View Full Version : Dish Interactive TV
razorbackfan
08-02-03, 10:26 PM
In the tech chat, they seemed to make a big deal of Dish Interactive TV on channel 100. Does anyone actually use this service? I have a couple of times when it first was available out of curiosity, but don't use it at all anymore because it's so slow, and what's the point?
Steve Mehs
08-02-03, 10:37 PM
My mom used to use the Lottery application but that was removed a while ago. I use Instant Weather once in a great while, I used to milk the Playin TV demos, but got bored really fast. The new PPV Interactive channel is the EPG morphed into a different form. Zap2It would be alright, IF Buffalo was on the list of cities. ITV is a nice novelity, but for all practical purposes it's useless IMO. Applications have always been slow to load and the same, more complete information can be accessed from the internet. Only time I go to Dish Home now is by accident, when I lean on the remote and the Dish button gets pressed down.
IndyMichael
08-02-03, 11:08 PM
Only time I go to Dish Home now is by accident, when I lean on the remote and the Dish button gets pressed down.
Me too, and it's very annoying. Why did they have to make that button stick out so far? If I wasn't on the Dish Home plan, I'd take that button off the remote.
My thoughts exactly. I hate where the interactive button is on the remote. The interactive features are a complete waste IMO. The internet is much faster and has much more info available. I've tried probably all of the games via the demos, and they are all simple little games and you can find java clone variations all over the internet. I've looked at the Showtime application to read the Jeremiah episode summaries. It was so slow, I turned it off and went upstairs to get on the Showtime website, much faster. The new educational applications that took up 30 minutes of the last tech chat are all very simple, I'd say comparable to early 1990's software for the PC.
Nothing new here citizens, move along.
Darkman
08-02-03, 11:58 PM
They should have weather in C as well,
Not just in F
Lots of us still like C :)
razorbackfan
08-03-03, 05:19 AM
If no one really uses that, I wonder why Dish is spending so much time and money on it, instead of improving PQ or getting new channels that subs want?
If no one really uses that, I wonder why Dish is spending so much time and money on it, instead of improving PQ or getting new channels that subs want?
they're trying to take on digital cable that's why. Digital cable offers or is going to offer interactive television soon so Dish is trying to be a step ahead of cable there. Plus with dish or directv there isn't a regionalized forecast for the weather channel like the local one the 8's on cable so Dish is probably making up for this by providing interactive weather like directv is as well. Of course I'd rather see them add more channels and invest the money into using the spot beams to give us local on the 8's according to zipcode like on cable but that is probably 5-10 years down the road yet(you may correct me if i'm wrong).
Jacob S
08-03-03, 12:14 PM
I do not think it is costing them that much money for the interactive applications or they would not have the feature. I am sure it costs less to do those interactive applications than it does to add another channel to their package(s).
Since the ineractive applications have not been around long then we should expect to see some improvements over time. It is not going to be the best right from the get go but will take some time for improvement.
I wish there was local weather on the 8's. Maybe they could implement something in the interactive application that comes closer to that.
I do not think it is costing them that much money for the interactive applications or they would not have the feature. I am sure it costs less to do those interactive applications than it does to add another channel to their package(s).
Since the ineractive applications have not been around long then we should expect to see some improvements over time. It is not going to be the best right from the get go but will take some time for improvement.
I wish there was local weather on the 8's. Maybe they could implement something in the interactive application that comes closer to that.
does anyone know what it would take for dish to implement local on the 8's so that they could really compare to cable?
Jacob S
08-03-03, 12:51 PM
More bandwidth. They still do not have all the local markets up yet and would probably do that first before ever thinking of putting up a local weather channel up in each market. This is why they are trying to get the interactive weather application make up for that. It would be nice if they put a weather radar in each region with a list of watches and warning on the interactive weather application. I would not think it would be that much trouble for them to do so.
Geronimo
08-03-03, 01:00 PM
I have used the movie finding app. I have also tried sports scores (out of date). Other than that not much utility there.
Jacob S
08-03-03, 04:29 PM
I agree, there is not that much use for the interactive application but hopefully even more features will be added in the future in which will become even more useful. I would say that the weather application is the most popular. Arent they supposed to remove channel 9500 in the future since you can access interactive weather on channel 100?
Steve Mehs
08-03-03, 04:42 PM
Besides Weather and Lottery I can't imagine I'd find anyother application useful. Instant Weather could be much better then it is, I've never been a fan of Accuweather, but maybe some radar loops and faster loading. Lottery was nice since we don't always catch the morning news. But again nothing OpenTV/WINK could ever offer could compare with the internet.
Bobby94928
08-03-03, 09:05 PM
Besides Weather and Lottery I can't imagine I'd find anyother application useful. Instant Weather could be much better then it is, I've never been a fan of Accuweather, but maybe some radar loops and faster loading. Lottery was nice since we don't always catch the morning news. But again nothing OpenTV/WINK could ever offer could compare with the internet.
It's faster to go to the NY Lottery website and get the numbers than to go through the rigamarole on Dish. I look at the CA Lottery all the time on their website.
http://www.nylottery.org/index.php
Jacob S
08-03-03, 09:12 PM
Still image radar in your local area along with warnings would be good for starters then perhaps looped radar and NOAA alert to turn to the channel/interactive application or message you across the screen later on. It could maybe even program a timer to automatically be made to turn to the channel by itself.
Mike Richardson
08-04-03, 04:08 AM
Anyone else noticed music now on the DISH Home thing? When I go to it on my 301, I get the music from "50's and 60s Hits (mono)", AUD10, ch. 933. Really interesting considering that AUD10 is only for AT150 and up. (I have AEP.) Anyone with AT100 or lower getting the music?
Scott Greczkowski
08-04-03, 07:33 AM
The music is a nice touch.
The information needs to be on in realtime though I went and tried checking the NFL score on Saturday and the last scores there were from the end of last season.
It is coming along nicely, although it's coming slowly (very slowly)
Mike Richardson
08-04-03, 10:58 AM
The music is a nice touch.
Yeah, I really like the music. The Pay Per View feature did not work for me though, it just said "coming soon".
Jacob S
08-05-03, 10:42 AM
I also thought the music was a nice touch.
Mike Gavasheli
08-05-03, 10:59 AM
Anyone with AT100 or lower getting the music?
I don't get any music. :( I have AT100.
Jacob S
08-05-03, 04:50 PM
The top 100 music channels are in the 900's block channels 950-981 labelled CD before the number. Channels 923-946 labelled AUD before the number and are all mono available with the top 150 package.
Way too slow to be any use. I might occasionally check sports scores, but that's it.
gcutler
08-05-03, 05:34 PM
Only time I've ever seen it used, was at a friends house and before going to movie friend shut down computer. So it was quicker to goto Dish Interactive to see exact showtime... But anyone with a Booted, Constant Internet Connection PC, the PC is quicker.
It is a waste for all the reasons mentioned here...main one being that it is too slow.
They should be able to store all the "programs" on my device at regular intervlas and then download text data very quickly when needed.
The only things I use are Weather and Movies, BUT, I rarely use those because of the slow speed and poorly featured Weather (no detailed, hourly, maps, etc.)
I think this is only on our units as a marketing tool. "Yes we have interactive applications."
Interactive on DirectTV is much better. On Direct's music stations you can BUY a CD if you like the song you are listening to. I would definitley buy a lot more CDs if Dish had that option.
:soapbox: Once again, Dish just really needs to partner and have other companies producing receivers and DVRs. One design group can not keep up with all the features needed in the market. Partners would be able to make receivers for multiple transmission technologies and then share technical content and features between them.
-todd
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