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- Thread starter Begbie
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pull on demand?
Associate
- Joined
- 14 Oct 2005
- Posts
- 1,981
- Location
- Pembrokeshire
Can't be just Sky Anytime, why would someone want to report to us about something other people have had for months.
Are Sky pushing something else new? As far as I'm aware, there have been no software updates for several months.
Are Sky pushing something else new? As far as I'm aware, there have been no software updates for several months.
Like I said detials are vague at the moment, update has been cancelled untill wedensday now. Sky Anytime currently works on push on demand, i.e they put what they want in the planner.
Pull on demand is equivlant to Virgins offerings, you choose what you want to watch.
Like I said detials are vague and not sure if the update is just to put it in the boxes but not in use as yet or if it is going live this week.
Pull on demand is equivlant to Virgins offerings, you choose what you want to watch.
Like I said detials are vague and not sure if the update is just to put it in the boxes but not in use as yet or if it is going live this week.
I cant see how this pull on demand system can work, ok, you could have the box dial into sky and request a download of a programme, but unicast like this is far too bandwidth innefficient for sky to possibly even consider.
Are you sure this is what its going to be, from a technical angle i dont believe that a pull on demand system will ever be available over satellite in its current state, its simply far too expensive.
Are you sure this is what its going to be, from a technical angle i dont believe that a pull on demand system will ever be available over satellite in its current state, its simply far too expensive.
It has been big talk in sky for a while, along with a few new boxes due to hit april/may time.
Not sure how they plan to do it yet, got a brief tonight saying that it will be implemented tonight (now held off untill Wedensday). Unless it has been a typo in the brief and is really an improved push on demand service.
Or possibly planning on putting the ethernet connection on the HD boxes to use.
Not sure how they plan to do it yet, got a brief tonight saying that it will be implemented tonight (now held off untill Wedensday). Unless it has been a typo in the brief and is really an improved push on demand service.
Or possibly planning on putting the ethernet connection on the HD boxes to use.
The ethernet combined with an internet connection for downloads is the only possible way i can see this working from a technical pov. If its the case then im not sure it will be much good for a lot of people, my line for example can only manage around 300KB/s at the very best of times and is affected badly by weather.
Only way I can see it working too, wouldn't want it stealing my bandwidth.
I can't see most bband connections being able to stream HD content either.
Would be quite good, altough sky are very good with ideas that don't always seem to work.
I can't see most bband connections being able to stream HD content either.
Would be quite good, altough sky are very good with ideas that don't always seem to work.
Proper VOD is one of the few areas where cable can still beat Sky. Sky can't possibly offer proper VOD services on a broadcast system with no return path. They'll make more bluster about how it's just the same as VOD but it'll all be smoke and mirrors. I've lost count of how many people with Sky I've spoken to who think Anytime is VOD 
Personally, I think the long-term future of television is a largely VOD system with very little broadcast in the way it is now. Programmes will still be "released" to the VOD systems on a schedule (i.e. new episode each week) but it'll be up to the viewer when to actually watch them. In this type of future, a broadcast system such as Sky's doesn't have much place and I think they know it. This is why they've moved so strongly into Internet provisioning over the past couple of years.
Personally, I think the long-term future of television is a largely VOD system with very little broadcast in the way it is now. Programmes will still be "released" to the VOD systems on a schedule (i.e. new episode each week) but it'll be up to the viewer when to actually watch them. In this type of future, a broadcast system such as Sky's doesn't have much place and I think they know it. This is why they've moved so strongly into Internet provisioning over the past couple of years.
Deleted member 651465
Deleted member 651465
I seriously hope this isn't tied to a broadband connection. It sucks having 1500kbps at the best of times 
Perhaps they could pull a smoke and mirrors effect by having any VOD model done with some sort of BitTorrent distribution, with a delayed start of 5 minutes? Seems too long a buffer time, and I suppose it's not cost-effective for the less popular/HD programs.
Oh well, just upgraded my HD box.. should be fun (storing more)
Perhaps they could pull a smoke and mirrors effect by having any VOD model done with some sort of BitTorrent distribution, with a delayed start of 5 minutes? Seems too long a buffer time, and I suppose it's not cost-effective for the less popular/HD programs.
Oh well, just upgraded my HD box.. should be fun (storing more)
The issue is that there is no alternative for lots of people, my house for example will not get anything above the 2.5mbit ive already got for years and years to come, this simply isnt enough for these VOD services.
Sky can emulate it fairly well with large capacity storage devices and multicasting loads of content to them when the tuners arnt in use as they already do with anytime, this would be fairly easy to ramp up and organise in a way that your average joe wouldnt know the difference between this and a true VOD service - he doesnt know whethe rthe data is actually coming from his local disk or from his provider.
Background update went in last night, should find out what the update was for tomorrow at some time.
although at the moment at the time thomson and amstrad pvr3 only.
I think it may only be the updated EPG that is due to be realised, altough not meant to be untill March/April time.
First major revamp of the EPG since sky went digital.
although at the moment at the time thomson and amstrad pvr3 only.
I think it may only be the updated EPG that is due to be realised, altough not meant to be untill March/April time.
First major revamp of the EPG since sky went digital.
Deleted member 651465
Deleted member 651465
Ohh, nice if they've beefed up the resolution of the EPG / banner.
That thing is massive on my 46"
That thing is massive on my 46"
Begbie i'm guessing you work for Sky? 
please tell me there is going to be new promotions for sky+ or skyHD soon
I'm looking to upgrade to one of them but thinking about holding off to see what the other HD/sky+ equivalent boxes from bbc/itv freesat are like come Spring this year.
thanks very much
ps. anytime downloads content to your sk+/HD box overnight right? via satellite? so it doesnt use your own BB connection.
please tell me there is going to be new promotions for sky+ or skyHD soon
I'm looking to upgrade to one of them but thinking about holding off to see what the other HD/sky+ equivalent boxes from bbc/itv freesat are like come Spring this year.
thanks very much
ps. anytime downloads content to your sk+/HD box overnight right? via satellite? so it doesnt use your own BB connection.
Yes. But the discussion is how are they going to create a feeling of Video On Demand when there's no return-path via the satellite technology - other than the dial-up modem currently used to report back to Sky with viewing card details & programme viewing details so they can keep a log of viewing figures and what (if anything) to charge you for (Box Office etc)
Begbie if you do work for sky can you tell me whether sky know anything about the bug involving back to back recordings? For the last month or so if you set the planner to record several programmes one after the other on the same channel, you will often find one will be ok, the next will be unviewable and has to be deleted, the next is ok, the one after that is unviewbale and so on. According to someone on AV forums this is to do with a bug with adding minutes to the front and back of recordings. To get round this he says to set the padding to zero for before before and after. Not ideal. This is with a Pace V2 epg 5.03g.
What do you mean by unviewable?
As in the pitcures freezing up or as in it just won't let you watch it?
No known bugs like that as far as am aware, and altough I don't know them all. Certianly not a well known one.
@ surfer, hold off a few months if you can mate.
Theres a new HD box and sky+ coming out soon.
The new HD boxes will be made by Samsung and Pace, signed up for beta testing will let you all know how they are when/if I get one.
I think the new (quad tuner) sky+ box is due out sometime soon.
I always take info from AVFORUMS with a pinch of salt, some guys are normally spot on others talk a lot of crap.
As in the pitcures freezing up or as in it just won't let you watch it?
No known bugs like that as far as am aware, and altough I don't know them all. Certianly not a well known one.
@ surfer, hold off a few months if you can mate.
Theres a new HD box and sky+ coming out soon.
The new HD boxes will be made by Samsung and Pace, signed up for beta testing will let you all know how they are when/if I get one.
I think the new (quad tuner
) sky+ box is due out sometime soon.I always take info from AVFORUMS with a pinch of salt, some guys are normally spot on others talk a lot of crap.