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Floridakamper · 05-17-2018, 11:22 AM

Joel, I read that and agree with your interpretation. I was just wondering about Cloud DVR recordings. Hoping things set up to record when you're in your home zip code would continue even when you traveled and if the recordings could be accessed from afar. I suspect that is not a work around. Thanks

docj · 05-17-2018, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Floridakamper

Joel, I read that and agree with your interpretation. I was just wondering about Cloud DVR recordings. Hoping things set up to record when you're in your home zip code would continue even when you traveled and if the recordings could be accessed from afar. I suspect that is not a work around. Thanks

You pose an interesting problem. I'm not sure it's totally impossible. For example, if you set up your recordings while at home and didn't access DTVN (DirecTV Now) while you were traveling, the system would have no way to know that you were ever outside your zip code so there's no reason why your recordings wouldn't be there if you played them when you were back at your house.

Your question goes beyond that, however, to ask if local channel recordings can be accessed while you are away from your home area. On one level, one would think "why wouldn't they be?" Think about a recording you made of a favorite movie using a local channel. Your kids like to play it all the time. Should it "disappear" if you are outside your home area?

In trying to research this answer, I came across some information that confuses me even more. If a person is using a cellular connection as their internet access, it's not all that unusual for your IP address to be in a location other than where the person is physically. For example, I'm in Corpus Christi but my AT&T IP makes me appear to be in San Antonio. Does that mean that DirecTV Now would want me to receive SA locals instead of CC?

Actually, that question doesn't appear to matter since the DTVN website appears to say that local channels aren't available for my area at all. But I'm confused as to what I would receive since the website also says that ABC Live Stream isn't available. If I can't get the major networks then it isn't worth anything to me. It says that NBC and CBS live streams are available but I don't understand if that's only via local channels or if there is a DNS equivalent.

The more I read about this the more confused I become.

Floridakamper · 05-17-2018, 03:12 PM

We've got a cross country trip planned this summer. I may sign up, especially if the promotion is still available.

The Directv App used to work well for me. I could access our Genie DVR at home while on the road but for the last year it's been very flaky and almost useless.

Dav L · 05-17-2018, 08:48 PM

I am wondering if the "Cloud DVR" isn't really a recording at all, just a pointer to a position within an archived show. That way, they would only need to have one copy of the TV show for all customers. If you recorded starting half way through the movie, they would just start streaming the archived show starting at 50%.

docj · 05-17-2018, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dav L

I am wondering if the "Cloud DVR" isn't really a recording at all, just a pointer to a position within an archived show. That way, they would only need to have one copy of the TV show for all customers. If you recorded starting half way through the movie, they would just start streaming the archived show starting at 50%.

Actually, the situation with respect to DRM is much more complex than you would imagine. I know because my son was on the development team for this. When you DVR the content you essentially have your own copy.

creativepart · 05-17-2018, 09:29 PM

We use DTVnow as well as half a dozen other streaming services - both at home and on the road. I’ve been on the beta program for a number of months and using the cloud DVR. It has worked well on the few programs I set to record.

I was lucky enough to get a Mobley device with the $20 unlimited plan and I also got one of the old Verizon Unlimited plans that are grandfathered from 2014. We had to pay a data broker to get that line.

So we have truly unlimited cellular internet on both carriers.

We are out in the RV about 4-months each year but routinely use 250+ gigs of data each month we are on the road.

wa8yxm · 05-18-2018, 08:17 AM

Well since DirecTV and AT*T are now one... Any service that burns bandwidth is a good service in thir ind since you can charge more for more bandwidth and charge even more now. for selected services. like Streaming Video.

PanoNut · 05-23-2018, 03:09 PM

Yogus, this may be a bit hard to believe, but we have DSL at the lowest tier: 3 mbs (that is actually 1-2 mbs part of the time) and we stream Netflix almost every night. We get a 15-second buffer at first and from then on--no buffering. There is some black magic going in my ROKU device that permits this. We go on the road and use ATT hotspot and do same thing but with the exception that we have to watch the GBs. We have an ATT "unlimited plan" for the hotspot but they start sending texts when I get to 25 GB that they will throttle me if I'm in "some areas." I highly recommend the ROKU 4. (BTW, I have no relationship with the company.)

docj · 05-23-2018, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PanoNut

There is some black magic going in my ROKU device that permits this.

Actually, it's a combination of what Netflix and your Roku do. Netflix encodes its video so that its resolution can be varied to match changes in your internet connection speed. Presumably you've noticed that the picture gets "grainy" at times; this happens when your internet connection slows. This "dynamic resolution" is the reason that most of us rarely see "buffering" delays anymore. Netflix is the leader in this field, with Amazon and other major streaming services close behind. The quest of all of them is to make the changes in resolution "continuous" so you don't see large "step" changes in resolution.