I HATE Google Assistant

I was trouble shooting GA on a customer's Hopper and we had similar experiences. For one, it would change to showtime, but not Stars or Encore. The result would say "That channel is not in our catalog."
Asked it for the scores of the MLB games yesterday and it only shows 3 games. For weather, had to specifically ask for Peoria Weather or it would show Chicago
 
My experience with the Dish Google Assistant has been very positive.
1) If I ask it for my weather it gives me the forecast for Plain City both showing it on the screen and announcing it.
2) It correctly tunes to the correct channel using either channel names or channel numbers.
3) If I ask it the Cleveland Indians score it shows the score and says the Indians are trailing the Mets in the 8th inning. That is correct.
4) It correctly controls all 15 lights throughout my house.
5) It correctly finds shows on Dish but you then have to manually select the show. For example when I say "Find the Amazing Dr Pol on Dish" the episodes show up on the screen. Unfortunately, you still need to manually select the episode you want to watch.
6) You can ask questions such as How did the Dow do today and it shows and announces the result.
7) It does pause, resume, turn off, etc.


Sent from my iPad using the SatelliteGuys app!
 
Why in the world would Dish crawl into bed with Google? I will not sign into a Google account for any reason so why should I have to acccept Google's terms and conditions just to use what is supposed to be a Dish product? Bad move. :rolleyes:
 
Why in the world would Dish crawl into bed with Google? I will not sign into a Google account for any reason so why should I have to acccept Google's terms and conditions just to use what is supposed to be a Dish product? Bad move. :rolleyes:

I'm not a Google fan either and won't use the service. However, to answer your question, I can see why DISH did this. Most of the planet is moving toward interactive electronic devices, one device operating all the services in the home, etc. With DISH having so much going on at this time, I think it might be a little much to ask of them to create their own OS for this.

So, it's only natural that they opt into Amazon, Apple, or Google. It didn't matter which one they chose, some would like it and some would not. I personally wouldn't use any of them. I don't use the search feature too often anyway. I dang sure don't need to voice control my lighting, cooking, air conditioning, sound system, electric meter, etc.

All of that being said, I certainly can appreciate that for some this adds real value and I'm happy for them that DISH offered the service.
 
From day one of the announcement I believed the whole Google Assistant thing was related to Alphabet in rumored talks with Dish, and I do expext Google to announce some use of Dish's spectrum for something, perhaps Waymo? I thought Charle and Jeff Bezos (the love Alexa got) were in the romance. I suppose when you become the 4th wireless carrier and have LOTS of new and 5G spectrum, Google becomes the new love.
 
I came to the forum to see about this new feature on Dish of Google Assistant as far as voice commands go, and.....looks like you beat me to the punch.

And yes, I know: You're not going to be able to please everyone.

When I went to use the Voice Command feature on my Dish remote control today, I see this Google Assistant message thing pop up on my screen, asking me to accept the terms. No, I do not like anything Google-related; I'd rather have root canal.

Going through this message thread, one of the official responses was from a "Staff Member, DISH DIRT TEAM!, Rosita L."; Rosita L said, "If you are not enjoying the Google Assistant integration to the voice remote, you can use just the regular voice commands by not logging into your Google account. You do still need to accept Google's terms and conditions to use the voice feature."

Does anybody know precisely how to do that? Sure, I'd like the former, "regular" voice command feature back; how do you do it?

Thanks for any info,
Pez
 
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Hello there, Pez!

The Google Assistant Voice commands are going to be the new Voice controls going forward. That being said, you can choose to activate the Google Assistant Voice Controls on your Hopper system by accepting the Google Terms and Conditions by following the on screen prompts.

Once those have been accepted, that activates the Voice commands. Furthermore, it will give you the opportunity to Login to your Google Assistant account to link your receiver to your Google Assistant and Google Assistant App to unlock even more features that you can utilize.

If you do not want to link the Hopper to the Google Assistant app, you can press the BACK button on the remote to skip that step.

I hope that helps! -Jason I
 
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Hi Jason.

So, you're saying that "The Google Assistant Voice commands are going to be the new Voice controls going forward"? Then does what you say negate or counter what the other member of your team - Rosita - said? Rosita said: "If you are not enjoying the Google Assistant integration to the voice remote, you can use just the regular voice commands by not logging into your Google account". Rosita makes it sound like I can go back and use the "regular voice commands"......unless I'm reading her answer wrong or interpreting it improperly.

So....can I? Go back and use regular voice commands and not Google Assistant Voice? If so, precisely HOW do I do it? If it cannot be done (and Rosita misspoke), then we might have a problem.

I used to subscribe to DirecTV for about 16 years. Somewhere around 2015, the AT & T company bought out (or acquired) DirecTV. After that, DirecTV's Customer Service and Technical Support went downhill. So, I discontinued my DirecTV Service and did not renew my contract with them. I found a better deal with you, Dish Network. We've been with you for approximately 2 years now.

And now your company foists Google Assistant Voice upon me/ us, the customers.

I am not fond of the Google company, or, their parent company of Alphabet, Inc. I do not use their web browser of Google Chrome (I vacillate between a few browsers, such as Edge, Firefox, and Brave). I'm not saying there is any company out there that is "perfect", but I definitely do not trust Google.

So Jason, when you say, "...it will give you the opportunity to Login to your Google Assistant account to link your receiver to your Google Assistant and Google Assistant App to unlock even more features that you can utilize", you make it sound like I already have an account with Google; I don't have an account with Google.

If I can go back to the regular voice commands that I used to enjoy before this Google Assistant Voice, then please tell me precisely how.

If I can't....then we might have a problem.

Besides your Dish Network Hopper, I also have a Roku Ultra device; much of what I watch (Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, Amazon Prime, etc.) is through the Roku device. I consider anything going through Google to be intrusive and virtually (ipso facto) a piece of spyware.

Please let me know if you can help, if there is a way to go back to the ("old") regular voice commands; if not, then I'll have a decision to make.

Respectfully,
Pez
 
Hi Jason.

So, you're saying that "The Google Assistant Voice commands are going to be the new Voice controls going forward"? Then does what you say negate or counter what the other member of your team - Rosita - said? Rosita said: "If you are not enjoying the Google Assistant integration to the voice remote, you can use just the regular voice commands by not logging into your Google account". Rosita makes it sound like I can go back and use the "regular voice commands"......unless I'm reading her answer wrong or interpreting it improperly.

So....can I? Go back and use regular voice commands and not Google Assistant Voice? If so, precisely HOW do I do it? If it cannot be done (and Rosita misspoke), then we might have a problem.

I used to subscribe to DirecTV for about 16 years. Somewhere around 2015, the AT & T company bought out (or acquired) DirecTV. After that, DirecTV's Customer Service and Technical Support went downhill. So, I discontinued my DirecTV Service and did not renew my contract with them. I found a better deal with you, Dish Network. We've been with you for approximately 2 years now.

And now your company foists Google Assistant Voice upon me/ us, the customers.

I am not fond of the Google company, or, their parent company of Alphabet, Inc. I do not use their web browser of Google Chrome (I vacillate between a few browsers, such as Edge, Firefox, and Brave). I'm not saying there is any company out there that is "perfect", but I definitely do not trust Google.

So Jason, when you say, "...it will give you the opportunity to Login to your Google Assistant account to link your receiver to your Google Assistant and Google Assistant App to unlock even more features that you can utilize", you make it sound like I already have an account with Google; I don't have an account with Google.

If I can go back to the regular voice commands that I used to enjoy before this Google Assistant Voice, then please tell me precisely how.

If I can't....then we might have a problem.

Besides your Dish Network Hopper, I also have a Roku Ultra device; much of what I watch (Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, Amazon Prime, etc.) is through the Roku device. I consider anything going through Google to be intrusive and virtually (ipso facto) a piece of spyware.

Please let me know if you can help, if there is a way to go back to the ("old") regular voice commands; if not, then I'll have a decision to make.

Respectfully,
Pez
The last part of Rosita’s post may have been missed. Google is here to stay. What is being said is you do not have to login to Google to use it, but the old voice features are gone for good. It will all be powered by Google.
The same way you do not require a google account for Chrome, but is still powered by Google(Alphabet).
 
Besides your Dish Network Hopper, I also have a Roku Ultra device; much of what I watch (Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, Amazon Prime, etc.) is through the Roku device. I consider anything going through Google to be intrusive and virtually (ipso facto) a piece of spyware.

So, you don't trust Google but you do trust Amazon? :eeek

For the record, I did not log into my Google account on my Hopper or Joeys. :D
 
TheKrell: funny you should bring that up!! ;):oldlaugh:eek: I'm referring to Amazon!!!

My wife mainly uses Amazon Prime to get to some of the shows she watches; me, personally? I don't watch anything through them. I was just throwing out a few names of services (Netflix, Hulu, Vudu.....).

I will share this with you: I own a Kindle Fire HD device. These devices are basically a tablet, but I mainly use it for my e-reader (I'm an avid reader of both fiction novels....and some non-fiction :biggrin2). Some years ago, one day, after powering on my Kindle device, there on the main screen of the carousel, I see the Washington Post. So I'm wondering, Hmmmmm.....how did that get there? I don't subscribe to this publication.

So, I call Amazon/ Kindle Tech Support, and the representative tells me that they just "pushed" it out to all devices for free (maybe it was a "promotional" thing at the time....free for a while then with an option to purchase a subscription; I'm not sure and I didn't ask).

Anyway, as you might be aware, the owner of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, purchased the Washington Post many years ago. Now I realize that in today's day & age, there's not much real, objective journalism anymore, but the Washington Post definitely leans to the political "left"; I myself tend to lean to the "right".

So I told the Amazon/ Kindle Tech rep to remove it from my device, that I don't want it on there. So, remotely, they removed it (I guess the opposite of "pushing" it out to my device, they "un-pushed" it!!!:nana).

Yes, I am one of those from the school of thought that some tech companies out there are getting just a bit too big, and the power and influence they have can go too far (Google/ YouTube; Facebook; Twitter; etc.). Some of these companies have to decide whether they are a "platform".....or a "publisher".

So, the voice command devices such as Google Home ("OK, Google....") and Amazon's Alexa/ Echo ("Hey Alexa....) are glorified pieces of spyware. Both of these devices "claim" they aren't listening to you except when you want them to? You believe that? You also believe in Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy? If so, then I have some unicorn farts to sell you...... :raspberry Just teasing.....

For now, then yes, I suppose this is the route that Dish Network is taking (using Google Assistant Voice). We can all make choices as to whether we are on-board with something or not. There have been plenty of companies/ businesses throughout history that will make a decision to use a certain service/ device, etc., and then, depending on customer feedback or pushback, may change their policy decision.

I'm sure there are plenty of Dish customers that were not fazed a bit by this Google Assistant Voice, didn't blink an eye, and some even embraced it. I just happen to not be one of those.

Say, TheKrell, one more thing: You said, " For the record, I did not log into my Google account on my Hopper or Joeys". Soooooo.....if you did not "log into" your Google account on your Hopper or Joeys.....are you or are you not using voice commands to your Dish receivers?
Pez
 
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According to other Dish site it can be disabled by removing permissions - but then looks like you have no voice search.

"To disable this feature press and hold the mic button, then say "Stop sending data". This should disable all voice features. If you do press the mic button again afterwards there should be an option listed to disable voice that you can choose."

That matches what I saw in the new setup for GA. Looks like they realized that not everyone wants it and gave instructions on how to disable it. No info on what happens after that though . . .
 
Hi Jason.

So, you're saying that "The Google Assistant Voice commands are going to be the new Voice controls going forward"? Then does what you say negate or counter what the other member of your team - Rosita - said? Rosita said: "If you are not enjoying the Google Assistant integration to the voice remote, you can use just the regular voice commands by not logging into your Google account". Rosita makes it sound like I can go back and use the "regular voice commands"......unless I'm reading her answer wrong or interpreting it improperly.

So....can I? Go back and use regular voice commands and not Google Assistant Voice? If so, precisely HOW do I do it? If it cannot be done (and Rosita misspoke), then we might have a problem.

I used to subscribe to DirecTV for about 16 years. Somewhere around 2015, the AT & T company bought out (or acquired) DirecTV. After that, DirecTV's Customer Service and Technical Support went downhill. So, I discontinued my DirecTV Service and did not renew my contract with them. I found a better deal with you, Dish Network. We've been with you for approximately 2 years now.

And now your company foists Google Assistant Voice upon me/ us, the customers.

I am not fond of the Google company, or, their parent company of Alphabet, Inc. I do not use their web browser of Google Chrome (I vacillate between a few browsers, such as Edge, Firefox, and Brave). I'm not saying there is any company out there that is "perfect", but I definitely do not trust Google.

So Jason, when you say, "...it will give you the opportunity to Login to your Google Assistant account to link your receiver to your Google Assistant and Google Assistant App to unlock even more features that you can utilize", you make it sound like I already have an account with Google; I don't have an account with Google.

If I can go back to the regular voice commands that I used to enjoy before this Google Assistant Voice, then please tell me precisely how.

If I can't....then we might have a problem.

Besides your Dish Network Hopper, I also have a Roku Ultra device; much of what I watch (Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, Amazon Prime, etc.) is through the Roku device. I consider anything going through Google to be intrusive and virtually (ipso facto) a piece of spyware.

Please let me know if you can help, if there is a way to go back to the ("old") regular voice commands; if not, then I'll have a decision to make.

Respectfully,
Pez

Hello Pez. I do apologize for misunderstandings. By accepting the Terms and Conditions, but not logging into a Google account, you may retain your Voice Remote functions that you had before with additional features; however, as ChadT41 pointed out, this would still be powered by Google, and at this time, there is not a way to revert to the previous Voice Remote functions. - Caleb S
 
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