SourceVoice control is the epitome of convenience. Thanks to virtual assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, we no longer have to pick up a phone or turn on a computer to stay connected to the world. These assistants can check our schedules, read recipes to us while we’re cooking, keep us updated on important news headlines, or give us advice on where we should go for dinner. They even allow us to watch movies and shows without touching a remote!
DISH at the Forefront of Voice-Controlled Television
DISH, the direct-broadcast satellite television provider, has been an industry leader when it comes to voice-controlled television. Back in 2016, DISH launched a voice remote, allowing their customers to search for shows without physically clicking through channels. In 2017, DISH became the first television provider to integrate with Amazon Alexa. Slightly after this, the company unveiled their whole-home Hands-Free TV™ service by pairing Alexa with DISH’s Joey clients. This allowed users to voice control all the TVs in their home.
Now, sometime in the coming months, DISH will expand their voice control capabilities with support for Google Assistant. The company intends to offer a complete voice control suite for their customers to choose from. With Google Assistant, DISH users will have yet another way to control their TV with their voice. Plus, this is the first time that people will be able to control DISH TV in both English and Spanish.
How to Control DISH TV with Google Assistant
With their announcement, DISH provided some examples of commands you’ll be able to ask Google Assistant. Here are just a few:
- “Change channel to ESPN”
- “Search for Game of Thrones”
- “Tune to channel 130”
- “Play the Big Bang Theory”
- “Show me Tom Hanks movies”
Users can navigate to channels by name or number, and even search for shows based on genre or actor. Additionally, people will be able to pause, resume, skip forward, and rewind shows without using a remote. Not only is this super convenient for everyone, but it gives people with disabilities a new way to control their televisions.
What You Will Need
First, check out the DISH Network TV Packages and subscribe to your favorite plan. You’ll also need a Hopper DVR, Joey client, or Wally Single-Tuner HD receiver to pair with Google Assistant. If you’re becoming a new DISH customer you may qualify for a free Hopper Duo. This DVR includes DISH’s voice remote which you can use while you wait for DISH to integrate with Google Assistant.
Lastly, you will need to pair your Hopper with Google Assistant supported speakers. An iPhone or Android will fulfill this requirement perfectly. You can also pair the Hopper with a Google Home.
