About BirdDog

@maratsade wrote: @GabeU, I don't  use PlayOn, but according to their website:   How much does PlayOn Cloud cost and how do I buy recording credits? The PlayOn Cloud iOS app is free to download from the App Store and Google Play. You pay a low per-recording charge (or recording credit) which includes 7 days of storage in your cloud locker and unlimited downloads of that recording to any PC or storage device during the complimentary storage period. You can purchase recording credits in-app or buy recording credits from our website.   It sounds like you pay a monthly price for storage only if you want to store something more than the complimentary 7 days.    EDIT:  I think the info below clarifies this even more:   Can I store my recordings for longer than the complimentary storage period? Once downloaded, you can store your recordings locally for as long as you'd like. We will only store them for you for 7 days in your cloud locker. If you'd like to keep them in the cloud for longer, take a look at our Cloud Recording and Storage plans. This is correct.   I've also found I can move the downloaded files from my phone so don't really see the need for cloud storage past the 7 days. ... View more

I'm a one and done kind of watcher. Very, very seldom watch something more than once.   And yes @gaines_wright, I have the Gen4 50/50 Anytime/Bonus Ultra plan which very few were able to get back when offered. Then I stuck with it even after the conversion to all Gen5 plans. I'm "grandfathered" in so to speak, would take something drastic for me to switch plans now.   Oh, and I'm on one of the better Echostar 17  beam and gateway's, get pretty close to Gen5 speeds most of the time. ... View more

Wife and I stream, not movies everyday but often short clips. She does YouTube movies/documentaries maybe 5-6 times a week and I do Netflix maybe average 2-3 times a week. All lower definition though usually 360p and lower and helps to eliminate buffering. On a 50/50 old Gen4 plan and don't go over allowance.   Granted, no kids to really jack things up. ... View more

You may have to wait for one of the mods to reply for the exact answer.   It sounds like you are presently current and owe nothing from previous cycle but do have a balance approaching on the 11th which you will owe. This is what the automated system is showing regardless what was said over the phone. Your billing date may also have changed from what it was. ... View more

Thanks @maratsade, is fun to mess with new things like this sometimes, especially when it's cold outside.   I forgot to mention when using the scheduling in the Download Options both "Auto-download on WiFi" and "Restrict downloads to off-peak (BETA)" need to be enabled. ... View more

So last night I tested the auto download during Bonus time and it worked. Be sure to read the red note on the setting about leaving the app on and the device plugged in.   I did notice that my downloads are in SD using about 700MB per hour of video and I have the app set to SD, the lowest they allow set. This is in line with what Netflix states for SD.   What is of note is I have my Netflix account playback set to the lowest setting of 300MB per hour, so PlayOn Cloud somehow overrides this. Just something to be aware of, not sure how many use the lowest setting normally but I find the quality acceptable even when watching on large screen TV. ... View more

@MarkJFine wrote: Level3 has an outage in LA (might indirectly affect SDO intermittently) and Albuquerque (probably disastrous there).   Edit: They certainly operate at another level... lol Does it really matter? Always HughesNet's fault anyway. ... View more

There was a significant outage with one of the major carriers yesterday, maybe due to that.    @maratsade, on upper right main page. ... View more

@MarkJFine wrote: Like clockwork. People have already started the "where's my data" posts...   I simply can't handle it anymore so I don't reply to those posts and I'm a happier person for it.  ... View more

@GabeU wrote: The great thing about PlayOn Cloud is that there is no buffering when watching it, as you download the file and watch it, not the stream.  I've been contemplating getting this so I can stream things to the cloud using their mobile app, then download them to my laptop and play them on my TV via HDMI cable.  And again, no buffering!     It would be a great way to take full advantage of the Bonus Zone data.     I have an Android 6.01 phone that casts perfectly to my smart TV without using anything like Chromecast. In fact it is not even the phone I use for calls, doesn't have a SIM card in it, so is like a media playing device right now. The video I downloaded today from PlayOn played perfectly so this is sweet to have a real option to record/download one or two Netflix shows during Bonus time. Not to mention some of the other providers they support. I still have 4 records in the bank with PlayOn to use when I want.   Thanks @maratsade for bringing this up. I think I glanced at the service quite some time back but never really delved into it. Glad you made me look at it again. ... View more

@Amanda wrote: Got the app on my android phone and I am using the free credit to download a 20 minute TV show from Netflix. Echostar 17, Gen5 10GB, 2.4GHz (down the hall from it) for reference. Downloading in SD format. Will see how it goes on the first device then try to watch it on other devices. Is fun to play and test something so I took the plunge also and here are my results so far.   1. It does work. I recorded an episode of Travelers on Netflix about 49 minutes in length.   2. Then downloaded to my phone. Can set to automatically download or set schedule in settings which is beta so don't know how that works yet.   3. It takes about the same length to record on the cloud as to watch the video, so my 49 minute video took a bit over that to record and do whatever it does on their side.   4. Nice thing is you can set everything to record during the day while you're awake and won't download until you do it manually or what you have set in the schedule. So user does have control when they actually use the data to download it. But the recording sits there in the cloud for 7 days to do so, unless you also buy a cloud package.   So kind of up to the folks here if it is worth it to them sign up for the service. Is pretty neat IMO. Do need to realize when it is downloaded it is going to use the data just like normal so the higher definition used the higher the download amount. Someone who goes crazy with HD download during Bonus time is going to burn that data up fairly quickly. Also download speed during Bonus time goes up and down depending who is doing what and when just like the daytime. If lots of folks start using this service and download during Bonus time it could have a large impact on speed depending how many are doing it on a particular beam/gateway.   Amanda will probably have something to add. ... View more

I don't use it but there has been lengthy discussion on the "other guys" site about it. Seems it does work and they now let you schedule the time, have to be careful how you watch as it could actually double your data amount (or more) if watching from multiple devices.   https://community.viasat.com/viasat/topics/playon-cloud   https://community.viasat.com/viasat/topics/using-play-on-to-record ... View more

I did score this just now. Probably they aren't awake yet from their tech hangover.   ... View more

Sure I remember you @cuddlebug0. I'm still here lurking, don't post near as much anymore, only when I have something to add to the conversation that might help besides what has already been gone over a hundred times in other posts. I've gotten tired of posting things that have been discussed so many times before over the years here. Becoming an old curmudgeon I suppose.    Anyway, glad to see you back and that you still have good old HughesNet to rely on for Internet where nobody else but satellite is willing to go. Wouldn't trade where I live for the highest speed fiber optic. ... View more

For sure all the kids on Christmas break with all their new toys. Things probably won't be back to normal until after New Year. ... View more

Yesterday and last night was pretty horrendous speed wise most assuredly due to the all the new devices and kiddies connected.   Not to stir the pot but sure glad not me that put the "X" in Christmas.    Was a time it was quite common but don't see it much anymore because folks screamed bloody murder. ... View more

@dfbeck, really should run manual 25MB file size for download tests and 6MB size for upload. You're burning through a lot of data using automatic file size and is not necessary as the manual tests provide accurate results.   Lol on what you did to the scammers. Good you realized they were only trying to get your info. ... View more