Multi-room Music Now Available on DISH’s Hopper DVR

[Scott Greczkowski]

Multi-room Music Now Available on DISH's Hopper DVR
Release Date:
Thursday, June 22, 2017 8:02 am MDT
Terms:

• Products and Services

Dateline City:
ENGLEWOOD, Colo.

• DISH Music app uses DTS Play-Fi technology to stream music on TV audio systems and speakers throughout the home
• Compatible with music streaming services, including Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Pandora and TIDAL
• Now available on Hopper 2, Hopper 3 and connected Joey clients at no additional cost

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DISH today launched DISH Music, a mobile app powered by DTS Play-Fi technology that gives customers the ability to sync music throughout their home using one central control. This new feature uses TV audio systems connected to Hopper 2 or Hopper 3 DVRs, as well as DTS Play-Fi-enabled speakers, to play music from personal libraries on mobile devices and popular streaming services, like Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Pandora and TIDAL.

"It can be both difficult and expensive to achieve synchronized and high-quality whole-home audio," said Niraj Desai, DISH vice president of product management. "DISH Music is a great whole-home sound solution designed to meet the needs of our customers, as it works with existing audio equipment and is available at no additional cost."

DISH Music turns DISH's Hopper DVRs and connected Joeys into music streaming zones controllable from Android or iOS smartphones and tablets. Using the app, customers can choose to sync the same music across rooms, or play different content in each zone. Televisions will display the metadata for the music being played, such as the artists, song name and music service.

Additionally, DISH Music can wirelessly pair with DTS Play-Fi-enabled speakers connected to the same wireless network. DTS Play-Fi boasts the largest ecosystem of whole-home wireless partners, including Aerix, Anthem, Arcam, Definitive Technology, Klipsch, MartinLogan, McIntosh, Paradigm, Phorus, Polk Audio, Rotel, Sonus Faber, Thiel Audio and Wren, with products from Elite, Integra, Pioneer, Onkyo, Soundcast, SVS Sound and more forthcoming.

Music services available with DISH Music currently include Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Napster, Pandora, SiriusXM and TIDAL. Users must have accounts to access content from these services, when required. DISH Music will also play from personal libraries on mobile devices and is compatible with DLNA media servers.

The DISH Music app is available for download today in the Apple App Store, Google Play Store and Amazon app marketplace.

 

[Tony S]

Will the new Dish music app allow the audio from Dish TV channels to be sent to Play-Fi enabled speakers?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

No. But you can use Bluetooth to send your audio out to speakers to stereos wirelessly.

 

[Tony S]

Too bad. That would have been a great feature. I asked because I have Definitive Technology's soundbar and wireless speakers that have Play-Fi ability (they do not have Bluetooth, however I have found that Play-Fi has much greater range and better quality audio compared to Bluetooth).

If you can't send TV audio to Play-Fi speakers, I do not really understand what advantage Dish is bringing to the Play-Fi scene. The standard free Android or iOS Play-Fi app can already sync the same music across rooms, or play different content in each zone, and Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Napster, Pandora, SiriusXM and TIDAL are all supported with the standard Play-Fi app (along with Internet Radio, JUKE, KKBOX, Qobuz, Spotify, and Music stored on your phone). Is the only difference that televisions will display the metadata for the music being played, such as the artists, song name and music service?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

If you can't send TV audio to Play-Fi speakers, I do not really understand what advantage Dish is bringing to the Play-Fi scene. The standard free Android or iOS Play-Fi app can already sync the same music across rooms, or play different content in each zone, and Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Napster, Pandora, SiriusXM and TIDAL are all supported with the standard Play-Fi app (along with Internet Radio, JUKE, KKBOX, Qobuz, Spotify, and Music stored on your phone). Is the only difference that televisions will display the metadata for the music being played, such as the artists, song name and music service?

That's about it, its just a rebranded PlayFi app. And as SatelliteGuys members have known for months now you could use the PlayFi app and its been working fine for many months now.

 

[Tony S]

Thanks Scott. Interesting that Dish picked to support Play-Fi. Maybe they are thinking of adding the ability to send TV audio to Play-Fi enabled speakers sometime in the future.

 

[Almighty1]

Would be nice if it can send it to the Amazon Echo.

 

[satjay]

Hum, a certain someone has not chimed in about this app


Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

 

[thomasjk]

Shhhh

Sent from my XT1032 using the SatelliteGuys app!

 

[rdavidowski]

What about Spotify? This is kind of an important music service.

 

[KAB]

I predict this will be a fairly "unused" feature. You have to jump through some technical/equipment hoops to get there. Besides, my wife does not want to hear my music, nor me hers!

 

[dweber]

What is the difference between the Play-Fi app and the Dish Music app?

They both seem to do the same thing. Are there any differences other than the name?

Also, I can select my living room HWS or my family room HWS but my bedroom Joey 2 does not show up in the list. I thought that it was supposed to work throughout the home on the Joeys and Hoppers. Was I mistaken?

Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys mobile app

 

[Tony S]

What is the difference between the Play-Fi app and the Dish Music app?

They both seem to do the same thing. Are there any differences other than the name?

The only difference that I see is that televisions will display the metadata for the music being played, such as the artists, song name and music service. The standard Play-Fi app already does everything that the Dish Play-Fi app does and it supports Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Napster, Pandora, SiriusXM, TIDAL, Internet Radio, JUKE, KKBOX, Qobuz, Spotify, and Music from your phone.

As Scott posted previously, the Dish app appears to be just a re-branded Play-Fi app.

 

[bluegras]

good afternoon dish added the app into the rest of the apps last night before i went to bed so you can use the dish whole home music app with your phone thru the apps section i want to let you guys and gals know about it.