# Very frustrated - DirecTV APP & problems skipping or fast forward DVR Programs



## swheelis (Mar 5, 2016)

Ok.....I'm over my limit of patience threshold!!

I don't often watch the DirecTV app on my iPad due to the sluggishness and waiting around for the DVR program list to be listed. But when I do, its generally as a last resort. Normally I could get the content via another method, such as HBO Online or such. But where this is really frustrating is attempting to watch a program you recorded with your DVR off of a broadcast network where the fast forward, skip ahead, or just move to the point you want to watch in the program has been disabled.

To pile on to this frustration, if you get kicked out due to the app blowing up (which is a regular occurrence), you HAVE TO START ALL OVER AND WATCH AGAIN!!!!

To pile on even more....if your watching a recorded program, say...for instance....a world series game, on your TV with DVR and they are running long due to extra innings....and you say, "you know what, I'll get ready for bed and finish with my fantastic DirecTV APP that allows me to watch DVR recordings on my iPad" and you get ready for bed, hop in, bring up the app, wait....wait...wait for it to show up in the list, then bam....there it is! You click on it, it starts at the beginning of the recording and you think to yourself, "I'll skip toward the end of where I was watching", but noooooo, it won't let you do anything but pause. No skip ahead, no fast forward, no reverse, nothing but pause. Being 3 1/2 hours into the game....you just shut if off.

Sorry for the vent but I've looked around and don't see much complaining about this, but this has got to be happening widespread. I chatted with DirecTV since this surely had to be an error on my part because no one could design something so customer unfriendly and expect to make a living off of it! But to my surprise, the agent informed me its not DirecTV but the broadcast network that put these restrictions in. So my first thought is - oh my world, when will the actual DVR be hit. You know that if they are doing it on the app, the actual DVR is being discussed and someone is trying to force everyone to watch the commercials and from the beginning. They just haven't figured out how to do it without aggravating such a large community.

Oh..I almost forgot...DirecTV agent told me they understand my frustration....they are working on it....they will pass my message on to the people that are working on it.....and someone will be getting back with me. That it isn't their fault. It's the content or broadcast provider's fault as they set the controls. Whose app is it anyway...why did DirecTV allow the app to be controlled this way. Can the DVR feature on your main receiver be far behind?

So....someone please tell me I'm off base and have this wrong.

Anyway, another check in the chord cutter box. BTW....I did get up to go back to the DVR on the main TV to watch the game but it ran out of time as the extra innings exceeded the 1 1/2 hour buffer i added..... :-(

Found out on the news.

Thanks for listening


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

Well first off, be carful thinking cutting the cord fixes this problem, because often it is similar or worse imho, since you may have no place you can fast forward depending on the channel.

DIRECTV’s is right in that they don’t set that, but that’s for the on demand stuff. The issue is you are choosing the on demand version of something or the play from beginning version instead of the actual recording on your DVR. That’s partly because they have designed that as the default source since it’s not taxing the dvr. Next time chose to see all options for watching the program, then make sure you chose the option that is on your actual DVR, not the streaming version and you can fast forward to your hearts delight and skip the stupid issues imposed by the channels.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

Oh and always buffer for 3 hours on playoffs.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

inkahauts said:


> Oh and always buffer for 3 hours on playoffs.


That really surprised me, I always add 3 hours for the MLB and NFL games. Always have.

Rich


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## studechip (Apr 16, 2012)

Bottom line, the Directv app sucks, and they don't seem to care enough to fix it.


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## swheelis (Mar 5, 2016)

inkahauts said:


> Well first off, be carful thinking cutting the cord fixes this problem, because often it is similar or worse imho, since you may have no place you can fast forward depending on the channel.
> 
> DIRECTV's is right in that they don't set that, but that's for the on demand stuff. The issue is you are choosing the on demand version of something or the play from beginning version instead of the actual recording on your DVR. That's partly because they have designed that as the default source since it's not taxing the dvr. Next time chose to see all options for watching the program, then make sure you chose the option that is on your actual DVR, not the streaming version and you can fast forward to your hearts delight and skip the stupid issues imposed by the channels.


Thanks....I'll check out the options.


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## swheelis (Mar 5, 2016)

inkahauts said:


> Oh and always buffer for 3 hours on playoffs.


 
Never had been an issue but lesson definitely learned!


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## swheelis (Mar 5, 2016)

Rich said:


> That really surprised me, I always add 3 hours for the MLB and NFL games. Always have.
> 
> Rich


Yep....learned that one the hard way.....never had come up before.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

swheelis said:


> Yep....learned that one the hard way.....never had come up before.


Hey, that's how we learn, from our mistakes. Sometimes, very rarely, the 3 hour pad isn't enough.

Rich


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## Billzebub (Jan 2, 2007)

Rich said:


> Hey, that's how we learn, from our mistakes. Sometimes, very rarely, the 3 hour pad isn't enough.
> 
> Rich


This is one thing comcast does well. For live sports the X1 DVR automatically extends to the end of the game.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

Billzebub said:


> This is one thing comcast does well. For live sports the X1 DVR automatically extends to the end of the game.


Gotta ask: How do they do that?

Rich


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## the2130 (Dec 18, 2014)

studechip said:


> Bottom line, the Directv app sucks, and they don't seem to care enough to fix it.


Yes, it sucks. It's a very unfriendly interface and it doesn't work reliably.


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## Billzebub (Jan 2, 2007)

Rich said:


> Gotta ask: How do they do that?
> 
> Rich


I don't know but it works


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

Billzebub said:


> I don't know but it works


Good answer, I like it when someone admits they "don't know".

Rich


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## Riki takeshita (Dec 12, 2017)

swheelis said:


> Ok.....I'm over my limit of patience threshold!!
> 
> I don't often watch the DirecTV app on my iPad due to the sluggishness and waiting around for the DVR program list to be listed. But when I do, its generally as a last resort. Normally I could get the content via another method, such as HBO Online or such. But where this is really frustrating is attempting to watch a program you recorded with your DVR off of a broadcast network where the fast forward, skip ahead, or just move to the point you want to watch in the program has been disabled.
> 
> ...


I agree. Very frustrating!
To be clear, this doesn't just happen for on demand recorded content. This occurs for satellite content recorded on the dvr. As your stated, a live ball game, sitcom, whatever.
FF, Skip etc. are even disabled for content transferred to a mobile device. I started a network movie at home. Decided it was worth watching, so I downloaded it to my tablet to watch on the plane the next day. The app won't let me fast forward or place the slider at the 45 min mark to continue. REALLY?!?
If the app were worth a pile of poop, it'd ask me if I'd like to continue where I left off, right? Heck, MS Word does that now days, and that's nothing to brag about. The DVR clearly saves that data as it'd pick up where I left off, so why not the app? 
I'm not in the broadcast industry, but my hunch is to call BS on this being forced by contact. I can't see that...

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk


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## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

I can FF, 30-second skip, 10-second rewind and slide forwards or backwards on my Android tablet.


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## Riki takeshita (Dec 12, 2017)

trh said:


> I can FF, 30-second skip, 10-second rewind and slide forwards or backwards on my Android tablet.


Thx. I have the control functions working in some cases. Tech support thinks it may either be a bug, or a cache issue, even though it was downloaded to the tablet.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

Riki take****a said:


> Thx. I have the control functions working in some cases. *Tech support* thinks it may either be a bug, or a cache issue, even though it was downloaded to the tablet.
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk


They'll tell you anything that pops into their minds, anything to pacify you.

Rich


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