you have kids (nick, noggin, sprout, the N)
Ive tried Comcast on Demand and I really prefer DoD.
Stuart Sweet
10-21-07, 03:57 PM
Most of the shows are free, in fact almost all. That may change when it goes live.
Most of the shows are free, in fact almost all. That may change when it goes live.
i doubt it will change. The DOD main page now has their PPV priced movies opposed to the 1 cent charge.(though the movies are all Halloween movies not the PPV choices) Eurocinema is all pay so that seems right and then unless we get some major early releases/really special exclusives or somethin i dont see any other charges.
Watching movies in "real time"? I'm not sure what that means. With cable do you get to watch as the movie is being filmed?
I think he means as soon as you hit play the movie starts - no waiting for a download like D*. Time will vary based on internet connection speed.
mauijiminar
10-21-07, 04:36 PM
When will the updates softwear be ready? I know I do not have the right softwear but I am ready I have internet with my DVR
HR20-700
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