Dual Hopper Intergration (From Team Summit)

[Scherrman]

I am here with some DISH guys now, they have been reading your comments and they tell me that the integration will get better as time goes on.

Once again. Everyone needs to be a little patient. It's only been out a few months and it's already progressed great.

 

[digiblur]

Echostar REALLY messed up when choosing that config.

Sent from my iPad 2 using Forum Runner

8 devices is perfectly fine to be honest. Not many people have more than 8 receivers. It was the design of the node where they really messed up. Switching in 500mhz from the satellite for one tuner? Really? They weren't thinking there.

Sent from my C64 w/Epyx FastLoad cartridge

 

[loubon]

Scott, what about broadband? Do both Hoppers need a wireless adapter when integrated or will one work for both?

 

[Scherrman]

Scott, what about broadband? Do both Hoppers need a wireless adapter when integrated or will one work for both?

Are you able to use a HIC?

 

[JM42]

Switching in 500mhz from the satellite for one tuner? Really? They weren't thinking there.

That by itself doesn't really bother me, it's all they needed for three tuners and was easiest for existing DPP+ tech.

What I have to wonder is what really drove the 3 tuner decision. Was it a legitimate "more would add $$ to every box and we really think 3 is a sweet spot," or was it "we can't do more than 3 tuners without a real change to LNB/Switch tech."

My guess the real decision was combo of the two. I don't think we'll see a 5/6/whatever tuner box unless they do a more SWM like implementation to keep it a single cable solution.

 

[n0qcu]

You can set the timer from the Hopper or the Joeys paired to that Hopper. If you want to record to another Hopper you can pair the Joey to that Hopper and setup the timer.

All's the intergration does at this point is allow you to view recording from both Hoppers on any Joey (or Hopper)

EXACTLY what I want.
I WANT to CHOOSE which Hopper is recorded to leaving the other Hopper for live TV viewing.

 

[digiblur]

That by itself doesn't really bother me, it's all they needed for three tuners and was easiest for existing DPP+ tech.

What I have to wonder is what really drove the 3 tuner decision. Was it a legitimate "more would add $$ to every box and we really think 3 is a sweet spot," or was it "we can't do more than 3 tuners without a real change to LNB/Switch tech."

My guess the real decision was combo of the two. I don't think we'll see a 5/6/whatever tuner box unless they do a more SWM like implementation to keep it a single cable solution.

Ding ding ding.... that was the reason for the 3 tuners. After switching in 1500mhz, moca, then band guards between each of them there was no room left in a 3ghz cable. You won't see them go to more then 3 tuners until the design issues with the node is corrected to allow more than that.

Sent from my C64 w/Epyx FastLoad cartridge

 

[Laddyboy]

Once again. Everyone needs to be a little patient. It's only been out a few months and it's already progressed great.

I might agree with that, but it seems there are still reports of some subs having issues with PTAT. If that were cleared up, I'd feel a bit better about jumping in and waiting for OTA availability and Hopper integration. What I don't understand is why some have PTAT problems and not others. Are most not using PTAT?

 

[king3pj]

I might agree with that, but it seems there are still reports of some subs having issues with PTAT. If that were cleared up, I'd feel a bit better about jumping in and waiting for OTA availability and Hopper integration. What I don't understand is why some have PTAT problems and not others. Are most not using PTAT?

PTAT didn't work on my hoppers from my install the 2nd week the hoppers were out until I got S209 last Friday but it has worked great since then.

 

[articos]

Saw someone else ask, but didn't see an answer, Scott, any word on if we need a Sling for each hopper, or if one will eventually access both?

Thanks!

 

[sparc]

Once again. Everyone needs to be a little patient. It's only been out a few months and it's already progressed great.

we were patiently waiting for a summer launch. Someone at dish described it as "seamless" integration so that's where the confusion is from.

I'm sure we'll make due with the way it is, but we're going to have to lower our expectations a bit from "seamless".
_________________________________________

 

[dangue]

I might agree with that, but it seems there are still reports of some subs having issues with PTAT. If that were cleared up, I'd feel a bit better about jumping in and waiting for OTA availability and Hopper integration. What I don't understand is why some have PTAT problems and not others. Are most not using PTAT?

I've had PTAt working perfectly on both Hoppers since my install a week after they became available.

 

[navychop]

Yes, it's a nice step up.

Do I understand this correctly? If I'm on Hopper #1 (or a Joey on H1) and my tuners are in use, and I want to link/pair to Hopper #2 to use one of it's unused tuners, I won't be able to if Hopper #2 has 3 Joeys?

 

[cac303]

Other issues include:

What if 1 hopper has space and the other has a hard drive full? Customers would get upset if they started to lose programs with free space.

If some episodes of a show go one one drive then the other? EHD transfer issues?

You lose one of the 2 hoppers?

What if one loses power but not the other. Then it is plugged back in, how do they figure out how to recover. (i.e. the one that was the master got unplugged, the slave decided it was the master then the master came back, which one is in charge)?

The list of issues can go on and on. The "best" solution would probably be a 6 tuner Hopper, of course you have a single point of failure, but much easier time of dealing with it.

These scenarios are problems to be sure, but ones that have already been solved in many different IT solutions. I use to support a bunch of Windows Domain Controllers at a big company. They constantly check with each other to make sure everyone was up, and when one drops off, the others mark it as "down", and run an algorithm to decide who takes over the roles of the down server. Since they are all using the same algorithm with the same data, they come up with the same math answer and each reconfigure in sequence. They don't even have to talk to each other to coordinate the response to the down system. When the down system comes back up, it checks in with the others and they all run the algorithm to return to an optimal state.

The joeys could operate the same way. They come online, send a broadcast out for available hoppers, each hopper responds with its number of free tuners, and the joey connects to the hopper with the most available. This isn't to say that it is easy, but it like problems have been solved.

They can do this, but we just need to give them time.

 

[bb83]

I think this is a good start. You will be able to have PTAT enabled on hopper A and be able to watch it on hopper B. We have it enabled on both right now. This will free up 1 tuner a night for us.

 

[mike123abc]

They can do this, but we just need to give them time.

Yes it is a solvable problem. But, my post was meant to reveal some of the complexities involved that keeps Dish from rushing out a completely integrated solution. Dish customers are not going to understand it when they miss a recording due to some complex reason. We will be lucky to get the integration that people think is easily doable during the lifetime of the hopper. Which by Dish standards is only 2 years before it will be replaced. Then of course it will probably show up in the next iteration and everyone will be griping that the promised integration never arrived in the hopper and they have to upgrade to a new box.

 

[cditty]

I am here with some DISH guys now, they have been reading your comments and they tell me that the integration will get better as time goes on.

That is great Scott... It is important to know that interoperability is very different from integration.

 

[loubon]

Not to say that full integration wouldn't be best but here is an idea that I think will work during the initial phase that will get you to use more tuners. Hopper 1 has all 3 tuners in use. On Hopper 2 record whatever show you want that you would have watched on tuner #4. Since the Hoppers will be able to point to the other Hoppers DVR, just watch the recorded show on a few seconds delay. Cumbersome yes but I think that would work.

 

[3HaloODST]

Well, personally I'm fine with the way my Hoppers/Joeys are set up now, (and will be whenever that update comes out) but then again I am a lot more technically inclined than 99% of people. That being said it is far from "seamless" integration therefore I really hope Dish isn't going to drop the ball on this one.

 

[mfoster711]

I would still just absolutely love to hear somebody give an exact date of when this "integration" will be available.