Dish Network 2008 CES Press Conference Live Coverage

[HokieEngineer]

Stay tuned to this thread for live updates from the Dish Network Press Conference, which starts at 11AM PST (2PM EST).

[HokieEngineer]

First up, Carl Vogel.

Echostar is all about leadership.

Leader in:
Growth
Programming
Innovation
DVR
HD

[HokieEngineer]

Talking about Slingbox, DVR receivers, HD. Says they had some problems with launching satellites in 2007, hope to launch more HD in 2008.


Talking about subscriber growth. 940k subs added over the last 4 quarters. Said they were a little disappointed in the last quarter, blamed it on consumer credit crunch.

[HokieEngineer]

A little bit of a delay here since the projector showing the slides is malfunctioning.

Carl starts talking about the spin off of the hardware company. SATS is the new publicly traded company, which is composed of assets of Echostar such as spare satellite capacity they will resell to others or possibly "sell" back to their provider company (DISH).

[Scott Greczkowski]

Photos from the Dish Network Press Conference

[HokieEngineer]

The new company will enable them to take the technologies they have developed over the past 25 years and sell them in International markets.


SATS is composed of:

FSS
- satellites
- Orbital slots and licenses
- Uplink centers

Digital Entertainment Solutions
- Digital Design
- Nagrastar
- Sling Media

International
- System integration
- Turn key provider of DBS and DTH integration
- CMBStar
- TU Media


The existing company (DISH):
- 13M subs
- Programming rights

[Scott Greczkowski]

More photos from the PC

[HokieEngineer]

Dish Network 2008 Focus:

Control
- DVR
- Sling
- PDA/Mobile
- Arcos


Value
- "No Gimmicks, just everyday low pricing"
- Made their business around the AT packages and will stick with it
- Goal this year is to "lock in your price".
- Price freeze till Feb 2009.
- DVR Advantage $39.99

More Choices for HD
- Had some issues with Sat capacity in 2007
- Will provide more in 2008
- More choices
- $10 / month value package

Quality
- 100 National HD Channels (sometime in 08)
- 100 HD local markets (61 new HD markets in Q1/Q2 08)

[HokieEngineer]

Dish has the largest interactive tv selection, talked about the interactive features of the receivers.

Dish Decision 2008 Election Portal
- Excusive to Dish
- Offers candidates ability to target viewers
- Interactive 20 second ads

DishDVR
- "Better than Tivo"

[HokieEngineer]

Next up is Mark Jackson, talking about Echostar Holding Corporation.

- Now open to sell hardware to satellite co's, IPTV, Cable, Terrestrial, and CE

[HokieEngineer]

Mark talking about the 722 and its general capabilities.

- External storage
- Saves consumer money with DishComm to phone home over ethernet, saves the second tuner fee.

[HokieEngineer]

ViP612:
- Dual Tuner, single TV

Vip211k
- Single Tuner, one tv

New for 2008
- DVR Conversion
- Connect external HD to VIP Non dvr, to make it a DVR.
- Extended EPG to 9 days

[Scott Greczkowski]

Here comes Mark Jackson...

[HokieEngineer]

TR-40
- Retail $39.99
- Digital ATSC tuner box
- Approved for coupon program

TR-50
- Includes DVR
- mpeg2, mpeg4 capable of viewing and recording SD and HD
- Supports Dish Network IPTV applications

[HokieEngineer]

ARCHOS
- 605 Wifi
- 705 Wifi
- Touchscreen
- Large HDD capacity options
- Connect to 722 or 622

Got rid of pocketdish. Now just purchase any archos product and it will take a software download to work with Dish recievers.

[HokieEngineer]

Blake Krikorian, CEO of Slingmedia is now up to talk about Sling.

[HokieEngineer]

Blake talking about how tv watching is not in the living room anymore, and how we need to connect consumers to the content they love, regardless of where they are, what source, and what provider.

[Scott Greczkowski]

Blake from Sling Media

[HokieEngineer]

Announcing the SlingModem
- Docsis 2.0 modem
- Slingbox solo placeshifting engine with slingstream

"The first true triple play product"

- Slingbox + cable modem

[HokieEngineer]

Willing to work with other providers: Cable, IPTV, satellite. Not just focusing on satellite providers, even though Dish own's them