Dear Dish:

[Cactus Jack]

Dear Dish: Your Video On Demand service in its current iteration is practically useless to those of us with slow internet connections, which is many who subscribe to satellite TV. Please, can't you go back to the old way and download video in the background? Or better yet, create a channel dedicated to On Demand that provides a demanded video over the satellite link.

Regards.

 

[rvvaquero]

Dear Cactus Jack: I don't think your message will get to DISH through this forum.

 

[Juan]

Dear Cactus Jack: I don't think your message will get to DISH through this forum.

It used to

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

It still does.

 

[TheKrell]

It used to

And it may still. We occasionally see replies from the Dish team.

 

[sktrus]

Yes, they are following. They won't respond often though.

 

[bookworm370]

It does, from the last time I used it, download in the background. When you do an on-demand request, it should pop up a screen that says to watch now or later (download in background). That screen stays up for about 20-30 seconds or so, so if you want to download in the background, be ready to click on Watch Later.

 

[sktrus]

Is it up to the content provider? I streamed only 3 movies so far. I chose the option 'watch now'. All 3 still downloaded while I was watching the movie. I was afraid choosing 'watch later' would only download the movie without letting me watch the content at the same time. Still confused between two options.

 

[satjay]

I thought this email should end with

“Bang-Bang”

But yea, folks from Dish have been known to lurk as well comment on questions and concerns

 

[Jim S.]

It does, from the last time I used it, download in the background. When you do an on-demand request, it should pop up a screen that says to watch now or later (download in background). That screen stays up for about 20-30 seconds or so, so if you want to download in the background, be ready to click on Watch Later.

For quite some time now, Watch Later has merely placed it into the list of available items in the DVR screen, not actually downloaded it ahead of time like it used to. (Unless it's controlled on a per-item basis and I'm just not watching the right items.)

 

[TV Junkie]

I thought this email should end with

“Bang-Bang”

But yea, folks from Dish have been known to lurk as well comment on questions and concerns

 

[bookworm370]

For quite some time now, Watch Later has merely placed it into the list of available items in the DVR screen, not actually downloaded it ahead of time like it used to. (Unless it's controlled on a per-item basis and I'm just not watching the right items.)

They download one at a time time. Not sure of the order. But you can see the download speeds if you into the on-demand screen and it will show you the speed of the current download, but not what is being downloaded. I think it only shows up as available (unless you selected Watch Now) once the particular one that is is/was downloading finishes.

 

[pattykay]

They download one at a time time. Not sure of the order. But you can see the download speeds if you into the on-demand screen and it will show you the speed of the current download, but not what is being downloaded. I think it only shows up as available (unless you selected Watch Now) once the particular one that is is/was downloading finishes.

In the On Demand folder on the DVR screen, if you highlight the one that is currently being downloaded, it will show the speed. If you highlight one of the other events that you had selected Watch Later (that have not downloaded yet) it will show their place in the queue. (2 of x, 3 of x, etc.) At least, that is the way it worked the last time I checked on a Hopper Duo, which was quite awhile back.

 

[n0qcu]

The last time I did some on demand I selected a complete season of a show and absolutely nothing pre-downloaded it all streamed when I actually watched.

 

[lakebum431]

I'd focus your attention on increasing your internet speed

 

[pattykay]

I'd focus your attention on increasing your internet speed

The point is that this is something that used to work, that apparently does not work anymore. People may have legitimate reasons to want to download On Demand content to their Hopper's hard drive, before taking their Hopper with them to a place that does not have internet at all, for example. This would necessitate Watch Later working properly, regardless of what your internet speed is. This can be a useful tool, and customers should still have the option of using it.

 

[EatMyVolts]

I'd focus your attention on increasing your internet speed

Although my speed is OK, I know people out in the boonies for whom increased speed is not an option.

 

[sktrus]

people out in the boonies

If these folks are getting a decent cell phone signal from a cell phone tower, they can sign up for a wireless fixed internet service. My Att&T Home base system had a limit of 250 GB/$69 including tax per month. I switched to T-Mobile that has no limit and costs $50 including all taxes. No contract. Definitely something to consider. I am very pleased so far. Average download speed is roughly 35-45 mbps, enough for streaming. Upload speed is for some strange reason is low though. 1-3 mbps. It may not be enough for Zoom video conference.

 

[EatMyVolts]

If these folks are getting a decent cell phone signal from a cell phone tower, they can sign up for a wireless fixed internet service. My Att&T Home base system had a limit of 250 GB/$69 including tax per month. I switched to T-Mobile that has no limit and costs $50 including all taxes. No contract. Definitely something to consider. I am very pleased so far. Average download speed is roughly 35-45 mbps, enough for streaming. Upload speed is for some strange reason is low though. 1-3 mbps. It may not be enough for Zoom video conference.

Good for some but the example I'm thinking of is in the wilds of Eastern Oregon. AT&T is spotty and my T-Mobil phone is useless when we drive out there to visit. (But believe it or not in the middle of town there's a ChargePoint station for my car)

 

[sktrus]

They are eligible for Starlink, I believe. That initial 560 bucks for equipment and shipping has to go down though. Also $100 per month is steep. With more subscribers it will hopefully go down. What bothers me is that millions of city dwellers are interested, too! Would that slow everybody's connection? Who knows!