How Video On Demand Works (long and technical!) - Page 5

10-03-2008, 21:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by topcreator

Is there a simplified english version of that?

Simplified version:

Press button. See what you want.

~Dan~ · 04-04-2008, 04:02

Am I right in thinking there's only a certain number of streams available at any one time, and that if too many people want to use the on demand service there won't be enough streams available for everyone?

Tonight TV was really rubbish so we had to resort to watching some stuff on on demand. We watched the first half hour show fine with no problems. When starting the second one I got the message about on demand not being available but tried again and it worked. After watching that half hour show I tried to start a third one. I was getting the message about on demand not being available popping up all the time but persevered and eventually got as far as the part where the programme is about to start, only it never started. Now effectively the box had crashed. I was unable to press the "tv" button to abort and go back to the tv (had to pull the plug on the STB). Whoever wrote the on demand software forgot to program for the possibility of the stream not being available and to allow you to press the tv button to abort and go back to the tv, so the box crashes. I'd hope that the software will be improved on in the near future.

techguy · 12-09-2010, 12:12

Virgin Media's VOD platform is built around a contention ratio of around 16:1 (whilst at the same time delivering hundreds of linear TV channels). Virgin Media achieves this contention ratio through the "segmentation" process by putting video server

equipment deep into its network and only sharing bandwidth between 1000-4000 customers.

(Ofcom report)

windy · 14-09-2010, 21:39

I kid you all not but i just went onto the statues page because i cant get video on demand and i swear it said the following...

Date Issue raised:
September 14 2010, 15:46
Estimated repair time:
January 01 1970, 01:00
Fault reference:
F001372805.

muppetman11 · 08-03-2011, 13:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by windy

I kid you all not but i just went onto the statues page because i cant get video on demand and i swear it said the following...

Date Issue raised:
September 14 2010, 15:46
Estimated repair time:
January 01 1970, 01:00
Fault reference:
F001372805.

Another thing coming soon LOL

We need the Delorean to get that.

SkyFTW · 27-02-2012, 00:01

@ the OP,

An interesting and accurate post.

Stephen · 27-02-2012, 00:20

And your reason for bringing up an old thread was?

SkyFTW · 27-02-2012, 00:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen

And your reason for bringing up an old thread was?

Sorry I'm new to the site and read the thread for the first time then commented as that's what I do on forums. Give a comment and kudos or equivalent on a good thread.

Now I see the thread is old.

Stephen · 27-02-2012, 00:32

There is no need to give a comment or 'kudos' on every thread you read.

However to find this thread you would have had to go looking for it so I don't believe you not noticing it was old.

SkyFTW · 27-02-2012, 00:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen

There is no need to give a comment or 'kudos' on every thread you read.

However to find this thread you would have had to go looking for it so I don't believe you not noticing it was old.

Its a sticky on the TV section.Go to the TV section there is 3 stickied topics.
This is one lol.

Onramp · 29-01-2017, 21:28

Since this is stickied, there's no harm in mentioning that the 1970 date above is because UNIX systems count the number of seconds since Jan 1st 1970 to store dates. If the date field isn't set to anything, or is set to zero, then it will be Jan 1st 1970.

If this thread is still active in 2038, you get to see it wrap around to 1970 again.