# My crystal ball says:)



## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

The latest software where the hard drives spin down after 4 hours of no remote inputs has several advantages to E.

Less hard drive wear, with them inert at least part of the time.

With this a forced download of guide info, so there are fewer calls to CSRs.

Get ready for VOD forcred downloads during these times too once people get used to finding their receivers have a auto off. This is the start of VOD....


----------



## AppliedAggression (Aug 16, 2003)

I believe the hard drive only spins down if its inactive for 4 hours, in between the hours of 1-5am. And what's wrong with VOD anyway? I'm sure lots of ppl will like it, although i know we all here prefer the extra hard drive space. 

I don't Dish has actually said exactly what they will use for VOD, but if they include popular shows, many ppl will love it when they forget to record one.


----------



## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

I am not knocking VOD, just repeating in general terms what I heard.


----------



## jrbdmb (Sep 5, 2002)

Has Dish made any announcements about real VOD (i.e. forced downloads to the receiver)? Up to now they have talked about "Dish VOD", which is nothing more than the current DVR functions, with a fancy name to justify the $5/mo. fee.


----------



## Unthinkable (Sep 13, 2002)

If Dish does roll out a true VOD service there are going to be alot of posters on here looking foolish for suggesting they are only out to deceive customers with this terminology.


----------



## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

VOD by forced download is completely practical now that hard drives are bigger and cheaper. Look for it to arrive soon on your box. I support this idea since it makes DBS more competive with cable. As long as theres enough record time.

VOD is a NEW revenue stream, something the providers always like.

Actually the first VOD already arrived! Remember that new features recording on the 508s?

Now just make them longer and charge a fee!

Even SD PPV VODs can have awesome bandwidth and PQ since it would be ony one channel.


----------



## Bill R (Dec 20, 2002)

Bob Haller said:


> Get ready for VOD forced downloads during these times too once people get used to finding their receivers have a auto off. This is the start of VOD....


Bob,

When it comes to Echostar's DVOD plans you have absolutely no idea of what they are. EVERYTHING that YOU are posting about DVOD is pure speculation on YOUR part and has no basis in fact.

The changes to the software to allow "disk power down" had NOTHING to do with DVOD.


----------



## JosephF (Apr 23, 2002)

Yes this is speculation, this was clearly noted by the topic name of the post.

Myself, a lot of what Bob is saying here makes sense.

What, we can't speculate on what may happen anymore


----------



## Bill R (Dec 20, 2002)

JosephF said:


> Myself, a lot of what Bob is saying here makes sense.


I sure don't think that it makes a lot of sense. If DISH ever does TRUE VOD it will be very limited in scope. It will be nothing like what the cable services are offering. My cable company is currently offering over 300 VOD events a month. Recording a few events to a hard drive is NOT Video on DEMAND.



JosephF said:


> What, we can't speculate on what may happen anymore


Sure, but Bob has been posting the same infromation over and over (on this and other boards and newsgroups) as if it is based on fact.


----------



## JosephF (Apr 23, 2002)

I don't disagree with the scope that E* will be able to provide. However, as soon as they offer just one recorded event, they have offered VOD.

While this may not be what you, or anyone else here (myself included) would call "true VOD" it is still VOD.

I also understand your comments about Bob, but IMHO he prefaced it sufficiently in THIS particular case with his crystal ball statement


----------



## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

Well how many DIFFERENT PPVs are on at any one time? Download them one at a time nightly into our boxes and there you have VOD, of a sorts. By downloading ONE show at a time the bandwidth could be awesome.

This idea dates back to the merger and was mentioned in plans if E would of taken over

There was even a reference to a 3 tuner box, one tuner would be always available to E for guuide updates, receiver updates and authorizations, and downloading VOD. Look for this in a few years.

With half of a 500 GIG drive available for VOD ppvs would be ready to go.

The extra tuner could be used for other things.

You dont have to believe me but remember I predicted more channels for superdish many months ago and now even dan is looking at 50 high def and a couple hundred SD. Those of you that have known me a LONG time should rememnber I predicted 100% LIL many years ago. Now that will be a reality.

I stand on my record!


----------



## Mike Richardson (Jun 12, 2003)

If there was a tuner just for VOD then E* could offer a very competitive VOD offering after time. If 1 hour = 1 gig then even 75 gigs of space could be a large 75 hour library of VOD. A good part being PPV movies but I imagine there would be some Free VOD from partners and maybe some stuff from premium networks. Of course they could use more compression on Free VOD so they could fit more in. It's actually a pretty good long term plan!


----------



## jerryyyyy (Jul 19, 2002)

What is VOD?????


----------



## Jacob S (Apr 14, 2002)

Perhaps this is what Rupert is getting at with the free DVR with free DVR functionality. He could use some of the hard drive space for VOD (for ppv). Very clever if this is what is going to be done. Very expensive too unless he can save a lot by purchasing in bulk.

I know I would not like VOD (for ppv) put on a hard drive I paid for. It would be taking up space that I could use myself for recording shows.

I think when storage gets a big larger (whether it be the hard drive or the next thing that will replace the hard drive) that there will be more than enough space for recording so it will be used for other things such as having numerous shows and movies available when you want to watch them. 

It would be nice to be able to watch everything over again that you viewed the past week or month or make it to where you can actually rewind back to watch what was on earlier as far back as a week or month or so on particular channels. I would say something like this may still be a ways off though but it could be a reality if there is the space to do it and the prices come down enough.


----------



## ericha (Jan 21, 2003)

jerryyyyy said:


> What is VOD?????


 VOD="Video On Demand". A PVR/DVR sort of does this, an even more comprehensive implementation has a large video server with many hundreds of hours of programming available.


----------



## Ron Barry (Dec 10, 2002)

VOD to me seems like a value added feature that is in itself a revenue stream if used. PPV with the added benefit of watching when you want. Just like a DVD without the hassle of going down and gettin one. I know DVD would be higher quality and include the Bonus stuff. Based on this fact, I dont buy the 5 buck DVR fee for VOD. Sounds like Joe Consumer is being charged a monthly fee for the right to pay for a Movie that has less quality than what he can get at Blockbuster down the street. On top of the fee, he pays more for the movie. 

What am I missing here? This totally makes no sense at all.


----------



## normang (Nov 14, 2002)

I guess my question is, how long would it take to download a 2 hour movie in its highest SD quality if requested from a Dish Interactive menu. If I can download it faster than it could be viewed, that could be interesting..


----------



## Mike Richardson (Jun 12, 2003)

normang said:


> I guess my question is, how long would it take to download a 2 hour movie in its highest SD quality if requested from a Dish Interactive menu. If I can download it faster than it could be viewed, that could be interesting..


Well I think the idea is that the movies are preloaded maybe a day or two before they premier and then they become "available". Once you order it i'd imagine that it would give you a time period you could view it, such as a week, or something.


----------



## Mike123abc (Jul 19, 2002)

It actually gives them lots of possiblities. They could download all the PPV to the DVR boxes into the reserved area. Then when you order PPV you can get instant start and be able to do all your Pause/rewind/FF/etc and probably watch it for a certain length of time. It would act like VoD, but would really be a preloaded video.


----------



## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

I suspect D may upgrade nearly all subs to DVR boxes with this capability. It would save tons of bandwidth for PPVs while likely increasing sales and challenging cable to VOD.

If D did a major upgrade it would allow better bandwidth use, saving it for better uses while allowing better PPV PQ.

Theres no reason for sending more than one PPV down at a time. With E that saves what over 65 bandwidth wasting PPV channels?


----------



## Mike Richardson (Jun 12, 2003)

I think if E* only had one PPV channel (which would be a trickle channel for the VOD) then they would clear at least 3 whole primary main CONUS transponders.


----------



## toad57 (Apr 23, 2002)

Well, if E* adopts this VOD 'scheme' then I hope users will have the option of turning it OFF.

I don't bother with PPV movies except maybe once a year... I want all of the HD space possible available for MY PROGRAMS and not ones that will be force-fed to me.


----------



## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

If the hard drive is large enough it might not matter.

Say 80 GIG for VOD, and 120 GIG for your stuff? With the dropping drive prices this is a near term possiblity. Besides PQ which so many clamoir for improvement would be awesom on the PPV trickle channel and the eventual reruse of transponders no longer dedicated to PPVs would be a bonus but long term improvement.


----------



## Mike Richardson (Jun 12, 2003)

Well, if we say there are 10 Pay Per View movies out and they are all 90 minutes and one hour = one gig* then that bunch of PPV would only take 15 gigs. Now this would devistate a 501 receiver, I don't think they're gonna do that on the 501. But maybe on the 510 and above.

* I don't know how much exactly the current PPVs take. If I'm way off base let me know but remember that if they only have one PPV trickle channel then they can jack up the PQ.


----------



## toad57 (Apr 23, 2002)

Bob Haller said:


> If the hard drive is large enough it might not matter.


What if your bank were to adopt that attitude with your money?

Bank: _If you put enough in, we will take part of it for ourselves. You will have plenty, you won't miss it._


----------



## toad57 (Apr 23, 2002)

Bob Haller said:


> Besides PQ which so many clamoir for improvement would be awesom on the PPV trickle channel and the eventual reruse of transponders no longer dedicated to PPVs would be a bonus but long term improvement.


Unless everyone has a DVR, what good does a PPV trickle channel do towards freeing up transponders?


----------



## Ron Barry (Dec 10, 2002)

DVR Diskspace is like wherehouse space, there could never be enought. Not allowing this area to be reclaimed for user use in my opinion would be shortsided. Having this feature is great for people that want it, but for people that dont letting them have the extra space would be a cool thing to do. However, since this is a perceived revenue source I dont see it happening. My guess here is that Charlie is going after Blockbuster and want to provide a sort of DVD store inside your DVR this way he can increase the PPV revenue stream. Interesting concept and I dont see them giving that space up even if you are not intersted in Shopping at DishBuster.


----------



## Jacob S (Apr 14, 2002)

I would say that the DVR features would be used a lot less on the PPV on demand service due to the fact that the movies have no commercials to skip.


----------



## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

I believe this will be more prevelant in new receivers, espically the whole house server types. Put one 4 output box in the basement with say 5 sat tuners with a wide band multiplexed single cable in. One superdish cable to a single box in the basement, and just output the 4 channels on different UHF channels the installer could select ones unused in that area by actual UHF channels.

Mch faster install more secure, minimizes account sharing, but the box will have to be highly reliable as a failure could wipe out all tv viewing in a home. 

As to everyone would need a DVR. I believe you will note Murdock already said that!

If the revenue from VOD, and moiney saved by freeing up PPV channels is great, while making subs syticky this will occur.


----------

