Dish Soft-Launches New AirTV Box

[osu1991]

Dish Soft-Launches New AirTV Box | Multichannel

In its latest stab at cord-cutters, Dish Network has soft-launched a new device under the AirTV brand that lets users access and stream over-the-air TV channels in and out of the home.

The new AirTV product, a follow-on to the launch of the AirTV Player and AirTV Adapter early this year, is being offered online for $119.99, plus $8.99 for shipping, according to a live web page about the product. Dish is offering a 30-day money back guarantee and one-year warranty on parts for AirTV. The device is also integrated with Sling TV, Dish’s OTT TV service.

 

[harshness]

Seems a stiff price to pay for an OTA tuner that currently lacks DVR features.

I suppose they see it as a Slingloaded OTA tuner and if you look at it that way, the price is probably fair, but does it sufficiently beat out OTT for much of the programming?

 

[Bobby]

Seems a stiff price to pay for an OTA tuner that currently lacks DVR features.

I suppose they see it as a Slingloaded OTA tuner and if you look at it that way, the price is probably fair, but does it sufficiently beat out OTT for much of the programming?

But it allows you to OTA from away from the home. Think of it this way, I live in the SF Bay Area and I am temporarily working in New York City. I can watch my SF 49ers from my local channel in SF from NY. So it's a bit more than just an OTA tuner. Or, I can set up a box anywhere in the country where I happen to know someone who is agreeable and is setup correctly and watch locals from that city at my home. Ah, the ways I may use this.....

 

[harshness]

On the other hand, you can outfit a $35 DVR-capable tuner with an old slingbox (under $50) and add a hard drive to get something that doesn't demand watching in real-time.

I think they should have waited until DVR capability was ready as if you're using it with OTA, that's a big bump up; not so much with the SlingTV/streamer side of the device.

Of course I'm assuming that DVR functionality is why the USB port is there. If it is just for playing stuff off of a USB stick, I'd have to say "meh".

 

[cpalmer2k]

Honestly I will bite for something like that. It makes a good compliment to the TiVo Roamio I already have and is more user friendly than setting up a VPN, etc. to try to stream away from home.

 

[spencer7779]

This is what the Air tv was supposed to be a modified Slingbox.

 

[harshness]

Honestly I will bite for something like that. It makes a good compliment to the TiVo Roamio I already have and is more user friendly than setting up a VPN, etc. to try to stream away from home.

I use port forwarding (just as a Slingbox does) to do out-of-home viewing. It is much easier than setting up an VPN.

The process is much like the following link but you use external port numbers other than 80 and 443 to set it up (those will interfere with being able to remotely access your router's web interface):

Accessing your TIVO in One Step

 

[cpalmer2k]

One big question I have is where/how do these Air TV boxes get their guide data? Are they limited to just the channels Dish currently carries guide data for like their OTA adapters?

 

[harshness]

Dish currently carries guide data for like their OTA adapters?

I doubt there is any reason to assume that what the DISH guide contains has any bearing on the AirTV guide incorporates. I would suggest that when you get down into the weeds of the smallest stations, there's a pretty good chance their data isn't all that accurate, much less the data of the guide services.

 

[silverdiskdj]

I bit and purchased it. I received a relatively inexpensive AirTV player box from sling... and see why the price is what it is. For some reason, all the Disney owned stations have issues with that box (runs on the Android TV platform). Literally every few minutes, will go back 10 seconds in audio, freeze, then start playing... and often then go forward to current times. I have tried direct connecting it via ethernet and wifi, both ways works bad. However, my wife watches Disney Jr on the TV in my daughter's playroom on our Roku box... and it works flawlessly (connected wirelessly, too). I am going to attempt to go with a Roku in the living room, connect this AirTV and integrate it via the android app on my phone into my Sling TV account.. and supposedly I will be able to watch locals within the same guide as Sling TV, as I am able to with the AirTV player box that isn't working correctly. I absolutely love the seemless integration, even sans a DVR.

It is just aggravating that I can't seem to get it to work correctly with the AirTV player. They keep saying it is on the Sling TV side and will get it fixed, but have been for the last couple months.... still not working! In my own testing, it seems to be a flaw with the Android TV app... as those with Fire TV also have the same issue.

 

[harshness]

For some reason, all the Disney owned stations have issues with that box (runs on the Android TV platform).

Just for giggles, you should see if the problem manifests with Fox channels (the other enormous conglomeration of channels that uses 720p).

 

[silverdiskdj]

I already have the Roku set up and operating.... and voila.. Disney networks are working flawlessly on it! I wonder if those Android boxes don't play well with up-converting to 1080p from 720p, and that is what causes the issue? Not sure I get any of the Fox networks on Orange... do I? I find it interesting that they seem to have such an issue trying to figure out a fix for these networks... has been going on for months now. Either way, looking forward to the AirTV box to hopefully resolve some of this issue, and get locals in more than just the living room!

 

[silverdiskdj]

Just a quick update... I received the AirTV yesterday and started testing it out. While the instructions say that it integrates into the guide on Roku, the website states that Roku only works with the AirTV app. The website is correct, as my Roku hasn't added the over the air option to the app as of yet. I did purchase an Amazon Fire TV last night, but to my disappointment... I have the same issues that I have had with the original AirTV Player box, as they both use Android TV for their apps. All Disney networks have this weird pause of video/rewind of audio issue, then it resets sometimes later. I have a hunch it is this 720p thing talked about above. Again, only with the Android TV apps... really not sure why it is specific to those applications.

 

[cpalmer2k]

Just a quick update... I received the AirTV yesterday and started testing it out. While the instructions say that it integrates into the guide on Roku, the website states that Roku only works with the AirTV app. The website is correct, as my Roku hasn't added the over the air option to the app as of yet. I did purchase an Amazon Fire TV last night, but to my disappointment... I have the same issues that I have had with the original AirTV Player box, as they both use Android TV for their apps. All Disney networks have this weird pause of video/rewind of audio issue, then it resets sometimes later. I have a hunch it is this 720p thing talked about above. Again, only with the Android TV apps... really not sure why it is specific to those applications.

Does this issue affect your OTA ABC stations or just the Sling provided channels?

 

[silverdiskdj]

I haven't noticed it on our OTA ABC station, just the ABC/Disney networks that stream via Sling TV. I have been told it is an issue on their end, that they are working with their engineers on... however that has been the story for at least the last few months I have had it, and still hasn't been resolved. I know it isn't an internet speed issue, as those channels (Disney Jr and Freeform are the two we frequently watch) work flawlessly on the Roku.

It is such a frustrating issue... but seems to be unique to the Android TV devices.