Live from Dish Network's CES 2012 press conference!
We're live from Dish Network's CES 2012 press conference, ready to find out what the satellite TV company is bringing out next. After acquiring Sling, Blockbuster, and plenty of wireless LTE tech, we're intrigued to find out what Dish is planning and should find out shortly. Check after the break for all the updates live starting at 3PM ET.
12:42PM Alright, that's it folks! We'll see if we can wrangle a few pics of the kangaroos, but check out our breakdown of the new announcements here: https://www.engadget.com/2012/01/09/dish-network-announces-hopper-dvr-system-joey-set-top-box-laun/
12:41PM ViaSat will provide the service, while Dish provides billing and support.
12:39PM $79.99 / month for Dish + Broadband
12:38PM Another new announcement: Satellite-based broadband in cooperation with ViaSat
12:38PM Just sign on the website and snag 24 hours of free access to all of Dish's offerings
12:37PM Wondering how you can try it out without signing a contract? Meet Dish Test Drive
12:36PM HBO Go is also coming to the set-top boxes, so you can watch all of The Wire, not just part of it.
12:35PM If you werewondering why the 9 latino channels were broken out, wonder no more. The company is also announcing a deal with Univision, bringing telenovelas and the like to its Blockbuster @ Home service
12:34PM 64 Sirus XM channels on offer, plus 9 Latino music channels.
12:34PM New strategic partnerships with content providers: the previously mentioned Sirius XM, "instead of bundling no name channels, Dish is proud to be the home of Sirius XM, in the home".
12:33PM next up: Senior VP of Programming Dave Shull
12:32PM Now we've got a screenshot of that Prime Time Anytime toggle, it will record from all four major networks, plus two other channe;s of your choosing. He's taking the fight straight to Hulu, pointing out you can watch shows with no delay as soon as they air.
12:27PM GUI time. We're seeing tile based navigation, and while he's calling the graphics stunning, we're feeling just mildly electrified.
12:26PM Whoa, Joey vs. the dollar bill comparison pic shows the fornt profile of the extender box is shockingly small (and, it supports HDMI-CEC for your Ben-o-vision.
12:25PM Hopper DVR has 3 tuners to go with that 2TB hard drive, ready to connect over WiFi, MoCa, Bluetooth, or Zigbee.
12:24PM Vivek Khemkha, a product management exec is now on to talk DVRs, and likely marsupials.
12:23PM Ok, we're back to the products with a quick trailer demonstrating the Hopper / Joey DVRs.
12:20PM People watch more than 30 hours of TV a week -- we knew keeping up with Prime Suspect felt like a job, but wow.
12:19PM VP of Communications Stephanie Pence is now taking the stage to let us know what Dish is planning in 2012.
12:19PM Now we're being treated to a rendering of the Dish Booth, should help us find it later.
12:18PM Dish means "Variety, Innovation, and Value" -- is this a press conference or a sermon? If anyone catches the spirit in here, we'll let you know.
12:17PM Dish Unplugged downloads up to ten movies via satellite per day for later VOD viewing, so users without internet connections.
12:17PM Now introducing "Dish Unplugged"
12:16PM Buy a 2 yr subscription to Dish -- get Blockbuster @ Home including by mail discs and games, 20 HD movie channels, and 10,000 movies and shows available via streaming.
12:15PM Blockbuster@Home is expanding too, offering 6000 additional selections.
12:15PM Dubbed "Prime Time Anytime", it means you can go back and watch any prime time shows you may have missed, without manually selecting them to record.
12:14PM "More magic" with one click, users can record every prime time TV show on network TV for eight days.
12:13PM Hopper packs a 2TB HDD(Double what DirecTV has...he gleefully points out)
12:13PM Hopper will offer Sirus XM radio channels, pulling in album art to the TV screen for whatever song is playing.
12:12PM Dish was first pay-TV provider with DVR, HD DVR, 1080p movies, and wants to be first again innovating with Hopper/Joey concept.
12:11PM New Dish brand: Dish (surprise!). Corporate name stays Dish Network.
12:10PM Now he's introducing CEOs of the various companies -- EchoStar, Blockbuster, Sirius, etc. -- that Dish is working with.
12:09PM Joined by the Joeys, the multiroom extenders
12:08PM the "most energy efficient home DVR"
12:08PM First up -- Hopper
12:08PM "In the past, TV has been solely focused on price" "dish wants its products to be perceived like the mobile phone industry" -- think RAZR, iPhone, etc. Someone read Don Melanson's editorial on naming.
12:07PM Hopper and Joey are the new mascots, we'll find out what they represent momentarily.
12:06PM new *brand. Dish is not switching from Radiohead to Coldplay.
12:06PM The new Dish means new band, mascots, corporate partnerships, logo, products, services and promotions, website, and advertising.
12:04PM Yes. Just when you think you've seen everything at CES, the Dish CEO walks out toting a baby kangaroo.
12:04PM New CEO Joe Clayton just hit the stage along with the a... wait, is that a live kangaroo?
12:03PM After an inspiring speech from an exec to a kangaroo, we're now being treated to the Dish highlight reel -- we'll let you know when the list of accomplishments ends and the news begins which should be...right about now.
12:02PM Ready for the new Dish? You better be, because it's coming.
2:31PM We're live from Dish Network's CES 2012 press conference!
