Scott G.: 721 and Dish Home ???

[Ronster]

This question is mainly for Scott G. / Hi Scott, how the beta test of the Dish Home Interactive going on your 721, and do you knowwhen it will be available to us mortals. I know you have a new toy with the 921 but I hope your not forgetting us 721 users :shocked Keep up the good work.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Well it is there, and it does seem to work, however the OpenTV is SLOW.

For example the 721 Weather is INSTANT however the OpenTV Weather takes about 35 seconds to load.

I will be posting some full details and screen shots soon. (I haven't been playing with the 921 too much lately been working on the new software, lots of new features are coming soon!)

 

[Ronster]

Is it slower than other recievers with OPEN TV or same ??

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I would say it is about the same, or just a hair slower.

Also most applications are not available yet on the 721 beta (such as the games, movies listings etc)

OpenTV on the 721 also does not play music on Dish Home like it does on other receivers.

 

[MikeD-C05]

I sure would like to know when this will be coming to our 721 out here in DishLand. I just think it's funny a cheap 301 has it but my 529.00 721 doesn't.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

The 322, 522, 811 and 921 also do not have OpenTV (and they are supposed to have it too!)

I really wish Dish would release it's receivers with ALL Features available out of the box.

 

[dbronstein]

What is OpenTV and why should I care that my 721 doesn't have it?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

721 is the Dish Home Interactive which is on other recievers.

OpenTV is the backend software used for the Interactive.

 

[dbronstein]

You totally lost me there. Did you mean to say that the 721 doesn't have the Dish Home Interactive? And what is the Interactive? Why do I want it?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

That is correct, This beta software add's the Dish Home Interactive Feature.

Interactive lets you play games, order new channels and pay your bill with your remote.

 

[Bill D]

That is correct, This beta software add's the Dish Home Interactive Feature.

Interactive lets you play games, order new channels and pay your bill with your remote.

I really could care less about Dish Home, I wish they would tackle some other features, like maybe a folder system. Maybe we can get another poll and vote on upcoming features like we did a while back..

 

[dbronstein]

Ok, so it really doesn't sound like I'm missing anything.

 

[MikeD-C05]

No your are not missing much except the ability to pay your bill over the phone line , look up the lottery weather and tv guide info like zap to it. It's just the point if it was advertised to have it , which the 721 was , it should have it. It doesn't make sense for Dish to release different style and model receivers all with something missing that the other one has. they spend sometimes years trying to add all the features via software updates. It took 18 months to get the 721 stable and working good . It lacks two features it was advertised to do . One is Dish home and the other is internet access which will never happen. It took like 3 or 4 years just to get the basic 301 receiver to have a 44 hour guide that worked with the picture window in the guide. If you could combine all the best features of each receiver than you would have a receiver that did everything that it was advertised to do.