Portable entertainment devices keep getting better, and DISH Network has outdone themselves (and more importantly their competition) with the introduction of their PocketDish line. PocketDishes are full featured home entertainment systems in miniature. Even the smallest one can hold enough video content for 10 full length feature films, enough music to go for years without listening to the same song twice, a photo album large enough to bore even the most patient stranger, and video games on top of that. Each one can download DISH Network program content from any Dish Network DVR and they all come equipped with a lithium ion battery that can last around four hours before recharging, an integrated LCD screen, and the ability to play video onto most televisions.
The mid level AV500E and the top of the line AV700E have many features in common. Both have 16:9 aspect ratio screens to make it easy for them to play movies in wide screen format. They have integrated speakers and come with remote controls, docking stations, display stands, and removable batteries to extend play times. Even more interestingly, they both have digital video recording capabilities. They can plug into almost any television, cable box, satellite receiver, VCR, or DVD player to record video. And one thing that any electronic enthusiast will appreciate is that by recording this way they can hold up to four times the video content as when they download programming directly from a DISH Network DVR.
The AV700E has an enormous 40 GB hard drive that can hold up to 40 hours of DISH Network programming, or up to 160 hours of video recorded from another source. It can also store up to 20,000 songs in WAV, MP3, or WMA formats, and 400,000 JPEG digital photographs. It's about 8" wide by 4.2" high by 1" deep and has a 7" LCD screen.
The AV500E has a 30 Gigabyte hard drive (a little bigger than the disk on the computer I'm using to write this!) which can store up to 30 hours of DISH Network programming, 15,000 songs, and 300,000 photographs. It measures about 4.8" wide by 3" high by 1" deep and has a 4" screen.
The entry level AV402E is set apart from the others by the lack of a remote control, digital video recording capability, and docking station. It also relies on headphones for audio instead of built in speakers, but this might not be a bad thing considering the crowded areas where it's likely to be used. One thing it has that the other two models don't is a built in microphone which could make it a good choice for a student, journalist, or live music enthusiast. The unit itself is about 4" wide by 2 and a half high by 0.7" deep. It has a 2.2 inch LCD screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio which would make it less than ideal for watching movies in wide screen format. It's 20 Gig hard drive can hold 20 hours of DishNetwork content, 10,000 songs, and a respectable 200,000 photos. While smaller than the others, the AV402E is still a good choice because of it's portability and audio recording potential.
Whatever your portable entertainment needs, PocketDish technology shows the potential to meet it.
