Homeplug, Directv And On-Demand TV Content

Recently we had Directv HD installed here at the house. Both my wife and I are familiar both with the packages and performance of Directv, Dish and Comcast for their HD offerings, thus making the choice that was best for us. And while there is NO argument that Directv does HD better than cable, unfortunately in many ways Comcast does On-Demand with greater appeal overall than anything I have seen with Directv thus far.

What, you did not know that Directv has On-Demand? Well, do not get too excited as it clearly needs more time in the oven. But before I even get into the shortcomings, let me explain how we were able to get it working as a Google search will demonstrate that it is not all that simple.

1. Think Homeplug devices. Forget about anything wifi related, just use something like we did with the Netgear XE102 kit. It was painfully easy to setup - next best thing to direct router access, minus the high speed.
2. Ignore Directv documentation. Yes, run the network wizard and prepare for complete failure the first day’s attempt. See, you must both run the network wizard, wait overnight for ALL of the available channels to appear in the lineup AND then reset the DVR as well on the second day. Fun, huh?
3. Forget HBO, local network stations and viewing content immediately. I can live without HBO (Showtime is provided for On-Demand) and the fact that I must download the shows to a half-way point before viewing is possible. However not launching this service with NBC, CBS, FOX among others was really foolish. No worries though, they did make sure Style, HGTV and Noggin are provided! Yippie! (/sarcasm)

Why even bother with this silly service then? Because there are some comparable options to cable with Discovery, History among other channels as well. They do provide A&E, yet managed to pick out the absolutely stupidest programming imaginable for for download. No, you will not find The Cleaner, but rest assure that Pamela Anderson’s latest biography is readily available!

So if you own a compatible (check with Directv on this) HD-DVR, happen to be interested in seeing what the On-Demand content is like, it is sort of worth it just to access the pay-per-view movies without relying on satellite’s tired “it starts at this time” routine. Oh, for you sports nuts - you will likely approve of various games presented as well.

Why not go back to cable? Having “seen the cable difference” in the recent past and used the buggy equiment as well, the choice was clear - satellite is the least of the two evils. Better picture, better price and smarter fit for our viewing needs.