Tag Archives: DishNetwork

Dish Anywhere app delivers content on the go, Sling video feed from Hopper DVR (hands-on)

Posted on by

DNP Dish Anywhere app delivers content on the go, Sling video feed from Hopper DVR handson

Dish is further reinforcing its promise to deliver content even when you're not in front of the TV. The new Dish Anywhere app is your portal for live streaming, powered by Sling, along with on-demand content direct from the web. As one of three apps designed specifically with Hopper with Sling owners in mind, Anywhere is tasked with displaying movies and TV shows directly from your set-top box at home. You also have access to the programming guide, and a full remote control for familiar navigation.

We tried out the Anywhere app while connected to a Hopper on the same network. It took a few moments to connect, but once we were linked up, channel flips were speedy and content looked smooth, though it did appear to be a bit softer than HD. Naturally, the feed looked best on an iPhone, with the iPad only serving to magnify artifacts. In short, it's probably not yet time to retire your TV, but if you spend a lot of your time away from the living room and have the bandwidth to spare, the value proposition of a pricey satellite subscription just jumped up a tick.

Gallery: Dish Anywhere app hands-on

Continue reading Dish Anywhere app delivers content on the go, Sling video feed from Hopper DVR (hands-on)

Filed under: , ,

Comments

Dish Hopper Transfers for iPad takes your DVR content offline (hands-on)

Posted on by

DNP Hopper Transfers for iPad takes your Dish DVR content offline handson

There's really no way to encapsulate all of this awesomeness in a headline, so you're gonna want to read on. Sure, there's Dish Anywhere, for realtime streaming of live TV and DVR content, but Hopper with Sling owners will soon be able to take their content offline, for viewing on trains, planes and anywhere else where you don't have a connection (or don't want to burst your monthly bandwidth cap with hours of video). Assuming you have the necessary hardware, including Dish's latest DVR and an iPad, Hopper Transfers will let you offload any and all of your recorded movies and TV shows to the Apple tablet. The STB uses the Sling transcoder to convert your content to a compatible format, then the app wireless boots a sub-HD version to your portable device. Transcoding occurs at 1:1 speed, meaning an hour of footage will take an hour of processing, but you do have the option of converting your videos immediately after they're recorded, so they're prepped before you need to run out the door to catch a flight (the actual wireless transfer takes between five and eight minutes for each hour-long show).

Your iPad will need to be on your home network in order to receive files, so this isn't something you can handle remotely. The workflow also varies according to programming arrangements, so some shows and movies will need to be moved (erased from the DVR), while others can coexist on both devices, but can only be sent to one iPad. (Of course, there's no restriction on the number of times you can record a show to the Hopper, though.) You also don't own the content that you move over -- the app will need to connect to your DVR once each month to verify your subscription in order to remain active. We took a look at some flicks that had already made the jump, and playback worked well with the iPad in Airplane mode, so everything appears to be in order. Like the Anywhere app, content doesn't appear in HD, but the quality will almost surely beat your airline's in-flight entertainment system. Like Dish Anywhere, Hopper Transfers is free, and it's expected to hit the App Store in January. Sadly, there's no word on if or when it'll be available for Android.

Gallery: Dish Hopper Transfers hands-on

Filed under: , ,

Comments

Dish Explorer is a second-screen solution for satellite subscribers, we go hands-on (video)

Posted on by

DNP Dish Explorer is a secondscreen solution for satellite subscribers, we go handson video

We got a sneak peek at Dish's Explorer app earlier today, but now we're able to provide a closer look. This application serves as a "second screen" -- it's most useful when you're in front of the TV, and essentially replaces your standard remote control with a social media-enabled content-rich touchscreen experience. That means full Twitter and Facebook integration, with sidebars to outline what your friends or contacts are watching at that very moment, so you don't end up feeling left out when your office's favorite show is discussed at the water cooler the next day. The app also ranks current shows based on their popularity on Twitter, updated in realtime, and organizes programs by category, displaying movies sorted by genre, or current televised sporting events.

You can also search for films and television shows, and once you've come across one you'd like to watch, you can tap to watch it now (your linked TV will flip to that channel immediately), then tweet your impressions, complete with the proper (pre-loaded) hashtag. We spent a few minutes poking around Explorer, and the app seemed to work well, with an intuitive structure and useful added content, such as a Rotten Tomatoes rating atop each film's cover art. It's a useful way to discover more about whatever you happen to be watching currently, while also serving to help you locate interesting content amid a sea of programming garbage. Dish Explorer will be available beginning later this month.

Gallery: Dish Explorer app hands-on

Continue reading Dish Explorer is a second-screen solution for satellite subscribers, we go hands-on (video)

Filed under: , ,

Comments

Dish Explorer for iPad steers Hopper DVRs, tells TV watchers what’s trending

Posted on by

Dish Explorer for iPad steers Hopper DVRs, goes beyond the TV guide

Dish was quick to take advantage of its Sling Media integration with remote live TV, but it hasn't put as much of an emphasis on what happens when we're still sitting comfortably in our living rooms. It's filling that hole with the launch of its Explorer app for the iPad. Viewers with a Hopper DVR can control their set-top box directly from the tablet, as you'd expect, but they'll also get a companion to whatever they're watching, whether it's live or recorded. Explorer catches the buzz around a show on Facebook and Twitter, including rankings if you'd like to see what shows are the hottest; it also builds in Thuuz sports stats and ratings to identify what's likely to be the big game for the day, even as it's happening. The app doesn't officially reach the App Store until Monday, and there's no word of an Android port, but we'll be sure to share our first-hand experiences as soon as possible.

Continue reading Dish Explorer for iPad steers Hopper DVRs, tells TV watchers what's trending

Filed under: , ,

Comments

Source: Dish

FCC tasks Dish with building 70 percent of its AWS-4 LTE network in 7 years

Posted on by

FCC tasks Dish with building 70 percent of its AWS-4 LTE network in 7 years

The fellas at the FCC may have given Dish Network the green light to pilfer the AWS-4 spectrum for its upcoming LTE plans, but it didn't do so without leaving a few lingering strings. Dish is expected to build out the proposed network at a rate of ten percent per year, and faces serious consequences if it misses the proposed goals. If the company fails to make a 40 percent rollout in four years, for instance, Dish will be expected to polish off the remaining 30 percent in just two years instead of three. The company has seven trips around the sun to claim the entirety of its proposed market, too -- the FCC says Dish's license to uncovered areas will automatically expire if it doesn't have 70 percent of the network ready within the alloted timeframe.

Competing networks are concerned that Dish may intentionally fall short of this goal, covering the most profitable markets at the expense of losing coverage in less lucrative, rural areas. The feds put out some guidelines on power limitations too, and the fate of the contested H band is still up in the air. Eager to sift though the federal declarations? Skip on over to the source links below and jump in -- it's only a cumulative 216 pages of legalese.

Filed under: , ,

Comments

Via: Electronista

Source: FCC (Scribd) [1], [2]

FCC gives Dish Network its blessing to use AWS-4 spectrum for 4G data

Posted on by

FCC gives Dish Network its blessing to use AWS4 spectrum for 4G data

After a lengthy review period, the FCC has finally voted in favor of Dish Network's request to use its AWS-4 wireless spectrum for 4G LTE data services. Now that the FCC removed regulatory barriers that previously restricted that 40 MHz of satellite spectrum from being used for land-based broadband, Dish says it "will consider its strategic options," whatever that means. Dish didn't get everything that it wanted however, as the FCC also approved a proposal that could lead to the auction of the H block of spectrum in 2013. Dish would prefer this spectrum go unused as a buffer for its own, but other wireless companies like Sprint are reportedly interested in it. Although rumors have circulated about partnerships with everyone from T-Mobile to Google, we'll have to wait and see what Dish Network actually does going forward, but avoiding the LightSquared treatment surely has the folks in Englewood, Colorado breathing easier.

Continue reading FCC gives Dish Network its blessing to use AWS-4 spectrum for 4G data

Filed under: , ,

Comments

Source: Dish Network, FCC

Sprint reportedly wooing Dish with spectrum sharing and MVNO possibilities

Posted on by

Sprint reportedly wooing dish with an MVNO and spectrum sharing arrangement

Spectrum is a valuable and finite resource, but it seems that Sprint has an overabundance of the stuff. In addition to the capacity needed for its namesake operation, along with its Boost and Virgin Mobile properties, the Now Network is currently leasing its capacity to Ting, FreedomPop, Republic Wireless, Voyager Mobile, Elevate and pretty much any other company that's willing to ink a contract. Now, Bloomberg reports that Sprint's looking to bring a biggie on board. According to the outlet's anonymous sources, Sprint has approached Dish Network with an offer that would allow the satellite company to establish itself as a wireless provider by using the Now Network's airwaves. Curiously, a fee-based arrangement isn't the only topic of discussion, as it's also said that Sprint is exploring a spectrum sharing arrangement with Dish that would put the satellite company's unused spectrum licenses to use.

For all the potential that such an agreement could provide, talks between the companies are currently said to be in a holding pattern while the FCC completes its review of Dish's spectrum holdings. As proof that the duo aren't completely cozy, Sprint is currently lobbying the regulatory agency to impose rules that Dish insists would reduce the viability of its spectrum. Oh, the irony.

[Cell tower photo credit: Paul O'Keefe / Flickr]

Filed under: , ,

Comments

Source: Bloomberg

Dish’s AWS-4 wireless spectrum standards approved by 3GPP

Posted on by

Dish's AWS-4 wireless spectrum standards approved by 3GPP

Dish has edged one step closer to its distant goal of having a 4G LTE network to call its own, receiving approval for its AWS-4 (40MHz) wireless spectrum standards by the 3GPP group. Dish used the announcement to air a few issues, including sending a plea to the FCC to get a move on and officially green light the frequency for use. The would-be wireless provider also sounded off on Sprint, which is asking the FCC to crop some of Dish's spectrum and add it to the H Block, making it a more attractive acquisition when auctioned off. If the FCC were to grant Sprint's request, Dish wouldn't just lose airwaves, but the slow approval process would start anew with altered specifications. Unfortunately for the satellite TV outfit, Sprint is far from the only potential competitor trying to delay Dish's network -- in fact, none seem particularly willing to welcome the new guy without some serious hazing.

Continue reading Dish's AWS-4 wireless spectrum standards approved by 3GPP

Filed under: , ,

Dish's AWS-4 wireless spectrum standards approved by 3GPP originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Nov 2012 12:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Dish Network’s Hopper gets an off-air digital TV tuner, software update packing new features

Posted on by

Dish Network's Hopper gets an off-air digital TV tuner, software update packing new features

If recording satellite television using one of Dish Network's Hopper systems left you longing for something a little more terrestrial, there's good news: the firm just unveiled an off-air digital tuner that's compatible with its marsupial-themed hardware. For those eager to record broadcasts picked up with an antenna, the OTA dongle is already available for $30 from Dish's online store. A freshly released software update not only adds support for the hardware, but also brings a raft of new features to the Hopper. With the update, users can now pair Bluetooth audio devices with the DVR, gaze at album art on SiriusXM channels and recover deleted recordings from a recycle bin that saves nixed footage for 48 hours. The box's "Prime Time Anytime" feature now supports standard definition local channels, and a new "What's Hot" section clues users into what other folks are watching locally and nationwide. For nitty gritty details, screenshots and impressions of the OTA module, tap the source links below.

Continue reading Dish Network's Hopper gets an off-air digital TV tuner, software update packing new features

Filed under: ,

Dish Network's Hopper gets an off-air digital TV tuner, software update packing new features originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Nov 2012 05:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceSatelliteGuys (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6)  | Email this | Comments

Dish Network settles Voom HD lawsuit, AMC comes back on the air tonight

Posted on by

Dish Network settles Voom HD lawsuit, AMC comes back on the air tonight

Dish Network customers have been without AMC and its family of channels since July 1st, but thanks to a settlement between the satellite company and Cablevision's former Voom HD unit, AMC will be back on the air starting tonight. The possibility of a settlement leaked out late last week via a court filing, and it looks like Dish CEO Charlie Ergen will avoid taking the stand Monday after all. According to the terms, Dish will hand over $700 million in cash plus its 20 percent stake in Voom, and receive 500MHz of video and data spectrum licenses in 45 areas. In a separate deal, Dish and Cablevision spinoff AMC Networks have a new multiyear deal that should bring back AMC (on channel 131) in time for The Walking Dead to air tonight, and all of its other channels (IFC, WE tv, Sundance and for the first time, Fuse) starting November 1st. While Dish had previously claimed the channel deal was being held up by AMC's distribution of its shows via iTunes, Netflix and Amazon, now that lawsuit is over those concerns seem to have faded away.

Continue reading Dish Network settles Voom HD lawsuit, AMC comes back on the air tonight

Filed under: ,

Dish Network settles Voom HD lawsuit, AMC comes back on the air tonight originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 21 Oct 2012 16:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceAMC, Dish Network  | Email this | Comments