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Blockbuster On Demand Being Pulled from TiVo

Tue Feb 21, 2012 at 10:00 AM ET
Tags: Blockbuster, Dish Network, Blockbuster On Demand, Blockbuster @Home, TiVo (all tags)

This isn't the first device to lose Blockbuster on Demand recently - the install rate has shrunk rapidly.

Blockbuster has just announced that its On Demand movie service is being pulled from TiVos, stating that the newly updated platform will no longer work on TiVo systems. The list of supported devices is shrinking and it looks like Blockbuster On Demand is on the way out.

Of course, this doesn't mean that Blockbuster is quitting the streaming game. The new Blockbuster @Home service that's been rolled out to Dish subscribers could well be on its way to the rest of us. Priced right, this alternative could make Netflix look pretty weak, considering how few 28-day release windows Blockbuster deals with.

The other alternative, of course, is that Blockbuster really has created a version of the Blockbuster On Demand platform that doesn't work with any of the devices currently on the market. Since Blockbuster and Dish seem to like money, we're guessing that's not it.

Source: Engadget

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Blockbuster Boasts a $3.3 Million Profit Since Dish Buyout

Wed Nov 09, 2011 at 02:00 PM ET
Tags: Blockbuster, Dish Network, Sales Figures (all tags)

Looks like the rental giant may have been counted out too soon!

It seemed like things were all over for Blockbuster and, if you look at it a certain way, they are. The company fought bankruptcy, dealt with creditors and did its best to stay afloat and eventually got sold to Dish Network.

Dish made some major changes to the company, resulting in some incredible results. In the time between April 26th and September 30th, Blockbuster has made $3.3 million. That's not a huge amount in the profit column, but being able to report a profit is downright impressive.

Dish says that the new Blockbuster streaming service has helped out with profits significantly and already gained 600,000 subscribers.

It's still too soon to tell, but it seems like this Dish acquisition could be a new start for Blockbuster.

Source: Home Media Magazine

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Blockbuster Subcriptions Increase by Half a Million

Wed Sep 28, 2011 at 10:00 AM ET
Tags: Blockbuster, Dish Network, Blockbuster Movie Pass (all tags)

Apparently the Dish Network announcement made a pretty big impact.

According to Blockbuster, they've increased by 500,000 subscribers in the last 30 days. We're willing to bet a large number of those new members came on board in the last week, after Dish announced their impressive streaming/disc combo service.

The company hasn't disclosed how many of those subscribers might be getting a free trial, but either way 500,000 is a number that's hard to ignore, especially in such a short amount of time.

Hopefully this interest will lead the way to Dish Network opening this service up to non-subscribers for an additional fee. Getting games and movies and streaming content from one source instead of signing up for Netflix, Qwickster and Gamefly is something with a great deal of appeal.

Source: Home Media Magazine

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Dish Network Launches the Blockbuster Movie Pass Streaming Service

Mon Sep 26, 2011 at 02:00 PM ET
Tags: Blockbuster Movie Pass, Dish Network, Blockbuster, Netflix (all tags)

It's a sweet deal too, especially if you're a Dish subscriber already.

At first glance, Blockbuster Movie Pass sounds like everything we've ever wanted from a subscription based service. It offers DVDs, Blu-rays and even games by mail with no upcharge, gives unlimited streaming access and access to more shows and movies than Netflix.

It's cheap too. If you subscribe to Dish Network's America's Best 200 programming package, you'll get the Blockbuster Movie Pass absolutely free. Dish Network subscribers will pay just $10 a month and the rest of us - well, the rest of us won't have access at all.

That's right - in order to get into the perfect package for cable cutters you'll have to subscribe to Dish Network. It sounds like a great service for subscribers, but it's definitely not the big Netflix competitor we expected. No word yet on when the service might be opened up to non- Dish Network subscribers.

Source: Engadget

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Dish Network Launches a Portable Satellite System

Tue Aug 30, 2011 at 01:45 PM ET
Tags: Dish Network (all tags)

It’s called The Tailgater, for obvious reasons.

Portable television has always been a bit of a disappointment. You can get some local channels with your antenna, but that’s about it. It’s fine if that’s all you want to watch, but if you need more, like ESPN, or you want to check in on some other games before your team takes the field then you’re out of luck.

That’s why Dish Network came up with the Tailgater. It’s a portable dish and set-top that can be used when you’re tailgating, camping or whatever else you get up to. The Tailgater automatically finds the satellite so you don’t have to manually adjust it and it weighs in at just 10 pounds.

“Tailgaters across the country have wanted an easy way to watch their games in HD, and now they can through DISH Network's Tailgater,” says Dish CMO Ira Bahr. “The Tailgater's simple set-up combined with full access to DISH Network's programming packages at convenient month-to-month pricing makes it the best 'TV-on-the-go' option for outdoor enthusiasts.”

The Tailgater is available now at a price of $350.

Source: ecoustics

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Dish Network Will Launch a Subscription Based Streaming Service

Mon Aug 08, 2011 at 02:00 PM ET
Tags: Dish Network, Blockbuster, Streaming (all tags)

The recent Blockbuster acquisition makes that very possible for the company.

"Everybody's enamoured with Netflix. Who's to say we can't do the same thing?" Those are the words of Dish Network president Joe Clayton, who has been talking up plans to launch a streaming service that could rival Netflix.

When the company purchased Blockbuster earlier this year, analysts explored the possibilities for the company and one thing that kept coming up was subscription based streaming. In his recent interview with the LA Times he takes the "maybe" out of the picture.

"We have access to the studios, we have access to huge movie libraries," says Clayton of the planned streaming service. As far as a timeline for this new service, Clayton simply says "Sooner is always better."

Source: LA Times

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Dish Network Will Offer Free Sling Adapters to Existing Customers

Fri May 13, 2011 at 10:00 AM ET
Tags: Dish Network, Sling (all tags)

Well not exactly free, but you'll get a rebate in the form of an American Express gift card for the amount you paid.

New customers get all the perks. When you first sign up for cable or satellite services, the companies throw everything they have at getting you in, but after the first six months the relationship stales. You're not new and exciting anymore and they start to charge more and take away some of the cool freebies.

Dish subscribers have some good news coming their way. The company has decided - according to Satellite Guys - to extend an offer of free Sling Adapters to current customers instead of just the ones new to the service.

Technically, the adapters aren't free - at least not initially. You'll have to pay $99 up front, but you'll get a $99 rebate in the form of an American Express Gift Card. You get your money back, but you'll have to wait a bit.

Source: Engadget

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Dish Asks for Extension on Deciding Which Blockbuster Stores Stay Open

Tue Apr 26, 2011 at 10:00 AM ET
Tags: Dish Network, Blockbuster, Industry Trends (all tags)

The folks at Dish Network are closing down a majority of Blockbuster stores, but the big decision will wait until July.

When Dish won the bid for Blockbuster earlier this month, it put a lot of new work on their plate, not the least of which is deciding which Blockbuster stores to keep open and which to close. Dish now owns 1,700 Blockbuster stores, and is planning to close around two thirds of them.

There's a lot to think about when deciding which store to keep open, and it's a decision that Dish isn't taking lightly. Many of these stores have outstanding leases and all have both associated costs and associated personnel. Dish says that it's picking up the tab for these costs, including vacation days.

The bankruptcy judge in charge of the case has issued Dish a 90 day extension from the original deadline to sort things out. They'll be expected to have reached a decision by July 21.

Source: Home Media Magazine

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Dish Ordered To Shut Down Patent Violating DVRs - Dish Upgrading Customers

Fri Apr 22, 2011 at 12:00 PM ET
Tags: Dish Network, TiVo (all tags)

A federal court has ruled that certain Dish DVRs violate patents held by TiVo.

Bad news for Dish Network could actually be good news for Dish subscribers. In a ruling made earlier this week, a federal court has ruled that certain Dish DVRs violate patents held by TiVo. That means they'd have to disable every one of the DVRs cited in the case.

"The disablement ruling covers only certain older generation MPEG2 DVRs," Dish said in an official statement. They say that many of the customers using the old DVRs have already been upgraded, and the new DVRs provided by the company do not violate this patent.

"If we are unsuccessful in obtaining a stay, we will work as quickly as possible to upgrade the remaining customers to our current generation DVRs, as these are not at issue in the ruling," says Dish, which means upgrades may be in the future for those using the older tech.

Dish is still going to try and take this up to the next level, but the folks at TiVo seem confident that they'll win out in the end.

Source: TWICE

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Dish Network Wins Bid, Acquires Blockbuster

Wed Apr 06, 2011 at 05:30 PM ET
Tags: Dish Network, Blockbuster, Industry Trends, High-Def Retailing (all tags)

After adjustments for inventory and other considerations, Dish is paying around $228 million in cash.

The auction for the rental giant has closed and Dish Network has emerged as the winner. Their bid was for $320 million, but the company says that they expect to pay around $228 million in cash when all is said and done.

"With its more than 1,700 store locations, a highly recognizable brand and multiple methods of delivery," says Tom Cullen, VP of Sales and Marketing for Dish, "Blockbuster will complement our existing video offerings while presenting cross-marketing and service extension opportunities for Dish Network."

Dish has not yet revealed what they plan to do with Blockbuster's existing stores or how they plan to leverage their new acquisition, but Cullen says that "we look forward to working with its employees to re-establish Blockbuster's brand as a leader in video entertainment."

Source: Engadget

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