Does Satellite providers offer On-Demand services?

[Jimbo]

Say a movie you wanted to see you notice it comes on 3 days from now at like 12AM midnight. so isntead of waiting till that time, goto the on-demand station and click bam watch it right then and their..

I doubt what you just said is true.
What you said would mean you could in effect watch the show BEFORE it is shown on it's scheduled time.

Only way to do that was with the C-Band when you could watch shows days before it would happen on the network.

Also, the on demand would have to alrady have the show on it's list inorder to watch it, I highly doubt that, a show that is not suppose to be out till thursday will be available on the Monday before.

Jimbo

 

[navychop]

The answer to your question is yes. As Scott posted, Dish Online is coming. It is expected to be available around 2/15/07.

Yes, it's "satellite internet." I don't know why you express reservations about that- no one has seen it yet to comment knowledgeably on it, pro or con. But it is designed to provide what you want "on demand." How deep the title list will be is anyone's guess- but it will surely grow over time.

I think it may well be better and more responsive than the cable version. We'll have to see how well internet holds up as IPTV grows.

On edit: I misunderstood what you meant by "satellite internet" - I now realize you meant like Wildblue. No, in February we should see the ability to plug in via ethernet your ViP622 into your broadband internet service, DSL or cable. Maybe it would work with something like Wildblue, but satellite internet service providers restrict how much you can download, IIRC. The ViP series of STBs already come with an RJ-45 jack. You will be able to order online and have a program, movie, etc, delivered to your DVR for later viewing. My guess is some will download in near real time; some, such as HD movies, might take hours to download.

 

[Chris Freeland]

I doubt what you just said is true.
What you said would mean you could in effect watch the show BEFORE it is shown on it's scheduled time.

Only way to do that was with the C-Band when you could watch shows days before it would happen on the network.

Also, the on demand would have to alrady have the show on it's list inorder to watch it, I highly doubt that, a show that is not suppose to be out till thursday will be available on the Monday before.

Jimbo

Generaly that is true and the On-Demand version of the show will not be on untill after the original broadcast, however ocasionaly their are exceptions and an On-Demand show will be offered before the broacast date, but these are usualy special exceptions to the rule.

Having had Comcast cable now for about 1 year now due to line-of site issues with E* at my current home, and after having had E* for 9 years prier, I have to say I like Video On-Demand, even with a DVR, it does provide another choice when their is nothing on my DVR list or live that I want to watch is available. Comcast added VOD here shortly before I upgraded to a DVR, I watched it more before the upgrade then I have since but I do watch VOD occasionally.

Having said the above, once I have a new home build, having VOD or not will not have much if any influence on which TV service provider I go with, cost, number of channels available, quality of DVR, and with a new home I hope to have HD, and that will make a difference. If I were moving tomorrow and had HD, I would likely keep Comcast for Internet (unless Century Tel would sell me DSL without their crappy phone service, I like my Via-Talk ) but return to E* for TV, because of better pq and more robust HD channel selection. Since it will likely be at least 1 or 2 years before building on my property, who knows who will have the best TV service in my new neighborhood at that time.

 

[stevenl]

I doubt what you just said is true.
What you said would mean you could in effect watch the show BEFORE it is shown on it's scheduled time.

Only way to do that was with the C-Band when you could watch shows days before it would happen on the network.

Also, the on demand would have to alrady have the show on it's list inorder to watch it, I highly doubt that, a show that is not suppose to be out till thursday will be available on the Monday before.

Jimbo

What i mean is say, HBO is showing i dunno Titanic at 12am 3 days from now and you wanted to watch it. Well most all the movies HBO shows are ondemand so instead of waiting till then you can goto on-demand and watch it then. sorry if i wasnt clear but yes the movie has to be on-demand to watch it you cant say watch the new episode of weeds before it airs.. (not yet at least) but in the sense i was saying you can watch a show before its aired like with titanic, or whatever movie instead of waiting for it to replay on hbo again you could goto the on-demand channel and watch it.

 

[GaryPen]

Wow Todd. You really don't know much about DVR's or OnDemand, do you?

Cable DVR's are FREE for SD and HD. Dish and DirecTV DVR's are free for SD, but $200 for the priviledge of leasing an HD model.

All three charge a monthly DVR fee. But, in the case of my local Comcast, it's $10/mo total for HD Package and DVR fee. Dish and Direct is $6 month for DVR plus $10-$20 for HD pack.

As for OnDemand, cable doesn't download anything to your hdd. When you choose a program from the hundreds available, most of which is FREE, it streams live to your receiver from their head end. There are also lots of local interest content available, such as videos of pets for adoption from local shelters, holiday greetings home from local area troops deployed in Iraq, local station programming, etc.

Cable clearly has the advantage in OnDemand technology and programming at this time. It was the main thing, along with a "dump dish" promo that kept me from switching back to DBS. Now that the promo is over, I am considering DirecTV because it is so much cheaper than Dish. But, I will miss Comcast's OnDemand, if I do. (Dish has announced DishOnline, a type of OnDemand. But, I doubt it will have the plethora of free content. It will probably be very similar to ATT's HomeZone OnDemand offerings.)

No, But then again, A DVR from DISH or DTV (DISH is better) can record shows that YOU tell it to. On Demand are shows the CATV Co downloads for you without your choice.
With a DISH DVR you can have the receiver tune to channels while you sleep or away at work and record them. You create your own On Demand programming.


Here is a review of the DISH 625 DVR
http://www.dbsinstall.com/Dish_Network/Receivers/Dish_Network_625_Receiver.asp

The problem with On-demand is you have no control over WHAT you have access too. At least with a DVR, I control what is recorded. Go through your On-demand choices. Are you going to watch everything they force into that harddrive? If so, then maybe it is right for you. What I hear from CATV customers is they are tired of not being to watch what they want when they want it. They are restricted. On-demand was a quick and easy way to market against the DVR, which Satellite perfected with the DTV receiver TIVO combo. DTV screwed that deal up and now comcast will have TIVO. Watch On-demand fade away next year as Comcast with TIVO come on line.

But at the store it is $300-$500 plus $10 month. With Satellite it is FREE and only $5/month.

 

[Todd Humphrey]

Ondemand is not always steaming video. That still does not change the fact that you are limited to those shows THEY determine to make available.

You seem to be good at pulling quotes out of context .

When I said

But at the store it is $300-$500 plus $10 month. With Satellite it is FREE and only $5/month.

It was in response to this message

People doesn't think while satellite pitches the DVR, you can have one with cable as well even if the operator doesn't "offer it" themselves. You can buy or lease a Tivo and set it up and pay them for the service. People just think since satellite pitches it, it's the only way to get one when all they had to do was go to the local electronic store and get one.

As far as knowing a lot about Ondemand, No I am not that familier with the product beyond my satellite customers telling them they prefer the satellite service over their crappy cable service. Not all cable is crappy. Some is pretty good. But their service cost more and the quality can vary from door to door.

Some of you keep saying Ondemand is free. How ignorant can you be? The primary reason consumers leave cable TV for Satellite TV is base cost. Cable TV charges more for their services. HD FREE. Sure but they charge at least $10 more for a smaller package. That means those customers who are not using HD, pay for something they do not need.

When you get up to the larger packages with HD, cable does compete very well against satellite, when they provide realiable service. Satellites are not error free and can be a pain in the ass when not installed correctly, but consumers seem more satisfied with Satellite Service overall. Cable is gaining and when they can offer improved consistency from customer to customer, satellite will start having trouble. Then again, a lot of consumers live in areas were satellite will be their only access to TV.

 

[navychop]

"...I am considering DirecTV because it is so much cheaper than Dish..."

Maybe. But generally not. D* increase is in March. Price it all out carefully, and consider things like PQ, Sunday Ticket, available HD programming and quality of DVRs. Of course, it would be best not to make any decisions until after CES.

 

[GaryPen]

A- I didn't edit your quotes. They were intact, in full, retrieved by using the quote button.
B- I'm just talking about the general merits of Cable vs DBS, only OnDemand.
C- Cable OnDemand is streamed, not saved to the hdd. That is how it works.
D- Yes. Programming is "restricted" to what is offered. However, HUNDREDS, if not THOUSANDS, of programs, movies, local info, public interest, etc is offered.

It's very simple. Most cable system's OnDemand is simply way better than what DBS currently offers. And, DishOnline ain't gonna change that.

However, I will might just switch back to DBS myself. So, it isn't only OnDemand that factors in my decision. For others, however, it might be. There are many factors to consider, as you so correctly point out.

 

[navychop]

Considering so many people use Netflix or drive to a rental store, Dish Online might seem to still be more convenient. Not as quick as with cable for the higher bandwidth stuff, but better than mail or driving. So it might be "a contender."

 

[GaryPen]

"...I am considering DirecTV because it is so much cheaper than Dish..."

Maybe. But generally not. D* increase is in March. Price it all out carefully, and consider things like PQ, Sunday Ticket, available HD programming and quality of DVRs. Of course, it would be best not to make any decisions until after CES.

Trust me. I have done my homework. And D* is wayyyyy cheaper. For instance, with their current promo:
TC+ w/Locals, HD, Showtime, Starz, HBO, and DVR fee is $76/month
The equivalent E* package is $115. ($114 with the coming DVR Advantage package. Big savings!)

Yes, E* has the Voom channels, HGTV, and NGHD. But, I would only watch NGHD, which isn't worth the $10 difference in HD Pack price.

Yes, it's a 12 month promo price, but when it's over, I will drop down to TC, and drop SHO and Starz, and it will still be cheaper than AT200/Locals/HD/DVR. (And, TC has many channels not in AT120/200, only the costlier AT180/250.)

Yes, E*'s HD DVR has two independant outputs. I don't care. I use the single output Comcast 3412 to two rooms now just fine. We only watch TV in one room at a time.

Yes, D*'s HD DVR seems to be a little buggy right now. But, no less buggy than E*'s, or even Comcast's. In fact, it definitely seems less buggy than the 622 was at this point after its release. So, I expect it to surpass it at some point.

I think the only channel I will really miss is HBO Comedy, which I currently get with C*. I'll also miss the Encore Theme Pack.

But, to get back on topic, I will mostly miss C* OnDemand. (But, I wouldn't have that will E*, anyway.)

 

[stevenl]

Ondemand is not always steaming video. That still does not change the fact that you are limited to those shows THEY determine to make available.

You seem to be good at pulling quotes out of context .

When I said


It was in response to this message



As far as knowing a lot about Ondemand, No I am not that familier with the product beyond my satellite customers telling them they prefer the satellite service over their crappy cable service. Not all cable is crappy. Some is pretty good. But their service cost more and the quality can vary from door to door.

Some of you keep saying Ondemand is free. How ignorant can you be? The primary reason consumers leave cable TV for Satellite TV is base cost. Cable TV charges more for their services. HD FREE. Sure but they charge at least $10 more for a smaller package. That means those customers who are not using HD, pay for something they do not need.

When you get up to the larger packages with HD, cable does compete very well against satellite, when they provide realiable service. Satellites are not error free and can be a pain in the ass when not installed correctly, but consumers seem more satisfied with Satellite Service overall. Cable is gaining and when they can offer improved consistency from customer to customer, satellite will start having trouble. Then again, a lot of consumers live in areas were satellite will be their only access to TV.

I dont know what provider you have for cable in your area but sounds like your getting ripped off, in orlando, cable is without question the best value... and yes On-demand is FREE (favorites on-demand) over 40 cahnnels included for all digital customers (same price you paid before it was offerd) they didnt jack up the prices when the service was availible it was added on.. Also for 6$ a month you can add HBO/show/cinemax/tmc on demand if you subscribe to the any of those channels for the same price you get ALL of them (for each you subscribe to)

On-demand is without doubt one of our most popular video sources and it compliments DVR very well.. Imagine you watched EVERYthing on your dvr, or your just bored with it, and their is nothing on the TV to watch.. Goto a channel point click watch.. Its very simple and works great... Satellite just cant compete with cable because the technology is so much quicker to implant new things.. Sattellite will always be behind cable...

 

[ronfelder]

Wow Todd. You really don't know much about DVR's or OnDemand, do you?

Cable DVR's are FREE for SD and HD. Dish and DirecTV DVR's are free for SD, but $200 for the priviledge of leasing an HD model.

All three charge a monthly DVR fee. But, in the case of my local Comcast, it's $10/mo total for HD Package and DVR fee. Dish and Direct is $6 month for DVR plus $10-$20 for HD pack.

As for OnDemand, cable doesn't download anything to your hdd. When you choose a program from the hundreds available, most of which is FREE, it streams live to your receiver from their head end. There are also lots of local interest content available, such as videos of pets for adoption from local shelters, holiday greetings home from local area troops deployed in Iraq, local station programming, etc.

Cable clearly has the advantage in OnDemand technology and programming at this time. It was the main thing, along with a "dump dish" promo that kept me from switching back to DBS. Now that the promo is over, I am considering DirecTV because it is so much cheaper than Dish. But, I will miss Comcast's OnDemand, if I do. (Dish has announced DishOnline, a type of OnDemand. But, I doubt it will have the plethora of free content. It will probably be very similar to ATT's HomeZone OnDemand offerings.)

Still not worth the extra money per month cost of cablre over E* or D*.

 

[GaryPen]

Still not worth the extra money per month cost of cablre over E* or D*.

It really depends on the cable company and region. Their prices, services, and quality vary greatly from area to area.

In my area, C*'s quality, programming, and service are quite good. And, they cost about the same for the equivilent programming as E*. Of course, E* has Voom. But, C* has the more valuable, to me, OnDemand. E* has HGHD and NGHD. But, C* has MHD, local sports in HD, and local digital sub-channels, which are also more valuable to me.

Nationwide consistency is where Satellite really shines over cable. But, if , and it's a big if, one lives in a good area for cable, it will most likely be better than DBS.

 

[ronfelder]

It really depends on the cable company and region. Their prices, services, and quality vary greatly from area to area.

In my area, C*'s quality, programming, and service are quite good. And, they cost about the same for the equivilent programming as E*. Of course, E* has Voom. But, C* has the more valuable, to me, OnDemand. E* has HGHD and NGHD. But, C* has MHD, local sports in HD, and local digital sub-channels, which are also more valuable to me.

Nationwide consistency is where Satellite really shines over cable. But, if , and it's a big if, one lives in a good area for cable, it will most likely be better than DBS.

Cable is almost $20 more per month around here and i'm in prime Comcast territory. My mom is paying over $60 per month for two analog boxes. I'm paying $65 for the AT-180 w/ a dual tuner dvr. A much better bargain in my opinion. Plus picture quality is better.

 

[GaryPen]

For you, E* definitely seems like the better choice. I don't know what "prime" Comcast territory means.)

For me, Comcast's Digital Silver with an HD DVR (all-digital. no analog channels at all) is exactly the same as AT180/Locals/HBO/HD/DVR. (Actually, it's cheaper before taxes.)

Plus, the DVR was free, no $199 upgrade fee. And, the first 16 months were $25 dollars off, making it much cheaper than E* during that period. (Saved about $600)

As for PQ. It's about the same for SD. Comcast is better for HD. (Better than my old DP811, that is.)

I guess my Comcast territory is more prime than yours?

 

[dodge]

dvr's

People doesn't think while satellite pitches the DVR, you can have one with cable as well even if the operator doesn't "offer it" themselves. You can buy or lease a Tivo and set it up and pay them for the service. People just think since satellite pitches it, it's the only way to get one when all they had to do was go to the local electronic store and get one.

one problem with that, if you own the dvr and it takes a sh*t , you gotta pay, with dish and direct and cable boxes the provider fix it. Also dish and direct dvr fess are only 4.99 a month, where as a standalone tivo is 12.99 a month.....

 

[cybok0]

I had Comcast cable before, and I got to tell you that On-Demand was great.

The only thing is that On-Demand was the ONLY thing good about Comcast.

Comcast's DVR sucked, more expensive than Directv , and I feel the respond time with digital channels were slow.

I gladly gave up On-Demand for a superior product like Directv.

On the other had if Directv keeps pushing these wannabe DVRs (R15 and HR20) , my DTIVO dies and Comcast gets TIVO I'll probably switch.

 

[ronfelder]

I had Comcast cable before, and I got to tell you that On-Demand was great.

The only thing is that On-Demand was the ONLY thing good about Comcast.

Comcast's DVR sucked, more expensive than Directv , and I feel the respond time with digital channels were slow.

I gladly gave up On-Demand for a superior product like Directv.

On the other had if Directv keeps pushing these wannabe DVRs (R15 and HR20) , my DTIVO dies and Comcast gets TIVO I'll probably switch.

I don't know about Comcast or D* dvr's. But I do know I love my E* 522. Love the fact it has two tuners and it can feed two tv's. Plus it only needs a one cable feed which was good for there is no way for me to feed another cable to the dvr.

Ron

 

[ronfelder]

For you, E* definitely seems like the better choice. I don't know what "prime" Comcast territory means.)

Prime territory wa simplying i'm in Comcas't some turf. They've got the city of Philly which thankfully i don't live in lock stock and barrel. They own the politicans there and won't let anyother competitor in. They blocked RCN i've read Verizon isn't planning on putting in FIOS tv in the city anytime soon. As for satelitte competitioin they dont' allow their local sportchannel to be fed to etiher E* or D* to help deter defectors.

Ron

 

[cybok0]

I don't know about Comcast or D* dvr's. But I do know I love my E* 522. Love the fact it has two tuners and it can feed two tv's. Plus it only needs a one cable feed which was good for there is no way for me to feed another cable to the dvr.

Ron

My Directivo DVR is great(the reason I'm still with D*).
But my 2 R15s suck no responsability and nothing at all like my Directivo.

They both have dual tuners which I like.