The Dish Network has announced this week that it plans to let subscribers watch satellite TV programming on their mobile devices, for free, in the near future.
Starting in September, the iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch and BlackBerry devices will get the free functionality via an app.
Android devices will get the service a month later.
While on the surface the announcement sounds great for Dish owners, unless you have a dual-tuner DVR at home, you will have to watch whatever channel is on at home on your smartphone or tablet, without the ability to change it.
You will also be required to purchase a SlingBox, or SlingBox-supportive DVR from Dish.
Result for: dish network
Dish Network and Echostar have won a victory this week over TiVo, with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office claiming TiVo’s patent claims for “time warp” DVR tech are invalid.
The updated ruling comes after the PTO reexamined the patents for a second time.
TiVo said it would follow the ruling with additional arguments.
The decision could still lead to the satellite companies paying damages to TiVo, but the new PTO ruling could still have long-term ramifications in TiVo’s other cases against AT&T and Verizon, says the WSJ.
All the companies have been fighting for years over the patents to the technology that allows for pausing, rewind and fast-forwarding of live TV.
In 2006, Dish and EchoStar were found liable of patent infringement when they began creating their own set-top boxes. The companies are currently in “en banc review,” which will spell out the legal ramifications of the case.
Most expect TiVo to win.
Result for: dish network
Perhaps the most controversial decision in the early days of HDTV standards was the use of interlacing at the highest resolution (1080i). The introduction of Blu-ray and HD DVD also brought the standardization of progressive content (1080p) which has been responsible for the introduction of many more HDTVs capable of displaying these signals. Now Dish Network has brought 1080p to their online Video On Demand (VOD) service.
Dish Network’s IP-VOD service is similar to offerings from cable companies, but due to the lack of interactivity inherent in satellite communication it requires a DVR and broadband internet connection. Subscribers with a MPEG-4 HD DVR will now be able to get A&E’s new series The Beast in 1080p.
“We are thrilled to work with A&E in pioneering these efforts by taking television to the next level using 1080p format,” said Jessica Insalaco, DISH Network’s Chief Marketing Officer. “As the first pay-TV provider to first offer VOD movies and now offer a TV series in 1080p, DISH Network continues to lead the industry when it comes to delivering the best quality programming options, DVR technology and overall value for our customers.”
Although the satellite VOD offerings from Dish Network and DirecTV aren’t capable of precisely emulating the experience of their cable counterparts, using receivers designed specifically for their services does give them an advantage when it comes to non-standard features like 1080p.
