Dish claims US first with YouTube Hopper 3 launch

Dish claims is the first time a nationwide US pay TV provider to offer direct access to YouTube via the set-top box, after the video app went live on its Hopper 3 DVR.

The YouTube app launched on Hopper 3 boxes at the end of last week as part of Dish’s latest software update for the device.

The app joins a number of other services already available on Hopper devices, including Netflix, Pandora, Vevo and The Weather Channel.

“We designed Hopper 3 to be much more than a conventional set-top box,” said Niraj Desai, Dish vice president of product management. “By aggregating apps like YouTube and Netflix with live linear television, Hopper 3 is capable of serving as a household’s comprehensive entertainment hub.”

The YouTube app on Hopper 3 can be accessed from channel 371 or by selecting the ‘apps’ button on the remote control. Customers can also use the YouTube app on mobile devices to cast videos to their Hopper 3 box.