Anytime/VOD - Missing the point?

There's been many threads based around the new Anytime service from Sky, but theres one key point that Sky seem to have missed.

Anytime - Video on Demand - should be on demand!

We've all got Sky+ functionality, and can record anything we want. What this is giving us is a sample of other programming. Surely a better way of doing this is to allow you to pick a programme from the past and download it. Any future broadcasts you can set to record yourself.

All Sky seem to be doing at the moment is dumping a shedload of garbage onto my drive and getting some dippy bird to tell me what I 'might' get if I'm lucky.

For instance - I've got the last 3 episodes of Life on Mars on my old Sky+ box (and can't be bothered to plug it back in to watch them). I'd rather be able to search for it in a planner of some kind, and get them downloaded over a couple of nights.

If Sky's idea of VOD is to just tape whats on telly that night, then as a service it will never take off. There's plenty of channels that specialise in repeats - just never the ones you want.

 

My sentiments exactly and well articulated. Not really what I had hoped for and generally the quality of programming is poor. I don't subscribe to movies either which limits my Anytime choice further. I have given it a go but decided to turn it off for now and save some wear & tear and power.

 

Satellite distribution can not offer VOD in the same manner a fixed point to point land line in the manner of VM. SKY's SKY+ Anytime service is a half way measure to provide some sort of "value" to the product and really shouldn't be considered as much more than a gimmick although no DOG and no adverts is one hell of a gimmick.

SKY will not be offering true VOD until they launch their ITPV service in a year or so which will then be more or less a service in the same manner as VM VOD, infact VM themselves intend to use xDSL to expand in the same manner.

 

Here we go again

 

Sorry to crash the post but I've just had HD installed today.

There doesn't appear to be anything related to Anytime that I can see. Does software get downloaded overnight? (Sorry if this has been asked before)

 

Please search this forum - zillions of posts.

 

Already done that (put in Anytime and start) but couldn't see anything relevant.

But thanks for the help.

 

Yes it does - though it may take quite a while before it happens. Probably one of the first things you'll notice is a lot of disc/fan activity in the early mornings, if you are up.

 

It takes 2-3 days to get going.

 

would it be possible (do sky have the bandwidth) to offer a 'near VOD' service - eg I select from a list of available shows (like I do on anytime PC) and sky puts it in the queue to be broadcast and sets a recording/availability time in my planner?

I suppose the more popular stuff would be already on rotation so you'd get it quickly, but you may need to wait unitl the next day to watch more obscure stuff.

Although I guess IPTV/downloads to the box would be quicker and require less transponder space.

 

But what's the point?
Isn't that what the EPG planner is already for?

There isn't the bandwidth to put everything "on demand" every night (anytime just uses the period when HD movies channels are inactive), so you might have to wait days till something comes round. So you might as well put it in the regular planner.

 

I was thinking the same thing as the OP. Why can't I just choose from a list and wait for it to be downloaded over night? I'd be happy to get one programme a night. Surely that would be do-able.

But thinking about it, 'One programme a night' wouldn't be much strain on the bandwidth. However 100,000 customers all wanting their different 'One programme a night' would probably be a bit of a problem.

I don't find anytime particularly useful, I've only watched something off it twice, but I don't object to it being there like some seem to.

 

What seems to happen (no idea of how) is that Anytime stores stuff overnight in some hidden part of your box. It puts a few new programmes a day into your Anytime planner. But if you delete stuff and increase space there then it is not unknown for new things to replace them during the day. This must mean there is some sort of queue where unseen new content waits.

I appreciate the limitations of Anytime given the technology, but is it not possible for there to be a limited menu selection option by showing all the hidden things downloaded each night, then letting you select which of these to add into your Anytime planner? If you run out of space it could just say that you need to delete something from your Anytime planner to free up space.

This seems possible given the current technology and whilst in truth it gives only a small improvement in the choice option for customers I bet many would see this as a much improved version of Anytime. That small switch from no control over what Sky give you into freedom to customise your Anytime planner via a list of all the options hidden away would make many view this service differently.

It will never be as good as VOD because the space is just not there. But giving the viewer a semblance of control would sell this service much better to the doubters.

All this depends on Anytime working as it seems to. Possibly it actually functions differently and the above just is not practicle.