This is a mobile optimized page that loads fast, if you want to load the real page, click this text.

Netflix comes to the Hopper with Sling

Lots of posters here claimed this would "never happen" because of competition with their Blockbuster pack. Clearly, those people were WRONG.
I was one of those and not afraid to admit it ! I'm pleasantly surprised by this move by Dish.

But the question about hurting the Blockbuster sub numbers is a valid one.
What exists from Blockbuster ? They dropped the disc-to-home service. Do they still offer a standalone streaming service similar to Netflix, Amazon, etc ? Just checked.... I see that it does still exist. I wonder where it stands in # of subscribers ? It has to be way, way below Netflix and Amazon, so much so that they simply don't matter.
 
Reactions: navychop
...but that would be a nightmare for Dish to swap out old Joeys for new for those customers who want Netflix Joeys.
I agree. I've been considering swapping our Hopper for the Sling version - Dish will do it for free for me. I'm curious if they'll give me a new Joey too as part of the upgrade. If a tech brings it, I could get a v2 Joey but if Dish ships it to me, I bet I'd get a refurbished v1.

I have had a few conversations with techs who had no idea they could give me a V2 Joey. This is virtually unknown for the field guys I have talked to.
To Dish, it's still just a Joey. People have checked and the box isn't marked in any way, as I recall. I think they said the sticker on the Joey itself has a "v2" designation. They even run the same s/w, if I'm not mistaken.

This can't be the case. Gotta be all HWS customers with existing Joey hardware or its gonna be a mess.
Maybe the original Joey just happened to have a CPU that supports the encoding required but that would be surprising and if so, there's no issue. Time will tell....
 
 
Netflix App only broadcasting in PCM. I had to go back to my bluray player for Dolby digital 5.1.
 
Netflix app is on my HWS but not my Joey.
 
Netflix app has arrived on my Hopper with sling. now if only Dish would fix the add Locals option.
 
Reactions: MikeD-C05

Tivo isn't a TV provider, so yes, Dish is the first.
 
What is Dish getting out of this deal? They are keep that a secret.

Netflix likely on OTT service and I have a feeling they will try to work in either a Netflix channel for the original programming OR marathons on Blockbuster Studio.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Or it could be much simpler than that. Netflix is already on tons of different devices. My main TV is a smart TV capable of streaming Netflix. Attached to that same TV I also have an Apple TV, PS3, PS4, and Xbox One that are all capable of streaming Netflix. That's 5 ways to stream Netflix on one TV. In my bedroom I also have a Roku for Netflix and other streaming services.

I know other people who watch it on blu-ray players, WD Live, Fire TV, Tivo, Chromecast, smartphones, tablets, etc. The bottom line is that Netflix is available on just about every piece of consumer electronics today. The amount of people who will be watching on a Hopper is going to be very insignificant compared to to all the other devices their subscribers use.

I doubt Dish has the weight to negotiate exclusive perks that Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Google, and Sony weren't able to get. The people who make the most used Netflix streaming devices are some of the biggest tech companies in the world.

From Dish's perspective, they have been pushing the Hopper hard. It's great technology that they are continually trying to improve. You see lots of advertisements about it's sling capabilities, Prime Time Anytime, and Auto Hop. Adding Netflix to that list of technology that Directv and their cable competitors don't have might be enough incentive for them without Netflix having to offer anything they don't offer to any other device manufacturer.
 
Reactions: fbara
It will obviously be limited to the output of the HWS (or Joey in the future). Hence, if Netflix has 4K (No idea ... do not have Netflix???) ... HWS last I checked can only do 1080P.
 
Netflix App only broadcasting in PCM. I had to go back to my bluray player for Dolby digital 5.1.

That's a bummer. It might have something to do with the fact that Netflix streams in Dolby Digital 5.1 Plus and the Hopper probably only supports standard Dolby Digital 5.1 since cable and broadcast channels don't use the DD Plus codec.

I know that this is a problem for some Roku users. Roku chose to save some money by not paying Dolby Digital to license their DD Plus codec. Rokus are able to pass the Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 signal along to your receiver just fine but the Roku can't decode it by itself. That means if you have an older audio receiver that doesn't decode Dolby Digital Plus you are limited to stereo PCM for Netflix content.

Other Netflix devices that paid the Dolby Digital Plus license fee like the PS3 are able to decode the DD+ 5.1 audio and convert it to standard DD 5.1 so it's not a problem for older audio receivers.
 
Here is the first bug. When I clicked on the Netfliz app, it took me to a sigh in page, I then clicked on sign in, but decided to exit. It ask was I sure that I wanted to exir, but when I clicked on yes, nothing happened. I pushed every button the the remote and nothing happedned. I coul not even turn the HWS off and yes I was in Sat mode. I had to reset the receiver with the button on the front of the HWS to get the receiver to work. Dish needs to fix this. Has anyone else had this happen. Try duplicating it to see.
 
That is a great addition to a satellite box, something that I would love to see DirecTV pursue. I hope this becomes a trend-setter and most cable/satellite boxes support major non-competing streaming services in the next couple years.
 
Well the best thing would be for Dish to drop BB@Home and use Netflix, so my Dish plan includes Netflix fees because you know BB@Home "kinda" sucks.

Anyhow I have it on my HwS as of this morning, But I don't have a Netflix account, because I'm paying too much for TV as it is.
 

Then what package would Dish put the BB@H 22 channels in?
 
Blockbuster is now just a name and thats it. Its not a service anymore. Blockbuster @HOME is just an unfortunate name for a HD Addon package. But other than that Blockbuster does not exist anymore here in the USA.
 
Reactions: TheKrell