# Does satellite bounce time cause DVR issues?



## DjMikeWatt (Apr 30, 2012)

Hi everyone... I have a newbie question as I wait for the DishNet install on Wednesday.

One thing I've always thought was great about digital cable is how the timing of shows seems to be right down to almost the second. When I hit play on a DVR'd show, it starts at EXACTLY the right moment, most of the time.

I worked for Sirius Satellite Radio for several years, and one of the issues with programming was that there was a 28 second delay for "flight time"- the amount of time it would take the signal to leave the studio, bounce off the satellite, and come back down to the receiver.

So my question is, does this happen with Dish TV? Will shows start and stop 30 seconds later than they would if I was watching on cable? If so, will my DVR compensate for that somehow?

Thanks - looking forward to some insight!

Mike


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## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

If the time is set by the satellite datastream (not sure on how that works), it would be delayed the same amount of time as the programming, so it should pan out.


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## DjMikeWatt (Apr 30, 2012)

I assumed the time would be set over the internet connection.... but I base that on nothing. Does anyone have any firsthand knowledge of this?


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Cable companies get their feeds via satellite too... they just deliver to you via cable... so only some of the lag-time is omitted.

ex.

*For cable: * HBO sends up to satellite, Cable gets the return feed from the satellite and then sends that to you via cable.

*For DBS:* HBO sends satellite provider, SAT company takes that feed (however they get it) and sends it up into space, then back down to your home.

So... there is a delay in the food delivery chain no matter how you slice it.

IF the timing were that critical, cable would have these issues too.

Frankly, more of an issue is the fact that networks start early and end shows late to keep you from switching channels and setting timers...

The "fix" for that is always starting your DVR recordings early and ending late... and most DVRs let you make those "padding" times automatic for every recording.


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## dmspen (Dec 1, 2006)

It's too bad that they haven't put a tag on shows to tell DVRs when to start and stop recording. Instead we rely on 'synchronized' clocks. Unfortunately some show times are off from standard time by several minutes.


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## TheGrove (Jan 10, 2007)

DjMikeWatt said:


> I assumed the time would be set over the internet connection.... but I base that on nothing. Does anyone have any firsthand knowledge of this?


Time is set from the satellite, you don't have to have an internet connection for the DVR's even though many of us do.


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## jsk (Dec 27, 2006)

I always have either the first few seconds of the beginning or ending of a show cut off and it seems to vary. I think the networks sometimes run early or late. A DVR flag to mark the beginning or ending of a program would be great, but that still would require that the DVR be tuned to the channel early or late, which could cause conflicts with other recordings (which is why I don't use the begin early or end late feature).

I remember a few years ago, my wife was watching American Idol and heard "And the winner is ..." and the DVR cut it at that moment. She was ticked and I was ROTFL.


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

DjMikeWatt said:


> Hi everyone... I have a newbie question as I wait for the DishNet install on Wednesday.
> 
> One thing I've always thought was great about digital cable is how the timing of shows seems to be right down to almost the second. When I hit play on a DVR'd show, it starts at EXACTLY the right moment, most of the time.
> 
> ...


I've had pretty seamless experience regarding time and timing on DVRs, and just haven't read much from either DBS's customers complaining about it.

My question of you: Isn't most of that 28 second delay for reasons other than R/T to the bird and back? By most I mean almost all!


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## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

Month old hit-and-run thread. OP go bye-bye.



I can't see how this 'delay' could possibly matter in any real way.


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

SayWhat? said:


> Month old hit-and-run thread. OP go bye-bye.
> I can't see how this 'delay' could possibly matter in any real way.


Mebbe not, mebbe yes, but I "axed" a question! Any one know?


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## bnborg (Jun 3, 2005)

When I compare an OTA channel with the channel as retransmitted by Dish, I see only a fraction of a second lag in the Dish version. The stations and the networks are much more imprecise than that.


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## hilmar2k (Mar 18, 2007)

Laxguy said:


> Mebbe not, mebbe yes, but I "axed" a question! Any one know?


The signal could take a whole lot of trips up to the sats and back in 28 seconds. Each round trip should take something like 0.25 seconds.


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## RVRambler (Dec 5, 2004)

LIFE as we know it is ALWAYS 'in the past'! By the time you 'sense' it & process it, 'it' has long already happened! 

Everything we see & do & experience has 'latency' in it. NOTHING is 'real time' as it takes our brains milli-seconds (for some years) to process & then 'realize/recognize' everything, so the time for the travel of electrons/photons is ALWAYS 'just occurred' and thus if 'latency' was/is an issue, it would be a 'constant' daily issue, not just satellite electron travel times!

You be 'axed', I be answorded! 

Now go contemplate something of essence!



Laxguy said:


> Mebbe not, mebbe yes, but I "axed" a question! Any one know?


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## Rduce (May 16, 2008)

bnborg said:


> When I compare an OTA channel with the channel as retransmitted by Dish, I see only a fraction of a second lag in the Dish version. The stations and the networks are much more imprecise than that.


Really? I have had OTA and SAT side by side in pic to pic and have at least an 8 second delay, by counting...1 Mississippi... I also have had a friend on the phone talking while watching the same program me by SAT the friend by local CABLE and there seems to be at least a 5 second lag on my end...


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

Rduce said:


> Really? I have had OTA and SAT side by side in pic to pic and have at least an 8 second delay, by counting...1 Mississippi... I also have had a friend on the phone talking while watching the same program me by SAT the friend by local CABLE and there seems to be at least a 5 second lag on my end...


The times I've timed it, it was close to two seconds delay between OTA and sat.


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