Amazon Echo owners who also have a Dish Hopper DVR can now surf channels hands-free, using only their voice and the power of Alexa.
Dish first announced back in CES 2016 that it will add the capability to every Hopper DVR generation and it's now making good on its promise. Starting today, customers can tap Amazon Alexa for a hands-free TV experience, controlling their Hopper DVR or Wally satellite via voice commands.
The company boasts that it's the first TV provider to offer direct Alexa compatibility and it aims to change the way its customers watch TV, eliminating the need to touch the remote.
Redefining The TV Experience
"Hopper and Alexa introduce next-level convenience that redefines the way TV fits into our lives," says Niraj Desai, vice president of product management at Dish.
"Customers love the convenience of interacting with their smart homes via Alexa, and now that includes live TV on Dish," adds Amazon Alexa director Rob Pulciani. "With Dish's skill for Alexa, changing the channel, pausing, rewinding, and searching for content will be as simple as asking Alexa via an Echo family device. We think this is a big step forward for the television experience, and that customers will love this new voice functionality on Dish."
Dish Alexa Skill: What Can It Do?
Customers who own an Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, or Tap and any generation of internet-connected Hopper DVR or Wally can take advantage of this new Alexa skill to surf through channels, play, pause, rewind, fast forward, or search for specific content based on title, genre, actor, or channel.
Universal search functionality plays nice across various services, including Netflix movies and TV shows in addition to Dish's own live, on-demand and recorded content.
Amazon Alexa On Dish: How To Set It Up
To enable this capability, first off you need to enable Dish TV in the Alexa app. On a mobile device, open the Alexa app, head over to Music, Video & Books > Dish TV and select Enable Skill.
From there, turn on your Hopper or Wally device, access the Menu > Settings > Amazon Alexa and select Get Code to obtain the receiver code. Next up, head back to the Alexa app, type in the code, and tap Activate. Once you get the confirmation message, tap Done.
To start pairing your Wally or Hopper device with your Amazon speaker, access the Alexa app, choose the desired device from the list, tap Continue, and select the Amazon device with which you want to sync the receiver. Once you've made the selections, hit Link Devices and you're good to go.
You should now be able to enjoy hands-free TV and easy navigation for added convenience. Controlling the TV experience through voice commands could come in handy in a number of scenarios and could be particularly useful for people with physical disabilities or impairments.
If you've already tried out the new Dish Alexa skill on your Wally or Hopper DVR, drop by our comments section below and tell us about your experience.
