Video Data Saver (VDS) does not work when streaming Hallmark Movies Now (HMN) videos. With the HMN Video Quality set to Low and VDS set to ON, the data usage during a 90 minute video is around 3GB instead of the typical 0.6-0.7GB when the stream is from other sources such as Prime, YouTube, etc. What could be causing this issue?
As a test, I'd install 'NetWorx' on your computer, then try streaming a video from the service on that computer, with the video quality settings on low. NetWorx will let you monitor the bandwidth usage in a live manner. It's got a free 30 day trial, so you wouldn't need to pay for it (it used to be totally free, but they changed it 🙁).
I'd try it both with the VDS off and then on to see if there is any difference. The VDS is supposed to lock the maximum bandwidth down to around 3Mbps when streaming, but a 3GB usage in 90 minutes shows it's not doing that. That's closer to 4.8Mbps, as an average.
I'm not at all familiar with Hallmark Movies Now, as in whether they have an app or you stream directly from their site, but if the former I'd still make sure to set the resolution at the source, as in the website, in order to ensure it's truly streaming in a low resolution.
Lastly, you might want to also use Glasswire on the computer while doing this. Glasswire will show you what apps/processes are using data, and just how much of it. This way you can rule out anything else using data at the same time. It only shows the usage of the device it's installed on, so if another device on your network is using data, it won't show that.
Just some ideas.
In the end, it's possible that Hallmark Movies Now uses a type of streaming that the VDS just isn't detecting in order to engage, though it's been around for quite a while. If that's the case, hopefully they'll be able to update the VDS so it does.
Edit: I just saw that Hallmark Movies Now is available through Prime. If Prime works well for you, as in the VDS, getting it through them instead may be a viable option. A pain, I know, but just something to keep in mind.
Thanks for your suggestions. I’ll keep those in mind.
Currently I am streaming Hallmark Movies Now videos using a smart TV and made sure the HMN Video Quality was set to Low. I also contacted Hallmark eCare about the problem and was told there was no way they could lower the amount of data. Their suggestion was to use a 3rd party but I would like to avoid that if at all possible.
lakeland4,
Thanks for reaching out! A couple brief questions about this case, so we can take a deeper look into this. How long have you been using the Hallmark Movies Now service? Has this service always consumed a larger amount of data, or is this an issue you noticed recently?
Thanks,
Remy
Thank you for looking into this issue!
We started streaming Hallmark Movies Now videos 1 week ago. So far have watched 7 movies and each one used roughly the same amount of data, 3GB.
We're more than happy to help! Thank you for providing more information.
We recently sent you a private message concerning these issues. Please take a look when you have the chance.
Thank you,
Jay
Jay,
I sent private messages last week and earlier this week with no response. Please check and see if you have received them.
Hello lakeland,
I apologize for the delayed response, I was out of the office. Is your dish cleared enough to troubleshoot?
-Jay
No problem!
The temperature will be above freezing next week so the dish will be clear. Middle of the week and late afternoon will work best for me. Let me know what will work for you.
