# Impact of VOD on hard drive space?



## toddjb (May 7, 2002)

I'm sure it has been discussed on here somewhere, but a quick look didn't turn up any recent threads. So, if you would, advise or point me to the discussion already in progress!  ...

Just noticed this week that my DVR now has video on demand capability. I think this is my 508. Didn't notice it on my 501, so I either didn't get the download, or it doesn't work on those units. Anyway, the self help recording that got automatically downloaded to my PVR seems to indicate that all of the VOD content is automatically downloaded to my DVR when the unit is turned off.

So...it sits there, sucking up hard drive space I presume, in case I decide to pay the $5 to watch it for a 24 hour period _(which brings up another question of why wouldn't I just wait for it on the PPV channel and have it recorded for as long as I want...I know, people are impatient...)_

*Are these movies put in space that has been hidden from me all along, or does it take away from my current DVR space?*

I looked in the menus but could find no way to disable this "feature" that I have no interest in.

Thanks!


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## pdxsam (Jun 20, 2004)

toddjb said:


> *Are these movies put in space that has been hidden from me all along, or does it take away from my current DVR space?*


Yes.. the space was pre-reserved all along. You never had access to it at all.


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## olgeezer (Dec 5, 2003)

It's on the 622 and to my knowledge it's not HD and dish doesn't even put it in an aspect that's viewable on a 16:9 set.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

So far the movies are all "full screen" format - displayed with side letterboxes by my 622 on my 16x9 set. You cannot change the aspect ratio during playback. (There is actually a long list of things you can't do.)


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

I don't even see the great VOD advantage for cable customers... it just doesn't thrill me, based upon the limited selection of things available. I can either use PPV or rent DVDs or buy DVDs for stuff I really like and watch much more conveniently than VOD.

So I think Dish really doesn't need to worry too much about this particular cable feature to try and be competitive with.


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## toddjb (May 7, 2002)

Yup, I don't get it either. Other than being able to say you have it. For people not at all concerned about the economics of it, yes, they can watch King Kong whenever they want. No need to wait 30 minutes for the next PPV showing....

Thanks for the feedback.

Sure wish I could turn the feature off. Why do I want another button press to get to my recordings? Minor, sure, but annoying....


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## robert koerner (Aug 20, 2005)

Whenever I see this issue, I always wonder if we really own the equipment we buy?


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

robert koerner said:


> Whenever I see this issue, I always wonder if we really own the equipment we buy?


If you have paid for it you own the collection of parts - but the software is on loan and that is what causes a portion of your hard drive to be reserved for VOD - E*'s propriatary software.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

James Long said:


> If you have paid for it you own the collection of parts - but the software is on loan and that is what causes a portion of your hard drive to be reserved for VOD - E*'s propriatary software.


As an aside... people that own their DVR/PVRs are certainly welcome to take them apart and do whatever they wish to the parts... but if left as an assembled DVR/PVR then its use is still subject to the terms & conditions of being connected to Dish Network.

Kind of like the computer I own... It is mine to do with as I please... but when I'm connected to the Internet, I'm subject to some terms and conditions by my ISP as well as many of the sites I visit while online.


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## kf4omc (Apr 11, 2006)

As for the 625. I do belive I read that it has a 2nd hard drive just for the VOD feature. Am I right or Wrong?


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## kf4omc (Apr 11, 2006)

HDMe said:


> I don't even see the great VOD advantage for cable customers... it just doesn't thrill me, based upon the limited selection of things available. I can either use PPV or rent DVDs or buy DVDs for stuff I really like and watch much more conveniently than VOD.
> 
> So I think Dish really doesn't need to worry too much about this particular cable feature to try and be competitive with.


I agree... Why would I Pay more for a movie that is also on PPV. At least on PPV I can record it to the hard drive and watch it when I want. Heck I can set a timer when I am at work to record a PPV and then watch it when ever I want.
They do have cheaper movies for $2.99 but there older movies that I really don't want to see.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

kf4omc said:


> As for the 625. I do belive I read that it has a 2nd hard drive just for the VOD feature. Am I right or Wrong?


Think partitions.


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## Velda2 (Jun 29, 2004)

HDMe said:


> Kind of like the computer I own... It is mine to do with as I please... but when I'm connected to the Internet, I'm subject to some terms and conditions by my ISP as well as many of the sites I visit while online.


So it would be ok with you if you woke up one morning and your ISP had installed "Gator Companion" (Thats popular ad ware just in case you didn't know) on your computer? I doubt it, you would be pissed and rightfully so.

Thats exactly what Dish did.


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## tsmacro (Apr 28, 2005)

toddjb said:


> Just noticed this week that my DVR now has video on demand capability. I think this is my 508. Didn't notice it on my 501, so I either didn't get the download, or it doesn't work on those units. Anyway, the self help recording that got automatically downloaded to my PVR seems to indicate that all of the VOD content is automatically downloaded to my DVR when the unit is turned off.


hmmmmm......so they have VOD on 508's now huh? I haven't noticed it on my 522 yet, but then I haven't been looking for it either. So what receiver models does Dish offer the VOD service on these days?


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Velda2 said:


> So it would be ok with you if you woke up one morning and your ISP had installed "Gator Companion" (Thats popular ad ware just in case you didn't know) on your computer? I doubt it, you would be pissed and rightfully so.
> 
> Thats exactly what Dish did.


When did Dish install adware (or something like it) to my DVR? I must have missed that download.

However, to answer your question... IF the terms and conditions of my ISP and connecting my computer that I own to the Internet meant that I had to allow them to install software from time to time to enhance that connection... then it was my choice to agree to those terms when I signed up or to cancel my contract now if the terms have changed.

There are, incidentally, some ISPs (Juno was one for example) who have sold Internet connections for less by having customers agree to install adware on their computers to subsidize the connection costs. So there is precedent even for your example. I happen to not like it, so I sign with an ISP that does not.

Some ISPs have connection & debugging software that they want to install on your computer... since it isn't required, I don't do it... but I did a self-install.

Again, it isn't about liking a policy here... but understanding that the company has a right to do it if you agree to it in the contract when you sign up for service. Most people don't read contracts and terms of service... but that doesn't make them nonexistant.


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## Velda2 (Jun 29, 2004)

Look, I'm not mad about the reserved HDD partition.
I'm not mad about the software download.
I'm not _really_ mad about the VOD feature.
I *am* mad that i now have to hit the DVR button twice to get to My Recorded Events and cant return it to the way it used to work.
I *am* mad that my DVR now runs much slower through the menus and seeking on disk.

What could Dish do you say to make me less pissed off? Add a menu setting that allows me to make my DVR button work like before would be a good start and priority 1. Doing something about the performance hit since the receiver now has to always be downloading something to disk silently in the background would be a good follow up.


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## robert koerner (Aug 20, 2005)

If they ever drop the price of VOD to what my local supermarket charges, I'll be happy.


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## HarveyLA (Jun 8, 2006)

You can solve the problem of hitting the DVR button twice with an advanced remote that has macros. I have the Sony RM-AV3000 and simply modified my "system control button 1" which accesses the DVR menu to include an "enter" at the end of the sequence, after a programmed pause of about one half second. This takes you right past that new screen. I didn't program a macro to return from that screen however, because my other macros are all being used.

I have suddenly run into a number of glitches, and I'm guessing they must be related somehow to this new software. I had one program that stopped recording before it was done, another (half hour program) that just kept on recording until I spotted it five hours later, one that didn't record at all, and several occasions where the screen is black when returning from DVR playback menu to normal TV watching mode. Usually I can fix this by going to the on screen program menu and clicking on a current program. Several times I've had to do a complete power off and reboot. I'm wondering if anyone has experienced similar problems. I've got to struggle through this for another 6 months when I plan to upgrade to Dish HD.
It also seems to me that my DVR 510 is responding slower to commands. If you do two commands in rapid succession the second one doesn't always take. 
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Velda2 said:


> Look, I'm not mad about the reserved HDD partition.
> I'm not mad about the software download.
> I'm not _really_ mad about the VOD feature.
> I *am* mad that i now have to hit the DVR button twice to get to My Recorded Events and cant return it to the way it used to work.
> ...


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