OK is this STARZ on Demand not the stupidest thing?

[wolkowh]

OK -
Starz on Demand - automatically downloads up to 5 movies a week onto your now playing list. Gee I have Starz on demand already - All I need to do is hit record on 5 movies I might want to watch on Starz. Sheesh does Tivo think we are that dumb?
Howard

[newbie]

Howard it's been reported that in the future movies will be available on SOD before they are shown to regular Starz subscribers.

[scarabus]

As far as I'm concerned, they can SOD off.

[rd001]

Can you delete these 5 auto-download movies to keep your disk clean? Or can you tell the box not to hog your space with Starz SOD junk?

Oh, and will we be able to extract these SOD movies? Heh-heh.

[michaelk]

Originally posted by rd001
Can you delete these 5 auto-download movies to keep your disk clean? Or can you tell the box not to hog your space with Starz SOD junk?


You need to actively sign up for the movies for them to be recorded- so they dont dirty up your drive or hog your space unless you request it.

Supposedly they act like preferred suggestions. Meaning stuff you ask for still has a preference, but these will get recorded before any suggestions.

[scarabus]

Originally posted by newbie
Howard it's been reported that in the future movies will be available on SOD before they are shown to regular Starz subscribers.

Well that's not the case currently. All the SOD-ing movies are old;
Bones, The Badge, The One, Saving Grace and Casino. I can get them on STARZ without any SOD-ing help.

So unless they're going to be higher bitrate I *really* don't understand the point.

[eyric101]

I would like to add this feature to my box. I don't see it listed under my showcases. I also don't think i get tivo software updates with my phone always unplugged and extreme2.5. Does anyone know of a way to add this?

[zuiko]

I don't get it. Especially when they are going to start charging a fee for it down the road (on top of the Stars! fee). Doesn't seem like there is anything "on demand" about it. I could randomly pick 5 programs to record and get the same effect, for free.

I don't think the movies it records are based on personal preferences. I bet everybody gets the same movies.

[captain_video]

Starz On Demand is currently available in software version 2.5.2. If you've Xtremed your DTivo you won't get this upgrade. If your DTivo has not been upgraded with 2.5Xtreme then it should automatically update on its own. I had it my DSR6000 for about a week until I installed 2.5Xtreme. I found SOD to be annoying at best. I don't miss it even a little bit.

[AlphaWolf]

Ok I got bored and decided to play with the starz on demand thing, heres the little message it shows before you activate it:


You must be an active subscriber to STARZ Super Pak and the tivo service to be eligible to participate in the Starz On Demand free trial. In order to receive all five movies each week, approximately 10 hours of disk space must be available, and your DIRECTV receiver with TiVo service must remain connected to a phone line. Less available disk space, failed daily calls, and recording conflicts with Season Pass (TM), WishList(TM), or other customer-initiated recordings will result in fewer movies being recorded. Starz On Demand recordings will not supersede in priority any customer-initiated recordings. Please allow a few days for your Starz On Demand recordings to begin once you've activated the Starz On Demand free trial, and a few days for your recordings to end if you choose to deactivate. Each Starz On Demand recording will be accompanied by the appearance of a TiVo Central menu item. Please be advised that Parental Controls are not currently available for Starz On Demand movies, when played from the TiVo Central menu item. When you select the TiVo Central menu item for each movie, the recorded movie will begin playing, and you will not be prompted to enter a Parental Controls password, even if one is set. Some movies offered through the Starz On Demand free trial may not have content appropriate for viewing by all ages. Trial period will last up to six months, and is subject to end with 30 days notice. By participating in this special offer, you are asking TiVo to share your contact information with DIRECTV and Starz so that DIRECTV and Starz can send you other information in which you may be interested. For complete information on tivos privacy practices, visit www.tivo.com or call 1-877-367-8486.


It sounds like it just records shit normaly, only it adds a menu item for it instead of you having to fish through the nowshowing list, as well as giving your personal information out to tivo, starz, and directv. Yay, what a service. I activated it anyways just to see more of what it does on my non-calling tivo.

[captain_video]

I let one of my subbed DTivos get the 2.5.2 update. After about two days of suffering through SOD, I loaded 2.5Xtreme and disconnected the phone line. Ironically, I mentioned this over at the Tivo Community Forum and the mods jumped all over my case about the mere mention of 2.5Xtreme, saying that it is only used for illicit purposes and discussion of it was not allowed. I pointed out to the mod that my DTivo is subbed to both DTV and DVR service and that 2.5.2 with SOD was completely *****ic and was the perfect reason for using 2.5Xtreme. I also pointed out that nothing about the method in which I was using it was illicit or illegal. They tend to be a bit touchy over there so I try not to post at all any more. I found this extremely difficult since a lot of the posts could have been answered easily and truthfully by letting the members in on what we do here. I eventually succombed to sending a lot of PMs directly to members to help them out and show them the light, as it were.

[AlphaWolf]

You don't have to have any of the stupid advertizements and other useless crap on a 2.5.2+ tivo. In fact, all of my tivos run 3.1 and none of them have the showcases, gold star, svod, etc. Its quite nice actualy, the main menu only has 4 items, makes it feel so uncluttered and clunky like tivos with the whole ensalada have.