Official - I have a Hopper 3 Thread!

[patmurphey]

Look at the guide options - change color and font size, replace ads with hints on the banner. You kept the old remote - the color buttons still work and there are prompts for them all over. One button cancel is too much for the home screen? The rest is nitpicking - relax and enjoy the improvements.

 

[kappy44]

Look at the guide options - change color and font size, replace ads with hints on the banner. You kept the old remote - the color buttons still work and there are prompts for them all over. One button cancel is too much for the home screen? The rest is nitpicking - relax and enjoy the improvements.

There is no option in settings for color on the guide or highlighting in color...what is there is light, dark, and default all in b&w....not nitpicking!...one button cancel...lol...home should be an option!

 

[ChetK]

I have "Prepare for Mobile" already turned off. Lots of OS bugs.
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[westTXwind]

Hey everyone. Im new, but did some research on here before pulling the trigger on Dish. I was previously with DirecTV and Uverse TV although I've been streaming the last couple months while I considered who to go with.

Today I had a Hopper 3, with 2 wireless Joey's installed. The hardest part was ordering. Making sure I understood everything and getting the equipment I wanted. I didnt have to pay for any receivers, only the wireless bridge which was $54 and they say they'll send me a $25 visa gift card, we'll see. I did get a code for Netflix for $120, essentially a year of service, which was awesome!

The install could not have been more smooth. The tech was awesome and put up with my questions and was very thorough on explaining the hardware and features. He seemed very knowledgeable, although he admitted the Hopper 3 was so new, he may not know everything. I tried to have everything as ready as possible too.

So far, I am impressed with the service. The picture is great, and is easily better than Uverse TV. Its hard to compare the picture to DirecTV since its been a while since I've had them. But I have no complaints at all. The UI is great and easy to view. I had read that the Hopper3 has a new UI, so I was worried the Joeys would be different, but all 3 are the same.

Like with anything, there are a few things I dislike. In regards to the receivers, the Hopper3 is huge compared the AT&T boxes. This would make it difficult to hide the box without ample room. The wireless joeys are slightly larger that the wireless AT&T boxes, and much larger than the wireless DirecTV boxes my dad has. Not a huge deal but if youre short on space and want to hide stuff, this could be an issue.

I have already run into some programming issues I don't like. I tried to catch the Stanford vs Texas game on LHN, and I was greeted with no programming. Imagine my surprise to find it on the SD channel only. The picture was horrible so I moved on. I hope that is not a regular thing, where sports are in SD but not on the HD channel. I then tuned into MLB Network for the TCU vs Houston game and was greeted with a blackout banner. I found this very odd, because my dad, who has DirecTV and lives 2 miles away, was watching it. A call to support yielded no help or answers.

The last thing i've found so far I don't like is that, the power button on the remotes do not control both the box and the TV for on/off functions. The installer said it has been a sour point for a while for some customers. But really, its just a nit picky thing and truly isnt a huge deal.

I have not tried the DVR yet, but i'm sure my wife and daughter will give it a work out.

Overall, I'm pleased. But realistically its only been a few hours, and I'm eager to put it thought the motions and see what it can do. I just hope I don't continue to have issues with sports in HD or being blacked out, that will be a problem.

 

[Scola77]

The regional sports channels and LHN will switch between HD and SD. Yes it sucks. Not sure why you were blacked out, unless that game was broadcast originally on Root SW. If so, you would only be able to watch it on that channel. It is not available on Dish unfortunately.


Sent from my iPad using SatelliteGuys mobile app

 

[westTXwind]

The regional sports channels and LHN will switch between HD and SD. Yes it sucks. Not sure why you were blacked out, unless that game was broadcast originally on Root SW. If so, you would only be able to watch it on that channel. It is not available on Dish unfortunately.


Sent from my iPad using SatelliteGuys mobile app

You're correct, it was on ROOT Sports. It sucks Dish does not have their programming. Especially with baseball season here. I'm not a huge Astros fan but I enjoy watching them. Hopefully soon!

 

[DERG]

Well, I'm giving up on this remote. Maybe in this case bigger is better. I ordered a Dish Network 40.0 Remote Control for Hopper/joey Receivers off Amazon & it should be here by Thursday. In fairness, the installing tech did offer to take the new remote & leave the old remote with me but at that time I didn't think it would be a big deal. I do use picture in picture a lot, which with the old remote, was easy to find & use. It took hours to find the picture in picture control on the new remote which makes it so much harder. New remote you now press Options, down arrow to Picture in Picture, check On, the side arrow to Swap, then Exit. Five steps. To turn it off, reverse those five steps. Old remote, press one button to Swap, one to do picture in picture, done!

 

[Scola77]

You're correct, it was on ROOT Sports. It sucks Dish does not have their programming. Especially with baseball season here. I'm not a huge Astros fan but I enjoy watching them. Hopefully soon!

http://southwest.rootsports.com/dish-network/


Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys mobile app

 

[kappy44]

Well, I'm giving up on this remote. Maybe in this case bigger is better. I ordered a Dish Network 40.0 Remote Control for Hopper/joey Receivers off Amazon & it should be here by Thursday. In fairness, the installing tech did offer to take the new remote & leave the old remote with me but at that time I didn't think it would be a big deal. I do use picture in picture a lot, which with the old remote, was easy to find & use. It took hours to find the picture in picture control on the new remote which makes it so much harder. New remote you now press Options, down arrow to Picture in Picture, check On, the side arrow to Swap, then Exit. Five steps. To turn it off, reverse those five steps. Old remote, press one button to Swap, one to do picture in picture, done!

Smart move and you are absolutely correct!

 

[guitarzan62]

Hopper 3 was installed on Saturday. Ordering was easy since I am a long time DISH customer. Tech replaced the LNB and the switch. That only took about 20 minutes. Installing the Hopper 3 took a while mostly from downloading software updates and rebooting after each update. I showed the tech how to save and transfer timers and favorites from the Hopper 2 onto the Hopper 3. Tech was great. Offered to let me keep the old remote but I passed on that. Hopper 3 has a great video and I can tell it is much better than the previous Hopper. New interface looks great, however my only complaint is that when I turn on the Hopper it defaults to the one of the screens, not just to the last channel I was watching. Anyone know if there is a setting to change this? I am still learning all the different settings, but have no regrets so far. I will like the new remote once I learn where everything is. I am looking forward to getting the voice remote when that becomes an option.

 

[stimpson]

Hopper 3 was installed on Saturday. Ordering was easy since I am a long time DISH customer. Tech replaced the LNB and the switch. That only took about 20 minutes. Installing the Hopper 3 took a while mostly from downloading software updates and rebooting after each update. I showed the tech how to save and transfer timers and favorites from the Hopper 2 onto the Hopper 3. Tech was great. Offered to let me keep the old remote but I passed on that. Hopper 3 has a great video and I can tell it is much better than the previous Hopper. New interface looks great, however my only complaint is that when I turn on the Hopper it defaults to the one of the screens, not just to the last channel I was watching. Anyone know if there is a setting to change this? I am still learning all the different settings, but have no regrets so far. I will like the new remote once I learn where everything is. I am looking forward to getting the voice remote when that becomes an option.

Currently no way to turn the "Home Screen" off at start up. Are you a Harmony remote user? If so, you can set up a command to tune to a channel after power on.

 

[DERG]

Currently no way to turn the "Home Screen" off at start up.

I'm hoping there will be a way to turn "Home Screen" off in the future.

 

[stimpson]

I'm hoping there will be a way to turn "Home Screen" off in the future.

A lot of folks feel that way. I'm pretty much use to it now.

 

[Scola77]

I know I am in the minority, but defaulting to the home screen does not bother me at all. I guess since I am new to Dish and I view the H3 as more than just a "cable box," it seems rational that it would go to this screen.

Just my .02.

 

[bmetelsky]

I know I am in the minority, but defaulting to the home screen does not bother me at all. I guess since I am new to Dish and I view the H3 as more than just a "cable box," it seems rational that it would go to this screen.

Just my .02.

I also like the H3 going to the home screen when I turn it on.

 

[DERG]

New remote you now press Options, down arrow to Picture in Picture, check On, the side arrow to Swap, then Exit. Five steps. To turn it off, reverse those five steps. Old remote, press one button to Swap, one to do picture in picture, done!

I'd like to add that while in picture in picture, press Input button on the side of the remote to "Swap" images instead of the 5-step process I mentioned above. I don't recall reading that in the manual but I kind stumbled on it last night. That helps a lot.

As for the Home Screen on when Hopper is 1st turned on; I believe this is Dish's way of subliminal promoting PPV. Yes, there's a number of useful options on the menu as well but, hey look at these PPV's, too! That's fine but I'd appreciate having the ability to turn that feature off. Those who like it can leave it on. But, I don't see a problem with having a choice to turn it off. Just my opinion.

 

[kappy44]

I just played around with the VOD section that has 4k movies and shows and downloaded an episode of the two free USA 4k shows. I had seen the episode of Suits as I watch that regularly, but I am impressed that Dish and USA are making these available to rent for free and the more of these made available the better from all the networks they can work with. Download speed averaged 41-42 mbps and viewing quality was excellent.

 

[lapplegate]

Thanks for the replies and advice. I thought at first that this was part of the waiting that comes with a new receiver. I went through that process with at least 3 H1s and a HWS. I called dish tech service as all indications were the install and service were correct. I talked with 2 different techs at dish and both said that this seemed to point more toward hardware than something that would work itself out. I also have not seen that issue here. The decision was to start the RA so that if it does not pan out before the new receiver arrives, I will not be starting the replacement process 5 days later. If it does pan out I can call and reverse the RA. I was actually impressed with the dish response to act in a manner to get the issue resolved as fast as possible by starting an RA action first as opposed to last.

I had contacted Dish Tech support because my new H3 would allow only 5 timers to be created. When I tried to set up the 6th timer I would get a box that stated "Timer creation failed. Try again later". Dish could find no solution and had no record of this problem, so they set up an RA to replace the box.
But I couldn't stop trying to find the problem. I went through different timer creation sceneries using the guide, manual, search and all failed at number 6. I then went through every action since the H3 was put in (that morning) from lnb, wing dish, hub and restoring all settings and 194 timers from the HWS through the 40.0 remote. 194? Duh!. Went in and cleaned out timers. Problem solved.
If you get a box the tells you your timer creation has failed, this is the replacement box for the "You have exceeded your maximum allowed timers" box.
I have let Dish Tech know so that they can put this information in the system.

 

[JSheridan]

I had contacted Dish Tech support because my new H3 would allow only 5 timers to be created. When I tried to set up the 6th timer I would get a box that stated "Timer creation failed. Try again later". Dish could find no solution and had no record of this problem, so they set up an RA to replace the box.
But I couldn't stop trying to find the problem. I went through different timer creation sceneries using the guide, manual, search and all failed at number 6. I then went through every action since the H3 was put in (that morning) from lnb, wing dish, hub and restoring all settings and 194 timers from the HWS through the 40.0 remote. 194? Duh!. Went in and cleaned out timers. Problem solved.
If you get a box the tells you your timer creation has failed, this is the replacement box for the "You have exceeded your maximum allowed timers" box.
I have let Dish Tech know so that they can put this information in the system.

I was told that 200 is the limit and now you've confirmed it. Thanks.

 

[DERG]

I just played around with the VOD section that has 4k movies and shows and downloaded an episode of the two free USA 4k shows. I had seen the episode of Suits as I watch that regularly, but I am impressed that Dish and USA are making these available to rent for free and the more of these made available the better from all the networks they can work with. Download speed averaged 41-42 mbps and viewing quality was excellent.

I read this with great interest & downloaded Suits season 5, episode 1. Turned out to be one of the HD, not 4k. I guess I didn't understand your post. We have DSL internet & I cannot download the 4k programs now. I never will if they stream-only 4k but should be able to if it can be recorded to the HDD, which makes me wonder why I cannot do that now. I'll try again when there's less traffic on the internet.