I’m a pretty hardcore DVR user so I would not hesitate to estimate that around 90 percent of what I watch is recorded. I do watch some ‘live’ TV but often get frustrated with the number of commercials that one has to endure when watching TV in real time. I guess it’s easy to get spoiled by the ability to “zap” through 90 seconds or so of commercials by pressing a button a few times.

There’s also the time shift factor. Having my DVR set up to record my favorite programs gives me the convenience of watching them when I want to watch them. Another benefit is that I hardly ever miss my favorite programs due to something unexpected that comes up such as a phone call or someone stopping by for a visit.

Since my wife and I don’t have a whole lot in common when it comes to television entertainment, the DVR also solves problems when there are conflicts regarding which program will be watched. Since our DISH Network ViP 622 DVR allows us to watch one program while recording another one at the same time, we both get to see the programs we want.

I suppose I’ve reached the point where I have a hard time thinking about watching TV without the benefit of a DVR. As I’ve said before, if you’re thinking of signing up for DISH Network I highly recommend getting a DVR if your budget allows. It will change the way you watch TV for the better.

DVR Users Watch Fewer ‘Live’ Television Shows

DISH subscribers with select broadband-connected HD DVRs who have HBO or Cinemax included as part of their programming package will soon have the ability to access a new and improved version of HBO On Demand and Cinemax On Demand. This will enable them to choose from HBO’s impressive selection of on-demand programming.

Nearly every episode of HBO favorites such as Boardwalk Empire, Deadwood, Game of Thrones, True Blood and The Sopranos will be available to watch at a time of the subscriber’s choosing. Hit movies, sporting events, documentaries and comedy specials will also be available.

Due to the technology used to transmit television programming to satellite subscribers, on-demand programming has presented a challenge for satellite providers. With the ability to connect DISH Network systems to the internet, DISH was able to significantly improve their on-demand offerings. However, subscribers lacking broadband internet service were not able to take advantage of the new on-demand content.

The announcement of “DISH Unplugged” changes that by making hundreds of HBO TV shows and movies available to subscribers who have the forthcoming Hopper whole-home DVR system and do not have the system connected to the internet. Available on-demand programming will be delivered direct from the satellite without buffering. Programming available via “DISH Unplugged” will be updated on a daily basis, giving subscribers access to the most up-to-date HBO programming content.

The Hopper is set for release sometime during the first quarter (January – March) of 2012.

DISH Network is clearly making moves to close the on-demand gap that has existed between cable and satellite providers for a long time. As a dedicated (some might say addicted!) DVR user myself, the increased availability of on-demand programming available from DISH is certainly a welcome development.

DISH Announces HBO and Cinemax on Demand

The “Hopper” is the main brain of the new system and will drive units called “Joeys” that can be placed in other rooms of a home to allow access to DISH Network programming. The Hopper will support three Joeys, giving customers a total of four separate locations in the home to access DISH Network programming and recorded content in HD.

This new whole-home DVR system – unlike most competitors – allows full-function DVR capability on each remote Joey unit. This means all viewers can take advantage of features such as the ability to pause, play and rewind live TV as well as recorded programs.

The Hopper features a 2-terabyte internal hard drive which allows the storage of up to 250 hours of recorded HD programming or 1,000 hours of standard-definition programming, which, according to DISH Network CEO Joe Clayton, offers twice the storage capacity of competing units from other pay-TV providers.

A very impressive-sounding feature of The Hopper is its ability to record six HD programs at the same time. This feature does mandate a disclaimer however. Six programs can be recorded simultaneously only during prime time (from 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm Eastern) because four of the six recorded programs are what “the big four” networks are offering during that time period. Branded as “Primetime Anytime,” this feature will record all of the primetime programming on ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC every night and retain the recorded programming for up to eight days. The other two programs that can be recorded during this time are selectable by the user.

Even while recording six programs at once, the system still allows all four units to play back any recorded or on-demand content that’s available.

The Hopper boasts some other unique features such as Bluetooth connectivity for connecting Bluetooth-enabled devices such as wireless headphones. The new remote control technology introduced with this system may help make lost remotes a thing of the past thanks to its remote locator feature which allows the user to make the remote control emit a “beep” that should more easily lead to the discovery of a lost remote control.

Currently, much of DISH Network’s on-demand programming is dependent on access to a broadband internet connection. The Hopper, with its “DISH Unplugged” capability provides access to hundreds of the most popular movies and TV shows by delivering them to the hard drive via satellite. DISH Unplugged provides a high quality picture with no buffering problems and provides access to many of the same streaming movie choices offered by Blockbuster @Home, including premium movie access.

This new whole-home system also doubles as a whole-home music distribution system which features access to 73 SiriusXM channels and includes album art and a collapsible list of music channels at the top of the channel guide, making it faster and easier for music fans to find their favorite tunes.

Users are likely to appreciate the system’s easy and fast tile-based user user interface that also includes predictive search capability.

Having recently heard a report that labeled set-top boxes as some of the most energy inefficient devices in the typical home, it’s welcome news to discover that a four-room installation of this new system is 50 percent more energy efficient than previous models.

In keeping with the spirit of “interconnected everything,” The Hopper also features apps that allow users to access Facebook, Twitter, Pandora, photo sharing sites, games, news and more.

We’re likely to be hearing more about this new whole-home DVR system in the near future. DISH Network expects The Hopper to be released during the first quarter (January – March) of 2012. Stay tuned.

‘Hopper’ and ‘Joey’ Bring Whole-Home DVR Tech to DISH

With a DVR there is no need to bother with those cumbersome timers we had to deal with when recording programs with a VCR. DVRs feature a built-in programming guide – a kind of on-screen TV Guide – that allows users to look at all the programming that is scheduled to air in the near future. If I’m not mistaken, my DVR a DISH Network ViP 622 stores something like nine days of programming information.

I can browse or search the program guide for programs that interest me and then set the DVR to record them. I have the option of recording a program once (good for movies and other one-time broadcasts), every time the program airs or just new episodes (good for TV series). Once I have set up the program(s) I want to record, I just forget about it and let the DVR do all the work.

Having a DVR solves a lot of TV-related problems in my house. My wife and I are not usually interested in the same TV shows, so much of the time she is watching television during the time that one of my favorite programs is being aired. Since the DVR allows users to watch one program while recording another at the same time, we both get to see the programs we want to watch. I usually watch my programs later on in the evening when my wife is finished watching TV.

This is just one of the advantages the DVR has over the standard receiver that only allows users to watch what is currently being aired. I’m not always free to watch TV when my favorite programs are on, so the ability to “time shift” is another great benefit of having a DVR. I watch TV when I want and do not have to adjust my schedule in order to watch my favorite shows.

If you are considering signing up for DISH Network, or any other pay-TV service for that matter, I highly recommend getting a DVR if your budget will allow. Until I got a DVR in early 2007, I had no idea how it would improve my television-viewing experience. I was a little behind the curve waiting that long to finally get one, but I’m sure glad we decided to give it a try. Without it, I’d probably miss out on about 75 percent of the programs I enjoy watching.

Using The DISH Network DVR

Although some DISH Network DVRs already have some capability to share its programming with another room in the house, the functionality is a bit limited and does not allow for full HD viewing in the other room. This new whole-house system which features a “main brain” unit that’s currently called a XiP 813 will allow users to enjoy HD programming in multiple rooms.

The XiP 813’s functionality is expandable due to the remote units that can be installed in other rooms of the house and allow access to programming that’s available on the 813’s three tuners as well as the programs recorded on its hard drive. The XiP 110 is the smaller client unit that users can connect to other televisions in their home for access to the XiP 813’s programming.

As with the current DVRs, viewing live programming on multiple televisions is limited by the number of tuners the unit has. The three tuners in the XiP 813 suggests that three different programs will be viewable in full HD in three separate rooms of the house at the same time, including the room where the XiP 813 is located, but this is just speculation on my part and is based on my experience with my own DISH Network DVR, the ViP 622.

With the expandability of the new whole-house DVR system, it sounds like it is easy to add other rooms to the system by adding more XiP 813 DVRs, which will be automatically shared with the rest of the system. As we have been seeing more and more in recent years, entertainment technology seems to be merging with the technology that has been used to connect computers for a number of years.

Computer networking technology like WiFi seems to be everywhere these days, including in people’s homes. It’s pretty routine stuff these days, and now it looks like frontrunners in the video entertainment industry like DISH Network will be making advances with their technology and equipment that follow the same model.

This will really change the way DISH Network customers use the service. Rather than having a DVR in one room and other DVRs or receivers in other rooms as I currently have in my home, the new centralized systems will give every room in the house an improved video experience by attaching smaller client units to individual televisions rather than worrying about installing separate DVR or receiver units with separate satellite feeds in each room. Still, each client unit will allow the great features of the DVR to be enjoyed.

Since the client units can be connected to the XiP 813 via coaxial cable, it will be easy to install these systems in the many homes that already have existing coaxial cable installed in multiple rooms of their house since this is the same cable that is used to distribute cable TV service. Since cable TV has been around for so long, even homes as old as mine – which was built in the mid 1980’s – is wired with coaxial cable in multiple rooms.

New Whole-House DVR On Tap From DISH

DISH probably does not offer as much on-demand content as cable television providers simply due to the nature of satellite technology vs. cable TV technology. However, it appears that DISH is ramping up its efforts to be more competitive in the on-demand arena.

I’ve not watched a whole lot of on-demand programming since I usually find enough current programming to record on my DVR to satisfy my TV watching desires. I did experiment with watching some on-demand TV programs some months ago, but the interface was rather cumbersome to use at the time and each program had to be downloaded to my DVR, which seemed to take a very long time.

Some time within the past few months, DISH Network completely revamped the on-demand interface for the ViP622 DVR (and probably others as well) and at the same time, seemed to break the on-demand capability of my DVR. At least I thought so.

Each time I would try to seek out an on-demand TV program to watch I would simply receive a message on my screen that said something like “You have not selected any titles. Please press BACK to return to the previous menu.”

The problem was that I could never get to a point to where I was able to even view on-demand programs to select from! A bit frustrating to say the least.

After a while I decided to call DISH Network and try to get the problem resolved. After working my way through a couple of lower-tier tech support people, I was finally able to get through to “advanced technical support” where one of the technicians tried to diagnose the problem. He led me through some diagnostic tests on my DVR which all passed with flying colors.

The technician then tried to access my DVR through the internet since it is indeed connected to my home broadband connection (a requirement if you want access to on-demand programming). He reported that it appeared that my DVR was trying to access the internet, but for some reason was not able to connect to DISH Network’s servers.

At that time the technician suggested that they simply send me a new DVR and I agreed. We finished out conversation and I hung up the phone.

A short time later as I sat watching TV it hit me. The problem was not with the DVR at all! The router that connects all the computers and other network-enabled devices to the internet in my house is also a firewall with built-in web proxy. It’s not a standard router that you can buy off the shelf at CompUSA or Best Buy, although I suspect some of those off-the-shelf routers might cause problems with DISH Network DVRs or other devices.

I had remembered that were certain programs on my PC that would not interact with certain servers on the internet unless I allowed the web proxy to be bypassed when accessing those sites on the net. It happens very rarely, but it does happen. The router solution I use (which actually runs on a dedicated PC) offers enormous flexibility, which is why I choose to use it.

I logged into the router and adjusted the settings to allow the DVR to access the internet without passing through the web proxy. Within an hour or so, the on-demand programming I was not able to access before was showing up on my DVR. The web proxy had been blocking the traffic from the DVR for some strange reason and was causing the problem with access to on-demand programming.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that DISH has made significant improvements in the on-demand programming functionality. Not only is there an improved user interface that is much more intuitive, the on-demand programming is now available immediately!

With the old interface, I would have to wait hours for the on-demand programming to download from the internet to my DVR, but now there is only a delay of around 5 or 10 seconds before you can begin watching on-demand programming. A very significant improvement!

The take-away from this post is that if you are not able to access on-demand programming from your DVR, check your internet router and see if you can exempt the DVR from any proxies or firewalls that might be blocking the DVR’s access.

Some routers allow you to designate a particular computer or other device as part of a DMZ or “demilitarized zone.” Placing your DVR (usually by using its IP address) in that zone may solve problems you have accessing on-demand programming from your DVR.

DISH on Demand Problems With My ViP622 DVR

With 3D becoming available on some newer televisions, consumers are now able to enjoy 3D programming right in their own homes. DISH Network is stepping up to the plate with some new 3D programming for the first time.

On-demand movies are being offered for viewers who have a 3D-capable television and a ViP922 HD DVR. A sample of 3D movies available on DISH include Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore, The Last Airbender, A Christmas Carol and Step Up 3D.

DISH plans to make the following movies available starting in January: Despicable Me, "Shrek Forever After, and Saw: The Final Chapter.

3D movies will be shown in HD resolution up to 1080p.

Dave Shull, senior vice president of Programming for DISH Network offered the following comments on the new developments: “DISH Network is giving customers the ability to experience the power of 3D from home with a variety of popular movies available on DISH Cinema. Our customers expect engaging video experiences, and we look forward to bringing them additional 3D titles as we expand our DISH Cinema platform."

3D Movies Come To DISH Network

This means that they will be able to watch programming that is delivered to their mobile device via their home DVR systems and even change channels. It will also allow someone at home to watch a different channel at the same time if the DVR is equipped with two tuners.

Users will also be able to access and view programs that have already been recorded and stored on the DVR.

The new features are scheduled to be introduced this fall and will be available on Apple’s iPhone, Ipod Touch and iPad, as well as the BlackBerry and Google’s Android devices.

DISH Network customers wishing to take advantage of the new features will require special hardware at home, such as Sling Media’s SlingBox or a Sling-capable DVR such as the ViP922. Sling Media is owned by EchoStar Corp., the company that was once the parent company of DISH Network and is chaired by DISH Network CEO Charlie Ergen.

New technology and fierce competition among pay-TV providers will likely bring more new innovations from DISH in the future.

DISH Plans to Offer Live TV Streaming to Mobile Devices

The new features of GoogleTV will allow DISH Network subscribers with the right equipment to simultaneously seek out content across DISH Network, the Internet and their own DVRs. It will also allow users to overlay internet content related to TV programs, movies, actors and more, and it will also link web content back to multichannel TV.

Like most new technologies that are announced, it probably doesn’t sound as cool as it actually is. DISH Network subscribers with HD DVRs will be able to take advantage of this new service when it is brought online. Currently, the companies are expecting it to be available sometime in the fall.

Google CEO Eric Schmidt had this to say about GoogleTV: “We are excited to bring the web to television and enable developers to innovate on the Google TV platform. With DISH Network’s contributions, Google TV delivers a richer user experience and a compelling product for consumers.”

I can think of a number of instances where functionality like this will be useful to get answers to questions that come up while watching your favorite program. I do not understand the exact details of GoogleTV yet, but I can envision a scenario like this:

You’re watching one of your favorite TV programs and an actor appears that you recognize but you cannot figure out where you have seen him or her before. You can probably check the name of the actor just by pressing the “Info” button on your DISH Network remote control, but if not, you will likely see it in the credits at the end of the show.

You could then access Google or Imdb.com and find out what other television programs or movies this actor has appeared in. All without leaving the comfort of your favorite TV-watching chair.

DISH Network and Google Unveil Plans For GoogleTV Web-TV Partnership

I guess the most outstanding feature of the 922 is that it is SlingLoaded. What does that mean? Well, it means you can watch programming via your DVR from just about anywhere you can get access to the internet. That includes wireless devices that are capable of playing video. I guess you could say the 922 “slings” programming content out onto the internet for you to watch when you are not at home.

Compared with earlier DVR units such as the ViP622 and ViP722, you’ll find a lot of the same features on the 922, like remote access, searchable program guides, caller ID display and more. The big win for the 922 is the built-in ability to more-or-less take your TV with you just about anywhere as long as you can get on an internet-connected PC or internet-enabled wireless device.

This seems like the perfect solution for sports fans who sometimes have to record or simply miss the big game because they are away from home. It should not be too hard to sneak away for a few minutes and check the scores or the latest plays on the NFL’s RedZone channel on your cell phone even if you are at mom’s for Thanksgiving dinner.

It should also be noted that the ViP922 was selected as a “Best of CES” winner in 2009. You can read more about that here.

DISH Network Launches New SlingLoaded DVR