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01-21-2009, 01:55 AM
Satellite-TV users can see shows on laptop, cell phone
By Jeff Smith, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published January 9, 2009 at 12:05 a.m.
LAS VEGAS — Dish Network unveiled a new digital video recorder Thursday at the International Consumer Electronics Show. It will enable its satellite-TV subscribers to watch home programming on their laptop or mobile phone from anywhere in the world with a high-speed Internet connection.
The digital video recorder is the Douglas County-based company's first major product incorporating Sling Media technology since it bought Sling more than a year ago.
The DVR is actually made by EchoStar Corp., Dish's sister company, and Dish will be the first customer.
EchoStar Technologies President Mark Jackson referred to the device as "programming - anytime, anywhere."
The high-definition DVR will be available in the spring and will be leased to Dish subscribers at a total price of $199, said Dish CEO Charlie Ergen.
EchoStar said it also plans to do trials of the product this year for the cable industry.
The EchoStar "SlingLoaded" ViP 922 DVR features a touchpad remote control that acts more like a computer mouse and a 1 terabyte hard drive capable of storing up to 1,000 hours of video content.
Viewers will be able to scroll over widgetlike tiles and pop-up menus to select programs to watch, and to compile favorite lists and other viewing preferences. The device gives viewers access to national news, weather, sports and stock quotes. It can be controlled via the Internet using SlingGuide.
Jackson said Dish will keep half the storage and use it to preload high-definition videos and periodically download new content via satellite.
Dish also has the ability to provide interactive ads and music, he said.
Company executives said they hope the device discourages people from stealing Dish's content by making it easier for consumers to get it. Dish has long battled signal piracy and fraud.
The DVR will support two TVs within a house. EchoStar also announced plans to have a 14-inch wireless monitor available by this summer for under $300 that works with the 922 DVR. Company executives said they believe the monitor will be used in rooms like the kitchen and bathroom as an additional TV.
Ergen and Jackson touted Sling's technology, which changes the resolution of a picture depending on the device, such as a cell phone, and sizes a video to meet the broadband pipe.
Sling separately is working with mobile applications for its media player for the BlackBerry and iPhone.
Ergen acknowledged the 922 at first will seem a bit complicated to the average person, "but it's going to get simpler."
By Jeff Smith, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published January 9, 2009 at 12:05 a.m.
LAS VEGAS — Dish Network unveiled a new digital video recorder Thursday at the International Consumer Electronics Show. It will enable its satellite-TV subscribers to watch home programming on their laptop or mobile phone from anywhere in the world with a high-speed Internet connection.
The digital video recorder is the Douglas County-based company's first major product incorporating Sling Media technology since it bought Sling more than a year ago.
The DVR is actually made by EchoStar Corp., Dish's sister company, and Dish will be the first customer.
EchoStar Technologies President Mark Jackson referred to the device as "programming - anytime, anywhere."
The high-definition DVR will be available in the spring and will be leased to Dish subscribers at a total price of $199, said Dish CEO Charlie Ergen.
EchoStar said it also plans to do trials of the product this year for the cable industry.
The EchoStar "SlingLoaded" ViP 922 DVR features a touchpad remote control that acts more like a computer mouse and a 1 terabyte hard drive capable of storing up to 1,000 hours of video content.
Viewers will be able to scroll over widgetlike tiles and pop-up menus to select programs to watch, and to compile favorite lists and other viewing preferences. The device gives viewers access to national news, weather, sports and stock quotes. It can be controlled via the Internet using SlingGuide.
Jackson said Dish will keep half the storage and use it to preload high-definition videos and periodically download new content via satellite.
Dish also has the ability to provide interactive ads and music, he said.
Company executives said they hope the device discourages people from stealing Dish's content by making it easier for consumers to get it. Dish has long battled signal piracy and fraud.
The DVR will support two TVs within a house. EchoStar also announced plans to have a 14-inch wireless monitor available by this summer for under $300 that works with the 922 DVR. Company executives said they believe the monitor will be used in rooms like the kitchen and bathroom as an additional TV.
Ergen and Jackson touted Sling's technology, which changes the resolution of a picture depending on the device, such as a cell phone, and sizes a video to meet the broadband pipe.
Sling separately is working with mobile applications for its media player for the BlackBerry and iPhone.
Ergen acknowledged the 922 at first will seem a bit complicated to the average person, "but it's going to get simpler."