Among all of the different portable media devices on the market today, the PocketDish which is made by Dish Network, has a lot of features that distinguish it from many of its competitors. There are several features that make worth looking at. The two most attractive distinguishing features are the PocketDish's ability to download video from a Dish Network digital video recorder and the ability of select models to record video from a wide variety of other video playing devices in real time.
The PocketDish's ability to download video from Dish Network digital video recorders is very attractive when you look at the fact that most other portable video devices download their video from the Internet. Downloading video from the Internet is a process that's ripe with annoyance, frustration, and unnecessary expense. First there's the fact that if you don't have access to a high speed Internet connection, it will take a long time to download video. That's because video is so data intensive and the fact that the Internet was originally designed for transmission of text and maybe some still pictures. Getting a high speed Internet connection may be something that you'd want to do anyway, but if it's not it could wind up being an extra expense that could add to the cost of owning a portable media device.
Even if you have access to a high speed Internet connection, there are a lot of other annoyances to the process of downloading video from the Internet. One major problem is finding the video that you want. Of course there are plenty of free options on YouTube, as well as on AOL and Google, but if you want to download a normal TV show or movie, you'll probably have to go to an online video store or risk the legal problems associated with downloading bootlegged material. Online video stores are a good option except for the fact that they're still in their infancy, and for that reason won't have a very wide selection. For example, you'll probably be able to download the mainstream favorite sitcom or a recent blockbuster movie, but you may not be able to find an obscure TV series or a recent independent film for download. Then there's expense. Even if you do find the video that you want to download, you'll have to pay a small fee in order to get it from an online video store. The fees aren't expensive, but like anything else that's inexpensive the costs can add up in a hurry if you buy enough items.
The PocketDish's ability to download video from Dish Network satellite receivers is a lot better for a number of reasons. First of all, if you have a subscription to Dish Network then all of the programming that you'd want to download to your PocketDish so that you can keep up with your favorite series or whatever will be available simply by merit of it being available from Dish Network. Second, the process of downloading the video is fast and easy. It's also very intuitive for anyone who might not be as computer literate. Last of all, the downloads are free with a Dish Network subscription. All of these conveniences make Dish Network's PocketDish very competitive compared to other portable media devices.
