VOD via telephone line?

[trellaine]

Can I get VOD by hooking up my telephone line to the Directv receiver? Or do I need an ethernet connection?

If I connect my telephone line to the receiver, what advantage do I have? If any.

Thanks

 

[jb14075]

For VOD it has to be connected to broadband internet service with a minimum connection speed of 750 Kbps. A phone line connection wouldn't support the required speed.

Connecting your phone line (from a land based phone not dial up internet connection) to the receiver would enable you to get caller ID on your TV screen & you would be able to purchase PPV movies/events with your remote.

 

[cfb]

The network connection will also give the PPV ability. It can do everything (and maybe a bit more) with the network that it can do with the phone line.

Except caller ID.

 

[sddtvtech]

its mandatory that every install has a phone line.. this is good for ppl who wanna just buy ppv on their recievers, but for DTV to say its gotta be done bc your pay reflects on if that box is hooked or not. so i can do a 100% great install, by the book, done to the perfection and i can get paid crap if i dont hook the phone line?

i didnt join D* to hook phone line, if i wanted to do phone line work, id work for Qwest or any phone provider.

 

[cfb]

The 'must have a phone line' specter returns. I thought it was fully and completely debunked that a phone line was necessary. I thought you were (by the book) fine without one unless you wanted to order PPV's or sports premium packages, and the network was fine for everything if you have it, instead of the phone line.

I havent had a phone line hooked up to mine for some time. Seems there are a lot of other folks who dont have it and have no problems.

 

[sddtvtech]

i even read that a reciever will not activate unless a phone line is connected. i have not come across an install where the cust had cell account only... and could NOT activate bc of no phone line.


software and ppv still come in without a phone line. (ppv through net or calling it in via Cellphone)


i hate it when my pay reflects on phone lines.

 

[jb14075]

I've never had a phone hooked up to any of mine. I just had a tech here last week to install a new dish & HDDVR, he never even asked if I had a phone line to hook up to it. I have digital phone, is it even possible to hook that up to the receiver (I know the last time I checked it wouldn't work)?

 

[srenker]

Back to the original question, the reason broadband is required for VOD is that you'd tie up the phone line for like a week to download a movie over dialup.

 

[cfb]

There is sort of a sideways way to do it without broadband. Your receiver will record various movies off the satellite in the middle of the night and keeps them under 'directv cinema' under the playlist. You can watch those as a vod/ppv without downloading anything, with just a phone line to authorize the purchase.

 

[Big Dawg 23]

Back to the original question, the reason broadband is required for VOD is that you'd tie up the phone line for like a week to download a movie over dialup.

A week would be lucky. Just image an HD movie. I have 20MB and it takes about 2 hours.

 

[starmburst1]

A phone line is not needed for basic tv watching, for ppv or vod it maybe, but the few weeks I have had my dtv I have not had a phone line hooked up to the three receivers in my house

 

[riggscm]

A phone line is not needed for basic tv watching, for ppv or vod it maybe, but the few weeks I have had my dtv I have not had a phone line hooked up to the three receivers in my house

Amen Starm.

I have had my system for over 6 years and, I just recently (last month) added a phone line to my primary HR20 because my wife wanted to see the caller ID pop-up.

Phone line is not needed to activate receivers, watch TV, or do VOD. Advanced features like VOD, and Apps require a active broadband connection.

PPV authorization can be done via broadband connection, website, or Phone line. I suggest you use the website to order PPV's as the movie/event will be active on all receivers on your account, as opposed to just the one receiver you click "ok" on, unless D* changed that and didn't tell me.

 

[sddtvtech]

conference call i had today...


"you are REQUIRED to hook phone lines. if a customer doesnt want a phone line hooked up, you need to call your supervisor and then they will explain why it needs to be hooked up"

OH GREAT!! piss off the customer and when it comes to survey, i'll get a negative comment for bringing in my TL to explain why they need it.



i was face to face with my regional manager (which i have know since ive started as he was a tech like me then)... i told him flat out, i dont hook phone line unless theres a jack already there.. if there isnt one, im not getting PHONE LINE LABOR pay...

I told him, you know you and me go way back and i know you complained about hooking phone lines back then, I know its your JOB to enforce this but honestly, if i wanted to work with phone lines, id work for Qwest. but theres a reason why im not working for them.

more and more people are just using cell phones if internet is not needed through phone lines.

alot are through cable internet or satellite. I just ended my landline service as i hardly use it. saves me 30.00 a month.