Dish Network has launched its DishOnline.com website in beta mode. When it officially launches, Dish will join other television providers in offering programmed content streaming over the internet, a service that allows subscribers to watch TV in more places than in front of their TV sets. (By the way, the beta is currently working for non-subs so have a look!)
Starting today, DishOnline.com is testing content from various TV networks and studios including CBS, Discovery Channel, and HGTV. Some content is open for viewing while some is locked. On the front page, links to episodes of “The Gates,” “The Daily Show,” and “Scoundrels” are available to watch freely. Movies currently streaming include The Relic, Alfie and Changing Lanes. Locked movies such as District 9, Good Will Hunting, and The Godfather require a Dish subscription.
A feature of the online service will allow you to watch any of the DVR-recorded content on your PC. The site will also offer free clips of movies and cable shows, with a subscription or additional rental fee required to view the entire title. What would be smart is for Dish to offer rentals to non-subscribers as well.
“People are shifting where they watch video, and I want to shift with them,” Dave Shull, Dish Network’s senior vice president of programming.
The New York Times reports the online service will officially launch this week.
Dish Network also recently launched a free iPad app which enables remote scheduling of Dish DVRs. The app, called called DISH Remote Access, also allows setting priorities, resolving scheduling conflicts, and managing recorded shows.
