EchoStar Wins 'Best of CES' Award for Hottest Home Video Product At 2008 Internationa

[eHDMI]

EchoStar Holding Corporation (Nasdaq:SATS) and its wholly-owned subsidiary, EchoStar Technologies L.L.C., today announced they won a "Best of CES" award for the TR-50 DVR digital-to-analog converter box in the Home Video Category. Produced and judged by editors from CNET (www.cnet.com), the winners of the "Best of CES" Awards were announced Wednesday, January 9 at the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

Selected by CNET's unbiased, expert editors, "Best of CES" award winners are recognized as the hottest products in their respective technology categories for their unmatched innovation and creativity, and their ability to excite consumers and help them explore a world gone digital. CNET's editors received and reviewed hundreds of entries, as well as scoured the CES show floor for products to consider for the prestigious award.

EchoStar's TR-50 DVR, expected to be available in July 2008, allows analog TVs to receive digital over-the-air broadcasts and comes with an onscreen setup wizard for easy installation. The TR-50 also includes a digital video recorder, allowing customers to view, record and play back local over-the-air analog and digital broadcasts, including high definition. Other features include up to a seven-day electronic programming guide (EPG), program search, parental locks, VCR auto-tune timers, closed captioning, reminder pop-ups for pre-selected programming, and simultaneous output from HD and SD connections as well as Ethernet, modem and USB connections to support additional functionality. Pricing for the TR-50 DVR will be established in the coming months.

"We are honored that CNET has recognized the EchoStar TR-50 DVR with the prestigious 'Best of CES' Award, reaffirming our industry leadership in designing and manufacturing cutting-edge, sought-after products that offer unique benefits to consumers," said Mark Jackson, president of EchoStar Holding Corporation. "Our TR-50 DVR leverages the award-winning technology we put into our suite of receivers and will provide analog TV owners a viewing experience not unlike that offered by digital TV sets, ensuring they can continue to watch and record their favorite over-the-air programming without interruption."

"Chosen from hundreds of products at CES, EchoStar's TR-50 DVR demonstrates the creativity, excellence and vision that sets the standard in home video," said Jai Singh, editor-in-chief of CNET and senior vice president for Content Development. "The 'Best of CES' Awards brings together the top consumer electronics that will impact the coming year for consumer electronics."

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[Yes616]

This is not really Dish Network News as the TR-50 is a converter box for analog TV's to receive OTA digital. With a built in DVR.

It is however, the first big news of Echostar going off in their own direction.

Another box, the TR-40 (I beleive) is another such box without a DVR function that will sell for $40.00 and this box will be eligable for the $40.00 coupon program from the government. The TR-50 will not be eligable for the $40.00 coupon.

Not a bad deal on the TR-40 as it was said the converter boxes would cost around $75.00 so here the OTA people can go digital for free on their analogue sets.