Dish Home is based on interactive TV middleware developed by OpenTV and allows viewers to navigate through each of the six video windows using the remote control.
EchoStar, operator of the Dish satellite-to-home network, has introduced a new feature that allows subscribers to view six channels at once on the same screen.
Called Dish Home, the new feature is based on interactive TV middleware developed by OpenTV. It was first demonstrated during the 2004 Olympic Games and the presidential election.
Choosing from a variety of channels available on Dish Network, including CNN, MSNBC, Weather Channel and E! Entertainment, views can use Dish Home to build a mosaic featuring up to six programs whose video feeds show simultaneously on the screen.
The service allows viewers to navigate through each of the six video windows using the remote control’s directional arrows. As they navigate, the audio changes to correspond with the currently highlighted video window. Full-screen video and audio automatically appears when a network window is selected. Viewers can access the wide selection of interactive services from the DISH Home channel, including customer service, news, and shopping and games. In addition, a text ticker allows EchoStar to provide up-to-the-minute news and events.
Dish Network subscribers will require an interactive TV-enabled receiver to use the Dish Home service. The service can be accessed by pressing the interactive TV button on the remote, by launching ITV from the network’s electronic programming guide or by clicking on a Dish Home advertisement on another channel.
