The TV side of the product provides you with programming and many other options. One of the greatest benefits of having a satellite system is the digital audio and video. Cable and antenna pale in comparison; not only visually but audibly. Also, in many areas, satellite programming is much less expensive than its cable counterparts.
The TV side of the product is unique from other satellite offerings (such as Primestar and DirectTV) in that it offers a TV Home Page as well as an 8.6 gig hard drive.
The hard drive is used primarily for storing the program guide, available games and downloading digital video.
The TV home page displays the current date and time as well as the channel currently selected. This is where you'll find all the information you will ever need to fully enjoy your DishPlayer unit. There are seven clickable links to help you understand (and use) the available functions.
Through the Settings section you can set up your DishPlayer to control your VCR for added convenience. You can also edit the channels displayed on the program guide. One option even allows for connecting to the Web side of the product.
One aspect that may be important to many of the parents out there is the ability to set restrictions. You can restrict by channel and ratings, or you can restrict use of all the buttons on the unit, PPV and/or the provided games.
The Listings section will provide you with a current list of programs or let you search for programs using a variety of methods. You can search through the daily guide or the provided seven day program guide. You can also search for shows by searching a favorite list of channels that you put together yourself. You can also search by date and time as well as by title or genre. This has truly proved to be a useful feature and one of my personal favorites!
Included on the TV home page is a section for TV sites. These are shows that also have online content like pages, chats, newsgroups etc.
There is also an area to connect you to the Games that are stored on your hard drive. Currently there are three games available: DOOM, You Don't Know Jack, and Solitaire. Having played all three I can tell you that all have nice graphics although Solitaire can be a bit fuzzy. YDKJ is not recommended for younger players but is a lot of fun for adults. Even my parents enjoyed this game. DOOM is a shoot 'em up complete with guns, grenades and various other weapons. It plays well enough but getting used to playing this game with the keyboard or remote does take some getting used to. This is another game that may not be suitable for younger players.
Last, but not least, there is a help section that should be able to answer almost any question you have on the TV side of the DishPlayer. It is easy to navigate and use.
The interactive Channel Guide is a great feature. Each show comes with a short description and the rating. While perusing the guide you can also keep the program you were watching in a pip-like window at the top of the guide or view each channel as you click through the guide. The pip-like window also tells you what channel you are watching. My only complaint is the lag that is experienced when bringing up the program guide and at times scrolling through the guide. While 2-4 seconds may not be a long time to wait it is noticeable.
Another feature available on the DishPlayer that is unavailable elsewhere is TVPause. This allows you to record up to 30 minutes of a program to the 8.6 gig hard drive, so you can watch the program later and from the point where you left off.
In terms of music DishNetwork has the bases covered. The audio is CD quality and depending on the programming package you subscribe to you will have up to 32 different music channels playing everything from bluegrass to reggae. Each channel provides the artist, song title, album title and record label. I enjoy this package with the exception that they need an 80's channel (hint hint).
Other features that complete the TV side and that I feel are of great value are the TV show reminders, PPV, and the recent list.
The reminder feature not only reminds you when a show is about to start but will also automatically change the channel to the specified show when it starts.
Pay per view movies are an important aspect of any television product as it renders unnecessary the trip to the video store. The Dish Network provides twelve channels dedicated to providing recently released to video movies for only $2.99. Some programs can be purchased once and viewed all day.
The recent list is brought up by pushing the recent button on either the keyboard or remote. By doing so six individual windows will appear on your screen showing the last six channels you viewed. This is a MUST for any sports fan!
Keep in mind this product does employ both a TV side and a Web side. Dish Network is responsible only for the TV side and WebTV is responsible for the WebTV. In my experience with the Dish Network support staff I have found them fast, efficient and most importantly courteous. The support staff at Dish Networks while being an unforeseen plus for this system is yet another good reason to buy it.
Pros:
Digital Audio and Video
Crisp and vibrant picture
CD quality sound
Hundreds of channel choices
Ease of use
Digital recording ability
Programming costs less than competing cable and satellite providers in most cases
Features Features Features!
PRICE!!!
Cons:
Sunspots can disrupt the signal for short periods of time
Rain and Snow can also disrupt the signal
Requires an 18" dish be mounted on or around your home
Lose access to most all local channels as they are not broadcast by DishNetwork with the exception of certain large market stations
Inability to record a show on one channel while watching another.
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