As I wrote a little while back, Dish Network introduced a new service called TV Everywhere.  A few days ago they made it public that there will be an invitation-only beta running this summer to September.  While Comcast has launched something like TV Everywhere, many of the kinks are still being worked out in that department.  If you are a Dish Network subscriber, you will be able to access all your channels.  That means if you have the highest tier possible, you can probably watch pretty much any type of programming in the world.  I don’t think Comcast can match that at all.

While DirecTV, Time Warner Cable, and Verizon have similar plans in the works, Dish will be THE first provider to have this feature.  Not only could this win over more subscribers, but it will also take the entertainment business to the next level.  What I mean by that is that you don’t necessarily need a television to watch programming.  You could, potentially, have two computers.  One for your work, one for your entertainment.  What would be even more crazy is if they somehow strike a deal with maybe Apple or Xbox allowing streaming through those media.

I imagine this as being completely different than a Hulu/Comcast interface where you watch time-delayed shows.  Instead, you can watch the latest and live episode of Lost while it airs on the East Coast (if you live in the West Coast like me).  I’m sure they will have exclusive features as well as shows due to their different partnerships. With the growing trend of cancelling television subscriptions and the start of paying sites like Hulu, this provides viewers with a nice alternative.  Dish wants to give people an option of “why not?”  Why not get a Dish TV Everywhere subscription that provides you with more shows and flexibility?  If you’re paying $10/month for a Hulu subscription, why not pay $35 for a Dish subscription that allows for more program viewing?  Think about that…

After months of feuding and smear campaigning, both DirecTV and Dish Network agreed to drop their false-advertising suit on the “Why Pay More” commercials.  Both the initial lawsuit as well as any counterclaims that were filed have been dropped.  Many of the details were left out but it seems like executives were finally tired of shelling out ad money to smear the other company.  It was a stupid feud from the onset anyways.  This is America and we promote competition in industries.

The two companies have taken different roads in running their company.  The satellite industry race has tightened over the past two quarters and Dish is now leading DirecTV in net subscriber growth.  While Dish is concentrating on this, DirecTV has shifted its focus more on profitability rather than adding to its subscription base.

While the battle has been over who has more HD programming and the exact numbers of total channels, viewers have been reaping from the benefits.  By undercutting each other and providing more channels at less of a price, no matter which provider you chose you still ended up with a decent deal.  It’s nice to see that they will play nice for a little bit.  In the long run, results matter and the viewers will have the final say in who wins.  I believe each can profit and keep their shareholders happy, which is why I think them going their separate paths in strategy is key.  Always provide something the other company can’t is one of the rules in basic competitive marketing strategy.  That alone will entice people to try your company, not by smearing the other guy.

Dish Network has released a wide array of network packages this past week as well as a number of features and offers to make the packages more enticing.  These changes have been in the works for quite a while but has been undergoing a bunch of tweaking because of all the fluctuations in the market.

There are four new basic packages that were introduced.  First time subscribers will receive a $15 discount for the first year after they sign up.  This package includes your basic local channels as well as regional sports networks.  It sounds pretty simple and it’s probably for the basic, novice person who’s new to satellite television and doesn’t know that much about the industry.

Dish has also partnered with HBO and Showtime, allowing a free subscription for the channels for the first three months along with the slight monthly discount.  The packages seem very simple and are geared solely for the first time subscriber.  The company is trying to get an in with novice users who have either left their cable subscription or people who have never had a subscription in the first place.

The subscriptions will have to be priced fairly low because it has to be able to compete with local cable subscriptions.  There’s no sense in subscribing to satellite if the cable bill will be $10 cheaper.  Most people who can do without HBO or Showtime are probably just content with paying the bare minimum.  But for hardcore watchers who need many channels, satellite is definitely the way to go.

Unless you live in a tropical climate (you lucky jerk-faces), you will have to deal with cold weather and winter precipitation. If you have a satellite dish, this can be very problematic. Ice and snow buildup can cause signal interruption and let’s be honest, an interruption in the middle of your favorite reality TV show sucks. Not only can snow/ice/damnation mess with your signal, it could, if not dealt with, cause damage to your satellite dish. This can be a very expensive piece of equipment to replace so you want to take care of it right away to avoid the damage.

Here is a method for ice removal that is very effective.

You will need:

• A Small Spray Bottle
• An Old Shop Rag or Towel
• Windshield Washer Fluid

Step One:

If there is any snow on the top of the ice brush it off with the rag or old towel.

Step Two:

Take and fill the small spray bottle with the windshield washer fluid. Be very careful not to create a lot of bubbles while doing this, for the bubbles can block the flow of fluid out of the spray bottle. So it is best to fill the bottle slowly.

Step Three:

Now spray the windshield washer fluid on the satellite dish, be generous with the amount. This being said do remember there may be electronics that could be exposed.

Step Four:

Let the washer fluid set so that is soaks in to the ice, this is what melts the ice and allows for easy removal.

Step Five:

Spray another layer of the windshield fluid onto the remaining icy places on the satellite dish antenna.

Step Six:

Use the old towel or shop rag to wipe off the loose ice. If the satellite is not clear of ice repeat Steps E and F, until the ice is completely removes from the dish antennae.

You can program most Dish Network remote controls to operate other devices in your home theater. Some devices have preset codes that you can find in the charts that come with your remote. But if your device is not on the list then you will need to scan for it.

Either way this is how you do it:

Step One:

Turn on the DVD player.

Step Two:

Use your Dish remotes instructions to find the name brand of your DVD player. If there is a code that matches your device continue to Step Three, if not skip straight to Step Six.

Step Three:

Press and Hold the Auxiliary mode button labeled “AUX”. Do this until all of other the mode buttons light up. Now let go of the “AUX”, this button now will flash. Press the “1” button.

Step Four:

Key in the three- digit code for the brand of DVD player you have and press the “#” button and then “-“button.

Step Five:

Press the “Power” button; this should turn off the device. Try pushing some of the other buttons; if they work as they should, you are finished. If not repeat Step Three to Step five with the additional codes for your devices brand.

Step Six:

You will need to perform a code scan if the codes do not work or if there is not a code for you devices brand. To do this Press and hold the “AUX” button until all other the mode buttons light up. Then Let go of the button and it should flash.

Step Seven:

Press the “1” button and the “Star” button. Then press the “Power” button.

Step Eight:

Press the “UP” or DOWN” button repeatedly until the DVD player turns off.

Step Nine:

Press the “#” or “-“button.

Anyone who knows much about the Internet may remember just how slow it was waiting on web pages to load. This was due to the fact that computers had to hook up to existing land line telephone jacks. Telephone lines could only handle a certain amount of traffic which limited the speed at which one could connect.

Satellite customers would have to connect their systems up to telephone lines for software updates and other such uses. Internet across DirecTV was once just a mere suggestion that private homes could not access. As technology has advanced and costs have dropped, the dream of satellite Internet is now a reality.

No longer do people have to depend on having a home phone line in order to enjoy accessing the Internet. This is great considering how many people are now choosing to use strictly cell phones rather than having a dedicated landline.

This can actually present you with a great cost savings. By leaving the landline behind you will no longer have a phone bill to worry about. This means that you will have the extra money for a better Internet package through DirecTV.

To get yourself started, simply give DirecTV a call and tell them that you are interested in taking advantage of an Internet package. If they ask whether you are interested in a home phone option tell them no thank you. Stick with your cell phone provider or give an Internet phone provider such as Vonage a look.

Such providers tend to be a bit cheaper than relying on phone service through your landline or your satellite system. Enjoying the Internet across your DirecTV satellite system is no longer a dream. It is now an affordable reality. You could soon be surfing in style and saving money at the same time.

Picking the right provider for your satellite television needs can sometimes be a bit confusing. Once you have a system installed you may find that it was not actually what you were looking for. Never fear however. There are steps you can take to get the system you were looking for in the first place.

Take for instance switching from Dish Network to DirecTV. It can be rather easy to make the switch when you know just how to go about it. Before you decide to just call DirecTV you should first take the time to check out the company’s various programming packages.

Take a look at your monthly budget and make sure that your new package will fit in. Take into account the fees, including extra receivers and DVRs, so that you will not get caught short when monthly bill time comes around. Remember; introductory pricing is just that. Eventually full pricing will come into effect. Keep this in mind as well.

Once you have decided on the package you want it is time to give the company a call. You can call (800) 494-4388 for residential or (888) 200-4388 for a business. These are the numbers to call for general issues and for signing up. When you call the DirecTV agent will go ahead and schedule a time for the installation.

When the installer comes out make sure that he or she does not damage any property. Also, if they take down your Dish Network equipment keep it on hand. Dish may require that you return it. You might also want to resell it. Switching satellite providers is an easy task when you give it a little forethought about the particular package you will want. It will also help you to feel less pressured by the salesperson when you call DirecTV to sign up.

There are many different reasons why one may consider using a set of wireless phone jacks in conjunction with the Dish Network system. One such reason is that you can cut down on the number of different wires you will have to run through your home. If you are placing a receiver in a room that doesn’t have phone wires and you want to access the pay-per-view feature then a wireless phone jack is a must have.

One of the questions that many people have is whether these jacks will interrupt their internet connection. This especially comes up when users have a wireless internet connection. Before answering this question it is helpful to know just how the “wireless” jacks work. While their name implies a lack of wiring the truth is that the jacks make use of the electrical wiring in your house to carry the signal.

The main unit feeds the phone signal into the power lines which then carry the signal throughout the house to the receiving units. While the electric lines in your house do give off some degree of RF, it is typically not enough to interfere with your wireless internet. This pretty well debunks the issue of a wireless phone jack interfering with wireless internet.

If using a cordless phone you might experience a problem. Many cordless phones, especially older ones, make use of the 2.4 Ghz frequency. This is the same one used by many wireless routers. They may very well interfere with one another.

The easiest fix for this is to switch to a phone that operates on the 5.8 Ghz frequency. If you are having an issue with your wireless phone jack working with your Dish Network system, just try plugging a phone into the jack. If you get no signal then it may very well be that the jack itself is broken.

Once upon a time a time when you wanted to watch television you simply installed a wire antenna and wired it to your television. Today however we are much further along in technology and sophistication. There are now three players in the ring ready to duke it out for our television and internet entertainment dollars.

Cable, the old pro, has in recent years found itself being attacked by competition and critics alike for a variety of reasons. The cost of purchasing shows has in itself not raised very quickly. The amount charged by cable companies however has risen exponentially. Many consumers are looking for ways to reduce their monthly costs and as such are looking beyond cable.

Dish appeared on the scene back in the mid to late 90’s and has made quite the splash. One of the issues with dish (or satellite based) television was that poor weather could interfere with the signal leaving viewers unable to watch TV. As technology has improved so has dish’s ability to compensate for such adverse conditions.

The newest player on the field today has actually been around for longer than both of the other two. Fiber optic lines, once thought the exclusive field of phone communications, has now been adapted to carry picture as well as audio. Not only is it fast and reliable it is easily accessible.

Rather than having to offer many different channels with a variety of programming fiber optic can be used to allow viewers the ability to view a lineup of shows of their choosing. The shows would be stored on a main server and then uploaded to homes in the order chosen.

All three continue to fight out the TV wars, but it remains to be seen as to who might win. Dish has a clear advantage at this point, but fiber optic may just edge them out.

When it comes to satellite television in India there are two major competitors, Tata Sky and Dish TV. Perhaps the first area to look at when it comes to these two companies is the number of active services that each has.

Many consumers will tell you that while Tata Sky has the biggest number of active services they do not tend to be worth the cost. If regional channels were to be offered at the same price then the company would have an edge up on Dish TV in this area.
The technology currently used by both companies is comparable meaning that neither is offered a leg up on the competitor. Even though the equipment is comparable in quality many consumers report a marked increase in signal quality when it comes to Tata Sky. This may be due in part to the STB interface that the company uses.

When it comes to packages the old saying “less is more” may be quite applicable. There have been complaints about how unwieldy Tata Sky’s classification system can be when people have certain channels that they want to see. Dish TV on the other hand does not use such a classification system which makes channel surfing much easier. Dish TV also currently offers more overall channels than Tata Sky.

As far as prices are concerned it seems that Dish TV is the current winner. With more stations for their money there is no denying that the company has Tata Sky beat hands down. Tata Sky does have a referral scheme going though that can help level the playing field. Current users who refer someone will receive two months free viewing and the new users will get their first month of viewing free.

Both companies have many similarities but differ greatly as well. The decision between the two may well come down to what channels one wishes to view.