What exactly is DirecTV's OnDemand?

[jaelae]

I probably should have asked this - before ordering the service, but what exactly is DirecTV's On Demand service? I ask this coming from using on demand on cable and fios where you get those clunky interfaces for HBO and Showtime to choose their selected programming for that week. I loved it but since getting Tivo have missed that convenience.

Now DirecTV seems to use your internet connection to stream this content right? Is the programming the same for HBO and Showtime and other premium channels that list their weekly on demand programming on their website?

Also, there is a plethora of other channels with on demand content (FX, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon).

Are these lineups in a similar way as HBO and showtime or is it a very limited selection of media from these other stations?

- Thanks!

 

[Mr Tony]

yes there are other channels on the D* VOD setup. I think its actually pretty cool. If you miss a episode of a show they show up a couple days later in the VOD setup
It may not be as big as some of the cable ones but its actually pretty good

for the 3 channels you posted above yes they are on there as are A&E, TruTV, TNT, TBS, MTV, VH1, CMT, VH1Classic, Fuse, Gospel Music, Big10, IFC, Showtime, CNN, Golf, HGTV and more. Maybe someone can post a list if they have one handy or I can post one later.

The neat part is to see if a VOD channel is available put a "1" in front of the channel. So to see A&E VOD its 1265

 

[Mr Tony]

Now DirecTV seems to use your internet connection to stream this content right? Is the programming the same for HBO and Showtime and other premium channels that list their weekly on demand programming on their website?

it depends on the channel. Most have replays of current shows on them

Also, there is a plethora of other channels with on demand content (FX, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon).

well going through mine here is a list
The 101
HD NET
D* Cinema
Golf
HGTV
Food Network
Style
E!
HSN
Spike
USA
ScyFy
TNT
TBS
FX
TruTV
Comedy
Oxygen
Lifetime
AMC
TCM
Fox Movie Channel
We
BBC
A&E
Documentary
History
Logo
Bravo
Ovation
Nat Geo
Travel
Discovery
TLC
Animal Planet
Nat Geo Wild
Science
Planet Green
Hub
Sprout
Cartoon Network
Boomerang
Nickelodeon
Nick Jr
Teenick
CMT
BET
MTV
MTV2
VH1
VH1 Classic
GMC
Fuse
Bloomberg
Weather Channle

all the movie channels (HBO, TMC, Showtime, Cinemax, Encore, IFC)

Speed
Big10
Fuel

The adult movie channels

and some odd ball ones at the end like a Karaoke channel

 

[jaelae]

Sounds good. Cablevision was my cable provider and ondemand was restricted to mostly premium channels and it was an additional monthly cost on top of the actual premium channel cost on your package. So really, any on demand is an improvement.

 

[Mr Tony]

Now note that the movie channels you can only see the VOD if you sub to the channel but the VOD is free

 

[Jimbo]

yes there are other channels on the D* VOD setup. I think its actually pretty cool. If you miss a episode of a show they show up a couple days later in the VOD setup
It may not be as big as some of the cable ones but its actually pretty good

for the 3 channels you posted above yes they are on there as are A&E, TruTV, TNT, TBS, MTV, VH1, CMT, VH1Classic, Fuse, Gospel Music, Big10, IFC, Showtime, CNN, Golf, HGTV and more. Maybe someone can post a list if they have one handy or I can post one later.

The neat part is to see if a VOD channel is available put a "1" in front of the channel. So to see A&E VOD its 1265

Unfortunately, unless I missed how to do this, you cannot get Network shows on VOD thru D*

Another thing, you'll only find the "Current" shows on Demand ...
What I mean here is, if NCIS is on USA and I want to see a particular NCIS episode, well NCIS is a Network show on CBS and reruns are shown on USA, so when you pull up USA OD, you only find thier current shows, NOT NCIS.

 

[joed32]

They don't exactly stream the movies, they are downloaded onto your DVR via the internet. Depending on the speed of your internet service there will be a long or short delay before you can watch them without catching up to the part that hasn't finished downloading yet.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Here is the complete list compliments of the War Zone.
VOD Channels with Several movies and shows in each channel.

Channel Number/ Name

1. (1000) DTV
2. NFL ST (Season Over)
3. (1079) HD Net
4. (1100) Cinema (PPV)
5. (1101) The 101
6. (1202) CNN
7. (1218) Golf
8. (1229) HGTV
9. (1231) FOOD
10. (1235) STYLE
11. (1236) E!
12. (1240) HSN
13. (1241) SPIKE
14. (1242) USA
15. (1244) SYFY
16. (1245) TNT
17. (1246) TRUTV
18. (1247) TBS
19. (1248) FX
20. (1249) COMEDY
21. (1251) OXYGEN
22. (1252) LIFETIME
23. (1254) AMC
24. (1256) TCM
25. (1258) FMC
26. (1260) WE TV
27. (1264) BBCA
28. (1265) A&E
29. (1267) DOC
30. (1269) HISTORY
31. (1272) LOGO
32. (1273) BRAVO
33. (1274) OVATION
34. (1276) NATIONALGEO
35. (1277) TRAVEL
36. (1278) DISCOVERY
37. (1280) TLC
38. (1282) ANIMAL PLANET
39. (1283) NATIONAL GEO WILD
40. (1284) SCIENCE
41. (1286) GREEN
42. (1294) THE HUB
43. (1296) SPROUT
44. (1298) BOOMERANG
45. (1300) NICK
46. (1301) NICK jr
47. (1303) TEEN NICK
48. (1327) CMT
49. (1329) BET
50. (1331) MTV
51. (1333) MTV2
52. (1335) VH1
53. (1337) VH1 CLASSIC
54. (1338) GOSPEL
55. (1339) FUSE
56. (1353) BLOOMBURG
57. (1362) WEATHER
58. (1402) UNIVISION
59. (1416) MTV3
60. (1501) HBO FREE WITH SUBSCRIPTION
61. (1515) CINEMAX FREE WITH SUBSCRIPTION
62. (1527) STARZ FREE WITH SUBSCRIPTION
63. (1545) SHOWTIME FREE WITH SUBSCRIPTION
64. (1535) Encore
65. (1554) TMC
66. (1557) FLIX
67. (1558) SUNDANCE
68. (1559) IFC
69. (1561) HD NET MOVIES
70. (1588) UNCUT TV
71. (1565) SMITHSONIAN
72. (1596) JUICY (PPV)
73. (1598) SEDUXXX (PPV)
74. (1599) HUSTLER (PPV)
75. (1603) VS
76. (1607) SPEED
77. (1610) BIG TEN
78. (1618) FUEL
79. (1800) COMMON SENCE
80. (1802) EUROCINEMA
81. (1803) FILM FEST
82. (1820) MARTHA
83. (1828) KARAOKE
84. (1829) CONCERT
85. (1830) MAG RACK
86. (1831) EXERCISE
87. (1860) SKI
88. (1886) ADULTSWIM
89. (1889) ANIME
90. (1890) PNTVEGAS

Over 1000 shows and Movies in HD
Over 200 in 1080p

 

[kjlued]

Video On Demand

Means you get to demand the video and Direct Tv will give it to you.

(ok, j/k)

 

[johns70]

Some of the premium channels and PPV have HD stuff on demand, pretty much all the other VOD stuff is SD.

You don't just choose a program and watch it download in a minute or two.
If I want a VOD HD movie, I'll pick it, make sure it starts downloading, then go to bed, go to work the next day, and hope it's there by the time I get home from work.

 

[polksda]

Thus far I am VERY disappointed with the VOD. Over 90% of the HD stuff has a $3.99 charge associated with it. Only a very small portion is actually free. Considering that I don't watch SD, this is amazingly weak.

 

[Ronnie-]

I actually have not used this very much, or even looked at it much, but I did yesterday because of this thread. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of offerings. Yes, many of the HD movies have a fee attached to them, but the selection was much better than I expected.

As far as waiting for it to buffer, I went to History Channel HD VOD, and for fun selected World at War in HD. I clicked record, then immediately hit play. Even on my 6mbps DSL connection I had no buffer issues.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Thus far I am VERY disappointed with the VOD. Over 90% of the HD stuff has a $3.99 charge associated with it. Only a very small portion is actually free. Considering that I don't watch SD, this is amazingly weak.

Are you kidding me? 90% charges a fee? You must be looking at the wrong VOD then.
Or you viewing it through a 722k.

Cinema PPV VOD yes, Hence the PPV.
Porn Yep cost extra
EuroCinema PPV
Thats about 10 % of the list.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Here is the complete list compliments of the War Zone.
VOD Channels with Several movies and shows in each channel.

Channel Number/ Name

1. (1100) Cinema (PPV)
2. (1588) UNCUT TV (PPV)
3. (1596) JUICY (PPV)
4. (1598) SEDUXXX (PPV)
5. (1599) HUSTLER (PPV)
6. (1802) EUROCINEMA (PPV)

Here's the List of PPV VOD Channels.

 

[jaelae]

Well it does sound good. Most of the on demand shows I would watch, I would not mind it being SD.

Thankfully I opted against the DirecTV's provider's internet service (10mbit tops) and stuck with my cable which offers a rather sick 100mbit down connection.

I'll try this out tomorrow when I get it and hopefully it will all play right away.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

When you get it all hooked up, Go to CINEMAplus in the menu
Then "Showcase" Then go down to "Browse Channels"

Then you can see the whole list and it won't be just a big alphabetical mess.
You go into each channel and you can Vew their offering.

 

[ranmic]

I'm actually kinda confused on why mine doesn't download. I selected a couple of movie\shows tonight and it said "added to play list" but they never showed up or started downloading. I tried one from HBO (yes I do subscribe) and one from Discovery with no luck. I checked my internet connection and it is working fine. oh well, no big deal.