As virtual voice assistants become more prevalent, DISH stands at the forefront of this technological movement. In 2018, DISH announced the integration of Google Assistant with DISH equipment. Then, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in 2019, DISH announced that the fusion between DISH TV and the Google Assistant is now even better.

Instead of using a Google Home Assistant speaker or the Google Assistant app on a mobile device to control DISH equipment, DISH users can now communicate with the Google Assistant—and their set-top boxes—via their DISH TV remotes.

What Equipment Do I Need to Use the Google Assistant with my DISH Remote?

As long as customers have a DISH Voice Remote control, they can use the Google Assistant to control any DISH set-top boxes, including DISH Hopper (all generations), DISH Joey (all models), and DISH Wally.

The DISH Voice Remote is included in all packages for new customers, and current DISH customers who don’t have a voice remote can upgrade for $20.

What Voice Commands Can I Use with My Remote?

With the Google Assistant built-in, customers can ask Google questions through their remotes, with answers appearing on their TV screens:

• “Hey, Google, what’s tomorrow’s weather forecast?”
• “Hey, Google, what’s the score of the Patriots football game?”

The Google Assistant built-in also allows DISH users to control their smart homes from the remote, from dimming the lights and adjusting the thermostat to locking the doors and arming the alarm system. With the Google Home app, users can even set up custom commands and routines to automate their smart home devices and then use the voice remote to control their homes:

• “Hey, Google, dim the lights.”
• “Hey, Google, set the thermostat to 72 degrees.”
• “Hey, Google, it’s time to hit the hay.”

And, of course, DISH customers can use the Google Assistant to start playing a show on the DISH Hopper 3, DVR a show or movie, control TV playback, search for shows and movies, adjust TV volume, and launch Netflix.

• “Hey, Google, what NBA games are on TV tonight?”
• “Hey, Google, rewind 30 seconds.”
• “Hey, Google, change the channel to Food Network.”

Our step-by-step guide tells customers how to get started with the Google Assistant so they can make the most of their DISH equipment and this seamless integration—they can start enjoying the ability to control their smart homes and entertainment systems from the palms of their hands. Check out the rest of our blog for more updates.