[milton]

Don't know if this has been suggested or not, but could Directv (or DISH) technically/legally allow you to flip to a channel and then watch the past 30 or 60 minutes of what you missed even if you were not tuned to that channel?

Everyone has been in a situation of "damn, I missed the beginning of this show."

Basically allow customers to pick 5-10 channels that are constantly recording (and automatically deleting when 30-60 minutes of lag time is up). Of course you couldn't do this for every channel as the space doesn't allow it.

So suppose I pick ESPN as one my channels. I turn to ESPN at 5:40, and even though I wasn't watching/recording PTI, I can go back to watch the beginning of the show.

Any thoughts?

 

[dpeters11]

Directv can do a small version of this with dual live buffers, but you have to turn it on, etc.

I don't think a system like Time Warner's Start Over is viable over satellite. And I think that is only available for certain shows on certain channels.

 

[RBTO]

:nono2:Not really doable since the receiver would have to have a number of individual channel receivers equal to the number of channels (so all channels would be available at your end continuously), and you'd have to stream the video & audio from all those onto your hard drive (technically challenging at present for 5 to 10 channels) so they'd be available when you flipped to a random channel. It can be done over fiber, because each channel is streamed when it is requested and the contents reside on multiple hard drives at the source end. Nice thought though and you can do it with one channel as dpeters suggested although that won't help when you get there late for a show unless you set that channel to buffer earlier. I usually always set my favorite shows to record even if I know I'm going to be there for them. That way, if something comes up, I just run them as a recording and get the start of the show that I may have missed.

 

[dpeters11]

It could be possible to do it on 5 channels on a 34, recording those 5 all the time unless the tuner was needed. Would be an interesting alternative to Genie.

 

[Laxguy]

It's technically possible, but there are more than a few practical limitations, and it'd require a broadband connection of some solidarity.

 

[Bill Broderick]

According to DirecTV's website, this is (or will be) doable with the Genie.

"Start programs at the beginning if you tune in late."

They're also promoting:
"Catch up on past episodes, as far back as 5 weeks."

I don't know how they are planning on implementing these features or how widely available (across channels) they will be. But, they're saying that they can do it.

 

[harsh]

But, they're saying that they can do it.

DIRECTV's marketroids say a lot of things and there's almost always a catch. Sometimes the catch is that it isn't true. Other times, there's some serious limitations that they don't discuss. Once in a while, it works as advertised.

The key is to wait and see what they deliver (or not).

 

[Stuart Sweet]

It could be done if DIRECTV were streaming all channels for you at a central location. Then you could switch to the streaming feed through your internet connection. It could also be done if you had four super wide band tuners that let you record the satellite signal from the four main lines... the entire satellite signal... and a hard drive large and enough to let you buffer it.

The first idea is practical, the second is not.

 

[Laxguy]

It could be done if DIRECTV were streaming all channels for you at a central location. Then you could switch to the streaming feed through your internet connection. It could also be done if you had four super wide band tuners that let you record the satellite signal from the four main lines... the entire satellite signal... and a hard drive large and enough to let you buffer it.

The first idea is practical, the second is not.

Wait a minute! I am setting up a home server farm with 389 Terrabytes of storage....

Yes, the first is doable, though it'd sure give folks with download caps a fit, not to mention those with slow or spotty speeds. Then there's network congestion, and, and, and! Still, for some, and the majority here, it'd be doable and very cool.

 

[harperhometheater]

According to DirecTV's website, this is (or will be) doable with the Genie.

"Start programs at the beginning if you tune in late."

They're also promoting:
"Catch up on past episodes, as far back as 5 weeks."

I don't know how they are planning on implementing these features or how widely available (across channels) they will be. But, they're saying that they can do it.

It's already implemented. I had it pop up last night when I tuned to a network channel. Can't remember which though.

 

[harsh]

It could be done if DIRECTV were streaming all channels for you at a central location....The first idea is practical, the second is not.

Assuming that everyone has a broadband Internet connection robust enough to allow this is not sound reasoning.

I'd hate to come home to a locally broadcast pro hoops match that replaces the evening's network programming and be informed that I can't see why the score is 24 to 5 when I was told that I could simply rewind to the beginning of the game.

 

[Laxguy]

Assuming that everyone has a broadband Internet connection robust enough to allow this is not sound reasoning.

That assumption was not made. Moreover, the snide remark is quite unnecessary. See my post of 23 hours ago.

I'd hate to come home to a locally broadcast pro hoops match that replaces the evening's network programming and be informed that I can't see why the score is 24 to 5 when I was told that I could simply rewind to the beginning of the game.

You haven't been told you can rewind to the beginning of any show, much less DIRECTV's locals.

 

[Rich]

This is why I rarely (almost never) watch live TV. No problems with missing the start of a program with that approach. Isn't that why we have DVRs?

Rich