CES 2009: Dish Unveils Uber HD DVR

By Greg Tarr -- TWICE, January 8, 2009

LAS VEGAS — Dish Network introduced here at International CES Thursday what it calls a “SlingLoaded HD DuoDVR” that is billed as the first high-definition digital video recorder to incorporate place-shifting technology.

The ViP(R) 922, which will be available to Dish subscribers in the spring at pricing to be announced, will record Dish Network programming in standard and high-definition resolution up to and including 1080p Video on Demand, the company said. It is also capable of finding tuning and recording content from the Internet and over the air, and then playing back those programs to connect laptops or compatible mobile phones over the Internet, thanks to the incorporated Sling Media technology, which is owned by Dish Network parent EchoStar.

The MPEG-4 based unit is equipped with a 1TB hard drive to record and store up to 1,000 hours of HD video, the company said.

“By integrating Sling Media's Slingbox technology into our industry-leading HD DVR, Dish Network is providing even more ways for our subscribers to view their TV programming — through their television sets, their desktops at home, their laptops on the road, and their smartphones including Blackberrys, iPhones and more,” said Charlie Ergen, Dish Network chairman/CEO.

The ViP(R) 922 will enable playing back content anywhere in the world via a broadband Internet connection to a laptop or mobile phone. The unit access content from five video sources, including satellite, broadband and optional over-the-air tuners.

The unit employs a touchpad remote control that eliminates half the buttons of a standard remote control and provides cursor-like navigation on a TV screen.

With a slide of the thumb, viewers experience scroll-over activation of the new user interface: on-screen widget-like tiles and pop-up menus, Dish Network said.

The ViP(R) 922 can also be controlled over the Internet using SlingGuide, which features a search engine for the TV with the ability to schedule recording times remotely.

Other features include:

• News feeds located on the home screen, giving viewers instant access to national news, weather, sports, and stock quotes.

• Channel organization by channel name or number.

• Internet-delivered Dish On Demand access,including 1080p content.

• Connections to home networks via Ethernet, HomePlug Turbo (the next generation of HomePlug that allows for faster in-home transfer of content using home power lines), or Wi-Fi (with optional adapter).

• Search capability across all available video sources, including IP, VOD, satellite or DVR.

• Photo and MP3 file loading.

• Future upgrades including photo sharing, movie ticket purchases, family calendars, instant messaging, streaming audio, and the ability to transfer content within a home network.