Dish
Network customers won't have to change the channel from their remote controls
anymore. Now, they can just ask Google.
Dish Network announced on
Monday that all generations of its Hopper DVR set-top
boxes will be compatible with Google Assistant, allowing customers to control
the channel with their voice. The feature is compatible with Google Home speakers
and the Google
Assistant app on iOS and Android.
The update marks a major
shift for Dish Network, who will now give voice control options to the "tens of millions" of people who have bought a Google
Home smart speaker. Those customers can now use the Assistant to ask for
navigation across channels. It will also let you turn the set-top box on or
off.
The new voice control
options come with commands like “Show me reality TV” or asking for content
based on the genre or who stars in it. You can also launch applications like
Game Finder, Netflix, or YouTube with your voice.
You can even use your voice
to set recordings. This might be particularly helpful when you want to record
something while watching it, so that you won’t have to go through on-screen
menus that block the screen in order to initiate the recording.
Since this integration also
works with the Google Assistant, you don’t have to buy a Google Home to take
advantage of this, either. Interested customers with a Hopper DVR (all
generations), Hopper Duo, Joey client (all models) or Wally single-tuner HD can
download the Google Assistant or Home app on their phone.
While DISH does offer a
voice remote, this new approach is more consumer friendly, since it gives
people who want to change the channel by yelling at their TV more options. The
Hopper integration with the Google Assistant is rolling out today to customers
and while you don’t have to worry about misplacing your remote, definitely keep
an eye on your phone.
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