What are "Top Movies" and are they eating hard drive space?

[slumkid]

OK, I don't have DOD set up, but I noticed there is a "Top Movies" tab in the playlist, and it seems like the movies will start whenever I click on them, and ask if i want to purchase.

Since they seem to ready to start whenever I click, I'm wondering if these have somehow been sent to my HR-20 hard drive. Is this the case? If so I definitely would want to remove them .

What's up here?

[say-what]

Those are DOD PPV selections that are pushed to the DirecTV reserved portion of your hard drive via SAT. They do not affect your usable recording space. You cannot delete them.

[slumkid]

thanks....

[MattDing]

Well, they DO affect your usable recording space since it would be a lot more if DirecTV didn't reserve so much of the hard drive for itself.

That said, the amount of space shown by the meter at the bottom is for the user accessible space and Top Movies aren't represented there.

[hasan]

Well, they DO affect your usable recording space since it would be a lot more if DirecTV didn't reserve so much of the hard drive for itself.

That said, the amount of space shown by the meter at the bottom is for the user accessible space and Top Movies aren't represented there.

...an accurate, yet moot observation.:)

[slumkid]

Yeah, I was kind of wondering about that. Seems like 8 HD movies take up a lot of space... would nice if DTV didn't reserve so much.

On another note, if these movies can be sent via the dish, why can't we do DOD the same way? Even if this is a slower method (don't know), it would work better for me than buying new hardware for my PC and HR20.

[Stuart Sweet]

The way I understand it, the "Top Movies" are playing, or have recently played, on one of the Pay-Per-View channels. The DVR records them when you're not recording something else. They are not downloaded on demand from the satellite.

[say-what]

Yeah, I was kind of wondering about that. Seems like 8 HD movies take up a lot of space... would nice if DTV didn't reserve so much.

On another note, if these movies can be sent via the dish, why can't we do DOD the same way? Even if this is a slower method (don't know), it would work better for me than buying new hardware for my PC and HR20.These aren't magically sent to your receiver. Late at night or early in the morning, the dvr has to tune the channel broadcasting the movie and record it in realtime. It's not just grabbing a mystical stream and downloading a file like you would over the internet.

[paulman182]

These aren't magically sent to your receiver. Late at night or early in the morning, the dvr has to tune the channel broadcasting the movie and record it in realtime. It's not just grabbing a mystical stream and downloading a file like you would over the internet.

But of course, an early step in the reception of any digital programming could be termed "downloading a file."

[ricochet]

These aren't magically sent to your receiver. Late at night or early in the morning, the dvr has to tune the channel broadcasting the movie and record it in realtime. It's not just grabbing a mystical stream and downloading a file like you would over the internet.

Do you know this is how it works or are you just speculating? My guess is these are not recorded in real time like recording something off of HBO but rather a lot closer to "grabbing a mystical stream and downloading it". They could be using some sort of DSMCC data carousel and downloading the movies that way. In fact it could download multiple movies simultaneously. In other words it may work more like downloading new software than recording regular TV programs.

[upnorth]

Well, they DO affect your usable recording space since it would be a lot more if DirecTV didn't reserve so much of the hard drive for itself.

That said, the amount of space shown by the meter at the bottom is for the user accessible space and Top Movies aren't represented there.

The thing is back when I got my HR20 in September 2006 I had so much space to record what I wanted and DirecTv reserved so much space for there use this is no secret it has always been that way.
Now that they are using that space nothing has changed for me I still have the same amount to record what I want so nothing has changed.
If you feel you want or need more space purchase a larger external SATA Hard drive.
I find it very convenient to pickout a movie and watch it when we are ready.;)

[RunnerFL]

The way I understand it, the "Top Movies" are playing, or have recently played, on one of the Pay-Per-View channels. The DVR records them when you're not recording something else. They are not downloaded on demand from the satellite.

Just wanted to add that the recording light is not lit while the "Top Movies" are being recorded.

[RunnerFL]

Do you know this is how it works or are you just speculating? My guess is these are not recorded in real time like recording something off of HBO but rather a lot closer to "grabbing a mystical stream and downloading it". They could be using some sort of DSMCC data carousel and downloading the movies that way. In fact it could download multiple movies simultaneously. In other words it may work more like downloading new software than recording regular TV programs.

They record in real time. I learned this when changing channels at 4am and it asked me if I wanted to stop recording "Dark Knight".

[RunnerFL]

The thing is back when I got my HR20 in September 2006 I had so much space to record what I wanted and DirecTv reserved so much space for there use this is no secret it has always been that way.
Now that they are using that space nothing has changed for me I still have the same amount to record what I want so nothing has changed.
If you feel you want or need more space purchase a larger external SATA Hard drive.
I find it very convenient to pickout a movie and watch it when we are ready.;)

You are correct. The size of the space that DirecTV reserves has always been the same and is the same no matter what size eSATA drive you plug in.

[woj027]

Although I have never used PPV and I have contemplated using the Top Movies as "I can't find anything on any of the channels, maybe there's a movie to watch" and my next statement may sound contradictary, but half the reason I don't use PPV is because I don't like any of the choices on PPV. or the $5.99 price tag, or the 24 hour limit. Thus the same reason I don't use Top Movies.

I wish the PPV (TM) price would come down. I can go to McDonalds or my local Grocery store and rent a DVD (yes, if available or working) for $1 and it would take me 5 more rental days to reach the $6 price tag for the PPV (Top Movies rental)

But, it is still a cool concept, just too spendy for me.

[say-what]

Do you know this is how it works or are you just speculating? My guess is these are not recorded in real time like recording something off of HBO but rather a lot closer to "grabbing a mystical stream and downloading it". They could be using some sort of DSMCC data carousel and downloading the movies that way. In fact it could download multiple movies simultaneously. In other words it may work more like downloading new software than recording regular TV programs.I can tell you when the movies record and that none have the same date/time stamp. I can also tell you that based on the movies recorded on my 4 dvrs that conflicts caused by recordings starting after the movie was scheduled to start and within the movie's runtime will prevent the movie from recording on a dvr.

These are the movies on my HR21, none are recorded at the same time and those on the same day are well spaced

1/12 @ 1am - Dark Knight (2hr32min)
1/11 @ 2am - Indiana Jones (2hr4min)
1/10 @ 9:30am - Meet Dave (1hr31min)
1/10 @ 3am - Space Chimps (1hr21min)
1/9 @ 11am - Tropic Thunder (1hr43min)
1/9 @ 5am - Kung Fu Panda (1hr34min)
1/9 @ 2am - Wall-E (1hr13min)
1/8 @ 5pm - Narnia (2hr32min)
1/8 @ 8am - Hellboy (2hr)
1/8 @ 5am - Hancock (1hr32min)
1/6 @ 1pm - Standard Operating Procedure (1hr56min)

Nothing I've observed indicates that the movies are recorded other than in realtime. Combine this with reports from other people who have observed the recordings in progress and you can conclude that the movies are recorded in realtime.

[jjohns]

So if I bought my dvr instead of leased it, shouldn’t D* have asked me before storing movies on “my” hard drive that I never intend to watch?

[RunnerFL]

So if I bought my dvr instead of leased it, shouldn’t D* have asked me before storing movies on “my” hard drive that I never intend to watch?

No, it's part of the service. Without their reserving that portion of the hard drive the DVR wouldn't function properly.

[jjohns]

Storing movies on your hard drive that you never intend to watch is quite an odd service.

[paulman182]

I appreciate the service as I have watched a few of the movies. It is very convenient not to have to wait for a PPV showing.

I suppose they could have eliminated the movies and saved money by reducing the size of the drive. Either way you don't get the space.

[RunnerFL]

Storing movies on your hard drive that you never intend to watch is quite an odd service.

It's not just those movies. That space also contains your Series Links, your prioritizer, the guide data, etc.

[Ken S]

So if I bought my dvr instead of leased it, shouldn’t D* have asked me before storing movies on “my” hard drive that I never intend to watch?

They are storing stuff on your HD 24x7...the buffer is always recording. It's part of the service. You do have the ability to shut it off though...just pull the plug.

[jjohns]

Pull the plug - are you kidding?
The edification brought about from the knowledge of helping others is plenty reward.

[ktk0117]

These aren't magically sent to your receiver. Late at night or early in the morning, the dvr has to tune the channel broadcasting the movie and record it in realtime. It's not just grabbing a mystical stream and downloading a file like you would over the internet.

So for people like me who do not have high speed internet, and no means of using DOD, how come I can't record things like this from the DOD library at night?

I won't mind if it's slow, hell I'll be asleep.

Sucks that they can record stuff like that, but offer no means for those of us who do not have high speed.

[paulman182]

So for people like me who do not have high speed internet, and no means of using DOD, how come I can't record things like this from the DOD library at night?

I won't mind if it's slow, hell I'll be asleep.

Sucks that they can record stuff like that, but offer no means for those of us who do not have high speed.

They do not have the bandwidth to send DOD by satellite.

I don't have high speed internet either, and I feel your pain.

[WestDC]

even if you have "High Speed" internet, Depending on your Vendor, Download a few HD movies and your (ISP) will Fair Access Policy (FAP) and once your FAPPED your conncetion is Throttled back to dial-up for 24 to 48 hrs.

SO, if you are shopping for "HIGH" speed internet Find out what you are paying for first depending on your use.

Example Comcast offers service @16mps - Their FAP is 250GIG's per month
Which would allow you to download (VOD) 125 SD movies @ 2GB easch
Cost in my area is $52.95 a Month. (service to arrive 1/20/2009 :) )

I currently have Huges net running on a D6000 Sat modem - FAP is 139MB :mad: which means NO DOWN LOADING for ME!!!
Cost is $69 a Month (was the only show in town for last 5 years) Meaning I have "High speed" internet that I can't use!

I tested the VOD when setting up my HR22 I started a download of a 2hr SD movie and 16 hrs later it completed :lol: TWo days later my Sat conn came back to full :lol:speed, I had to use dial up during that time and it was a lot faster after being FAPPED. :lol:

Sorry for the HIGH JACK- I feel better now.

[ktk0117]

They do not have the bandwidth to send DOD by satellite.

I don't have high speed internet either, and I feel your pain.

Yea, but instead of cramming PPV's on my DVR in the middle of the night, they could instead allow people so much bandwidth (same as it takes for for forced PPV's) to use for such a thing.

[paulman182]

Yea, but instead of cramming PPV's on my DVR in the middle of the night, they could instead allow people so much bandwidth (same as it takes for for forced PPV's) to use for such a thing.

The same movies go to every DVR at the same time in the method they are now using (except for the DVRs that are recording two things.) It ties up only one channel per movie.

Imagine customers requesting, say, 1000 different DOD downloads at the same time...that's 1000 channels tied up at once, since the movies are sent in real time.

[rahlquist]

The same movies go to every DVR at the same time in the method they are now using (except for the DVRs that are recording two things.) It ties up only one channel per movie.

Imagine customers requesting, say, 1000 different DOD downloads at the same time...that's 1000 channels tied up at once, since the movies are sent in real time.
Exactly and to expand on that point. If you have ever looked at the Game Lounge you will see there are quite a few games listed that aren't available at any given time. This is most likley due to the fact that D* only allocates so much bandwidth for Game Lounge and only so many games can be streaming from the sat at any given time. Keep in mind that mean that a given game is constantly streaming over and over like a loop for download to your DVR. That way no matter what time you change to that game you can pull it onto your DVR in seconds for your enjoyment.

The Top Movies likely follow a similar principal but I wouldnt be suprised if D* only used one channel worth of data to stream them.

[jjohns]

So let me get this straight.

Sitting in the boardroom, some young gun says, “Well, we don’t have the bandwidth to do movies on demand so how about we download 8 or 9 of the most popular movies on to everybody’s dvr, then advertise we have movies on demand. (We won’t tell them that the movies are actually already on their hard drive now). So when they think they are downloading on demand, they are not really doing anything different than playing their “Bones” episode they’ve saved themselves.)”

I must be missing something. Is this how cable does it?

[Stuart Sweet]

That's a sarcastic way of putting it, but essentially correct. Although it's not a bandwidth issue, really. DIRECTV is delivered via one-way satellite connection, which makes it different from cable which has true two-way capabilities. DIRECTV receivers can use a customer's existing high-speed internet to download movies but even in the best case scenario the internet isn't really optimized for HD transfers. The cable companies do it by keeping all the movies very, very local.

This has been part of the plan for years and DIRECTV receivers have always had enough user-accessible space to compete with or beat other DVRs.

[paulman182]

So let me get this straight.

Sitting in the boardroom, some young gun says, “Well, we don’t have the bandwidth to do movies on demand so how about we download 8 or 9 of the most popular movies on to everybody’s dvr, then advertise we have movies on demand. (We won’t tell them that the movies are actually already on their hard drive now). So when they think they are downloading on demand, they are not really doing anything different than playing their “Bones” episode they’ve saved themselves.)”

I must be missing something. Is this how cable does it?

I don't think anyone should really confuse DirecTV's DOD, which is downloaded from the internet, and Top Movies, which shows up on your screen just as your playlist does.

We have occasionally used Top Movies since it came out. It is as simple as playing a movie that we have recorded, with the added convenience of not having to schedule and wait for it. If I was not a forum member, I might not even know that DirecTV offered downloads thru the network connection. It is easy to ignore since I am not networked.

The two services are similar in that some of the same movies are available (I guess,) but that's pretty much the extent of it.

[hasan]

I can tell you when the movies record and that none have the same date/time stamp. I can also tell you that based on the movies recorded on my 4 dvrs that conflicts caused by recordings starting after the movie was scheduled to start and within the movie's runtime will prevent the movie from recording on a dvr.

These are the movies on my HR21, none are recorded at the same time and those on the same day are well spaced

1/12 @ 1am - Dark Knight (2hr32min)
1/11 @ 2am - Indiana Jones (2hr4min)
1/10 @ 9:30am - Meet Dave (1hr31min)
1/10 @ 3am - Space Chimps (1hr21min)
1/9 @ 11am - Tropic Thunder (1hr43min)
1/9 @ 5am - Kung Fu Panda (1hr34min)
1/9 @ 2am - Wall-E (1hr13min)
1/8 @ 5pm - Narnia (2hr32min)
1/8 @ 8am - Hellboy (2hr)
1/8 @ 5am - Hancock (1hr32min)
1/6 @ 1pm - Standard Operating Procedure (1hr56min)

Nothing I've observed indicates that the movies are recorded other than in realtime. Combine this with reports from other people who have observed the recordings in progress and you can conclude that the movies are recorded in realtime.

I checked my top movies and there aren't any, just a few "commercials" from D*. This is, of course, how it should be as I only have a 512K connection. It appears that D* is smart enough to measure bandwidth and not try to push content over a slow internet connection.

[paulman182]

I checked my top movies and there aren't any, just a few "commercials" from D*. This is, of course, how it should be as I only have a 512K connection. It appears that D* is smart enough to measure bandwidth and not try to push content over a slow internet connection.

Top Movies comes from the satellite. I have no network at all in my house and I watched "The Dark Night" from there two weeks ago.

Some people have reported that the movies have been deleted from their drives recently, but I'm at work and can't check that.

[hasan]

Duh! Brain cramp.

I'll continue to observe and see if any movies show up.

Duh ^2 : I didn't open the folder. There are 6 on my HR20-700, and 11 on my HR21-200.

Nothing like being a certified moron in print.:)

[paulman182]

Duh! Brain cramp.

I'll continue to observe and see if any movies show up.

Duh ^2 : I didn't open the folder. There are 6 on my HR20-700, and 11 on my HR21-200.

Nothing like being a certified moron in print.:)

I'm working on my certification...:lol:

[LameLefty]

Duh! Brain cramp.

I'll continue to observe and see if any movies show up.

Duh ^2 : I didn't open the folder. There are 6 on my HR20-700, and 11 on my HR21-200.

Nothing like being a certified moron in print.:)

I'm working on my certification...:lol:

Men, we've all been there . . . :grin:

[RunnerFL]

So let me get this straight.

Sitting in the boardroom, some young gun says, “Well, we don’t have the bandwidth to do movies on demand so how about we download 8 or 9 of the most popular movies on to everybody’s dvr, then advertise we have movies on demand. (We won’t tell them that the movies are actually already on their hard drive now). So when they think they are downloading on demand, they are not really doing anything different than playing their “Bones” episode they’ve saved themselves.)”

I must be missing something. Is this how cable does it?

Which is pretty much how the old DirecTivos did "Suggestions" but they did take up space on your part of the drive. At least DirecTV now uses their space and not yours.

What they do with their space doesn't bother me, I don't do PPV anyways.

[RunnerFL]

Nothing like being a certified moron in print.:)

It happens to the best of us from time to time. :)

[MattDing]

Which is pretty much how the old DirecTivos did "Suggestions" but they did take up space on your part of the drive. At least DirecTV now uses their space and not yours.
Other than the fact that you could turn Suggestions off completely and the fact that if you needed more room Suggestions would be erased from your hard drive first so they never took up space you needed.

[RunnerFL]

Other than the fact that you could turn Suggestions off completely and the fact that if you needed more room Suggestions would be erased from your hard drive first so they never took up space you needed.

There's no need to turn Top Movies off since it doesn't affect your space.

[MattDing]

There's no need to turn Top Movies off since it doesn't affect your space.
Well, that's debatable since, as I said earlier, you would have more space for your own use if DirecTV didn't reserve so much to decide what it wants you to record.

Suggestions exist unobtrusively, taking up no space that wasn't automatically reclaimed for things you actually request be recorded.

[rahlquist]

Well, that's debatable since, as I said earlier, you would have more space for your own use if DirecTV didn't reserve so much to decide what it wants you to record.

Suggestions exist unobtrusively, taking up no space that wasn't automatically reclaimed for things you actually request be recorded.

You're assuming that the space reserved is only used for Top Movies.

[MattDing]

Absolutely not.

I fully realize that DirecTV would need to have a reserved portion of the drive for the OS and other files that need to be stored locally.

[RunnerFL]

Well, that's debatable since, as I said earlier, you would have more space for your own use if DirecTV didn't reserve so much to decide what it wants you to record.

Suggestions exist unobtrusively, taking up no space that wasn't automatically reclaimed for things you actually request be recorded.

Maybe, but DirecTV has chosen to reserve the amount of space that they have and there's no going back now. That makes your point moot.

You still get the amount of space that was always advertised, no more no less.

[RunnerFL]

Absolutely not.

I fully realize that DirecTV would need to have a reserved portion of the drive for the OS and other files that need to be stored locally.

The OS is not on the drive.

These things are: [And more I'm sure]
- Top Movies
- Buffer
- Guide Data
- Settings
- Series Links
- Download space for updates
- Recording History
- Todo List
- Prioritizer


It's their space and they'll do what they want with it. They are providing you a service with their space, it's not like they are using it to store files that you can't/don't use.

[hdtvfan0001]

The OS is not on the drive.

These things are: [And more I'm sure]
- Top Movies
- Buffer
- Guide Data
- Settings
- Series Links
- Download space for updates
- Recording History
- Todo List
- Prioritizer


It's their space and they'll do what they want with it. They are providing you a service with their space, it's not like they are using it to store files that you can't/don't use.
Excellent summary...thanks for laying it our that way, so that everyone and anyone can understand.