SatelliteGuys FIRST LOOK - DISH's Hopper and Joey

[sparc]

Hmmm for my setup, I'd want a hopper for the living room and joey for master bedroom, then hopper for kid 1 and joey for kid 2. I have 2 teenagers that watch and record alot.

Will the joeys be able to watch recorded content from BOTH hoppers?

The answer is now technically.... yes

The reason is that early reports indicate it's fairly easy to move joeys from one hopper to the other hopper with a simple change in a menu for pairing. The change is almost instant and reportedly not much hassle.

However, the ideal way this is supposed to work in the future is with zero extra button presses for pairing. i.e. seamless (but that won't come until summer)

Sourced from here: http://www.satelliteguys.us/hopper-zone/279791-completed-my-install.html

 

[ChetK]

Sorry if I missed this in the review, but does the Hopper have the HomePlug technology that the 622/722 have? I currently HomePlug to network my 622 and 722 to my wireless router, and I'd hate to give up this feature.

no they do not. you will need an HIC (Hopper Internet Connector) for that.

What is a HIC and how do I get one? My installation for one Hopper and two Joeys is scheduled for Monday.

Scott, do the Hoppers AND the Joeys support 3D?

 

[diestler]

Can anyone confirm if the new Blockbuster at Home app has access to everything that dishonline on a pc has access to? Right now, there is more available on a pc than through my 722 box.

 

[DustoMan]

Can anyone confirm if the new Blockbuster at Home app has access to everything that dishonline on a pc has access to? Right now, there is more available on a pc than through my 722 box.

It will have the same amount as your 722. I remember at the Blockbuster@Home press briefing that they pointed out that there are some titles that are only on the PC.

 

[ChetK]

Sorry if I missed this in the review, but does the Hopper have the HomePlug technology that the 622/722 have? I currently HomePlug to network my 622 and 722 to my wireless router, and I'd hate to give up this feature.

no they do not. you will need an HIC (Hopper Internet Connector) for that.

Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk

What is a HIC and how do I get one? My installation for one Hopper and two Joeys is scheduled for Monday.

Scott, do the Hoppers AND the Joeys support 3D?

OK, I just got off the phone with technical support. I asked the first guy if he could help me with technical support issues with the Hopper and Joeys and he said, "I'm just going to save you some time and send you right over to someone who knows. Since the technology is so new, we're not equipped yet to handle those issues." I certainly appreciated his honesty and he DID get me over to "Manuel" and he was very knowledgeable. I told him that I don't have internet connectivity at the location where I will be keeping the Hopper and that I do have HomePlug for my 622 & 722 and he said, "That's not a problem. They will install something that will make it work." I said, "Is that the Hopper Internet Connector"? And he said, "Yes. We call it the Hic."

He said that all installers are aware of the HIC and will have them in the truck when they arrive with the Hopper and Joeys for installation. No extra charge. Nice!

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Manuel was correct in his answer.

BTW for those wondering the Hopper / Joeys DO NOT support Homeplug.

 

[ChetK]

3D

I called back. This time, I spoke to someone who didn't really know the answer to my 3D question and wasn't willing to transfer me to a higher level of tech support.

Anyway, she "looked it up" and said that both the Hopper and the Joey will support 3D. If anybody here can test it, that'd be great. If not, that's okay too. I'll have it on Monday and I'll test it myself and report back. :ranger:

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Hopper works fine with 3D.

 

[ChetK]

Thanks Scott. Sorry to be so nit picky, but the Joey's too? I have the Panasonic VT30 3D Plasma in the living room where the Hopper will sit (so that's good), but I plan to run the Joey in my home theater which will soon have a Panasonic PT-AE7000U 3D Projector.

 

[faceoff007]

I currently have two 612 that I am thinking about upgrading to a hopper and a joey. Few Questions:
1. Will I be loosing one tuner from my current setup if I upgrade? (Max record two shows and watch one)
2. Will Dish Charge to ship back the 612s?
3. Will the monthy DVR fee be $17?
4. I currently have a Dish America package without the protection. Any tips to avoid the $99 fee?

Thanks.

 

[dare2be]

4. Add the protection for 4 months ($24), then cancel it.

 

[diestler]

It will have the same amount as your 722. I remember at the Blockbuster@Home press briefing that they pointed out that there are some titles that are only on the PC.

Thanks Dustoman, that stinks, but it's good to know. Maybe not worth upgrading quite yet for me?

 

[denisincalif]

This old house

I live in a 60 year old 3-bedroom house. There is no cable wiring of any kind built in. My present set up is a 622 connected to one TV (in the family room). My wife and I have a TV in our bedroom but it is strictly OTA. If I upgrade I will definitely want the bedroom TV on a Joey. I am also thinking about getting coax in the other bedrooms. Presently there are no TVs in those rooms, but I might want to add them in the next year or so. So installing a Hopper/Joey system will involve running new coax. At a minimum we will need new coax for the master bedroom. Maybe I would want new coax for the other two bedrooms.

Am I better off getting the coax installed first, before calling Dish? Or is the $99 fee one-size-fits-all, in which case it would be easiest to have the Dish installer run the new coax? In that case I would probably just not get TV's for the other rooms in the foreseeable future. Or would a Dish installer run the extra coax for me, possibly with some extra charge?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I believe the fee includes installing the coax if needed.

 

[isaacmorseMI]

I believe the fee includes installing the coax if needed.

That is what Matt told me, since I need a line run for the 3rd Joey.

Sent from my iPad 2 using Forum Runner

 

[Hall]

The installer, by "rule", will NOT run coax to a room just because you ask. Unless there's a Dish device going in that room, it will not be included as part of an installation.

Will he/she do it "on the side" ? Maybe... Time constraints will play a big factor there of course ! Could he/she cut you off "x" feet of cable and put connectors on the end and leave it for you to do ? Better chance of that !

 

[Jim S.]

Does remote timer setting work on the Hopper? I've seen complaints here about it not working consistently on the ViP models, but I don't know whether the problem lies in the receivers or in Dish's website.

Also, off topic, does the Sling Adapter use the receiver's LAN connection, or do you need a separate one?

 

[ogflatlander]

I am sure this was answered somewhere but have not been able to find it but when you are recording PTAT, can you watch a program within that block while it is recording i.e. watch Fringe while all channels are being recorded?

 

[Jmauney]

Hi got my hopper and joeys installed today, and I have a question...or maybe a problem, when I go to search for a program to record, I get no results. Any ideas?? Is yours doing this? I called tech support and they had nothing. Just filled out a slip and said it should prob resolve itself in a few days...any help would be appreciated... LOVE it other than this!!!

 

[n0qcu]

my guess would be you don't have the full 9 day guide yet.