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LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 19, 1999--
DISHPlayer To Offer New Digital Video Record Features EchoStar
Communications Corp., (NASDAQ: DISH, DISHP) announced today that
EchoStar and WebTV Networks will offer incredible new personal
television (PTV) services for DISHPlayer™, the revolutionary new
satellite receiver that will provide digital video recording, enhanced
TV Pause, program skip, fast-forward and rewind along with on demand
news, weather, sports and entertainment later this fall.
Developed with WebTV Networks, Inc., DISHPlayer is the world's
first interactive satellite TV receiver with a built-in, ultrafast 8.6
gigabyte hard drive capable of simultaneously recording and playing
back full-quality digital video. The disk drive makes possible a
number of enhanced PTV features, including TV Pause ("freezing" a TV
show and resuming when the viewer is ready to watch again); skip,
fast-forward or rewind any recorded program; digital video recording
(automatic recording of several hours of high-quality digital video),
and downloadable video games via satellite. DISHPlayer can also browse
the Internet and send e-mail via the built-in WebTV® Plus service
for satellite.
Echostar will include in the PTV services an instant news
feature, delivering on demand news, weather, sports and entertainment
information.
DISH Network offers programming beginning at $19.99 per month for
40 of the most popular all-digital satellite TV channels. DISH Network
also offers two interactive services: WebTV Plus service for satellite
for $24.95 per month and, starting this fall, PTV services and
downloadable games for $9.95 per month. DISH Network customers who
subscribe to both WebTV Plus service for satellite and PTV services
will receive a $5.00 per month discount. DISHPlayer is available from
nearly 20,000 DISH Network retail locations nationwide for only $199
until Sept. 30, 1999, or by calling DISH Network directly at
1-800-333-DISH (3474). DISHPlayer will also be available this in
conjunction with DISH 500, EchoStar's advanced satellite TV system
offering 500 channels on a single small dish.
"DISHPlayer's personal television features offer customers
greater control over when and how they watch TV," said Charlie Ergen,
chairman and CEO of EchoStar. "You can get personal television
services with a simple software download through your satellite dish,
which means the DISHPlayer you buy today is equipped for future
product enhancements."
EchoStar's Revolutionary Satellite Receiver
DISHPlayer is a state-of-the-art DISH Network satellite receiver
that provides customers with access to over 350 channels, including
broadcast networks, sports, international and pay-per-view
programming, in crystal-clear digital video and CD-quality audio and
with a Dolby Digital™ output included for full theater surround
sound. This set-top box features a printer port for printing out web
pages or e-mail messages and provides parental blocking capabilities,
allowing parents to control access to web sites and TV programs. In
addition, the picture-in-picture capability lets viewers surf the web
and watch TV simultaneously. They can also automatically program their
video cassette recorder to record any show they choose, with the press
of a button on the remote control. The DISHPlayer system includes a
remote control and wireless keyboard.
Interactive Television
DISHPlayer offers a rich electronic TV guide that provides new
features such as the TV Search capability, giving viewers the power to
easily find subjects of interest from the detailed TV show listings
using the DISHPlayer's keyboard. This advanced TV guide also links
Internet content with programming found in TV Listings, providing
easily accessible program-related information at the touch of a
button. The TV Recent feature saves thumbnail pictures of the last six
channels so that viewers can quickly return to the previous channels
they were watching. The WebTV Plus service for satellite will offer a
variety of games such as You Don't Know Jack™, which can be updated
weekly by satellite.
Content creators, such as MSNBC and The Weather Channel, will be
able to design enhanced programming delivered via satellite to
DISHPlayer and all types of broadcast receivers that comply with a
proposed specification by the Advanced Television Enhancement Forum
(ATVEF). Broad industry adoption of the ATVEF specification will
enable television viewers to enjoy interactive television programming
on a wide variety of compliant receivers and accelerate the market for
interactive television products and services.
Internet Experience
The WebTV Plus service for satellite is an enhanced version of
the WebTV Plus service, the leading Internet TV offering worldwide.
The WebTV Plus service provides an easy-to-use, robust Internet
experience via a 56K modem connection, offering up to six e-mail
accounts and child-protection features. The DISHPlayer supports
popular multimedia e-mail features in the WebTV Network service,
allowing a subscriber to easily plug in a camcorder and send pictures
and audio clips through e-mail.
EchoStar Communications Corp., includes three interrelated
business units:
- DISH Network™ is EchoStar's state-of-the-art DBS system that
offers customers over 300 channels of digital video and
CD-quality audio programming, fully MPEG-2/DVB compliant hardware
and installation.
- EchoStar Technologies Corporation designs, manufactures and
distributes DBS set-top boxes, antennas and other digital
equipment for the DISH Network and various international
customers that include ExpressVu Canada and Telefonica's Via
Digital system in Spain. ETC also provides uplink center design,
construction oversight and project integration services for
customers internationally. ETC also oversees EchoStar Data
Networks Corporation in Atlanta, a leading supplier of
MediaStream® technology for distributing Internet content over
satellite networks.
- Satellite Services provides the delivery of video, audio and data
services to business television customers and other satellite
users. These services include satellite uplink, satellite
transponder space usage, and other services. Satellite Services
also administers SKY VISTA, a direct broadcast satellite service
offering over 27 channels of popular digital satellite television
programming to viewers in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the
U.S. territories in the Caribbean.
DISH Network currently serves approximately 2.6 million
customers. DISH Network is a trademark of EchoStar Communications
Corporation. DISH Network is located on the Internet at:
www.dishnetwork.com
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CONTACT: EchoStar Communications Corporation
Judianne Atencio, Communications Director, 303/723-2010
e-mail: judianne.atencio@echostar.com
Marc Lumpkin, Communications Manager, 303/723-2020
marc.lumpkin@echostar.com