DISH is set to launch a whole-home high definition DVR entertainment system, named Hopper and Joey, this month. The Hopper HD DVR and small Joey set-top boxes form a whole-home HD DVR entertainment system that lets DISH customers record, pause, and play back from any room in the home. Another great feature of Hopper is PrimeTime Anytime™, which allows a customer to record all primetime TV programming from ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC with the touch of a button!

For more information read the Dish release:
LAS VEGAS, NV–(Marketwire – Jan 9, 2012) – (NASDAQ: DISH)

•Features two-terabyte hard drive for up to 2,000 hours of entertainment
•Never miss a primetime network show with PrimeTime Anytime
•Records up to six programs in HD simultaneously, including PrimeTime Anytime
•Hopper and three small Joeys let viewers watch HD and control DVR in four rooms
DISH Network L.L.C., the nation’s third largest pay TV provider, today introduced a whole-home high definition DVR entertainment system featuring the award-winning Hopper™ and Joey™.

The Hopper HD DVR and accompanying small Joey set-top boxes create a whole-home HD DVR entertainment system that lets DISH customers easily record, pause, and play back shows from any room in the home. While most whole-home DVRs do not have the same DVR functionality on every TV, the Hopper and Joey whole-home system offers the same DVR functionality on every TV, letting customers pause, play and rewind both live and recorded HD programs in up to four rooms.

The Hopper was unveiled by DISH CEO Joe Clayton at the 2012 International CES in Las Vegas today, and it is already winning honors as a CES Innovations 2012 Design and Engineering Award honoree. Pricing and packaging will be announced later this quarter.

The main Hopper unit features:

•Three satellite TV tuners
•A two-terabyte hard drive for up to 2,000 hours of video entertainment
•Up to 250 hours of HD or up to 1,000 hours of SD user recordings
•Bluetooth for linking to devices such as wireless headphones
•Picture-in-picture for watching any two channels simultaneously
Combined with a Joey, the Hopper whole-home HD DVR system offers more advanced features:

•750 MHz Broadcom processer — the fastest satellite receiver processor available today for a quick, responsive on-screen guide
•Approximately 50 percent more energy efficient for a four-room installation than previous models
•ZigBee RF4CE using a proprietary protocol remote with “remote control finder” alert
•High definition user interface
•Easy-to-use, fast, graphical, tile-based user interface with predictive search
•Small, sleek chassis for convenient placement
“Building on a heritage of award-winning DVRs, DISH is proud to be the first to introduce a groundbreaking product that delivers the most choices for TV entertainment by integrating multiple sources of video into one set-top box,” said DISH Network CEO Joe Clayton. “The Hopper gives our customers network TV shows on demand and thousands of family movie choices streaming or delivered to the hard drive. With its massive storage, the Hopper leads the industry in delivering the most entertainment options, bar none, for every member of the household.”

The Hopper — Endless Entertainment Options

The Hopper’s new, unparalleled feature, PrimeTime Anytime™ allows customers, with one click, to record using a single tuner all of the primetime TV programming from ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC — the networks that deliver the most popular shows during primetime. Once activated by a customer, PrimeTime Anytime records network programming in high definition, where available, every night and stores them for eight days after they have aired. This creates an on-demand library of approximately 100 hours of primetime TV shows, and makes it easy to catch up on episodes from last night and last week’s airing.

The Hopper can record up to six TV shows at once (two live programs and four PrimeTime Anytime shows) while allowing viewers to watch up to four different recorded or on-demand shows in four rooms of the house, simultaneously. This gives a family a variety of options to control or view their recordings and to watch shows in any room from a single Hopper.

The Hopper’s on-demand capabilities give access to DISH’s Blockbuster @Home™ for $10 per month which is now enhanced with more than 10,000 total titles streaming to the TV.

The Hopper also offers on-demand content for customers with limited or no Internet access with a feature called DISH Unplugged. This feature delivers via satellite hundreds of the most popular movies and TV shows to the hard drive, including transactional and authenticated videos on demand. DISH Unplugged provides a high quality picture without buffering and makes available many of the same streaming movie choices offered by Blockbuster @Home, including premium movie access.

And for subscribers of DISH’s America’s Top 120 programming package or greater, the Hopper provides whole-home music distribution from 73 SiriusXM channels, including album art and a unique collapsible list of music channels located at the top of the channel guide at Channel 99, making it faster and easier for SiriusXM music fans to find their favorite music.

Additionally, the Hopper will features TV apps that give viewers real time access to Facebook, Twitter, Pandora and photo sharing, as well as games, news, weather, sports, and stock quotes.

TV Everywhere

Customers can manage the Hopper via the Internet at www.DishOnline.com or the DISH Remote Access app, providing the ability to control DVR recordings on their tablets, smartphones and computers. Connecting the Hopper with DISH’s Sling® Adapter provides customers the ability to watch and control all live TV channels, PrimeTime Anytime programs and the DVR on their computer, tablet or smartphone wherever they go.

The Hopper and Joey are designed and engineered by EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS). The Hopper works by distributing HD signals through existing co-axial cable in the home using the Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) specification. The Hopper is powered by a Broadcom 750 MHz processor, the most powerful satellite TV processor available today delivering a fast and responsive on-screen guide and a graphical user interface that features channel logos to help search channels, movies or TV shows quickly. The advanced search platform also allows for navigation of programs across satellite TV, broadband and an optional external hard drive.

For more information about the award-winning Hopper and Joey by DISH, including technical specifications, please visit www.dish.com/hopper.

To watch live TV on the iPad, subscribers need a Sling Adapter from DISH and a broadband-connected compatible DISH HD DVR receiver. More information is available at dishnetwork.com/tveverywhere/remoteaccess.

Hopper and Joey images are available at http://press.dishnetwork.com/Press-Center/Photo-Library.

About DISH Network

DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH), through its subsidiary DISH Network L.L.C., provides more than 13.945 million satellite TV customers, as of Sept. 30, 2011, with the highest quality programming and technology with the most choices at the best value, including HD Free for Life. Subscribers enjoy the largest high definition line-up with more than 200 national HD channels, the most international channels, and award-winning HD and DVR technology. DISH Network’s subsidiary, Blockbuster L.L.C., delivers family entertainment to millions of customers around the world. DISH Network Corporation is a Fortune 200 company. Visit www.dish.com.

Call the cable TV provider in your area, because you’re going to want broadband Internet for the upcoming “Streaming Wars”.

When Dish Network satellite TV bought the failing Blockbuster video, many wondered how Dish would turn it into a money maker.   Well, the first attempt is being made as we speak.  After Netflix announced significant price hikes to come, Dish Network saw an opportunity to grab new customers.

Netflix took its single disc/streaming video product and broke it into two products.  What was once $9.99 a month for both is now $7.99 a month per product.  Obviously, Netflix users are miffed.  Dish Network offers a one disc rental package for $9.99, but the Blockbuster package does not include streaming video.  At least not yet.
However, according to a BizJournals.com article, Dish Network satellite TV / Blockbuster video feels customers would switch from Netflix for early access to new releases and video game rentals.  The Blockbuster package is $2 more a month than the single disc package from Netflix, so only time will tell.  What’s more important, saving $2 or having access to newer new releases and video games?

It looks like Dish Network satellite TV is heading in the direction of the other satellite Internet providers.

According to a story on Multichannel, “A U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge approved Dish Network’s proposal to purchase TerreStar Networks for $1.375 billion Thursday, giving the satellite giant access to wireless spectrum for a possible broadband play.”  That looks pretty cut and dry.  Dish Network satellite TV appears to be moving into satellite Internet territory and why wouldn’t they?  People need broadband all over the world, even if cable lines can’t get to their houses.

After winning a successful bid for the rights to broadcast the world renown tennis tournament, ESPN has made history by bringing the tournament solely to cable TV providers for the first time ever.  At the same time, you tennis fans will have to make sure you’re up to date with the cable TV providers in your area.

Moving the entire tournament over to cable TV for the first time ever, NBC lost the rebroadcast rights to ESPN at the culmination of the final game this year.   As reported by AdWeek, ”Terms of the 12-year pact were not disclosed, although the deal will move all live coverage of Wimbledon to cable for the first time. That said, some tape-delayed matches will air on ABC, including replays of the men’s and women’s finals. The broadcaster will also air a three-hour highlight show on the middle Sunday of the tournament.”

The move ends the 43 year relationship between Wimbledon and NBC.  Although, it seem there is no ill will.  NBC recognizes that ESPN was simply willing to spend more to retain the rights to broadcast the tournament on cable TV.

Is Allconnect a trend setter?  Perhaps. For a while now, Allconnect has offered you a way to bundle and save with the choices you want^SM .  That simply means you can choose your providers and services based on your needs, not the available bundles, and it looks like we were on to something.

A recent Nielsen study shows consumers are in favor making their own bundles.  While cable TV providers are still the majority in paid TV subscriptions, satellite TV providers are closing the gap.  One reason satellite TV subscriptions are on the rise is the recent trend in creating your own bundle.  With services like Allconnect, consumers can choose a satellite TV package and pair it with cable Internet service.  It offers choice and, in some cases, the best of both worlds.

Let’s say you prefer your local satellite TV package over your local cable TV package, but you would rather have the higher speed of a cable Internet connection.  Well, now you can.  With Allconnect, you can create your own bundle.

Enter your address in the “Find Savings” widget to see what’s available in your area.

“How can I find cable companies in my area?”  ”What’s the best plan for me and my family?”

Sound familiar?  Prices are going up on everything from groceries to gas and entertainment costs have been steadily rising for years.  With that in mind, many of us are taking a serious look at our finances.  What services are more of a necessity these days?

Cable TV providers were once thought to be more of a luxury than a necessity.  Anynore, that’s changed.  Broadband Internet and cable TV are the norm for a lot of the country and many find it hard to cut off either.  So what do you do?  You take a long, hard look at your finances and make an honest assessment of what you can afford.

Maybe you don’t really need to subscribe to every movie channel.  Or maybe you could do better with a cable TV plan from another provider.  But there’s that question again.  ”How can I find cable companies in my area?”  That’s the easy part.  Just enter your address into the “Find Savings” widget at the top of the page.  We’ll show you which cable TV providers offer service at your specific address.  Then it’s up to you to compare plans and prices to find the plan best suited to your family and budget.

In a report for Variety, Tom Lowry sheds light on a somewhat shocking report that discusses the real competition for cable TV companies and satellite TV providers.  Lowry’s article discusses a recent report, “U.S. Telecommunications and Cable & Satellite: The Poverty Problem,” by Craig Moffett, an analyst for Sanford Bernstein.  In that report, Moffett says inter industry rivalry is not the problem.  Nor is the growing online movie and TV market the problem.  The real problem is more likely to be the decline in American livelihood.

While there have been signs of economic recovery, Moffet’s report points out the harsh reality of government assistance and below average incomes for many Americans.  Sadly, that means many families are choosing, not between providers, but between necessities.  What’s more important, TV or food and shelter?

Luckily, cable TV companies and satellite TV providers are not ignorant of the problem.  Lowry uses Time Warner Cable as an example.  Time Warner Cable created an economy cable TV package geared toward budget minded consumers.  While it may not have all the bells and whistles of the premium cable TV packages, it does offer the escape allowed by TV entertainment with a more affordable price tag.

While Moffett’s report may seem bleak, it does remind us that options are available.  If you’re looking to find more affordable cable TV or satellite TV plans in your area, start here.  Enter your address in the “Find Savings” widget at the top of the page.  We’ll show you what’s available at your address.  From there, you can compare plans and prices online free of charge.  When you’re ready, choose the plan that’s right for you.

Many were wondering what Dish Network dish TV would do with Blockbuster video after the purchase.  Well, one idea quickly came to surface and has already been put into place by Dish Network.

The assumption that Dish Network would somehow loop customers into a bi-company experience was a no-brainer.  We just didn’t know how they would do it.  The Boston Herald recently posted a story about the first steps into satellite TV and home movie rentals.  According to the Herald, “Dish Network said Thursday that new customers who sign up for its satellite television service through Aug. 10 will receive three months of free Blockbuster by Mail DVDs. The offer includes access to 100,000 movies, TV shows and games that can be exchanged by mail or at Blockbuster stores. The offer includes Blu-ray movies and new releases that Blockbuster gets 28 days earlier than Netflix and Redbox.”

Having a four week head start on the movie rental competition is pretty solid no matter how you look at it.  Now we’ll just wait to see how well the promotion goes.

You may remember a story we discussed a while back concerning Dish Network and DIRECTV.  It was about the two dominant satellite TV providers teaming up with a subscriber to sue the state of Utah over what they claim is a tax break given only to cable TV providers.

Well, according to Multichannel News, “Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) and two co-sponsors have introduced the State Video Fairness Act of 2011, which is being celebrated by DISH and DIRECTV as a bill to ‘protect consumers and promote competition by preventing the imposition of discriminatory taxes on satellite television and other innovative competitors to cable television.’”

Of course, the cable TV providers feel slighted.  Cable TV operators claim the 1996 Telecommunications Act contains a huge loophole that allows the satellite TV providers to bypass local taxes – taxes cable TV operators have to pay.

Although it may feel like progress for the satellite TV providers, the battle is sure to continue.

In recent years, we have seen a slow, but steady increase in available broadband Internet speeds.  It wasn’t that long ago that dial-up Internet access was all the rage.  Now, we’re talking about Internet download speeds of 50mbps or more.

A lot has changed with the ever increasing capability of high speed Internet.  Businesses have been made and businesses have been scuttled, all on the power of the Internet.  The latest make or break market appears to be online TV, or “TV Everywhere” as it is known.  While companies like Netflix are busy streaming thousands of movies and TV shows from multiple sources, networks like HBO are using broadband Internet to deliver their own shows to their subscribers.  It seems slow at times, but all of this happening at a rather rapid pace.

The latest company to attempt the TV Everywhere model appears to be You Tube.  According to an article on CNBC, You Tube will begin renting newer, big budget movie titles.  You Tube has been renting for a while now, but the selection has been slim and dated.  While Google has not turned You Tube into the money maker we all thought it would become,  this new online renting plan aims to add money to the bank.  CNBC claims “Google sees a problem with the fact that people spend an average of just 15 minutes on YouTube each day and five hours watching TV. So, it’s populating its movie rentals with behind-the-scenes movie extras and links to reviews, so its users don’t click away to IMDB.com or Rotten Tomatoes.com.”  The plan is to keep visitors on You Tube, increasing exposure to valuable advertising dollars.

Competition seems to offer the best products for consumers, so expect online movies and TV shows to only get better as the competition increases.