Hopper - will 3 tuners be enough?

[MikeD-C05]

Dish DID include a potential for 6 tuners in the new hopper system. It's called a second Hopper! For most households, IMHO, 3 tuners will be sufficient. If you need more, a second Hopper gives you a total of 6 and integrates seamlessly with the first Hopper! Plus the external OTA antenna, when it gets here, will add one or more OTA tuners as well.

What don't you people get about this? Hopper is not a one-box Whole House solution, but it is a Whole House solution. If, as I believe, the average household doesn't need more than 3 tuners, tuners 4, 5,etc. in every box would be a waste of money for Dish. For those who need more, add a second Hopper. In this way, one hardware design meets the need of both low-end and high-end customers.

Of course I can see the advantages of one huge central server, which is a legitimate approach. This is a different approach, and I can't see any reason why it won't work just as well for most people.

What part of EXTRA FEES for the second hopper don't you get? I was trying to suggest a way that DISH could do all it can do with two hoppers , with only one by adding a satellite module. It would satisfy anyone who wanted more than 3 tuners , without the extra fee of the second hopper. But this being DISH , they are all about EXTRA FEES. So of course they only made the hopper with three tuners. But it really doesn't matter . I am sure that DISH will charge a lot for the second hopper making it more expensive than adding another say dual tuner Vip dvr , if you already have one on your account. So more than $17.00 ,maybe $20.00.

 

[SQUEEZON]

I think a basic question might be. Is the prime time news programming that good? Why record it since it will stay on story for at least a week . I think 3 tuners are more than enough. Otherwise stay with your present boxes. I found it interesting so many people spend so much time in front of their TV's and they actually think prime time programming is that good? What happended to life?
Two thumbs down

 

[gadams]

What part of EXTRA FEES for the second hopper don't you get? I was trying to suggest a way that DISH could do all it can do with two hoppers , with only one by adding a satellite module. It would satisfy anyone who wanted more than 3 tuners , without the extra fee of the second hopper. But this being DISH , they are all about EXTRA FEES. So of course they only made the hopper with three tuners. But it really doesn't matter . I am sure that DISH will charge a lot for the second hopper making it more expensive than adding another say dual tuner Vip dvr , if you already have one on your account. So more than $17.00 ,maybe $20.00.

So you are arguing that the hardware design is bad because of a fee structure which is currently unknown? That Dish should have built empty space into every Hopper for the minority who will ever buy the OTA module? The industry trend for all devices is smaller, with optional components being USB-connected externals. Take a look at a Mac Mini; it's an incredibly powerful computer that measures about 8" square by less than 2" high, with 4 USB ports. You want a DVD drive? external. Additional hard drive? external. This is no different, and lets the overall box be much smaller, which most people appreciate.

Also, the concept that you should be able to support 4 or 5 TVs on one DVR for the price of a 722 is ludicrous. You have a more complex setup than average, you're going to pay more money. It certainly costs Dish (or anybody else) a lot of money to design and manufacture new hardware, and you seem to expect them to give the stuff away for free. Every time somebody on this site does a comparison of the cost of Dish vs. Direct vs. Comcast vs. UVerse vs. anybody else, the result comes out that "it depends" on which is the most or least expensive. If your life is going to change for an extra $5 a month to watch TV, you need to find a different hobby.

 

[rdinkel]

It is not just a question of number of tuners; when you have more than four HDTVs you will need two Hoppers in order to connect enough Joeys.

 

[Stargazer]

A lot of people will need two hoppers due to timer conflicts with multiple room connections. If you have three rooms then you need at least another tuner or two to prevent the conflicts. If you have two rooms then you still need another tuner or two so that people can watch live tv while recording a show and a lot of times two shows will record at once. If two shows record at once while two people try to watch live tv then you got problems, you lack a tuner. Add in Primetime Anytime and you lack another tuner. Two Hoppers = 5 tuners + 1 for Primetime Anytime = Solution for probably 97% of the customer base. One hopper probably solves the problem for 50-70% of the customer base.

 

[smoeke]

option 5: it doesnt matter,we are only getting 3 tuners, end of story.

 

[littlet357]

I don't understand why you all keep thinking it is only 3 tuners. The hopper can have 3 Joeys connected to make a total of 4 tuners. You can also have 2 hoppers with 2 Joey's tied to them make a total of 6 tuners for the home.

 

[redelephants]

I don't understand why you all keep thinking it is only 3 tuners. The hopper can have 3 Joeys connected to make a total of 4 tuners. You can also have 2 hoppers with 2 Joey's tied to them make a total of 6 tuners for the home.

That isn't correct, joeys do not have tuners.

 

[ScottChez]

PREDICTION
The issue is Dish Marketing will cause false advertising. Dish Finance will over price the 2nd Hopper causing un happy customers.

I predict this will happen, they will offer One Hopper for free to new customers with One Joey. They will say it has 3 tuners. Customers will add Two more Joeys.

For households of 3 or more people (Two Adults and 1 or 2 kids), only Two people will be able to watch live TV at night, the customer will realize this later and then try to order a 2nd Hopper only to realize they are no longer a new customer (even 2 days later) and they will need to pay $400 for the 2nd Hopper. They will try to cancel but they are locked into a Two year contract.

To Solve this Dish needs to advertise this as a Two Tuner solution for TWO PEOPLE , since Prime Time is turned-on.
For households with 3 or more people they need to push the TWO Hopper solution and offer the 2nd one for only $99 for new customers.

 

[Mr Tony]

I don't understand why you all keep thinking it is only 3 tuners. The hopper can have 3 Joeys connected to make a total of 4 tuners.

wrong
Joey's feed off the Hopper tuner
so if you have a hopper and 2 joeys or 3 joeys its still only 3 tuners

 

[GaryPen]

I don't understand why you all keep thinking it is only 3 tuners.

It's probably because it is only three tuners.

 

[Scherrman]

It's three tuners but will feed up to 4 TVs. See, Dish is already misleading everyone. Dish says you can watch up to 4 TVs independently by having a Hopper with 3 Joeys and watching programs that are on your DVR. So, like everyone said, only three tuners in a Hopper.

 

[gadams]

PREDICTION
The issue is Dish Marketing will cause false advertising. Dish Finance will over price the 2nd Hopper causing un happy customers.

I predict this will happen, they will offer One Hopper for free to new customers with One Joey. They will say it has 3 tuners. Customers will add Two more Joeys.

For households of 3 or more people (Two Adults and 1 or 2 kids), only Two people will be able to watch live TV at night, the customer will realize this later and then try to order a 2nd Hopper only to realize they are no longer a new customer (even 2 days later) and they will need to pay $400 for the 2nd Hopper. They will try to cancel but they are locked into a Two year contract.

To Solve this Dish needs to advertise this as a Two Tuner solution for TWO PEOPLE , since Prime Time is turned-on.
For households with 3 or more people they need to push the TWO Hopper solution and offer the 2nd one for only $99 for new customers.

PREDICTIONS
Dish could give a $100 rebate to every customer, and some of you would complain that it wasn't $200.
Dish could come out with a 5-tuner model, and some of you would complain that it wasn't 6, or 8, or 10 tuners, that it didn't have enough storage, or that it was the wrong color.

If you hate or distrust Dish that much, switch to a different provider. If you don't switch, that means that, overall, you perceive the total value received from Dish as being higher than its competitors, and that means that the fees Dish charges are not too high, but are in fact competitive with the rest of the industry. Dish is not a charity, it is a for-profit business, and if they don't do more than cover all their costs, they go out of business.

Also, to repeat what others have said lately, we are not typical Dish customers. We have more complex setups, and we push the technology to its limits. My parents rarely even remember they can pause live TV.

Finally, I just have to say that I'm getting really tired with people on this site asserting their ideas of worst case scenarios in every post. Of course Dish does not have a spotless record (Sling Receiver, anyone?), and we've all learned what "soon" means in Dish-speak. But they've also put out some damned fine hardware, and even companies like Apple and Microsoft have had their disappointments and outright failures.

The Hopper/Joey combo is exactly what I've been waiting for, and I can't wait to get my hands on them. If they don't work for you, I assume that you have valid reasons for feeling that way. Just don't assume that everyone else's needs are identical to yours.

 

[lparsons21]

It's three tuners but will feed up to 4 TVs. See, Dish is already misleading everyone. Dish says you can watch up to 4 TVs independently by having a Hopper with 3 Joeys and watching programs that are on your DVR. So, like everyone said, only three tuners in a Hopper.

Except for the fact that you can have 4 tvs with a hopper + 3 joeys, all watching something different at the same time. 3 could be watching live and the 4th a recording or any combination of that.

I think you are making a very big mountain out of a miniscule molehill!!

 

[Scherrman]

I agree. I think the Hopper should be about perfect, at least for me. I stand behind the statement that if you need more tuners just get a second Hopper and if you run out of HDD space then add an EHD. Seems pretty simple and smart to me. Now these are all just my opinions until this is actually release. My opinion could change once I see it working. I have confidence in it though.

 

[Jhon69]

I don't understand why you all keep thinking it is only 3 tuners. The hopper can have 3 Joeys connected to make a total of 4 tuners. You can also have 2 hoppers with 2 Joey's tied to them make a total of 6 tuners for the home.

PREDICTIONS
Dish could give a $100 rebate to every customer, and some of you would complain that it wasn't $200.
Dish could come out with a 5-tuner model, and some of you would complain that it wasn't 6, or 8, or 10 tuners, that it didn't have enough storage, or that it was the wrong color.

If you hate or distrust Dish that much, switch to a different provider. If you don't switch, that means that, overall, you perceive the total value received from Dish as being higher than its competitors, and that means that the fees Dish charges are not too high, but are in fact competitive with the rest of the industry. Dish is not a charity, it is a for-profit business, and if they don't do more than cover all their costs, they go out of business.

Also, to repeat what others have said lately, we are not typical Dish customers. We have more complex setups, and we push the technology to its limits. My parents rarely even remember they can pause live TV.

Finally, I just have to say that I'm getting really tired with people on this site asserting their ideas of worst case scenarios in every post. Of course Dish does not have a spotless record (Sling Receiver, anyone?), and we've all learned what "soon" means in Dish-speak. But they've also put out some damned fine hardware, and even companies like Apple and Microsoft have had their disappointments and outright failures.

The Hopper/Joey combo is exactly what I've been waiting for, and I can't wait to get my hands on them. If they don't work for you, I assume that you have valid reasons for feeling that way. Just don't assume that everyone else's needs are identical to yours.

Now with all due respect,I must disagree.If the Hopper had say 4 satellite tuners,with a slot for the MT2 Dual Over the Air Tuners Module for a total of 4 SAT+2OTA,I would say that would be enough.

But I know we are only getting 3 tuners,plus maybe 1 OTA tuner alot later SOON!.

I also know there are those who will say it's 3 tuners,take it or leave it!,

That maybe something I will have to consider when my commitment expires in less than a year.

 

[Scherrman]

Except for the fact that you can have 4 tvs with a hopper + 3 joeys, all watching something different at the same time. 3 could be watching live and the 4th a recording or any combination of that.

I think you are making a very big mountain out of a miniscule molehill!!

Isn't that what I was saying? I suppose I left out that you can still have three TVs watching live and the fourth watching a recording. Either way it is still a three tuner receiver. No mole hill being made.

 

[lparsons21]

If it was, I misunderstood. But I'm old, I can do that!!

 

[dont24]

Wake me up when the Hopper is finally released. I'm all Hopper'ed out....

Same here. I have 3 722s and a 612. Paying $44 in hardware fees. I'll probably need at least 2 hoppers. If the fees are going to be more than what I pay now, forget it.

 

[LER]

I suspect based on the "Agressive" comment, the cost should come down. I'm personally looking for 2 hoppers and a joey. That should satiate my tuner need. Still need to find out if a Sling Adaptor on one hopper will see both hopper's HDD's, and same for USB HDD's.