Well, I can tell you this. As installers, we're buried with problems with these last software updates. No Joey Software, Hopper Slings taking an hour+ to d/l software, Joeys going "black", remotes not pairing or staying paired.... the list goes on. Dish screws us worse than the customers in some ways, but one thing they never seem to do is take much accountability or offer solutions on our tech forum and the problems with 2 Hopper installs that you guys posted about - which I then posted on the tech forum - not 1 person from Dish replied. Just other techs that are going to TC's for it. Take that as you will, but I wouldn't be holding my breathe.
Know what I haven't had problems with? Hopper 3's and Joey 3's. I get the issue of a 2yr agreement AND, like you said, separate DVR's, but that aside, with 16 Tuners, you don't need 2 DVR's anymore and if you experienced just how fast and fluid these are.... It's like this. I had a computer I built 8 yrs ago. I went all out and considered it pretty capable right up til i built my new computer - and went all out (for over $3000.00) - and realized what a dinosaur POS my old one was.
Food for thought