DirecTV is one of the leading satellite Television services that provides its clients with hundreds of channels and a vast on-demand catalog for movies, TV shows, and much more. Most customers find it convenient to be able to order the newest movies straight from their DirecTV receiver. However, does it mean that renting movies from DirecTV needs the internet?
How Movie Rentals Work on the DirecTV Platform
It is essential to know that DirecTV is a satellite service, which means it does not stream video through the internet like Netflix or Hulu. When you order a video-on-demand (VOD) movie through your DirecTV receiver, the details of the movie are transmitted from DirecTV’s broadcast center right to your satellite dish.
It should work similarly to how your receiver can receive the hundreds of DirecTV channels that you subscribe to. The sole idea is that for satellite delivery of movies, the receiver doesn’t have to go online. If your receiver is capable of viewing the southern sky where the satellites of DirecTV orbit, your movie rentals will be delivered.
The Exception: Internet Protocol (IP) Delivery
Present generation receivers available in DirecTV store something called IP delivery. This means some video content is specially formatted to be deliverable over your internet connection instead of satellite.
It allows features such as being able to immediately access some of the on-demand content rather than waiting for the download from the satellite feed. It also frees up space on the satellites themselves in terms of bandwidth required to broadcast the program.
Therefore if you try to order an on-demand movie that is enabled for IP transmission, your DirecTV receiver will use your home internet connection and not the satellite dish. However, if for some reason IP delivery is not possible or no longer available, the receiver automatically switches over to satellite delivery.
Trying to Rent a Movie Without An Internet Connection
Due to the current technology, most of the video-on-demand movie rentals under DirecTV do not need to use the Internet. It doesn’t matter if you have a receiver with IP connectivity, most movies are rented and downloaded over the satellite feed.
However, there are a few situations where not having an internet connection could cause issues: However, there are a few situations where not having an internet connection could cause issues:
- Your receiver may download the latest pricing, descriptions, release dates, etc of the movies over the internet connection. Without this metadata, you may be unable to browse or rent newer releases.
- If, for example, you try to rent one of the few films that are available for IP delivery only, and you have no web, the rental will not work.
- Some of the receivers enable you to avail, manage, or schedule your rentals through the online platform or your mobile device. Without the internet, everything would have to be done directly on the TV receiver, including all renting processes.
What About DirecTV Stream or Other Streaming Services?
Let me explain the difference between the basic satellite service from DirecTV and the newer DirecTV Stream (previously known as AT&T TV). The satellite service does not necessarily need the internet to work, though DirecTV Stream is an all-internet streaming service like YouTube TV or Hulu Live.
Of course, any true streaming service such as Netflix or Hulu’s on-demand libraries does need a high-speed broadband internet connection. As for these particular streaming apps and their content – yes, your DirecTV satellite receiver would require an Internet connection.
However, for the actual DirecTV satellite service itself, especially to rent a movie on-demand, an internet connection is hardly ever needed. The advanced receivers only leverage your home internet to supplement and enrich particular services if possible.
Summary: Movies, No Internet Required
The bottom line: ordering movies through DirecTV’s video on demand, in most instances, does not entail the use of the internet. The movies are received without any hassle through the two-way communication that occurs between your rooftop satellite dish and the DirecTV satellites above. However, in some cases with unique IP-delivered content, not having internet could pose challenges only in specific situations.
Hence if you wish to avoid a trip to the video store to rent a new release film tonight be sure that your DirecTV satellite service is on hand to take care of your needs. Your receiver will download the whole movie over satellite, even if you do not have an internet connection at home.