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Rob Glasser
03-30-09, 12:37 PM
ECHOSTAR UNVEILS WORLD’S FIRST SLINGLOADED HD DVR FOR CABLE


EchoStar Technologies Creates tru2way™-based Set-top Box to Support Cable Customers Seeking Entertainment Anytime, Anywhere

Englewood, Colo., March 30, 2009 - EchoStar Technologies L.L.C. and Sling Media, Inc., wholly owned subsidiaries of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), today unveiled the EchoStar T2200S, the world’s first SlingLoaded™, tru2way™-based, multi-tuner, HD DVR set-top box designed specifically for the cable TV industry. The announcement was made in advance of this week’s National Cable and Telecommunications Cable Show ’09 in Washington, D.C. EchoStar will demonstrate the T2200S at booth 917 in the Washington Convention Center April 1-3.

The T2200S integrates Sling Media Inc.’s award-winning placeshifting technology, empowering cable TV subscribers to realize their dream of watching their home TV, including live TV, DVR and VOD content, on almost any Internet-connected device, such as the PC, Mac, mobile media players or mobile phones. The SlingLoaded capabilities also enable remote video diagnostics which lets subscribers opt-in to receive remote troubleshooting from an MSO’s tech support. This is just one of many SlingLoaded features enabled by the T2200S that can help reduce the operator’s call volume and truck rolls. EchoStar can also offer MSOs the power of SlingGuide™, giving customers a powerful online search engine for their TV, the ability to schedule online timers and to manage their DVR away from home.

The T2200S features a massive 1 terabyte hard drive for up to 1,000 hours of storage and supports external storage via USB or an optional eSATA port. As a tru2way-based device, the T2200S is proven to integrate with multiple OCAP electronic program guides and will be fully functional for tru2way-enabled cable systems, including M-Card support, embedded cable modem, DOCSIS Set-Top Gateway for two way communication, and OCAP middleware.

“EchoStar and Sling engineers have created one of the most powerful set-top box devices ever made for the cable industry, with the ability to watch content anywhere in the home or anyplace in the world,” said Mark Jackson, president of EchoStar Technologies L.L.C.

The SlingLoaded T2200S also provides the following features:

Supports MPEG-2, H.264 (MPEG-4) and VC1.
1GHz tuners to support expanded network bandwidth.
Connect to the home network via Ethernet, WiFi (with optional WiFi adapter) or Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA™).
Picture-in-Picture
Supports advanced resolution formats up to 1080p24.
Individual branding opportunities for MSOs.
Supports Macrovision and DCS analog copy protection.
Features an attractive, capacitive-touch, backlit front panel with clock display.


The T2200S will be available for testing in MSO labs in June 2009, with volume production rolling out in Q4 2009. Consumers interested in this product should contact their local cable company.

MSOs seeking more information should visit www.echostar.com (http://www.echostar.com) or email cable-sales@echostar.com.

About EchoStar Technologies
EchoStar Technologies L.L.C., a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (Nasdaq: SATS) spans 25 years of delivering innovations in TV entertainment, advanced set-top boxes, and end-to-end video delivery systems. EchoStar designs and engineers products for satellite, IPTV, cable, terrestrial, and consumer electronics markets worldwide by combining engineering, supply chain, manufacturing, and service into one company. With more than 2,000 employees worldwide, EchoStar provides customers with competitive business strategies, practices, and reduced product and operational costs. Visit www.echostar.com (http://www.echostar.com).

About Sling Media
Sling Media, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), is a leading digital lifestyle company whose products include the acclaimed, Emmy award-winning Slingbox™ that allows consumers to watch and control their living room TV shows at any time, from any location, using PCs, Macs, PDAs and smartphones. Sling Media also introduced SlingCatcher™, a universal media player that seamlessly delivers broadcast TV, Internet video and personal content to the TV. Sling Media also provides a video entertainment web site, Sling.com, offering consumers a variety of popular TV shows, movies and other entertainment free for viewing online or on TV using SlingCatcher. For more information, visit www.slingmedia.com (http://www.slingmedia.com). To watch your favorite TV shows and movies, visit www.sling.com (http://www.sling.com).

Tru2way and OCAP are trademarks of Cable Television Laboratories, Inc.
dave29
03-30-09, 12:41 PM
Cool looking receiver, too bad it's not for Directv:grin:
Steve
03-30-09, 12:47 PM
Puts a whole new spin on the importance of the TiVo vs. Echostar lawsuit, IMHO. /steve
kevinturcotte
03-30-09, 12:58 PM
Why is Dish offering a cable HD DVR though? Isn't that kind of counter productive?
Thaedron
03-30-09, 01:12 PM
Why is Dish offering a cable HD DVR though? Isn't that kind of counter productive?

Well... If you can make money off of your subscribers AND make money off of your competitions subscribers, why not?

Could this erode business from Dish to cable? Possibly.
Could the revenue from such a cable STB offset the above? Probably, but only those inside Echostar running the business case analysis would be privy to that.
Rob Glasser
03-30-09, 01:20 PM
Why is Dish offering a cable HD DVR though? Isn't that kind of counter productive?

Echostar and Dish Network are 2 separate companies. They split a couple years ago. Dish is the TV service and Echostar maintains the satellite assets and set-top box manufacturing.

When the split was announced it was just a matter of time before we started seeing STB's being made for non-Dish Network subs.
phrelin
03-30-09, 01:27 PM
And, assuming the TiVo lawsuit gets resolved, the real benefit of having been a long term Echostar (aka Dish Network) customer is now slipping away. It's the Echostar technology that has kept Dish Network alive. The yet-to-be-released Sling-loaded ViP922 will offer no competitive value to Dish Network as the T2200S will, after it's initial user Alpha and Beta debugging, work just fine with Comcast or TimeWarner or....
spartanstew
03-30-09, 01:31 PM
Cool looking receiver, too bad it's not for Directv:grin:

Agreed.
phrelin
03-30-09, 01:48 PM
DirecTV customers will have to wait a couple of years. At this point Dish Network shareholders could sue Echostar and Charlie if DirecTV could offer this box. Dish Network was spun off from Echostar in 2008. But by 2011 this technology will be available to you. And if you don't mind an extra box, you too can have the Slingbox technology brought to you by Echostar.
turey22
03-30-09, 02:06 PM
DirecTV customers will have to wait a couple of years. At this point Dish Network shareholders could sue Echostar and Charlie if DirecTV could offer this box. Dish Network was spun off from Echostar in 2008. But by 2011 this technology will be available to you. And if you don't mind an extra box, you too can have the Slingbox technology brought to you by Echostar.

If DIRECTV came out with one like this why could they sue?
Steve
03-30-09, 02:10 PM
[...] At this point Dish Network shareholders could sue Echostar and Charlie if DirecTV could offer this box. Dish Network was spun off from Echostar in 2008. [...]If DIRECTV came out with one like this why could they sue?If DirecTV came out with their own box, no issue. If DirecTV licensed this Echostar box, they'd could sue for benefitting Echostar shareholders at the expense of Dish shareholder subscriber revenues. /steve
dave29
03-30-09, 02:24 PM
Forget about sling, Directv needs a HAVA(the slingbox killer) enabled box.
turey22
03-30-09, 02:34 PM
If DirecTV came out with their own box, no issue. If DirecTV licensed this Echostar box, they'd could sue for benefitting Echostar shareholders at the expense Dish shareholder subscriber revenues. /steve

Thanks, I just didnt know this. :)
tedb3rd
03-30-09, 03:16 PM
They are putting their eggs in more than one basket. Good idea if you ask me--especially in these times.
gully_foyle
03-30-09, 04:17 PM
They are putting their eggs in more than one basket. Good idea if you ask me--especially in these times.
Except that TiVo may own the eggs. I'm sure they think they do.
Ken_F
03-30-09, 05:13 PM
Puts a whole new spin on the importance of the TiVo vs. Echostar lawsuit, IMHO. /steveFrom what I understand, the Echostar T2200S (i.e. ViP921 for cable) will simply use the cable company's true2way DVR software. It won't have any DVR software of its own. Hence, Echostar cannot be held liable for software infringement.

For example, use the Echostar T2200S with Comcast and you get Comcast's true2way software:

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadgethd.com/media/2008/01/tru2way-walk-c00.jpg

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadgethd.com/media/2008/01/tru2way-walk-b01.jpg

Comcast already has a licensing / non-litigation agreement with TiVo.
gully_foyle
03-30-09, 06:23 PM
Comcast already has a licensing / non-litigation agreement with TiVo.Yes, but it is hardly likely to be transferable. The question of whose product this is will come up. Pretty sure the non-litigation agreement does not cover the agreement itself.
HDlover
03-30-09, 06:35 PM
Comcast will still cost a lot more per month than Dish.
harsh
03-30-09, 07:07 PM
Why is Dish offering a cable HD DVR though?DISH Network isn't; Echostar is. That's why they split.Isn't that kind of counter productive?Imagine the economies of scale if they double their DVR business.
harsh
03-30-09, 07:15 PM
Forget about sling, Directv needs a HAVA(the slingbox killer) enabled box.Seems like the HAVA is a Slingbox wannabe. No mobile capability and no associations with major media distributors.

Most importantly, no HD output capability. There's a reason that they don't compare it to the Slingbox Pro HD.

DIRECTV needs all the help they can get but HAVA doesn't seem all that interested in DIRECTV. Perhaps the DIRECTV receivers don't offer enough sources to be a good match?
jclewter79
03-30-09, 07:57 PM
Except that TiVo may own the eggs. I'm sure they think they do.

Tivo does not have any injunction on the vip receivers. It would take at least 10 years from now before they could do anything about this box and thats if it were actually on the market now.
Ken_F
03-30-09, 11:54 PM
Yes, but it is hardly likely to be transferable. The question of whose product this is will come up. Pretty sure the non-litigation agreement does not cover the agreement itself.These agreements do apply to the cable company's true2way software.

There will be no question of whose software the box is running. The software will look like an enhanced version of what is already running on the cable company boxes. All the normal cable co "branding" will be there.
tnsprin
03-31-09, 09:28 AM
It would be interesting to know how much is different than the 922 and how much is the same in terms of hardware.
drx792
03-31-09, 10:51 AM
Seems like the HAVA is a Slingbox wannabe. No mobile capability and no associations with major media distributors.

Most importantly, no HD output capability. There's a reason that they don't compare it to the Slingbox Pro HD.

DIRECTV needs all the help they can get but HAVA doesn't seem all that interested in DIRECTV. Perhaps the DIRECTV receivers don't offer enough sources to be a good match?

Im pretty sure HAVA has a mobile player for phones and whatnot. On top of sling box they also act as a windows media center tuner and one also supports adding an external HDD for recording without a computer. They all pass through up to 1080i as well.

Though if they wanted to partner with DirecTV i could see recording stuff to a computer blocking that deal.
ejjames
03-31-09, 11:53 AM
Seems like the HAVA is a Slingbox wannabe. No mobile capability and no associations with major media distributors.

Most importantly, no HD output capability. There's a reason that they don't compare it to the Slingbox Pro HD.

DIRECTV needs all the help they can get but HAVA doesn't seem all that interested in DIRECTV. Perhaps the DIRECTV receivers don't offer enough sources to be a good match?

My hava box has remote capability. The day I cleaned out my sling software from my system and sold my slingbox was a welcome day.