Dish Network has invested heavily in the resi custom install market in the last few years, and as a result more and more dealers are utilizing its satellite-based entertainment services.
The company's goal at CEDIA 2016 was to illustrate its diversity — Dish offers more than your run of the mill home entertainment. In it's CEDIA booth, Dish set up several “zones” that touched upon different elements of its product line.
Dish announced new integration capabilities for Elan, URC, AMX and Control4 control systems as well as its new dealer program.
Dish's Custom Install Buyer Program
Frank DeFilippis, national sales manager for custom installation at Dish, says the company’s new Custom Install Buyer Program is designed to enhance dealers’ businesses.
“When it comes to integrating subsystems in a home, we understand that time is precious and reliability is key,” notes DeFilippis. “Our new dealer program simplifies the account set up process by utilizing a cash-and-carry business model and it provides access to a white-glove service unmatched by any other pay TV provider in the business.”
The program is aimed at providing electronics professionals with a premium pay-TV product line that services its connected home clientele.
Working with manufacturers such as AMX, Control4, Crestron, Elan, Key Digital, Logitech, Pro Control, RTI, Savant and URC, as well as back end services and infrastructure providers, Dish is putting provisions in place to ensure dealers are able to easily integrate its systems with post sales support.
Core Brands created a two-way driver to allow for Dish integration into Elan control systems. The driver features standard control, an integrated channel guide with metadata and advanced search options.
Dish says the driver will be available when ELAN v8.0 launches this fall.
Dish’s partnership with URC supports Total Controls system access to control the Hopper set-top boxes (STBs) and Joey client devices. The two-way URC driver features standard controls and feedback of channel metadata.
In addition, AMX’s new two-way driver increases Dish’s integration into AMX systems. Dish says the new driver improves upon the original module from 2014 with two-way feedback. It enables homeowners to access, search and navigate the same program information from their traditional displays on their handheld Modero Touchpanel or app-based smart products.
Beyond the Home
Touching upon features and applications outside of traditional residential systems, Dish also showed its Playmaker tailgating system. This lightweight, small footprint product can be used for tailgating parties and camping.
One of the nice aspects of the Playmaker system is that consumers can use the product during warm-weather months and shut off its service during the winter months when it's not in use to save money.
Addressing the commercial video market, Dish also showed its SmartBox 96-channel system as well as its Evolve solution for the hospitality market. Dish says the product utilizes an Android-based operating system (Marshmello) and offers features such as GoogleCast to allow users to stream content from their smart devices.
The goal with the Evolve is to enable the hospitality industry to provide a more residential-esque entertainment user experience.
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