DISH Press Conference Notes

[Yespage]

they should have continued to focus on the original hopper with improvements and reliability making it the ultimate media center. Why not make it like the smart hub on smart tvs, hundreds of apps and an internet browser, the keyboard remote, etc. The app selection sucks. No youtube, amazon, hulu plus, slacker radio, not even blockbuster on demand which they own. It could be an awesome piece of equipment, not just a great piece.

Umm... Hulu plus, amazon would be competitors to Dish. Adding their apps would seem to be the wrong direction for Dish to go. Other apps wouldn't be a bad idea, but I think Dish would be silly to do as such. TVs are going that direction anyway. Why waste development costs to reinvent a wheel that is pretty much built already?

It bites that they changed the Hopper up so quickly. This is like Windows Vista and 7. Improve Vista and call it a different system altogether. People are already saddled with the Hopper (well not saddled but they are stuck). It was the new thing. Usually new things don't get one up'd so quickly these days. Though the one up is only applicable to Apple for some reason.

I would think that there would be a bit of 4k content become available through streaming online.

Why? So that the 10,000 or so people in the country would find a use for it and would be happy with their poor plan for early adoption of 4k?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Blockbuster On Demand, PPV channels, VOD channels, BB@Home On Demand.... talk about a cluster****

I agree with you, in fact I sat down and talked with Charlie and one of the questions he asked me is what it the poorest pieces of the Hopper system. VOD was my number 1 answer. It is too hard to find what you want to watch, many of the shows have no description It is a giant cluster****.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

Umm... Hulu plus, amazon would be competitors to Dish. Adding their apps would seem to be the wrong direction for Dish to go. Other apps wouldn't be a bad idea, but I think Dish would be silly to do as such. TVs are going that direction anyway. Why waste development costs to reinvent a wheel that is pretty much built already?

But, if you're like most that probably wouldn't have another way to access those apps other than your Dish receiver, it could be viewed as another reason to keep your Dish account.

 

[Scherrman]

I agree with you, in fact I sat down and talked with Charlie and one of the questions he asked me is what it the poorest pieces of the Hopper system. VOD was my number 1 answer. It is too hard to find what you want to watch, many of the shows have no description It is a giant cluster****.

Hey Scott, are you going to be around there when they're doing the retailer chat?

 

[Lt Disher]

I really don't understand why everyone is so upset. It's just an improvement over the current receiver. If you are not impressed with the new features then why be bothered? No one said that anyone needed to upgrade to it.

As for people complaining about the upgrade fees, do you not remember the fees to upgrade to the first hopper when it came out. Not just the hopper either, think back to all new receivers that ever came out. It's always expensive to get the newest equipment.

Sometimes I find the responses here humorous. Everyone knows the history of Dish and what the prices are likely to be but somehow they act shocked. No need to get worked up, nothing earth shattering is happening.

I agree completely. All types of products are enhanced every year, cars, TVs, computers. If you want the latest and greatest you have to pay for it. Take the ipad as an example. I have the original ipad. I don't expect Apple to upgrade my old ipad so that it has all the bells and whistles of the latest version. If I want those features, I expect to pay for them. I don't know why people think that Dish should be any different.

 

[theoak]

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6566/broadcom-unveils-4kp60-capable-soc-for-home-gateways-stbs

Hopper 3.0 chipset? Impressive chip, does 4k and H.265 (HEVC)





Imagine the angst of everyone needing to upgrade like when they did the conversion from MPEG2 to MPEG4.

Yup, this will be next year's Hopper I imagine.

4K TV (UltraHD) seems to be the "it" factor for TVs this year.

 

[Yespage]

But, if you're like most that probably wouldn't have another way to access those apps other than your Dish receiver, it could be viewed as another reason to keep your Dish account.

Verses buying a Roku that just costs one month of Dish service?

 

[Scherrman]

Verses buying a Roku that just costs one month of Dish service?

True but wouldn't it be more convenient for someone that has the Hopper to have those apps right on the receiver. Most of my customers want things as easy as possible to run.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Hey Scott, are you going to be around there when they're doing the retailer chat?

The retailer chat was taped yesterday morning.

I will be at the DISH Booth at 4pm Stop by!

 

[Hall]

4K TV (UltraHD) seems to be the "it" factor for TVs this year.

The vast majority of new TV-related "gimmicks" never catch on... For all practical purposes, we've went from B&W TV, to color TV, to HDTV. Lots of things have been tried, i.e. 3DTV, that came and went...

 

[Scherrman]

The retailer chat was taped yesterday morning.

I will be at the DISH Booth at 4pm Stop by!

I see. That chat was worthless for me. Everything they talked about and showed I had already seen. Looks like another chat next Tuesday.

I'm not out there Scott, I wish I was. I just watched the chat in my office. Team Summit is about the only trip I get to make in a year for work.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I see. That chat was worthless for me. Everything they talked about and showed I had already seen. Looks like another chat next Tuesday.

I'm not out there Scott, I wish I was. I just watched the chat in my office. Team Summit is about the only trip I get to make in a year for work.

Yeah they dont want to talk about retailer economics on the show floor.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

Verses buying a Roku that just costs one month of Dish service?

I think most pay-TV subs aren't anywhere as knowledgeable regarding technology as folks like us that monitor fora such as this. If those people can get some of those apps on a box they already have, they're probably more apt to keep the Dish service, instead of migrating to another...

 

[Scherrman]

Yeah they dont want to talk about retailer economics on the show floor.

I figured that. Still a pretty lackluster show. I suppose any retailers that do not go on here would've enjoyed the show though. That would've been their first look at the new receiver.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

BTW those who are coming in person for the Radio Show or to say hi, I just want to let you know that I will have some prizes to give away as well.

 

[dare2be]

BTW those who are coming in person for the Radio Show or to say hi, I just want to let you know that I will have some prizes to give away as well.

Now we know why the USB OTA tuner ran out of stock so quickly.

 

[The Fat Man]

There can't be 2 million hoppers out there.

With 13 million customers that would mean that like 17% of their entire customer base has a hopper.

I bet the numbers are more like 200,000 homes

Or 17% of the 722 and 722k receivers that recently died in a mass suicide got their leasers to say "let's go with a Hopper".

 

[whitewolf8214]

Cool and thanks Scott

 

[Mfinchv1]

Dish should charger $5-10 more a month..and stream new releases via the blockbuster on demand app...do away with VOD. Its stupid I can get TED via snail mail...as part of my sub...or can pay $$ to watch it right now. Its like there competing with thereselfs...lol...or at least put new to dvd releases on the blockbuster app...three weeks after vod. That way there making some $$ off it....well either way there makjng money off it. Id personally much rather pay $10 more a month..for somethin like that. When I say blockbuster app...im talkin one thats on the hopper and 722k...not the smart tv app

 

[navychop]

The vast majority of new TV-related "gimmicks" never catch on... For all practical purposes, we've went from B&W TV, to color TV, to HDTV. Lots of things have been tried, i.e. 3DTV, that came and went...

Let's not forget "Smell-O-Vision" - ok, it was only for theaters, but there was talk of a future home version. This wasn't the only idea that stank.