[size=16]Anime Network VOD Reports/Updates/Questions Thread (2009)[/size]
Before posting (newcomers), please look around the resources and the recent pages in this thread before complaining. In many cases your questions might be covered already.
Please read, learn and participate:
Links and Resources: (Check stuck threads at the top for the latest news and information)
http://www.theanimenetwork.com/component/option,com_kunena/Itemid,65/catid,5/func,view/id,36/
http://www.theanimenetwork.com/VOD-Schedule/
http://www.theanimenetwork.com/component/option,com_kunena/Itemid,65/catid,5/func,view/id,292/
Use this forum to discuss, submit questions/complaints/suggestions with other Anime Network viewers. The links above will provide most commonly asked questions regarding Anime Network services and properties.
I. We need your Zip Code and Cable/Satellite Provider to Help
When submitting reports of problems, it is important to provide us with information of your cable/network/VOD provider, and your ZipCode (this information is needed to track down the problem). (PM this to me if you want to keep the information private) and other information about the nature of the problem, as well as the specific anime/episode in question. Anime Network and your Cable/Satellite Provider can not help you without this information. Reports without this info can not be traced to the region where the problems happen.
II. Please contact your Cable/Satellite Provider with information on missing updates
It is equally important that you call and email your Cable/Satellite/Service provider along with posting in this thread, as most problems are usually the result of problems on their side or the VOD company they subcontract to update the content that Anime Network sends to them.
Viewers experiencing missing updates need to contact your cable provider.
If you do not report the problem then the systems do not seek to replace it after it fails for some reason. The more you call the more the cable provider will pay attention to making sure Anime Network is working properly.
When making a call to your provider, it is usually best to request to speak to the manager or the supervisor. Usually, regular customer service representatives can only take down your request, but have not much power beyond that.
Please make sure the Customer service agent you speak to understands that Anime Network has sent the episodes and there may be a local problem with either their network or full hard drives or some other technical problem that is preventing the delivery of the episodes (this depends on the circumstances which can be case specific).
You have to try to make them file the report or speak to the supervisor, understand the problem and not let them give you the run around of “we only post what we are sent to by the provider” (this is a stock response) so that it can be sent to their VOD department.
III. Missing Updates - Where are my updates?
Regarding VOD problems (missing updates), in most cases updates that are late usually stem from one or two issues:
IIIa.
VOD technology allows great convenience in that it allows viewers to watch a wide range of programming through your cable box without having to go out to rent or buy DVDs from many programming options, but it is a very complex technology. Your Cable or Satellite provider or their VOD subcontracting companies like (TVN, SeaChange, etc.) are responsible for granting you the user access to these updates. There are so many layers and handlers of the data, including subcontracting VOD companies that handle the infrastructure, storage, VOD file management for your Cable companies. This is normally why Cable companies usually have a hard time fixing or dealing with VOD.
A lot of the large cable providers have different regional operation centers that handle the VOD for certain regions. This complicates it because human error can happen, if someone from your area’s VOD department forgot to make the updates Anime Network sent them available or if your area’s VOD hard drives are full… they reject the updates Anime Network sends them.
Anime Network may be able to determine whether the updates were sent out or not, but after that point, the responsibility of the update will go to your Cable provider or the company that manages the content sent to them.
(This is why it’s important to let your cable provider’s customer service department know and take know of the issue and report it to their VOD department. See above information)
Reports submitted by the viewers will be looked over by Anime Network in the reports sent to them, and they will try to get your Cable/Satellite provider to fix it from this side – but there is only so much Anime Network can do to convince your Cable/Satellite provider without your help on fixing the issue.
IIIb.
Production delays can happen, Anime Network is dealing with 100s and 100s of episodes a month, multiplied by different cable and satellite providers. It’s a lot of data to work with. New Shows, have to wait for ADV to finish production on the new DVDs, this takes time sometimes 2-3 months per volume to complete. Anime Network can not encode new shows for you viewers if there’s nothing to encode. DVD Production is costly and time consuming, Anime Network has to follow the DVD Production timeline, when the masters are finished they can encode it from that for VOD.
IV. Why are the shows starting at episode 5 and why can’t I get the entire series of a show at once?
Anime Network always shows series from the beginning. (unless it’s a special circumstance) It’s a moving train of content, every week new shows and episodes are posted, eventually they start back at episode 1 or different shows at episode 1.
Most people think Video On Demand means every single episode available of every show. Unfortunately the technology and expense of doing this is not viable at this time and unrealistically high expectations are formed. VOD in general works pretty much like TV does, except the episodes are available usually for a month to be viewed anytime, then they are replaced, with weekly updates that are posted every Thursday (Some providers post it early on Wednesday afternoon/night). That’s how the cable providers operate VOD in general.
Cable companies place a limit on what the content providers, like Anime Network can provide. For SVOD carriers this is usually 30 hours of storage space a month. So Anime Network and other VOD providers have to work within those constraints. Billion dollar companies like MTV can make special deals to get extra space, but that is very expensive, and even some of them don’t get a lot of storage space… a few times I checked NBC and CBS barely had 5 hours of content on some cable providers.
For Free VOD carriers, they place a 10 hour content per month limitation on Anime Network.
Sure they can post all of RahXephon at a time, but what if that person doesn’t want RahXephon? They have to provide variety with different shows to satisfy different viewers needs. It’s hard to keep everyone happy. Someone might love RahXephon as I do, but someone might hate it and prefer This Ugly Yet Beautiful World, etc.
V. Why is buying ADV/Anime Network DVDs important?
It is the foundation of income and helps ADV and other Anime production and licensing studios to acquire new anime series for Anime Network.
If you like a show on Anime Network, please show your support and buy the legal ADV DVDs from respected retailers like Rightstuf.com (http://www.rightstuf.com) or DVDpacific.com (http://www.dvdpacific.com) or at your local Best Buy, Fry’s or Walmart, and other retailers – a lot of these shows are expensive to license and produce for English audiences. While VOD ad revenue does help a little to pay for some of this access, if you want new shows and new productions – DVD sales by far is the foundation that allows ADV and Anime Network to acquire new shows from Japan!
Without your financial support, it means less shows, and less services.
New policy required from you all in the future that are reporting problems:
When you report a problem or missing update, we need you to provide your Cable/Satellite or VOD provider for Anime Network (TAN) and also your Zip Code (City, State would also be helpful). This information is now necessary to help track down your problems with your Cable/Satellite/VOD provider.
For example:
Time Warner, 78702 (Austin, TX)
(Your Report)
If you do not provide us information we won’t be able to help you. I will not even bother following your problem up only to ask you to post the requested information we need … and we will ignore it because we get so many reports every week, it’s not my responsibility follow up with every single complaint on a very simple request. Please Help us, help you.
It is too time consuming for us to follow up every single complaint if you don’t give us proper information. Some people just come to post on the forum “We did not get Fumoffu”; they don’t even tell us which episode, which cable provider, or their location and don’t show up again.
Thank you for your cooperation.
This thread has another example of that very issue with the Suddenlink issue where 2 members who are not that far from each other are getting different updates.