SlingGuide beta to offer Web-based control and viewing of EchoStar DVR

Sling Media has announced a new product at CES designed to enable remote scheduling on DVRs made by its satellite TV parent company, EchoStar. SingGuide offers much of the same functionality as TiVo Central Online.

Currently in beta testing, SlingGuide users can browse, search and record programs via their Web browser for Dish Network DuoDVR 722k, 722 and 622 models, as well as the new 922, which was just announced at CES 2009 and features built in SlingLoaded technology that works like the separate Slingbox device.

For the DuoDVR 922 and any other Dish Network DVR with an attached Slingbox, SlingGuide -- which is essentially just a Web page -- can also be used to watch live TV or recorded programs in a browser, without requiring SlingPlayer.

Why would anyone want to schedule their DVR over the Web? Aside from being away from home, Sling Media says the SlingGuide provides more options than the standard program guide. Users can easily search for shows by title, genre, network, keyword or actor, which would prove more difficult with a TV remote control.

SlingGuide will be free to all DishN etwork subscribers when it launches in the spring of 2009.