DISH Debuts Hands-Free TV on Hopper DVR with Amazon Alexa

[Scott Greczkowski]

DISH Debuts Hands-Free TV on Hopper DVR with Amazon Alexa

• DISH first TV provider to offer direct compatibility with Amazon Alexa
• Available today on Hopper and Wally set-tops paired with Amazon Echo, Echo Dot or Amazon Tap

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- DISH is changing the way that people watch TV with Amazon Alexa. Available today, DISH customers with a Hopper or Wally and an Amazon Echo, Echo Dot or Amazon Tap can watch hands-free TV with Alexa. DISH is the first TV provider to offer direct compatibility with Amazon Alexa.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170522005752/en/

Amazon Alexa now available on DISH's Hopper DVR. (Photo: Business Wire)

"Hopper and Alexa introduce next-level convenience that redefines the way TV fits into our lives," said Niraj Desai, DISH vice president of product management. "Instantly, it's easier to read player stats on your phone while flipping between basketball games; to chop ingredients in the kitchen while rewinding a TV scene you just missed; to snack on popcorn while searching for your favorite film - the list goes on."

"Customers love the convenience of interacting with their smart homes via Alexa, and now that includes live TV on DISH," said Rob Pulciani, Director Amazon Alexa. "With DISH's skill for Alexa, changing the channel, pausing, rewinding and searching for content will be as simple as asking Alexa via an Echo family device. We think this is a big step forward for the television experience, and that customers will love this new voice functionality on DISH."

Just ask Alexa for hands-free TV on DISH

Users with an internet-connected Hopper (any generation) or Wally can ask Alexa to navigate, play, pause, fast-forward, rewind and search content based on channel, title, actor or genre. Universal search functionality works across DISH's live, recorded and on-demand titles as well as Netflix's selection of TV shows and movies. Below are examples of spoken commands.

• "Alexa, change channel to ESPN"
• "Alexa, tune to channel 130"
• "Alexa, go to the History Channel"
• "Alexa, find the Big Bang Theory"
• "Alexa, search for Game of Thrones"
• "Alexa, show me Tom Hanks movies"

• "Alexa, search for comedies"
• "Alexa, play This is Us"
• "Alexa, skip forward"
• "Alexa, rewind 30 seconds"
• "Alexa, pause"
• "Alexa, resume"

How to set-up Alexa on DISH

1. Enable DISH TV in the Alexa app: Open the Alexa app on a mobile device and select Music, Video & Books ? DISH TV ? Enable Skill.

2. Get receiver code: Turn on internet-connected Hopper or Wally, and go to: Menu ? Settings ? Amazon Alexa ? Get Code. Enter the generated code into the Alexa app and select Activate. Click Done in the confirmation message.

3. Pair Hopper or Wally with Echo, Echo Dot or Amazon Tap: In the Alexa app, select desired Hopper or Wally receiver from list of discoverable devices. Click Continue. Select Amazon device to be synced with chosen receiver. Click Link Devices.

For more information about Alexa on DISH's Hopper and Wally, including possible commands and additional set-up instructions, visit www.dish.com/AmazonAlexaIntegration.

 

[oldbob]

Who has tried this? Did you succeed? I wanted to connect the damned thing to my bedroom TV which uses a Joey. Fat Chance ... at least if you follow the dish directions. I'm guessing that you cannot connect Alexa to a Joey. Seems rather short sighted of Dish.

 

[Bobby]

Not short sighted at all. The literature plainly says will work with Hoppers and Wallys. Joeys in not listed. Remember that the Joey is nothing but a client to the Hopper. It doesn't have the wherewithal internally to add something like an echo or a dot...

 

[peggy97850]

Dish newsletter today said it would be coming to Joey's (in future), didn't specify any time frame.

 

[dolfan3033]

From the Dish Voice newsletter under Q&A with Dish product manager regarding Alexa:

Q: Will there be additional features in the future?
A: Yes, the integration will be expanded to be compatible with Joeys in the coming months. Stay tuned for more exciting features!.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jcoppola]

I set this up on my hopper and it works fine. The problem is many of us (satelliteguys) have our Hopper in our media room and home theater but do most of our watching either in our living room or the bedroom. I know the literature is clear on which devices it will work on but this is classic Dish, send something out that is not complete. I wish they would just get it all working then make an announcement and send it out. I know it has only been out a couple of days but I would bet it is more likely going to be like the Netflix situation on the 4K Joey than a quick update and away we go.

 

[DWS44]

Who has tried this? Did you succeed?

There's also been a bit more discussion here: http://www.satelliteguys.us/xen/threads/amazon-echo-dot-commands.369457/#post-4070332

 

[DWS44]

Just a heads up if anyone is wanting to pickup an Echo Dot to try out the new features, Amazon has them on sale for $10 off right now. Noticed that on a headline when I went by Amazon to check on an order earlier.

Amazon product ASIN B01DFKC2SO

 

[jerryez]

Coming to a Joey, "SOON".

 

[johnch]

Will this work with firestick

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using SatelliteGuys mobile app

 

[AlaJoe]

Didn't Dish have a remote that you could talk to? Did that get dropped for this?

 

[KAB]

Didn't Dish have a remote that you could talk to? Did that get dropped for this?

The Dish 50.0 voice command remote is very much alive and well. The Echo functionality is a bit more limited.

 

[Photai]

I have a Wally which apparently hasn't updated as I don't have the Alexa icon in settings. I tried to check for update but it says I have the latest one.

 

[handiman876]

It would be really nice if you could put Alexa into a listening mode in which it would stay on while you searched. You would say Alexa - dish guide and the blue light would stay on while it would stay listening. You could then say 1-3-9/TBS, 1-0-5/USA, 3-0-0HBO, enter and the Echo would stop listening. You checked the programming on TBS, USA, HBO, and picked HBO. I suppose that it would also be nice to also say Alexa – DVR and have the Echo stay listening until you said the name of the show that you want to watch.

 

[handiman876]

I just wanted to add that it won't tune to Fox Sports Midwest whether you say the channel name or Channel 412.

 

[DWS44]

I have a Wally which apparently hasn't updated as I don't have the Alexa icon in settings. I tried to check for update but it says I have the latest one.

Is your Wally connected to the Internet in some manner? If not, that may be why the icon doesn't show, since an Internet connection is required.

 

[Photai]

Is your Wally connected to the Internet in some manner? If not, that may be why the icon doesn't show, since an Internet connection is required.

I'm connected via power line adapter. Confirmed I'm connected pandora and Netflix work. I'm on SW U417 which is dated 4/7 so I think that's the issue. I actually have 2 Wallys and both are on this same SW and do not show the Alexa icon.

 

[fishman316]

I have not tried again, but as of a couple days ago alexa doesn't know what buzzr is or channel 245

Sent from my SM-G920P using the SatelliteGuys app!

 

[handiman876]

I'm not sure if anyone is reading these issues but I wanted to add a couple more. When you ask Alexa to play a series that you have recorded on your DVR, it plays the episode that was most recently recorded. It would obviously be nice if it would pick the earliest episode so you can watch it in order. At the same time, you have to grab the remote if the show has the AutoHop option available. Is it possible to confirm that you do want the AutoHop feature with Alexa? if not, it would be nice.

 

[KAB]

I'm not sure if anyone is reading these issues but I wanted to add a couple more. When you ask Alexa to play a series that you have recorded on your DVR, it plays the episode that was most recently recorded. It would obviously be nice if it would pick the earliest episode so you can watch it in order. At the same time, you have to grab the remote if the show has the AutoHop option available. Is it possible to confirm that you do want the AutoHop feature with Alexa? if not, it would be nice.

Alexa is a nice hands free short cut for the BASICS, but it will (IMO) never be as task-detailed as you would like. It's a nice little PERK!