Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. News

DISH revamps its Hopper interface and remote, adds new 4K set-top box

Ryan Waniata
By

CES 2015 Dish Press Conference
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Apart from Dish’s groundbreaking new standalone Web TV platform, Sling TV, the maverick satellite provider unveiled some new touches to its traditional satellite service today at CES press day in Las Vegas. New additions to the family include a revamped user interface for Dish’s Hopper DVR, a new remote for the system designed from the “ground up,” and a new portal for Dish’s forthcoming 4K VOD service, the 4K Joey set top box.

Dish CEO Joe Clayton arrived at the press conference in typical audacious fashion, preceded by a troop of kangaroo mascots, and even a drumline. Vivaciously, Clayton and his cohorts touted a simpler new interface for Dish’s traditional satellite service called “Carbon,” which adds a new home screen, improved navigation, and a few new features including a new whole-home music service, and the Vevo video service.

Recommended Videos

The Hopper DVR’s new remote might be the company’s most convenient new feature. The device aims at melding the function of a DVR remote with the simplicity of an Apple TV remote, bringing a sleek new design that includes a touchpad that reveals number keys “when needed,” backlighting, and voice activation.

4k-hopper
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Dish is also looking to follow competitors like DirecTV and Comcast by offering a new 4K VOD service delivered by its new 4K Joey set top box. The 4K Joey will serve as an add-on to the traditional Hopper DVR box for both new and existing Dish customers. The device features a robust Dual-core ARM processor, HEVC (h.265) decoding for streaming apps, and picture-in-picture that allows dual screens in HD, so you don’t even have to glance at content in standard definition. Perhaps most importantly, it brings compatibility with any 4K UHD TV.

Related

While the addition of the new remote, and the 4K set top box are now doubt enticing innovations, Dish spent the majority of its time touting its $20 Sling TV service, citing the word millenials — the 18-35 yearo old segment that is largely rejecting standard TV services — dozens of times, and revealed a voracious appetite to seduce the coveted demographic for its new live streaming TV service.

The company also promised Sling TV won’t eat in to its traditional satellite service, which may be true for awhile, but it’s not hard to read the writing on the wall. Dish clearly has its foot square on the pedal with its new Web TV offering, promising to unveil Sling TV by the end of the month for jst $20, and bringing on a slew of $5 add-on packages along the way. For now, Dish is touting its latest satellite TV features, including the coming 4K content, and swears Sling TV won’t canabalize its core business.

With several other Web TV services in the works, the real question appears to be just how long it will be before Web TV simply becomes the next pay-TV.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Ryan Waniata
Ryan Waniata
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ryan Waniata is a multi-year veteran of the digital media industry, a lover of all things tech, audio, and TV, and a…
This 50-inch 4K TV is so cheap we thought it was a mistake
People watching sports on the 50-inch Vizio V-Series 4K TV.

Walmart has one of the best TV deals we’ve seen in a little while. Right now, you can buy the Vizio 50-inch V-Series 4K TV for just $223 meaning you save $25 off the regular price of $248. Under $225 for a 50-inch 4K TV from a reputable brand is pretty great to see for anyone who needs a cheap new TV. That goes for whether you need a TV for your home office, your child’s bedroom, or you simply need an inexpensive solution for your living room. Here’s what you need to know about it before you buy.

Why you should buy the Vizio 50-inch V-Series 4K TV
Vizio is one of the best TV brands around right now thanks to it offering great features and value for money. With the Vizio 50-inch V-Series 4K TV, you get plenty of great features on top of the already good-looking 4K screen. It has a Dolby Vision Bright Mode so you get more lifelike accuracy, color saturation, black detail, and brightness. There’s also support for HDR10/+ and HLG formats.

Read more
Let’s discuss an Apple TV 4K with a camera
An actual picture of an Apple TV, with a camera lens added by Photoshop's generative AI feature.

This Apple TV with a camera is not real — it's a product of a real Apple TV 4K and Photoshop. And that's likely as close as you'll get to one. Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

Here’s a not-so-secret secret about tech companies: They discuss all the things all of the time. Good ideas. Bad ideas. Good ideas that turn out to be bad. Bad ideas that, surprisingly, turn out to be good.

Read more
You’ll be shocked how affordable this 75-inch 4K TV is right now
The onn. 70-inch 4K Roku TV hangs on the wall as part of a home theater arrangement.

Gone are the days when you need to spend at least $1,000 when buying a large TV, because now there are TV deals like Walmart's offer for the 75-inch Onn 4K TV. From its original price of $498, it's down even further to just $448 for savings of $50. That's an incredibly affordable price for a screen of this size, so we expect this bargain to attract the attention of a lot of shoppers. The discount probably won't last long as stocks may already be running low, so you better hurry with your purchase if you want this massive 4K TV for cheaper than usual.

Why you should buy the 75-inch Onn 4K TV
For such an affordable price for its size, you may think that there's a catch. While it's true that it won't match up to the performance and features of the best TVs, the 75-inch Onn 4K TV still offers everything that you'd expect from a modern display, including 4K Ultra HD resolution for lifelike details and colors, and access to popular streaming services like Netflix and Disney+ because it's a smart TV that runs on the Roku platform. The operating system enables compatibility with smart home devices that are powered by Apple HomeKit, Google Home, or Amazon's Alexa. You also have the option of using the remote or the Roku app for browsing channels and making voice commands.

Read more