HOPPER NOT HOPPING

[rstaples312]

I called Dish about my Hopper not skipping over commercials last week and all I got was an explanation of how it works! GRRRRRRR!! I carefully explained the problem TWICE and the CSR just repeated how it is SUPPOSED to work. OK I said, but it DOESN'T on some of my prime time anytime recordings. So far checked this week Madam Secretary and The Good Wife did NOT have the little Re kangaroo logo and did not hop. YES, I am watching these shows more than 24 hours AFTER they were recorded. Another interesting point, the shows each have their own icon, but when watching Madam Secretary it continues right into the Good wife. Any thoughts?

 

[navychop]

Isn't CBS three days now? And other delay deals have been made?

 

[MattG@DISH]

We recently reached an agreement with CBS so Autohop will not be available until 7 days after the event has aired.

 

[JimC]

And don't forget that even after the 7 days, there's a good chance you won't get the auto skip due to the never ending CBS start time delays due to sporting events.

 

[rstaples312]

Thanks everyone your replies are greatly appreciated. However, I see these changes as effectively neutering the ability so it is no longer worthwhile for me. YMMV

 

[Bobby]

Before auto hop there was skip forward button. It's still there....

 

[KAB]

Before auto hop there was skip forward button. It's still there....

How quick they forget.

 

[thomasjk]

Only CBS has a 7 day delay. ABC o&O stations have 3 day delay. You are only affected if your ABC station is not an affiliate. Fox and NBC still have autohop the next day. Hardly neutered.

 

[ChadT41]

I don't see how folks call it neutered. Still far more features available than other systems. And AutoHop isn't gone on any station. Just delayed on SOME. MOST PEOPLE are only affected by the CBS. ABC O&O is the minority.

 

[david_jr]

For the last couple years the Hopper system was sold with the big selling points of PTAT and Auto Hop. To affect a 7 day window on CBS effectively neuters that feature for many for that channel. Yes you can still skip ahead, I know, but a big selling point for us when we upgraded was PTAT & Auto Hop. We watch a lot of CBS and we love auto hop. We rarely see the Auto Hop on CBS shows in this house because 7 days is too long to wait for it. I see the OP's point. At least ABC is only 3 days and only O&O which is a bit more reasonable.

 

[ChadT41]

For the last couple years the Hopper system was sold with the big selling points of PTAT and Auto Hop. To affect a 7 day window on CBS effectively neuters that feature for many for that channel. Yes you can still skip ahead, I know, but a big selling point for us when we upgraded was PTAT & Auto Hop. We watch a lot of CBS and we love auto hop. We rarely see the Auto Hop on CBS shows in this house because 7 days is too long to wait for it. I see the OP's point. At least ABC is only 3 days and only O&O which is a bit more reasonable.

I can see how one would say that, and can agree to a point. However, by still offering autohop they would still be honoring the 4 primetime stations havingn autohop availability.

 

[osu1991]

Not worth added cost with the neutered features. They should change the name now. Its certainly not a Hopper anymore

 

[ChadT41]

Because it doesn't hop anymore??? Again still hops. FOX and NBC are still next day, for the majority of customers, ABc is still next day. You are basing your normative statement on the fact that one channel has a week wait. A week wait for a feature no one else STILL doesn't have. And again, the whole home dVR fee is still less than the competition.

 

[makman]

And when do we lose the autohop on NBC and Fox and the other ABC stations? Clearly DISH is not interested in preserving this feature. They are willing to negotiate it away. Precedent set.

 

[ChadT41]

Nobody has lost autohop at all yet. On any chNnel. There is a difference between losing it, and being delayed. In this case, it is delayed. It truly is not the end of the world. Still useful for some. I have "under the dome" I haven't watched yet, that have been on the dvr for months. This is an example, but having full seasons like that is normal.

 

[makman]

You are right, still useful for some. However not for all. I do not wait a week to watch weekly shows. Many others do not either. Autohop is not as useful as it once was.

 

[ChadT41]

Politicians are not as useful as they once were either, but we spend more money than ever on them... The point I'm making is there are still options, even if it is not the main option anymore. Still attractive feature.

 

[makman]

Interesting how the OP got the run around when calling DISH when there was a straight forward answer.

 

[ChadT41]

Beig a former supervisor of that, I can tell you... Sometimes they suck in that department.

 

[jerryez]

As soon as NBC and Fox contracts expire. Why should they settle for any less than the 7 days that CBS got. Even ABC will want 7 days on the next negotiations and for all stations, not just O&O. So, auto hop is dead for most all of us. It is only a matter of time. Dish has sold us out. I just turned off autohop and went back to 30 second skip What was the point? I hope Dish got plenty of money, but we will never see any of it.