Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > United Airlines | MileagePlus
Reload this Page >

DirecTV / WI-Fi Over the Ocean to Hawaii?

Community
Wiki Posts
Search

DirecTV / WI-Fi Over the Ocean to Hawaii?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Dec 16, 2017, 12:39 pm
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: DC Suburbs
Programs: DL Gold, Hilton Gold, Carnival VIFP Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 459
DirecTV / WI-Fi Over the Ocean to Hawaii?

My wife, son, wife's best friend and I are flying HNL-LAX-IAD during the Olympics later this winter. My wife and her friend are Olympics junkies.

Our HNL-LAX flight will be a 753. Checking the inflight amenities for today's UA1231 (today's version of the flight), I see the 753 has DirecTV for use within the Continental US. United's website says that there's "recorded movies and TV shows" (presumably in lieu of live DirecTV) outside of CONUS.

My question is: how recent is the pre-recorded content? Would the pre-recorded TV be recent footage from the DirecTV channels from the past 24 hours? If so, they probably would find the Olympics coverage worthwhile to watch. If not, they might want to bring something to watch on their own devices.

Anyone familiar with how the pre-recorded content works when DirecTV is outside of range?

Thanks!
aoumd is offline  
Old Dec 16, 2017, 12:52 pm
  #2  
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K; Marriott Platinum; Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,355
They might have recordings of the Winter Olympics on a loop, but these would be from 2010 and before.
There are probably some memorable scenes from the Sarajevo Winter Olympics (1984) that would appeal to those who are devoted aficionados.
transportprof is offline  
Old Dec 16, 2017, 12:55 pm
  #3  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: DC Suburbs
Programs: DL Gold, Hilton Gold, Carnival VIFP Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 459
Originally Posted by transportprof
They might have recordings of the Winter Olympics on a loop, but these would be from 2010 and before.
There are probably some memorable scenes from the Sarajevo Winter Olympics (1984) that would appeal to those who are devoted aficionados.
Gotcha. Thanks!
aoumd is offline  
Old Dec 16, 2017, 1:15 pm
  #4  
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Honolulu, HI
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 1,240
Definitely not recent. Typically it has movies and tv shows. Nothing recorded from the channels.
1KHI is offline  
Old Dec 16, 2017, 1:20 pm
  #5  
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Haze gray and underway
Programs: UA 1K 2MM, HH Diamond, Marriott 'clink clink' Titanium
Posts: 1,784
Originally Posted by aoumd
My wife, son, wife's best friend and I are flying HNL-LAX-IAD during the Olympics later this winter. My wife and her friend are Olympics junkies.

Our HNL-LAX flight will be a 753. Checking the inflight amenities for today's UA1231 (today's version of the flight), I see the 753 has DirecTV for use within the Continental US. United's website says that there's "recorded movies and TV shows" (presumably in lieu of live DirecTV) outside of CONUS.

My question is: how recent is the pre-recorded content? Would the pre-recorded TV be recent footage from the DirecTV channels from the past 24 hours? If so, they probably would find the Olympics coverage worthwhile to watch. If not, they might want to bring something to watch on their own devices.

Anyone familiar with how the pre-recorded content works when DirecTV is outside of range?

Thanks!
Your DirecTV feed will be the same as if you were home.
Dublin_rfk is offline  
Old Dec 16, 2017, 1:59 pm
  #6  
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Lahaina, HI & Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,403
Originally Posted by Dublin_rfk
Your DirecTV feed will be the same as if you were home.
That is correct for the LAX-IAD segment, but not for the over water HNL-LAX segment. Also, channel selection for the Directv feed on LAX-IAD is limited. I am not certain if NBC is picked up.
LAXOGG is offline  
Old Dec 16, 2017, 2:46 pm
  #7  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Originally Posted by LAXOGG
That is correct for the LAX-IAD segment, but not for the over water HNL-LAX segment. Also, channel selection for the Directv feed on LAX-IAD is limited. I am not certain if NBC is picked up.
NBC (and many of the sub-channels) are part of the selection. It will be the NYC feed.

ABC is not on the DirecTV planes because ABC could never figure out how to license the content to the airlines and pay the affiliates correctly.
sbm12 is offline  
Old Dec 16, 2017, 6:10 pm
  #8  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: DC Suburbs
Programs: DL Gold, Hilton Gold, Carnival VIFP Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 459
Thanks all for the information!
aoumd is offline  
Old Dec 16, 2017, 7:09 pm
  #9  
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 843
It should also be noted that only half of the 757-300s have DirecTV. The other half use streaming PDE (may not be exactly "half" per se, but the original CO ones have DTV, and the ones acquired after ATA went bankrupt don't have it, and which version gets assigned to which flight won't be known until a couple days before the flight at best).
rmadisonwi is online now  
Old Feb 25, 2018, 8:28 am
  #10  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 930
DirecTV Over the Ocean to Hawaii?

United's entertainment guide says my flight 539 from SFO to OGG has DirecTV. Is that really true? I didn't think you could receive DirecTV over the ocean.
milemonkey is offline  
Old Feb 25, 2018, 8:35 am
  #11  
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: AS, UA, WN, IHG Diamond Elite, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Gold, CET 7*
Posts: 3,300
Recorded movies and tv shows are available on that segment, but no live feed as that only works in the continental U.S.
NoLaGent is offline  
Old Feb 25, 2018, 8:38 am
  #12  
glg
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Chicago, IL, US
Posts: 2,210
DirecTV is satellite, not ground based. Being over the ocean has nothing to do with it.
glg is offline  
Old Feb 25, 2018, 8:42 am
  #13  
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
Programs: UA lifetime MM / *A Gold
Posts: 14,428
Originally Posted by glg
DirecTV is satellite, not ground based. Being over the ocean has nothing to do with it.
Technically correct, but since the satellites don't aim the signal over the water, there will be no live TV programs over water. The map that UA provides makes this quite clear @:-)

NoLaGent's answer is correct.

Originally Posted by UAL.com
The satellite coverage area for DIRECTV is the continental U.S. You will not be able watch live programming as flights travel out of the continental U.S., but you'll have access to previously recorded programming.

Last edited by EmailKid; Feb 25, 2018 at 8:47 am Reason: Added link and quote
EmailKid is offline  
Old Feb 25, 2018, 8:42 am
  #14  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: LAX & EWR/JFK
Programs: Fomerly UA 1K, now Gold... next year, who knows?
Posts: 1,432
Originally Posted by glg
DirecTV is satellite, not ground based. Being over the ocean has nothing to do with it.
I think the Wifi service is satellite also, but it goes out shortly after leaving the mainland.
I always load stuff to watch on my tablet (Netflix app now lets one download Movies/TV to the tablet) as I've had too many flights where the IFE (and sometimes Wifi) system isn't working.
Phil Level is offline  
Old Feb 25, 2018, 8:49 am
  #15  
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
Programs: UA lifetime MM / *A Gold
Posts: 14,428
Originally Posted by Phil Level
I think the Wifi service is satellite also, but it goes out shortly after leaving the mainland.
777s have satellite based WiFi, so that would be available all the way to Hawaii. And beyond.
EmailKid is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.