Does DirecTV charge for On Demand?
DirecTV is one of the leading satellite television services in the United States that provides hundreds of channels across different packages. Another attraction that many subscribers embrace through DirecTV is the impressive on demand content. On demand is a service which displays movies, TV-series, and other material when you want without occupying DVR space or scheduling. However, does DirecTV require the subscribers to pay additional fees to be able to access and utilize its on demand service?
The answer is that the majority of the DirecTV on demand programs are actually free of charge. Most of the on demand library is part of your normal subscription with DirecTV and does not require additional fees. If you want to watch on demand shows from the channel it is possible to do so anytime without extra charges provided you subscribe to the package that contains that channel. For instance, if you have a package that has come with HBO, you can now enjoy HBO on demand at no extra cost.
However there are few occasions when you may have to pay for certain on demand movies that you choose to watch. These usually pertain to films that were recently out in theaters and are not yet available on HBO, Cinemax, or other movie channels that come with your basic cable package.
Pay-Per-View Movies and Events
The only on demand content that come with an extra cost are the Pay Per View movies and events. If you order dozens of Hollywood movies or live sporting and entertainment events on DirecTV on demand, you shall do it at a one-time fee that depends on the recency and popularity of the title.
There is a list of the most recent theatrical movies that are available through streaming while being in theaters, and most of them cost between four dollars and six dollars to watch. Then, after a movie has been out of theaters and goes for the rental option, the price goes down to two dollars or three dollars per movie. Some of the events that have been mentioned earlier, such as championship fights and WWE wrestling events, cost between fifty dollars and one hundred dollars to watch them live on demand through DirecTV.
This is because although most of the vast on demand library is available absolutely free as part of your package, pay-per-view movies, and live pay-per-view events require an extra one-time fee to access that picture. In general, there is no monthly subscription for on demand and you pay only for each movie or event that you order and watch.
Adult Content Charges
The only other type of on demand content that some providers may charge extra on DirecTV are adult on demand titles and channels. I can say that DirecTV does have some adult channels and they also offer on demand adult movies library. A majority of these channels and on demand titles compel you to pay monthly subscription fees that are relatively expensive as compared to non-adult channels packages. As for your standard cable programs and films, on-demand viewing is ad-free and available at no extra cost to the viewer, while adult programs and movie titles will generally carry recurring charges or one-time PPV rates, in most instances.
Accessibility with Different DirecTV Packages
Due to the fact that movies, TV shows, and other on demand content can only be accessed when a user has subscribed to the relevant DirecTV package, the content and the range of options available in DirecTV on demand will depend on the type of package that has been purchased by the user. If you just have the basic local package with the major broadcast networks, then only a few of the local affiliates’ on demand services are available to you. Depending on the package you select, you will be able to have a wider list of DirecTV on demand libraries.
For instance, the HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, and Starz packages often open several thousands of programs and films from the past, which can be watched at any time, on demand. If there were no such premiums, one could not watch their respective catalogs anytime they wanted to. This means that while DirecTV does not charge extra for general on demand regardless of the package subscribed to, the cost of more on demand is included in the higher subscription fee for better or advanced channel tiers.
Free Trial of On Demand Plus
This means that all things being equal, and having more channels means you can watch considerably more on demand titles for free, DirecTV does offer a way for lower tier package subscribers to trial the enhanced on demand offerings reserved for premium networks they don’t yet receive. Sometimes they offer ‘preview weekends’ where you get to view on demand programs from premium channels without having to pay the upgrade fees although the preview period only lasts for a few days at a time. This gives you a brief glimpse into the additional on demand benefits that can be offered to the subscribers by the higher tier packages.
General Recommendation – Is it worth?]
Is it worth subscribing $10 a month more for a larger DirecTV channel package to unlock thousands of TV shows, movies, and other on-demand content? To many of the viewers, the advantage that comes with the availability of more on-demand services is worth the price of the enhanced subscriptions. For families that have different members with different tastes in TV shows and movies, having a broad library of on demand programs and films can be a godsend in terms of being able to watch what each person wants, without having to wait.
Of course, if you are on a limited budget or you only stick to a few shows, one of the basic DirecTV packages might be sufficient and at the same time, you will not have to pay the higher recurring fees. But you will be losing the additional on demand libraries for the sake of the bill shave. Prior to making the decision of watching premium channel in the house every month, it becomes reasonable to take a look at the current viewing habit before agreeing to the fact that for the additional amount of money every month, the DirecTV on demand options will be greatly improved.