Howzabout a cloud-based DVR storage?

[Dan01772]

Who says DVR storage has to be in the box?  It would be worth it to me if recorded programs could be stored in the cloud.  This would use the DVR storage as a local cache.  This seems like a good idea because:

• If more than one person saves a popular program (VERY LIKELY), then Verizon need only store one cloud copy. 
• Verizon need not upload to the cloud from my DVR; it could just keep the data it has served up to me locally.
• This opens the door for "shared access", where I could access a program recorded on someone else's behalf, so if I missed last week's "60 Minutes", it is likely that it is in the cloud and I could access it. Verizon could, on speculation, keep ALL CONTENT for, say, 1 month from broadcast, so it would be accessible by people who a) want to save a whole program they are viewing, but didn't necessarily view from the start, and b) didn't view it at all, but found out about it at the water-cooler the next day.
• If you don't like universal share, consider "personal share" where I could send to another FIOS-subscribed friend a program I have recorded.

[hardcorerobot]

Ultimately, this is really what On Demand should morph into. It already holds a ton of content, but without much history . Essentially VZ already streams us all our content already, but on a set schedule. Its all digital on their end, so they should be able to have copies saved and provide it ad-hoc as well.

In your scenario, you have to imagine that given enough viewers, basically every episode of every show would

be requested for someones personal DVR.

I think if VZ offered any program at any time... that would be a killer app of streaming video and could crush their competition.

Unfortunately it appears that the content providers have a stranglehold on the On Demand offerings, even though it is probably stored by and streamed by VZ. I also don't think they really like customers being able to timeshift, skip commercials etc.

I think they havent really wanted to fight customers for the their DVRs, but I bet they would apply enough negative pressure on VZ to keep them from doing what we are suggesting.

Some other providers allow you to 'restart' a show in progress. Again, same principle. Somewhere, that program is digitized on disk. And instead of streaming it on the preset TV schedule, they allow to restart the stream midprogram. This could easily be extended.

So to summarize my rambling... I dont think what you are envisioning is that hard technically, and we will probably see some flavor of it. But I think its more likely to be a more comprehensive On Demand system, with more restrictions on playback (similar to what already exists - sometimes no pause, no FF etc). There will be no reason to keep a local copy of anything if you can access it whenever you want...

Though Im sure verizon doesn't mind forcing us to rent our DVRs for a hefty monthly fee. Realize that will dry up if they shift everything to on demand...

[jumpin68ny]

I have heard of other providers trying to offer cloud based DVR storage (not a public cloud but for just their subscribers).  From my understanding the providers are not happy about this.  I also heard some providers that are thinking about offering "cloud DVR" are running into problems like On-Demand and disable and fast forwarding/rewinding.

I tihnk the ISP can, its the content owners that don't seem to want to allow this.  It's all a matter of the almighty dollar.

[mspoohbear2]

I would have like to have a cloud storage for even an hour.  Just got new dvr and would have liked to transfer old dvr contents to cloud and then onto new dvr.  I know it's just a dream. 😞   Seriously though, there should be a way to transfer content when somebody gets a new dvr.

[Nan2527]

This would be great.  (See other forum thread - Can I watch my DVR programming on my computer?)  If the DVR-recrorded programs were in the cloud, I would be able to watch them on my computer while I'm away from home.  The main reason I use the DVR is time-shifting.  So when I'm traveling, it would be great to pull up the shows I've recorded to watch at that later time.  Right now while I'm away, my DVR gets full and my recording schedule fails to add new shows or drops off some I haven't yet watched.  

[smartypants3]

Get a slingox. you can watch anything on your dvr or live shows. very cool. works anywhere. I use a Fire Stick Sling Player App for HD

[LawrenceC]

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