First Look: DishONLINE

[uponthemountain]

I'm hoping the advantage will be:
1. Huge Selection
2. FULL QUALITY HD
3. No more than a 30 minute wait for buffer time.

If the above become true then I am all over this, if not, then I'll ignore it like all the other vapor previously provided.

 

[navychop]

Convenience. For SD movies, it seems you can start the download, and shortly thereafter start watching the movie, as it downloads. You just give the SD movie a few minutes head start.

For HD, plan ahead.

There is some trouble factor in getting in the car, driving to the store, looking thru stock (that may not be as extensive as Dish's), and waiting in line to check out. Most people are more than 5 minutes away. The up side of that trouble is, like you say, you keep it for days.

It's easier to scroll or search thru the listings on your TV screen and select something. Even a little bit easier, dare I say, than ordering NetFlix and handling/returning a disc.

 

[Pakbackr]

I have DSL, but my router is in my home office (not where my HDTV and Vip-622 would be located). How would I access this service?

 

[Pakbackr]

Convenience. For SD movies, it seems you can start the download, and shortly thereafter start watching the movie, as it downloads. You just give the SD movie a few minutes head start.

Now that I have HD, you'd have to hold a gun to my head for me to watch a movie in SD now!

 

[navychop]

You could run a cat 5 wire to that location, or go with wireless.

I've wired my current and former homes throughout for network, OTA, Dish and phone. Takes some work, but is wonderfully convenient.

 

[KingofKaty]

I have DSL, but my router is in my home office (not where my HDTV and Vip-622 would be located). How would I access this service?

You have 3 options:

a) Run ethernet cable between the router and the 622
b) Use a device that runs ethernet over the home AC wiring
c) A wireless connection between the router and the 622

If you don't have enough ports on the router, you can connect a workgroup switch to the router and have an additional 4, 8, 16 connections or whatever size switch you need to make additional lines available.

 

[ChetK]

Now that I have HD, you'd have to hold a gun to my head for me to watch a movie in SD now!

Do you think you could enjoy HD is somebody was holding a gun to your head?

 

[Stargazer]

I'd never pay as much as they are wanting for a ppv movie or movie on demand if I had only 24 hours to watch it then it get deleted from the hard drive or not able to be watched. The only way I would pay that amount is if it sat on the hard drive to be watched again in the future. This is why I'd just pay for a movie package for a month and record a bunch of content on the hard drive and have that content for a while then I would have my own movies on demand for a bit cheaper.

 

[foghorn2]

Guess what? Your ota stations come from your ota antenna and Dish charges for it with the 622 dvr. You either sub to locals $5.00 or you pay for the hd pack$20.00 or you pay the hd enabeling fee $6.00. I can't imagine Dish passing up an opportunity to charge another FEE with YOUR internet connection. This alone will make me pass on it. I'm tired of being Nickel and dimed to death with all these damn FEES.

If you don't want to pay Dish to record and watch HD/locals OTA with their box, then buy your own HD DVR for OTA. Its about 700 bucks and its a series 3 Tivo.

 

[navychop]

And how much do you pay Tivo each month? While they remain in business, that is?

 

[Pakbackr]

And how much do you pay Tivo each month? While they remain in business, that is?

I pay noting for my Tivo w/ D*. Its free if you have their Premium package

 

[GaryPen]

I pay noting for my Tivo w/ D*. Its free if you have their Premium package

And you get your local OTA listings in the guide with D*, whether you sub to local channels or not, isn't that correct? (including sub-channels too, no?)

But still. DircTV sucks and Dish is great. I have no actual logical reasoning behind that statement, but this is the Dish forum, so there! Pfffffffffffft.

 

[minnow]

I'm hoping the advantage will be:
1. Huge Selection
2. FULL QUALITY HD
3. No more than a 30 minute wait for buffer time.

If the above become true then I am all over this, if not, then I'll ignore it like all the other vapor previously provided.

Dish is saying that download times will be several hours depending if the movie is SD or HD. How's that for convenience ?

 

[MyDogHasFleas]

Dish is saying that download times will be several hours depending if the movie is SD or HD. How's that for convenience ?

Can you not start watching the movie while it's downloading? So you could download it for 30 minutes, then watch while the rest downloads?

 

[navychop]

For SD, sure. 30 minutes is probably way more than enough. For HD, no where near enough. I expect that in the months after it is introduced, the selection will grow to be larger than my local video rental stores. And I can wait, planning ahead. Since the 24 or 48 hours doesn't start until you press "play" I can see downloading a few onto the drive and watching them over the next month or so.

But then, I don't watch many movies.

 

[KwestJones]

2 weeks away....is it still looking like it going to launch on time?

As far as setup goes...since my router is on the other side of the house upstairs, can you use one of those wireless adapters to connect my wireless router to the 622? If so, do you think it will be too slow to stream?

 

[lakebum431]

I seriously doubt this will be launching in 2 weeks...

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I do too.

I was HIGHLY disapointed with what I saw at CES for DishONLINE.

Its another great idea done in a half ass way.

At the moment it is select a movie to download and then wait a few hours for it to come down.

What is should be is a full service which includes streaming video or services currently not on Dish Network's satellite service.

It should be true video on demand where you can select a movie and after a few moments it starts playing on your machine.

If little operations like ITVN can do this, Dish should be able to doit as well.

I understand that they want to make sure the quality is perfect for the customer no matter what internet speed connection they have, but they should really take a look at how ITVN does it, selectable stream speeds and then also they should offer a HQ download if the customers wants it.

I truely believe the future of television is IPTV, however Generation 1 of Dish Networks IPTV service is about as half assed as it gets.

 

[navychop]

But I'll gladly take it as described and wait for improvements.

 

[RJohn]

One thing you can count on with Dish Network lately....., never get your hopes up too high.... they will crush them every time.