Problem watching premium channel recordings from free preview.

bwexler

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
Nov 29, 2007
748
268
San Marcos, CA
Has anyone else noticed the dialogue box in the middle of the screen when attempting to view recordings from a free preview of premium channels?
When I called to complain, I was informed that is an invitation to subscribe to the premium channels in question. The free previews are only a teaser to entice us to subscribe. I can read! I already understood this.

In the past ~20 years with Dish I could always record the free previews they offered a couple times a year and satisfy my need for those channels since 90% of the content was reruns. Until this week I never noticed a time limit on the programs recorded when I had proper access to the channels at the time of recording.

NOW apparently DRM is being enforced by the content owners, not Dish and the content can only be viewed during the free preview period or by subscribing.

I understand. But I think it STINKS!

Rant over.
 
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I had the same thing happen for shows that I recorded from channels that I no longer subscribe to. I switched to the Flex Pack and lost the ability to watch shows that I recorded from channels that I paid for at the time of recording. I had just not gotten around to watching them at that time.
No wonder so many people are going the Kodi route. I understand the content owners protecting their property but wow. I recorded a show legally on Dish and am unable to view it because I dropped that channel weeks later?
 
After seeing this thread I found two Showtime movies I recorded during their last freeview (I have never subscribed) and they played with no problem and 10 minutes into each no box. I have a few shows from when I had Top 250 from channels not in Top 200 and the three I tried played. (From American Heroes, Encore Westerns, FamilyNet)
I don't have a Hopper don't know if that's the reason.

I remember something about Flex and problems with previously recorded shows was a bug but this is the first I see about losing the ability to watch freeview without a box showing over it. Didn't happen with the two Showtime movies I have. If the box shows up further into the movie let me know I'll check that.
 
After seeing this thread I found two Showtime movies I recorded during their last freeview (I have never subscribed) and they played with no problem and 10 minutes into each no box. I have a few shows from when I had Top 250 from channels not in Top 200 and the three I tried played. (From American Heroes, Encore Westerns, FamilyNet)
I don't have a Hopper don't know if that's the reason.

I remember something about Flex and problems with previously recorded shows was a bug but this is the first I see about losing the ability to watch freeview without a box showing over it. Didn't happen with the two Showtime movies I have. If the box shows up further into the movie let me know I'll check that.
Only hopper receivers with carbon ui, was enable a few months ago, VIP receivers don't have that problem
 
When watching the free first five minutes of a movie showing on channels 502-50x I used to be able to select 'No' when asked if I wanted to rent it and the box would go away. Now selecting 'No' bumps me back to the channel I was watching before. I have to watch the free five minute preview with the dialog box on the screen.
 
Just yesterday I watched the first four episodes of Game of Thrones season 4 that I had recorded years ago during a free preview and they played fine. I have a HWS with the new CUI. Maybe those recordings are old enough to not be effected. They were recorded when season 5 was debuting. I also have s5 recorded when s6 debuted. I'll try one of those after work today. All recordings during free preview.
 
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Has anyone else noticed the dialogue box in the middle of the screen when attempting to view recordings from a free preview of premium channels?
When I called to complain, I was informed that is an invitation to subscribe to the premium channels in question. The free previews are only a teaser to entice us to subscribe. I can read! I already understood this.

In the past ~20 years with Dish I could always record the free previews they offered a couple times a year and satisfy my need for those channels since 90% of the content was reruns. Until this week I never noticed a time limit on the programs recorded when I had proper access to the channels at the time of recording.

NOW apparently DRM is being enforced by the content owners, not Dish and the content can only be viewed during the free preview period or by subscribing.

I understand. But I think it STINKS!

Rant over.
I'm finding that it depends on the provider. I get EPIX and Starz (On Demand) via the Dish Movie Pack. So, this doesn't affect programming recorded off Starz linear channels during a free preview. As of now, HBO and Cinemax are not effected. Showtime appears to be the big culprit.

Thanks to previous posters for conforming my thought that it was related to my transition to CUI. Guess it's content providers closing a loophole. Also guess I'll have to stick to my other loophole to get their content. But, I'll leave that in a clouded mystery.
 
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That was my point, which I made very clear to the CSR/tech. He insisted no one at Dish could do anything about it.

Sure they could. They could refuse to carry channels which make odious anti-consumer demands, and let the channels change their ways or fail. Granted, other providers would have to do this too, but nothing says that they couldn't. DRM is an abomination that should've been put down when it was conceived, never mind implemented.
 
I'm finding that it depends on the provider. I get EPIX and Starz (On Demand) via the Dish Movie Pack. So, this doesn't affect programming recorded off Starz linear channels during a free preview. As of now, HBO and Cinemax are not effected. Showtime appears to be the big culprit.

Thanks to previous posters for conforming my thought that it was related to my transition to CUI. Guess it's content providers closing a loophole. Also guess I'll have to stick to my other loophole to get their content. But, I'll leave that in a clouded mystery.
Showtime is not the culprit, it was done on other premium channels, I first noticed it on Starz during the reruns of Ash vs Evil Dead
 
Never had a problem like this when I had DTV. I would record movies during all the various free previews and they would remain in my recorded shows and be viewable trouble free indefinitely. Still had a ton of them unwatched when I dumped DTV. Maybe time to consider a switch.
 
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Never had a problem like this when I had DTV. I would record movies during all the various free previews and they would remain in my recorded shows and be viewable trouble free indefinitely. Still had a ton of them unwatched when I dumped DTV. Maybe time to consider a switch.

Yep keeping freeviews is #1.
 
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