As noted here, I’m using the the DirecTV SHEF API and a Raspberry Pi to poll my DirecTV receivers every minute and store what they’re doing into a MySQL database. After ~6 months of storing that data, I thought it’d be interesting to analyze some of it. After all, do I really watch enough HBO and Starz to warrant paying for them every month?
Channel Preferences
- 25,900 minutes of TV watched (~2.25 hours per day…eek; still less than the national average!).
- 2,612 minutes of that was recorded (10%).
- NBC is our favorite channel (3,869 minutes watched, 15%).
- E! is our second favorite channel (1,911 minutes watched, 7.37%). Gotta keep up with those Kardashians.
- Premium movie channels (HBO, Starz, Encore, Cinemax, etc) were watched 6,870 minutes (26.52%) – apparently worth the money.
- Premium movie channels were recorded only 571 minutes (lots of ad hoc movie watching, I guess).
- NBC is our most recorded channel (479 minutes) followed by HGTV (391 minutes) and ABC (330).
Time Habits
- Sunday is the most watched day (no surprise here) with 7,157 minutes watched (28%)
- Saturday is the second with 5,385 (21%)
- Wednesday is the least watch with 1,144 (4.4%)
- April was our biggest TV month with 6,413 minutes watched (24.76%)
- June was our lowest month with 1,197 (4.62%) — July is around 10%. The excitement of summer faded fast, apparently.
- 8PM is our biggest TV hour with 1,312 minutes (15.14%). This is followed by 7pm (13%) and 6pm (10%).
- 6AM is our lowest TV hour with 68 minutes watched (0.26%). This is followed by 5am (0.49%) and 4am (0.90%).
This is pointless data but it’s always interesting to assess your own habits. And if you’re wondering, it took roughly 60 minutes (0.23%) to query and publish this post :).