# New Dish Player-DVR 625 makes its debut at CES!



## Chris Blount

DISH Network Introduces Video On Demand At Consumer Electronics Show; New DISH Player-DVR 625 Makes Hit Movies Available to Satellite TV Customers

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 6, 2005--EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) and its DISH Network(TM) satellite TV service announced today that for the first time it will offer a Video On Demand (VOD) service called DISH On Demand. DISH Network will roll out the VOD service by March to new customers with DISH Network's new digital video recorder (DVR), the DISH Player-DVR 625. DISH Network will demonstrate DISH On Demand at the 2005 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas Jan. 6-9.

"DVR customers will be able to choose from hours of Hollywood hit movies and watch their favorite stars whenever they want using DISH On Demand," said Michael Schwimmer, executive vice president of Marketing and Programming at DISH Network. "DISH Player-DVR, with its advanced pause, reverse and fast forwarding capabilities, offers a better VOD experience than any other satellite or cable TV provider."

DISH Network's VOD service will eventually offer as many as 100 movies shown on TV for the first time, with new movies premiering every week. The DISH Player-DVR 625 will receive movies via satellite, and DISH On Demand will be accessible by pressing the DVR button on the DISH Network remote.

The DISH Player-DVR 625 enhances the TV viewing experience by allowing viewers to watch recorded programming on the DVR, as well as pause live TV for up to two hours, perform slow-motion instant replays, fast forward and fast reverse. The DISH Player-DVR 625 features 100-hour tapeless recording capabilities and gives viewers complete control of their television, to watch what they want at their convenience, including network programs, movies, sports, news or special events.

*Source*


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## chaddux

Doesn't DISH call their PPV "DISH On Demand PPV" already? And does this mean the 522 will now be abandoned like the 50x, 510, and 721 as the 625 becomes the star product?


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## geobernd

If the naming schema stays consistent does that indicate that the 625 has 4 independent rf modulators and 5 remotes :eek2:


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## David_Levin

Yawn....

Probably just a bigger hard drive with some space reserved for "VOD" and 100 hours left for DVR. Without Hi-Def, VOD does nothing for me....


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## Rodney

Chris Blount said:


> DISH Network will roll out the VOD service by March to new customers with DISH Network's new digital video recorder (DVR), the DISH Player-DVR 625.


Are we to take that statement literally. If so, why would this service/DVR be restricted to NEW CUSTOMERS?


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## Mike Richardson

DISH used to have a neat naming convention with their 3 numbered receivers:

first number was series (1 for ultra basic receiver, 2 for firewire HD receiver (cancelled), 3 for basic receiver, 5 for PVR, 7 for linux PVR, 8 for HD, and 9 for linux HD PVR). 4 and 6 were unused, but 6 could now mean "VOD-capable PVR"

second number was tuners

third number was independent viewing windows

Therefore a 311 is a basic receiver with one tuner and one independent viewing window. The 921 is an HD PVR with two tuner and one independent viewing window.

Based on this convention the 625 has two tuners and five independent viewing windows, which is impractical, so they have to be now going off of their nice numbering system, which kind of sucks.

DISH did not need to make an additional model available. There are already too many models available. They could have implemented VOD to the 510, 522, 7xx and 9xx easily. These models have sufficient space and even have some space reserved for additional content like VOD. If they wanted to make a larger drive model available they could have release a 521 or such (single user two tuner PVR).

VOD doesn't need any additional processing power - all you have to do is download movies at 3 AM to the hard drive.


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## JohnH

If Starz on Demand were to be offered, it might be nice, but limiting it to DISH on Demand PPV is not too swoof. Most of those already start every half-hour. More than 2 tuners would be nice and allow more than 2 movies to be downloaded at a time. They could use 2 hybrid tuners. Tuners which get more than 1 channel from the same transponder. Thus the amount of cabling would be the same as a standard 2 tuner receiver.


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## Mike123abc

Dish could also be eying cutting back the number of PPV channels. If they got enough of these units out with all the PPV movies on them they could save on satellite bandwidth. Perhaps this unit has a dedicated satellite tuner just to record movies. It could be a 522 with one tuner changed to just look at the PPV channels.


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## James Long

Mike Richardson said:


> If they wanted to make a larger drive model available they could have release a 521 or such (single user two tuner PVR).
> 
> VOD doesn't need any additional processing power - all you have to do is download movies at 3 AM to the hard drive.


Dual tuner would be a good idea for a VOD-PVR. Yes, your unit may be unused at 3am but that doesn't mean everyone's PVR is free. A dedicated tuner for VOD and EPG use would mean a receiver would never need to be turned off.

Giving it a new series number is odd. Are the 5xx series not going to get VOD pre-downloads? Is this another trick like Name Based Recording? To get the new feature, get the new receiver?

The 62*5* part of the number doesn't bother me as I don't consider it realistic to have five outputs on a receiver. It would be nice, but not very managable.

JL


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## P Smith

I think it will be DP522 with bigger disk and silver color.


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## James Long

justalurker said:


> The 62*5* part of the number doesn't bother me as I don't consider it realistic to have five outputs on a receiver. It would be nice, but not very managable.


BTW: My dream residential receiver would have at least 12 channels output. A "mini cable system" for the home. Put your favorites up on a set of channels and have wireless remotes control the layout (with some remotes controlling only one channel). Put "the box" in at the entrypoint and run regular cables to the TVs. I'd give it at least two ATSC DTV outputs on the cable as well as the analog ones - to pass through DTV to a HD set or provide DTV quality SDs throughout the house.

I did say it was a dream. 

JL


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## tnsprin

Chris Blount said:


> DISH Network Introduces Video On Demand At Consumer Electronics Show; New DISH Player-DVR 625 Makes Hit Movies
> 
> 
> Chris Blount said:
> 
> 
> 
> DISH Network Introduces Video On Demand At Consumer Electronics Show; New DISH Player-DVR 625 Makes Hit Movies Available to Satellite TV Customers
> ...
> DISH Network's VOD service will eventually offer as many as 100 movies shown on TV for the first time, with new movies premiering every week. The DISH Player-DVR 625 will receive movies via satellite, and DISH On Demand will be accessible by pressing the DVR button on the DISH Network remote.
> ...
> 
> 
> 
> Even when first announced, I thought this was a worthless feature. I don't even end up using the various free coupons I've received for PPV.
Click to expand...


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## Jacob S

Two tuners for five tv outputs? Are you kidding me? I bet this receiver will also be MPEG-2 as well to top it all off and only lease. Perhaps some are better off with only a lease if these receivers are not going to be on the market for very long.


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## Mike123abc

Jacob S said:


> Two tuners for five tv outputs? Are you kidding me? I bet this receiver will also be MPEG-2 as well to top it all off and only lease. Perhaps some are better off with only a lease if these receivers are not going to be on the market for very long.


Dish would probably love it if you were renting 5 PPV movies at once...


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## Mike Richardson

DISH said it was $749 retail, so it's gonna be for sale. A least would be nice though, maybe for $5 extra a month or something. It would be competitive with cable HD PVR.

justalurker: I liked the idea they had with the 5000 where it output HD by simulating an ATSC signal. It allowed them to roll out HD earlier since they didn't actually have to make an HD tuner - just a larger bus to carry the ATSC data from the satellite. I think the guide and stuff didn't show up on ATSC though and you had to go back to SD for that.


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## chaddux

So the 625 takes DISH back to the "PVR" name? Why can't DISH stick with "DVR" or "PVR?" Also, the 625 looks almost _identical_ to the 522. It even says "MPEG2" on it! Why are they putting out an MPEG2 receiver if they are about to switch? Sheesh.


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## Cyclone

Well, the MPEG4 is supposed to be for the HDTV channels, so it likelyl doesn't apply to this receiver. Also, this like is just a 522, so why rebuilt the hardware? 

Still, this fine unit shouldn't go in the bedroom. Sounds like its hardrive will always be active.


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## chaddux

Cyclone said:


> Well, the MPEG4 is supposed to be for the HDTV channels, so it likelyl doesn't apply to this receiver.


Um...no. :nono2:

http://dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=35684

You're even the first person to reply to that thread! You even talked about new MPEG4-compatible 522s. Always good to post when thinking clearly.


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## BobMurdoch

Oh man, this is depressing. A VOD box that no one wants (why would I want E* spamming my box with PPVs when I can download them myself and not waste the space) and a HD PVR "upgrade" that removes one HD tuner and PIP capability when the second room is in use.

Meanwhile, D* announces a dozen HD LIL markets, ESPN2, and new interactive features.

Time for someone to go up and do to Charlie and do what Homer did to his TV (when Homer smacked his TV and said "BE MORE FUNNY"!!!)

HEY CHARLIE!! (SMACK) "Be More Competitive!"

sigh. Even the hype isn't there anymore.


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## Mike D-CO5

Rupert , I am afraid, is going to bury Charlie if Charlie doesn't get some big company or network to partner with. Rupert is willing to spend anything and everything he has to gain new subs and to destroy Charlie and Dishnetwork. Charlie your days are numbered.


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## 418583

Mike Richardson said:


> DISH said it was $749 retail, so it's gonna be for sale. A lease would be nice though, maybe for $5 extra a month or something. It would be competitive with cable HD PVR.


$749 purchase is for the 942. This receiver is SD only and has no purchase price noted.


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## 418583

Chris Blount said:


> DISH Network Introduces Video On Demand At Consumer Electronics Show; New DISH Player-DVR 625 Makes Hit Movies *Available to Satellite TV Customers*
> 
> LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 6, 2005--EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) and its DISH Network(TM) satellite TV service announced today that for the first time it will offer a Video On Demand (VOD) service called DISH On Demand. DISH Network will roll out the VOD service by March *to new customers* with DISH Network's new digital video recorder (DVR), the DISH Player-DVR 625.


So apparently none of us existing customers will get this new box!

A co-worker has a (recently deceased) 501. If Dish would sell/lease him (at a reasonable price) a dual tuner DVR he'd be happy. Right now his only solution is to switch to DirecTV. :nono:


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## Jacob S

rh26 said:


> $749 purchase is for the 942. This receiver is SD only and has no purchase price noted.


No, this receiver - the 942 - is going to be HD and SD both and is the replacement to the 921.


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## 418583

Jacob S said:


> No, this receiver - the 942 - is going to be HD and SD both and is the replacement to the 921.


Right, but THIS thread is about the SD-only 625 with VOD. There is NO pricing info on the 625 and as I pointed out in another post it looks like the 625 is slated for NEW customers only.


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## Mike Richardson

Whoops sorry guys, I got them mixed up. The 625 has no noted retail price, indicating it will be for rent.

Actually I *really* screwed up, that post should be in a completely different thread. Just disregard it


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## Jacob S

I thought rh26 was stating tht the 942 was SD only and realized that he was saying that the 625 was SD only and tried to delete my post once I figured that out but I guess it didnt delete it. I got confused myself lol.


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## BobMurdoch

This box sounds like it was designed to combat a cable VOD threat that doesn't exist. Cable has been touting VOD as this great satellite killer and purchases haven't gotten out of the single digits re: % of customers using the feature. I do agree on one point though... if it cuts down on the bandwidth used for PPVs then I am all for it. I know there are people who do use them but do we need Spiderman 2 on 4-6 different channels at different start times when 1 or 2 will suffice?

Otherwise, Dish's CES announcements boil down to two receivers, both of which appear to be DOA due to MPeg4 coming down the pike in "Fall 2005" if Charlie's words from CES are believed.

That means summer 2006 at best. Unless D* starts seeing double digit increases and E* keeps losing ground on the market share front. THEN you may see him do something to try and counter, but I think his hands are handcuffed because hit chess pieces aren't moved into position yet.

My guess is he has to bite his tongue for the next year until his troops can get him into position to make SOME kind of attempt to arrest D*'s momentum.


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## James Long

BobMurdoch said:


> Cable has been touting VOD as this great satellite killer and purchases haven't gotten out of the single digits re: % of customers using the feature.


I wonder if they have gotten IN to the single digits ... digits without a zero point in front of them. 1% is a lot of users when the base is in the millions.


BobMurdoch said:


> I do agree on one point though... if it cuts down on the bandwidth used for PPVs then I am all for it. I know there are people who do use them but do we need Spiderman 2 on 4-6 different channels at different start times when 1 or 2 will suffice?


Right now the VOD feeds are mirrors of the PPV channels. Whether that will change or E* will see the need for multiple start times diminish after VOD is started is another question. It will take a lot of 625 sales to get to the point when you are not losing PPV customers because the movie on their box isn't starting in the next half hour.

JL


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## BobMurdoch

Does anyone have any kind of hard data re: how much of their revenue they generate from PPV programming? I'm not talking the big event programming like Wrestlemania or boxing matches, butrather the day in, day out movies that get released 30 days after a DVD has its street date.

I get most of my movies from DVD purchases. For the others, I wait until it hits HBO/SHO/STZ and then Tivo, er, PVR it from there. I've never even used one of those silly PPV coupons E* tries to send as a sugar cube to wash down the icky price increases they do once a year now.


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## David_Levin

My neighbor (with 4 kids) LOVES being able to watch any of the HBO/SHO original series programming whenever they wish. Starz also has a nice collection of movies. Value is limited without network programming (much VOD programming comes with premiums).

Personally, without Hi-Def, I'd never use it. But, I definately know people who like it.

Either way, what Charlie is doing is no competition to a true VOD system (I doubt you'll find a full season of Sopranos, Carnival, Huff, etc & 200 movies on your 625 hard drive).

Dish-Pic is just a silly waste of local hard drive space. As for bandwidth savings we can get that with any old PVR. I can pick what I want to watch and certainly don't need the same movie on 5 channels.

What a pittiful CES for dish... A 522 with bigger hard drive and new software (625), an obsolete 942 (which we saw 9 months ago at the retailer conference), and some rebranded flat-panel displays.

No upcoming new programming, no 522's for existing customers, no cool MPEG 4 demos....


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## Jacob S

I know that many people are a bit more willing to buy something knowing that they can get it right away instead of waiting because of how anxious they get. I also know that someone that gets a high bill tends to not be able to afford it many times or decides to drop the service as well. One can only make the monthly programming bill go up so high until the threshold is met. You then have to start offering other services that the customer currently has to make more money and compete. Dish Network is not in the phone or internet business yet so that would be tough for them to do.


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## NThomas76207

Could this be a threat to Cable VOD at all

I think not but it's going to be a torn in there side


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## NThomas76207

when would existing customers get to have this god-sent! lol


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## scottchez

The press release said avl in March. Its March.

I want to get one of these as I watch a lot of PPV.

Is it even out in Beta testing yet? I have not heard much about it lately.

Will it be out the first of April with the new 942?

Any retailers have it on there order sheets yet?


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## scottchez

What they forgot to mention in the press release and now confirmed in this weeks retailer chat is

Pay Per View will be $4.95 on this box for on demand.

Normal PPV will be $3.95

You can still get PPV on the normal channels so WHY spend $4.95.


Seems like a rip off.


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## Jacob S

This gives people the extra option of getting their movie instantly vs. later on. I know that I would NOT like my receiver to be recording a movie when I want it to do my DVR functionality such as record what I told it to record or to watch what I want to watch. Yeah, it might have two tuners but still there might be two people watching tv at the same time or a show recording already on one tuner while you want to watch something live. 

Are they able to implement downloading these movies to the receiver so that one would not have to wait for the entire movie to record? Is this how they are going to do it or just record off of the movie channels/ppv channels? Will we not be able to access the additional tuner that is recording that event? I can see hackers jumping all over this to access all of those movies on the hard drive.


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## satellite_king2002

aa


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## satellite_king2002

a1


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## lazaruspup

NThomas76207 said:


> Could this be a threat to Cable VOD at all
> 
> I think not but it's going to be a torn in there side


Satellite is trying to make this feature SEEM like it is in direct comparison with cable VOD but it simply is not. Cable VOD offers 100's of programs at the push of a button. Whether it be syndicated reruns or movies, its all right there when you pull up the menu. The problem is, with satellite they are going to have a very small amount of space to work with. I believe this foray into satellite VOD will be short lived. There needs to be a more reasonable alternative rather than putting a honkin' big hard drive in your box and filling it with movies and making you pay 4.95 for them. Heck cable doesn't even charge for a lot of its VOD. Satellite needs to drop this subject alltogether and find a different way to set itself apart from cable. Cable already won this battle, and I'm not even a big fan of VOD at all.


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## kwajr

the 522 will have the same sw same hd size 120gbts


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## datwell

Why do I need this thing??? 

I could make a case for my leasing a 942 - but they don't permit this for existing customers!!??

But I just cannot understand why I would need the 625.

da Doug


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## kwajr

you dont but if they make what i already have better i will take it


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## Nick

kwajr, with your unpunctuated posts, you make yourself sound even _more_ ignorant.


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