Can someone confirm that Dish On Demand is really this bad?

[boleiro]

I don't mean this to be a dish bash thread, I just want to confirm that the on demand content is really as bad as it seems at first look?

Is there a trick or something to finding subscribed channel on demand content?

Specifically, I subscribed to Showtime just for Homeland, and I am not able to watch episodes at the normally aired times. Can't find Homeland episodes anywhere. Here I pay for showtime content, yet I have to rip the episodes off the interent to be able to watch them... does this strike anyone as absolutely stupid?

There are others, but it just appears that there are a lot of gaping holes in the on deman content. Even shows that are in there, don't seem to have whole seasons?

Please set me straight if there are things I need/can do to improve functionality?

The cost savings in switching to the Dish are hard to justify here in my first week.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I would say that the On Demand for DISH is still very poor, even with the recent updates.

I myself have a hard time finding things, it should be easier then this.

 

[Scherrman]

I'm curious, how often to most people use VOD here? I ask because I rarely use it, maybe 5 times in a year.

 

[Wide_opeN]

My 3 daughters ABUSE it, and they LOVE it.

Tis a shame about Homeland though

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

On DIRECTV I use it all the time... in fact I probably watch more VOD on DIRECTV then I do satellite delivered programming from DIRECTV.

 

[king3pj]

I'm curious, how often to most people use VOD here? I ask because I rarely use it, maybe 5 times in a year.

I don't use it often, mostly because it isn't that good. My mom will often go into on demand and then hit the star to show free movies. If you have the premiums outside of Showtime it is a pretty easy way to watch what ever big movies they happen to be featuring at the time.

That is the big thing my local Charter cable beats Dish at. My parents used them for a long time before I switched them to Dish a few years ago. Their DVR sucked but the on demand was great. It seemed like everything they watch was available on demand, including the local networks. It didn't really matter that they only had two tuners because they could still get what they want on demand.

They were expecting the same thing when they first got the 722k but they were quickly broken of their on demand habits. Back then it wasn't on demand at all. You would select a show and then wait a half hour (if you were lucky) before you were able to actually watch it. This got a lot better a little while after Dish purchased blockbuster and it's pretty much available right away now on the hopper. It's still not as fast as cable but it has come a long way. Now they need to add the broadcast networks and Showtime like cable did.

 

[Scherrman]

I suppose I would use it more when there isn't as much sports on. Right now I'm either watching some kind of football game or college basketball game. When my favorite sports are over I watch more series and movies but I have those all saved up on my DVR. I have at least 20 movies recorded that I haven't had time to watch yet. I just go through the movie channels once in a while and record movies that look good.

 

[boleiro]

Thanks Scott... I guess misery likes company. I just a relief to know I'm not doing something wrong.

 

[boleiro]

Hey King, I'm in the same boat as your parents. I switched from Xfinity. While they are expensive, their on demand content is comprehensive. I never recorded anything, I would just watch it in the on demand section since everthing was available.

Looks like I'll have to actually set up all my shows to record. Yes, I know how lazy that made me sound.

 

[Jaspear]

There are others, but it just appears that there are a lot of gaping holes in the on deman content. Even shows that are in there, don't seem to have whole seasons?

No kidding! A few day ago, I was looking at the description of the UK blu-ray release of "Broadchurch", and wondered if I could watch episodes on Dish VOD. The BBC America web site helpfully told me that I could. My Hopper said otherwise. I'm currently downloading episode two on a torrent.

 

[TheKrell]

Hey King, I'm in the same boat as your parents. I switched from Xfinity. While they are expensive, their on demand content is comprehensive. I never recorded anything, I would just watch it in the on demand section since everthing was available.

Looks like I'll have to actually set up all my shows to record. Yes, I know how lazy that made me sound.

A most excellent point, and one I have been wondering about ever since Dish introduced iVOD to our DVRs. "Why", I thought, "doesn't Dish bring iVOD to non-DVR receivers?" Given their boatload of fee-based VOD, they're leaving money on the table. Or are they afraid we'll all replace our DVRs with the diskless equivalent?

 

[satjay]

I'm curious, how often to most people use VOD here? I ask because I rarely use it, maybe 5 times in a year.

If you consider stuff that falls under BB@on demand I use it, nice for the starz section

Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

 

[gpflepsen]

On the Hopper go to the OnDemand screen. Set the filters as such:

Content Type: All (default)
Price: All
Resolution: HD
Release Date: New, Recently added, and Current.

Click "Show results" and you will get "No Titles Found".

Scott said it well, not a very good implementation.

 

[Hall]

Is there a trick or something to finding subscribed channel on demand content?

Specifically, I subscribed to Showtime just for Homeland, and I am not able to watch episodes at the normally aired times.

I'm guessing you have a Hopper since you're new to Dish (I think all new customers get the Hopper). If so, the search tool should find what you're looking for -- if it's available. It searches the program guide and the "on demand" sections.

Looks like I'll have to actually set up all my shows to record.

Isn't that why you have a DVR ?

 

[Deadlocked]

Looks like I'll have to actually set up all my shows to record.

See that would be my first thought seeing how you have a DVR with your receiver. If you had thought of that before maybe we would have 3 threads from you where you take a shot about how "bad" Dish is. Remember you're not with Cable anymore you can DVR EVERYTHING (plus HBO will air marathons of Homeland sooner or later).

 

[Tampa8]

Honestly, it will be hard to find someone who thinks DISH on demand is great, but the OP is to blame for being unhappy and feeling the savings may not justify the service. He found a way to post now, and in another thread just so surprised DISH does not have this or that. But he couldn't ask about it before switching. Using on demand and apparently apps as his main way of watching TV, not even using one of the most advanced DVR systems and maybe currently the biggest thing going for DISH, one would think those things would have been the first he would want to know everything about before subscribing. If I switched to your past provider with no research, I have no doubt I would find many things different than DISH that I don't like. Jeez.......

 

[Ray_Schwarz]

The OP mentioned Homeland on Showtime. Dish does not carry Showtime on Demand which I would expect would have Homeland episodes available.

 

[MikeD-C05]

I'm curious, how often to most people use VOD here? I ask because I rarely use it, maybe 5 times in a year.

I don't use it very often at all. I think I did play with it a bit to test it after the update ,but I am still not impressed with the layout. As for the price on pay per view pay on demands , it is simply outrageous in price. I can watch the same movies on Vudu for much less and get the same hd picture.

 

[sean427812]

Seems analog to me. Compared to DirecTV and even dish network DirecTV

 

[sean427812]

DirecTV gets their movies first a release on most releases and 10,000 movies and TV shows in HD