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In this article, we’ll show you a step-by-step process to get a dish anywhere on Roku. Dish Network is one of the major satellite TV providers in the United States. Although the subscription count has dropped sharply in the last few years, Dish Network still has over 8.2 million American subscribers as of Q4 2021.
However, Dish Network’s subsidiary over-the-top live TV service, Sling TV, has been compensating for the company’s losses for quite some time now.
If you are still rocking a Dish Network subscription, then you probably have heard of the DISH Anywhere service before. It’s a complimentary live TV and on-demand streaming service included with Dish TV packages. Assuming that you have either the Hopper 2 or the Hopper 3 set-top box, you also can access your recordings from the DISH Anywhere service.
Many of you also happen to have a Roku device for online content consumption and wonder whether the DISH Anywhere service works on Roku or not. To clear up the confusion across thousands of Roku users like you with a Dish subscription, we have prepared this guide to watch DISH Anywhere on Roku.
What is DISH Anywhere?
DISH Anywhere is a complimentary “Live TV Everywhere” service exclusive to Dish subscribers. Based on your TV package, you can watch up to 150 channels on the go, including the ones from the premium network add-ons you are subscribed to.
In addition, DISH Anywhere gives you access to 50000+ movies and TV show episodes sourced from major American television networks, including but not limited to ABC, Bravo, CBS, FOX, A&E, Starz, TBS, TNT, etc. You can also access your previously purchased VOD content from the DISH Anywhere service.
DISH Anywhere also enables you to schedule DVR recordings on your Dish DVR set-top boxes. Select ViP (512, 522, 612, 622, 625, 722, 922) DVR boxes, and three generations of the Hopper (XiP813, XiP913, ZiP1018) boxes are supported, in case you are wondering. You can also edit and delete your DVR recording directly from the service.
Can you Get DISH Anywhere on Roku?
You can use DISH Anywhere on several platforms, including Android, iOS, Fire OS, etc. The web version of the service is accessible via the latest version of Google Chrome on Windows and Safari on Mac computers. Sadly, the same can’t be said for Roku devices, due to the technical limitations and restricted nature of Roku OS.
Since it’s not possible to sideload apps or channels on Roku anymore, you can’t get DISH Anywhere to work natively on your Roku device.
However, there are a few external workarounds you can follow to stream live TV channels and on-demand content from DISH Anywhere on Roku device. Make sure to check them out below.
Mirror DISH Anywhere on Roku from Android App
Most Roku devices come with screen mirroring (Miracast) support, which you can take advantage of to mirror content from the DISH Anywhere Android app to your TV. Before we jump into more details, here are some things you must need first:
Prerequisites
- The first thing you have to do is install the DISH Anywhere app on your Android device. To do it, simply go to the Play Store app and search for “DISH Anywhere” in the search bar using the virtual keyboard. After that, tap the DISH Anywhere app on top of the search results, then tap Install.
- Once it’s installed, you can launch DISH Anywhere from your app drawer. If you are using a Kindle Fire tablet, look for it in the Amazon Appstore.
- On your Roku device, go to the Settings page from the Roku home screen, then proceed to the System Menu and select Screen mirroring from the list of options. Make sure that it’s set to Always allow or Prompt.
- Connect your Roku and Android device to the same Wi-Fi network in your house.
Mirror the DISH Anywhere Contents on Roku
Assuming that you have met the prerequisites, you can begin following the steps below to mirror the DISH Anywhere app on Roku.
- First, launch the DISH Anywhere app and log in with your Dish ID and password. Select the model of your DVR box if prompted.
- Once you are logged in, return to your home screen and go to the Settings
- Search for “Mirror” or “Cast” from the search bar, then tap the top result.
- Toggle ON the screencasting feature from the following page, then select your Roku device model from the list.
- If the screen mirroring mode is set to Prompt on your Roku device, you will have to authorize the connection first.
In a few seconds, your Android device’s screen should be mirrored to your TV. You can now return to the DISH Anywhere app and playback a live TV channel or on-demand movie / TV show episode. Make sure to play the stream in landscape mode for the best experience.
Important
The screen mirroring feature is available on almost all smartphones and tablets running 5.0 Lollipop or the most recent iterations of Android. However, device manufacturers often add or rename existing features on their custom Android skins (e.g., OneUI, MIUI, Color OS, OxygenOS), which is notable with the screen mirroring feature.
Based on which Android device you use, search for Screen Casting, Display mirroring, SmartShare, AllShare Cast, and Smart View keywords in the Settings app in case you are having trouble finding it.
Also, screen mirroring or Miracast doesn’t work when you lock the device’s screen. Since you have to keep your device awake during the streaming session, make sure to lower your Android device’s display brightness to the minimum so that it consumes less battery life. Note that it won’t affect the brightness of the mirrored stream.
Mirror DISH Anywhere on Roku from Windows
If you use a Windows PC or laptop, you can use it to mirror live and on-demand streams from the DISH Anywhere service to your Roku device as well. Here’s how:
- Open up a Google Chrome tab on your desktop. If you don’t have it on your Windows computer, download it from google.com/chrome/. It’s also the recommended browser for the DISH Anywhere web version.
- Next, visit dishanywhere.com and click the Login option above. You will be asked to enter your Dish Online ID and password.
- Once you are successfully logged into the DISH Anywhere service, click the action (⋮) icon on the top-right corner of the Chrome window and select Cast from the drop-down menu.
- On the following context menu, click the Sources option and select Cast desktop.
- Now select your Roku device model from the context menu. The whole desktop will be mirrored to your Roku in a matter of seconds.
You can now maximize the Chrome window and start streaming your favorite channels, movies, and TV show from the DISH Anywhere web version. Click the frame icon on the player overlay to go fullscreen mode.
Although we could also use the built-in Miracast (Connect) feature in Windows 10, the mirrored view doesn’t carry the video and audio streams due to DRM and HDCP restrictions on the DISH Anywhere service.
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Final Words
While the following workarounds above aren’t the most streamlined way to watch DISH Anywhere on Roku, it at least does the job. For the best stream quality, make sure that you have a high-speed internet connection and adequate Wi-Fi coverage for your devices.
Note that the mirrored screen maxes out to 1080p video and stereo audio, assuming that the connection between the source device and Roku is strong enough to handle the continuous stream. Also, screen mirroring isn’t supported on Roku Express (3700) and Roku Express+ (3710) players.