I don't see the Hopper 3 as a step back. I think they will eventually allow multiple H3s on an account when the DHP42 switch is released.
I would have liked to have seen a larger hard drive, but I don't think that the Broadcom chipsets can "see" more than 2TB at a time.
For the VAST majority of Hopper 3 users, 2TB will be enough. For power users, like those of us that visit and post here, I can see the complaints.
However, it is an EXTREMELY nice feature to be able to have three 2TB drives that one can transfer recordings to for later use or to archive and back up recordings so that they could be moved over to another H3 should the current unit have problems.
Much better than DirecTV, where the receiver either sees the internal drive or the external drive and records to it, and then the external drive is married to that particular unit, if your HR34, 44, 54 dies, your programs go with it, even on the external unit.
For myself, I can't see very much to complain about with the Hopper 3. Opinions though, are like @ssholes, everybody has one.
I can certainly empathize with some potential Hopper 3 converts, seeing the shortcomings of not being able to have more than one Hopper 3 at the present time.
Hopefully, Dish will rectify the situation when the DPH42 switch is released.