Nomad First Look

[jcrandall]

DBStalk posted their first look at the Nomad device, nothing too shocking from what we've heard over the past few months.

Three things stuck with me: subscription to Nomad service (most likely another fee), real-time transcoding from HD-DVR to the Nomad device, so a two hour movie takes two hours, and then copied to the portable device (fast, two hour movie takes ten minutes).

Pro: Watch recodings with no mobile bandwith needed, can be setup to copy series automatically.

Con: $149 Cost, Real-Time Transcoding requiring pre-planning for the user.

DirecTV is having a Q&A with the Nomad product team they invited us to next Wednesday evening. I will be happy to escalate your questions about Nomad and get as many answers as they are willing/able to give.

Please share your questions in this thread.

 

[jcrandall]

DirecTV page is up. Cost is $149. I didn't see anything about a monthly fee on the page. Hopefully they are truly just charging a one-time fee.

DIRECTV: nomad

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

$149 is too expensive, its too bad that they didn't sell it for $69 without a hard drive. That would have made it a lot more acceptable to the massed.

I just can't see them selling a lot of these based on what it does and the price of it.

If it did streaming it would be worth it... I would LOVE to see some real competition to Sling... Since Echostar purchased them their software, quality and support and gone down the tubes greatly. I got to admit I was hoping for a Slingbox killer with this product.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

DirecTV page is up. Cost is $149. I didn't see anything about a monthly fee on the page. Hopefully they are truly just charging a one-time fee.

DIRECTV: nomad

I still see the coming soon graphic here when I go to that page.

 

[jcrandall]

From the user manual:
• Mobile DVR service
- Mobile DVR service will be added to your account during the application setup process on your computer or mobile device.

Doesn't say if there is a cost for mobile DVR service.

 

[jcrandall]

$149 is too expensive, its too bad that they didn't sell it for $69 without a hard drive. That would have made it a lot more acceptable to the massed.

I just can't see them selling a lot of these based on what it does and the price of it.

If it did streaming it would be worth it... I would LOVE to see some real competition to Sling... Since Echostar purchased them their software, quality and support and gone down the tubes greatly. I got to admit I was hoping for a Slingbox killer with this product.

Built-in storage is only 16GB. Manual says it holds 20 hours, so figure a bit under 1GB per hour of content, which is an important factor for those uploading video to phones.

Storage
Your nomad comes with built-in storage capacity. It can hold approximately 20 hours, depending on the type of recorded programming. If you fill up your nomad with programming, the oldest piece of programming will automatically be deleted to make room for new programming. Programs will also be automatically deleted from the nomad if you delete them from your HD DVR. As long as you have storage capacity on your computer or mobile device, the programming will remain on your computer or mobile device for 30 days unless otherwise deleted.
You can expand your storage capacity by plugging an external hard drive or USB storage device
into the USB slot on the back of the nomad.

 

[jcrandall]

From the My Account page on directv.com, looks like the Mobile DVR service is free, so the Nomad doesn't have a monthly fee, just the $150 up front.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

According to a poster at DBSTalk when you order one you get a confirmation email back which states there is a $5 a month NOMAD service fee as well..

DIRECTV® nomad™. Requires DIRECTV subscription, DIRECTV HD DVR with DVR service ($7/mo.), nomad Mobile DVR service ($5/mo. + tax, if applicable), high-speed Internet connection and compatible mobile device. Visit directv.com/nomad for additional details.

DBSTalk.Com - View Single Post - DBSTalk Exclusive First Look: nomad™

 

[JamesJ]

Ill pass.

 

[jcrandall]

Well that is conflicting information. A straight $150 one-time I could think about, $99 one-time and I think I would buy. Either with a $5 monthly and I would be very hesitant. Why is it everything they do adds a monthly charge

I tried adding it to my cart to see if it would show anymore and it came up as an empty cart. They must still be working on the site.

 

[JamesJ]

the monthly charge makes me not even want to look at it.

 

[espressoman]

According to a poster at DBSTalk when you order one you get a confirmation email back which states there is a $5 a month NOMAD service fee as well..

DBSTalk.Com - View Single Post - DBSTalk Exclusive First Look: nomad?

So is it also kicking in another 2-year commitment?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

So is it also kicking in another 2-year commitment?

I would hope not.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Jason is working with DIRECTV trying to get an answer on the monthly fee. The manual and the confirmation email from DIRECTV says that there is one. However a number of people at DIRECTV are saying there is none. We are working to get the answer direct from the NOMAD project manager.

 

[tigerfan33]

Ill pass.

+1
Was excited when it was first talked about a year or so ago.
Excitement went to disappointment when reality hit.

 

[harshness]

Doesn't say if there is a cost for mobile DVR service.

The Answer Center says:

What is Mobile DVR Service?
Mobile DVR Service is added to your account at no charge to activate the nomad™ and authenticate up to 5 computers or mobile devices.

 

[harshness]

I saw the production nomad page earlier today but like Scott's early attempts, I to am getting the "coming soon" page again midday.

 

[harshness]

Was excited when it was first talked about a year or so ago.
Excitement went to disappointment when reality hit.

Like the new Apple iPhone announcement, the specs were pretty spectacular a year ago.

Now that nomad turns out to be more like DIRECTV2Go with additional cost hardware and five years late, not so much.

 

[cypherstream]

Here is my question for the QA meeting.

Why should I spend $150 on this device to do transcoding, when I could simply just use the power of my PC to do this?

They should of wrote an app, much like DirecTV2PC can talk to my DVR, the Nomad Windows or Mac application should be able to talk to the DVR and do transcoding.

I've transcoded blue ray to DVD and blue ray or DVD to mobile before. I know my PC can handle it.

Plus then I'd have 2.5 TB of storage vs 16Gb on the overly priced nomad box.

DRM?it works on PCs. DirecTV2PC, protected mp4, wmv, wma, dvr-ms files, etc... Are all working examples of DRM in a personal computer environment.

 

[satjay]

I will take my chances on internet watching movies via slingbox from my DVR