Oh I think it can, but there will likely be real limitations on the number of channels that can be recorded simultaneously.
I think the current one-at-a-time recording is just a first step in getting this feature working. Think of it as version 1.0 of this feature. It was simpler to implement because your internet access bandwidth is dedicated to one channel and they didn't have to worry about more complexity to get the first version working.
A multi-record version would require multiplexing multiple channels over your internet access bandwidth. Not really super difficult in concept, but that is a next level in protocol complexity. Not only will the H3 firmware need to be updated, but Dish's streaming servers will need to be updated to multiplex multiple channels over streams, with the number of streams dynamic. It's much better to start simple with a single channel first. And once that 's working reliably, then you can build on that foundation for multi-channel streaming.
Now having said all that, your internet access bandwidth is going to be the top limitation. If you have poor internet access, you may saturate you access with only one channel. If you have great access (like the 1G fiber I have), then multiple channels shouldn't be a problem.
But there are other limitations to think of such as how your H3 is connected to your home's intranet infrastructure. If you're using 100 baseT ethernet, it won't take many channels to saturate your bandwidth. Same is true if you're using WiFi, either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz. And consideration has to be taken into account of how much the H3's CPU can handle the extra processing load.
It's going to Dish a while to figure out the balance of all these factors. My guess is that "if" Dish decides to implement multiple stream recording, there could a max of maybe 4 simultaneous channels even with the best of internet access. But I would also expect the H3 to be continuously testing the access bandwidth and adjust the max limitation in real time. So the actual max number of channels might not only depend on your base access bandwidth, but also on the current internet conditions.
Would any of this happen quickly, I doubt it. I would guess a year of development and testing before something like multi-recording could be rolled out if they started working on that now. But they could have a lot of this development well underway already, which would make the time frame shorter.
Then again, as we've seen with other things, it could also be never. Only time will tell.
BTW, as far as I know, nobody else is doing multi-stream casting through a single internet appliance (correct me if you know of one). There are some closed systems that use IP protocol to send multiple video stream such as a surveillance CCTV system. But hey aren't meant for general consumer use. Dish would be breaking new ground in general consumer AV equipment if they introduce this.
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