How does PTAT and dish unplugged actually work?

[lilexecutioner]

I am a bit intrigued and would like to know how PTAT actually works? Is it a special stream coming from the sattelite with the four shows and the hopper just records it and seperates it at the hardward/software level? Just wondering how that works oh and dish unplugged how does that physically work?

 

[TheKrell]

The claim is that PTAT works by recording the whole spotbeam transponder (without demultiplexing) corresponding to your DMA. In my case, the Washington DC area has 6 HD locals on our spotbeam, so in principle the Hopper could give me access to all 6 for 8 days. This makes a difference vis a vis the alternative hypothesis, which is that the receiver demultiplexes at most 4 streams from one transponder. If that were the case, then there is no way Dish could ever increase the number of channels available with PTAT.

Dish Unplugged works completely differently. The Hopper has a lot of disk space, so it simply puts in a timer to record DU channels available over time. That way, your disk is pre-populated with movies Dish wants to sell you. They do this right now, but on a much more limited basis since the disks are smaller.

 

[lilexecutioner]

Thanks I'm a geek and it was killing me to know how it worked. Now to wonder why they onlyut in 3 tuners when I'm sure they could have put in more. Reminds me of unversed a bit.

 

[gtal98]

3 Tuners is the most they could fit on one cable with the current bandstacking technology. See the page 5 image in this post.

 

[satjay]

Just wondering as I prepare for my install. With blockbuster@home anyone of the early adaptors see a improvement or increase in movie selections for streaming. I thought I read that more kids movies may be available

 

[Jonhern]

3 Tuners is the most they could fit on one cable with the current bandstacking technology. See the page 5 image in this post.

how does D* get 5 tuners then? Did't they say it would have 6 tuners last year? I think they could have put 6 tuners, it is probably a cost issue of making each box.

Edit: Oh, I see, you are saying with only one cable they can only get 3.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

The HR34 has 5 built in tuners, the Hopper only 5. The HR34 is not expandable, the HR is expandable by adding another Hopper giving you the max of 6 tuners.

And yes it's a cost thing.

 

[powerhouse1960]

The HR34 has 5 built in tuners, the Hopper only 5. The HR34 is not expandable, the HR is expandable by adding another Hopper giving you the max of 6 tuners.

And yes it's a cost thing.

Hopper 5 ? you have been having to much coffee with dish

 

[dspcap]

Hopper has 3 tuners..