For some reason, it takes far longer for me to download one 30-minute show in HD like 24, for example, than it does a movie in HD.
The movies are generally available to start watching in minutes, whereas a show from Box Sets won't be available for anything up to 15 minutes.
That makes sense. It's not just the file size that matters but the size in relation to the program duration. Depending on your broadband speed, a 2GB program that lasts 30mins may need to build up a larger buffer compared to a 3GB film that lasts 90 minutes, other wise your playback position will catch up to the download position.
That aside I'm finding the availability time very inconsistent. I'm busy making my way through the box set of The Tudors in HD. I have sky unlimited at around 9Mb but despite each episode having very similar file sizes and durations (around 2.4GB and 50 minutes) it could take anything between 1 and 20 minutes to be available, and that's just the sky box using the connection. At 20 minutes it's downloaded around 30% of the program which should be more than enough buffer to let me start watching, but it won't let me, yet other times it's available after just 3% has downloaded.
I note iPlayer downloads have considerably increased in size. 2.64GB for SD content, and around 4.67GB for HD. Seems it's been done to increase the picture quality of the content. That's a huge jump in size, and can't be good for network loads..
I have noticed this week downloads are starting off really slow for the first 1% and then speeding up, but in so doing it has to download about 20% before it becomes available to view.
Also if I start a download then carry on viewing other on demand content the download fails.
I'm sure there is a problem at Skys end, my speeds are as ever 50+mb/s when checked on speedtest.net
Up to about two months ago my downloads were very slow then all went ok now today it has taken 10 mins to download 4% in hd its useless I am not very happy.
I thought it had sorted itself. I downloaded and watched episode 3 of The Leftovers and it was ready to watch straight away so I assumed the problem corrected itself. However at about the 50 minute mark it went to the buffering screen and took 30 minutes to download the last five minutes of the show!?
I don't want to phone sky as I know they'll just tell me to do all the things I've already done but this is getting silly. What was a fantastic service is just irritating now.
don't worry as Sky always tell us "Sky believe in better" we are all just waiting for that day:D:D
No offence intended and quite probably moving way off topic for this thread, but... and I've been guilty of it myself on a couple of (function specific) occasions but i do sometimes wonder why 'people' keep on banging on about Sky's advertising slogan as if it's some sort of whipping stick to use against the service as a whole.
I could well be wrong, but i strongly believe that almost everything Sky has ever done has been "better" than the competition at one stage or another, with perhaps the exception of the original (non Virgin) TIVO boxes (I've never owned one so can only speculate).
That said, TIVO boxes don't create or broadcast TV content, they merely record it.
Pick your genre, sport/movies/drama etc. Pick how it's broadcast, SD/HD/3D etc. Pick when it's available, Live/+1/CatchUp/On demand etc. Pick where it's available, TV/Online/Mobile devices etc. Pick how sky cover events with their in-house teams, F1/NFL/Football etc.
Sky offer all the above, ask yourself, does BT of Virgin etc?
I can't argue that Sky get everything right all of the time, but i would argue that they get most things right most of the time... and that they are probably the most innovative broadcaster in the UK.
I don't know of a website that lists who did what when first in the UK, but i bet if one does exist Sky would be right up there at the top of the list... if not for being the best ever, then for taking existing ideas and developing them so they are the best available.
Yes they will get things wrong from time to time, yes i and others will chastise them for that, but to say that that they don't 'believe in better' would be wrong, imho.
Does make me wonder if some part of Sky's on demand 'network' is unable to cope with demand. Or if it's the boxes themselves not always coping.
Sky doesn't really have an "on demand" network, they outsource to Akamai, like almost everyone else. There's no logical reason why Sky should be slower than any other Akamai clients.
How come there are no programmes to download for yesterday when I go to by day?
There are "issues" with Catch Up and Box Sets On Demand at the moment. This from the Sky Community (Help and Support) site yesterday morning explains the current position:-
*** UPDATE***
Good Morning,
We are still experiencing technical issues with Box Sets and Catch Up services from On Demand. There are a number of box sets missing from the October release. This has also affected individual episodes within some Box Sets.
For Catch Up, there are issues in getting new content uploaded into the catalogue, customers may see the on screen message 'There are no programmes of this type' appear on screen, when going into the 'Day' sections of a number of providers, including BBC iPlayer and ITV Player.
Our technical teams are working to resolve these issues as quickly as possible. We don't have a timescale for a fix at the moment but will continue to provide updates.
We would like to thank you for your patience and apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Sky doesn't really have an "on demand" network, they outsource to Akamai, like almost everyone else. There's no logical reason why Sky should be slower than any other Akamai clients.
There is one very good reason, money. To cope with more traffic they will after pay Akamai more, they wont just provide extra bandwidth without an additional charge.
Downloading on demand is really slow tonight. Been downloading gadget show since 8 and its only on 49%. Doesn't even allow me watch it either like it usually does.
Just emailed jeremy darroch today had enough of these downloads see what happens there. I pay £60 for a service i cant use pathetic.
You pay £60 for the linear channels included in your subscription.
There was no specific extra charge for the addition of the download facility.
You do have a legitimate gripe if an advertised service is not working as it should do, but that's nothing to do with the money you pay.
Comments
That aside I'm finding the availability time very inconsistent. I'm busy making my way through the box set of The Tudors in HD. I have sky unlimited at around 9Mb but despite each episode having very similar file sizes and durations (around 2.4GB and 50 minutes) it could take anything between 1 and 20 minutes to be available, and that's just the sky box using the connection. At 20 minutes it's downloaded around 30% of the program which should be more than enough buffer to let me start watching, but it won't let me, yet other times it's available after just 3% has downloaded.
Also if I start a download then carry on viewing other on demand content the download fails.
I'm sure there is a problem at Skys end, my speeds are as ever 50+mb/s when checked on speedtest.net
I don't want to phone sky as I know they'll just tell me to do all the things I've already done but this is getting silly. What was a fantastic service is just irritating now.
So still don;t know if it is certain servers or times of day or individual programmes or what
Same issue for me, there's a few problems with on demand this week.
The boxsets that should have been added yesterday have buggered up as well.
I asked Sky and they said they were working on it and hope to have it resolved soon (that was yesterday)
don't worry as Sky always tell us "Sky believe in better" we are all just waiting for that day:D:D
I could well be wrong, but i strongly believe that almost everything Sky has ever done has been "better" than the competition at one stage or another, with perhaps the exception of the original (non Virgin) TIVO boxes (I've never owned one so can only speculate).
That said, TIVO boxes don't create or broadcast TV content, they merely record it.
Pick your genre, sport/movies/drama etc. Pick how it's broadcast, SD/HD/3D etc. Pick when it's available, Live/+1/CatchUp/On demand etc. Pick where it's available, TV/Online/Mobile devices etc. Pick how sky cover events with their in-house teams, F1/NFL/Football etc.
Sky offer all the above, ask yourself, does BT of Virgin etc?
I can't argue that Sky get everything right all of the time, but i would argue that they get most things right most of the time... and that they are probably the most innovative broadcaster in the UK.
I don't know of a website that lists who did what when first in the UK, but i bet if one does exist Sky would be right up there at the top of the list... if not for being the best ever, then for taking existing ideas and developing them so they are the best available.
Yes they will get things wrong from time to time, yes i and others will chastise them for that, but to say that that they don't 'believe in better' would be wrong, imho.
The Blacklist S2E1 was on there a week early but has now disappeared.
There are "issues" with Catch Up and Box Sets On Demand at the moment. This from the Sky Community (Help and Support) site yesterday morning explains the current position:-
*** UPDATE***
Good Morning,
We are still experiencing technical issues with Box Sets and Catch Up services from On Demand. There are a number of box sets missing from the October release. This has also affected individual episodes within some Box Sets.
For Catch Up, there are issues in getting new content uploaded into the catalogue, customers may see the on screen message 'There are no programmes of this type' appear on screen, when going into the 'Day' sections of a number of providers, including BBC iPlayer and ITV Player.
Our technical teams are working to resolve these issues as quickly as possible. We don't have a timescale for a fix at the moment but will continue to provide updates.
We would like to thank you for your patience and apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Thanks.
Graham H
Community Manager (TV Technical)
Forum Help http://helpforum.sky.com/t5/help/faqpage
Sky Help Centre http://www.sky.com/help
There is one very good reason, money. To cope with more traffic they will after pay Akamai more, they wont just provide extra bandwidth without an additional charge.
I downloaded Gotham at around 1am and it was instant.
It's just pure luck which programmes are going to be available and then how fast they download.
There was no specific extra charge for the addition of the download facility.
You do have a legitimate gripe if an advertised service is not working as it should do, but that's nothing to do with the money you pay.