# How Does Renting On Demand Movies Work WITHOUT Internet?



## sparky27 (Jun 25, 2019)

Okay so we don't have home internet at our house. Yesterday I rented the movie US on demand (because Dish said it was possible w/o internet). I texted the request to Dish before we went to the store and when we got back I was able to select channel 501 VOD and watch the movie instantly.

How does this work? Why do network on demand channels require internet connection, but renting doesn't? Would this have worked just as well if I had tried to watch it right away?


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## n0qcu (Mar 23, 2002)

The movies on 501 are all downloaded to the harddrive on your Hopper during the night from the satellite.
When you see a movie listed it can be watched immediately.


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## sparky27 (Jun 25, 2019)

n0qcu said:


> The movies on 501 are all downloaded to the harddrive on your Hopper during the night from the satellite.
> When you see a movie listed it can be watched immediately.


Oh that's cool and that makes sense, so they take up hard drive space that isn't included on my DVR screen. Does the recording ever mess up due to like storms overnight? I guess I'd have to call and request a refund or something if this ever happened huh?

It's neat the satellite can notify my hopper that I paid for a program and can thus be allowed to watch it. I wonder if there are ever system updates that occur this way? Like a system update is beamed to the hopper and uploaded overnight.

I wish there was a bit more interactivity between the hopper and the satellite. It'd be awesome if I could go on an app on my phone and select channel on demand content and have it download through the satellite overnight too....at least for those of us without a decent home internet option.


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

Dish has always (and I mean ALWAYS - and I go back to 2000 as a customer) had a way to order PPV on the reciever - it is called "phoneline". Another option is to call Dish customer service to order such PPV / VOD - but you will pay a small fee to order via an agent (beats not being able to order at all ...)


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

sparky27 said:


> I wonder if there are ever system updates that occur this way? Like a system update is beamed to the hopper and uploaded overnight.


The satellite signal is the primary means of contact between DISH and the receiver. All sorts of updates are made via satellite, including the occasional system update.

As noted, the "on demand" content on channels 501 is downloaded via satellite. Most other "on demand" content is downloaded via the Internet (if a connection is available). With the modern receivers there is space set aside for these satellite downloads. (DISH started this practice when I still had a 501 more than a decade ago!) As hard drives increased in size the number of "pre downloaded" movies have increased.


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