Scott's Mini Hopper 3 Review

Well this is disappointing.... Got this today....

Your installation is not possible because the equipment the Hopper 3 uses can only look at three satellites when paired with a side dish, and does not support the four satellites your installation requires.

Huh? The entire New York Market is locked out of this? I'm confused. As far as I can tell, I only look at three satellites right now (with most of the channels on two birds as far as I can tell). I don't know what the 4th is.... I am still on a 10 year old setup with two dishes and two switches serving 4 DVRs, a 722, a 622, a 211, and a 612..... All with EHDs hooked up to them, although the "My equipment" tab says that only one has an EHD hooked up (the 211).....

Maybe it is time to look at DirecTV. That unlimited Data plan for AT&T for DirecTV subscribers might finally push me over the fence after 16 years with E*. Content on the EHDs is the only thing making me want to stay, with no SNY sports channel after 3 years since they dropped it making it that much worse (When the Mets stunk I didn't care, but they are compelling TV again)

Did you talk to DIRT to see what they had to say?
 
OK, looks like I am reupping with E* for two more years.... Got off phone with them and they are sending tech over to install Hopper3 plus a new dish and LNB this Sunday between 12 + 5. This scares the crap out of me, as I have people coming over for the game, but hopefully we can get it all together in time.... I used to have 4 receivers feeding 5 TVs, now I will have the Hopper3 doing that..... New bill is $4 more and I am locked in for two more years... $10 install fee due to the $8 warranty fee I pay... Hopefully he will have all the dishes, hardware, etc. when the tech gets here.....

Scott G. and Scherrman, thanks for reaching out...! Looks like I am back on track.... Now I just hope for a tech arrival closer to noon than 5 so we don't miss any of the game.... I'm guessing this will be a 2-3 hour install with all the new dishes, etc.

I assume the old RG coaxial wiring is acceptable? I have a utility closet that I run all the wiring into with switches mounted on the wall behind my main stack, so hopefully it isn't too difficult to manage....
 
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OK, looks like I am reupping with E* for two more years.... Got off phone with them and they are sending tech over to install Hopper3 plus a new dish and LNB this Sunday between 12 + 5. This scares the crap out of me, as I have people coming over for the game, but hopefully we can get it all together in time.... I used to have 4 receivers feeding 5 TVs, now I will have the Hopper3 doing that..... New bill is $4 more and I am locked in for two more years... $10 install fee due to the $8 warranty fee I pay... Hopefully he will have all the dishes, hardware, etc. when the tech gets here.....

Scott G. and Scherrman, thanks for reaching out...! Looks like I am back on track.... Now I just hope for a tech arrival closer to noon than 5 so we don't miss any of the game.... I'm guessing this will be a 2-3 hour install with all the new dishes, etc.

I assume the old RG coaxial wiring is acceptable? I have a utility closet that I run all the wiring into with switches mounted on the wall behind my main stack, so hopefully it isn't too difficult to manage....

Good Luck and enjoy!
 
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Just my parents and inlaws. On the plus side, I can't think of a better way to break in the new system.... My first new receiver since 2005. Been a while....
 
If the installer shows up before 3:00 then it should be up and running fine before the game. I wouldn't bother with checking out any features though in risk of it freezing up during the game. Just tune it to the game and watch. The DVR functions will be fine too, just don't go trying to check out the 4k movies or apps during a commercial break. You might end up needing to reset it.
 
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No 4K HDTVs in my house, so that feature will be unused for now.... Will focus on getting the Dish and Hopper installed first and he can get around to the other TVs if he gets hit for time. I would assume he doesn't want to be on a roof after dark anyway, plus I assume the tech will want to be home for the game too.....
 
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I assume the old RG coaxial wiring is acceptable? I have a utility closet that I run all the wiring into with switches mounted on the wall behind my main stack, so hopefully it isn't too difficult to manage....

My wiring was run specifically for the original Hopper 4 years ago. I assumed that would be ok - and the run from the dish to the node, it was. As was the run from the node to the Joey. But the node to the Hopper needed to be replaced with 3ghz coax. That added about 15 minutes to my install, but my run was on the exposed basement ceiling into an air duct into the wall. Pretty easy access to everything.
 
Scott - how to we display HD channels subscribed in the guide no the hopper 3? I don't see this option anymore?

That option has been removed from the Carbon UI unfortunately.

I'm not sure how you enable the "HD Subscribed" Guide display, but my 4k Joey shows it. I changed it to All Subscribed and cannot get it back to HD only. I did a Restore from remote (old Joey 1.0 remote), then after rebooting I had to pair with the Hopper 3 again. When the guide came back, it was again on the HD only guide.

Maybe it would revert to HD guide after rebooting? I haven't tried that. For now, I'll not switch it away from HD guide.
 

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I'm not sure how you enable the "HD Subscribed" Guide display, but my 4k Joey shows it. I changed it to All Subscribed and cannot get it back to HD only. I did a Restore from remote (old Joey 1.0 remote), then after rebooting I had to pair with the Hopper 3 again. When the guide came back, it was again on the HD only guide.

Maybe it would revert to HD guide after rebooting? I haven't tried that. For now, I'll not switch it away from HD guide.
Doesn't have that option..did you photoshop it...lol...let me know how you did it. That is the guide I want.
 
No Photoshop! I backed up the 40.0 remote that was on the old Joey. I'm guessing the guide mode setting was captured, if my experience is truly unique.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk
 
Got my Hopper 3 installed yesterday. I really like the new interface and the guides and menus are much faster than the Hopper 1. I asked the tech about transferring my timers to the Hopper 3 and he said it could not be done. I showed him this forum saying it could be done so he said he would try it. He also asked some other techs and they said it could not be done. He paired the remote and restored my settings and the timers did not show up. He finished the install and right after he left I checked the timers again and they were all there. I called him to let him know it does work.

I'm going connect an OTA, I assume I can record from the OTA. Do the digital channels provide a guide or do I set up a timer by time?

One more question, when I turn the Hopper 3 and TV on it comes up on the home page (tending live, my recordings, menu). Is there a setting where it comes up on the last channel I was watching?

Thanks
 
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Got my Hopper 3 installed yesterday. I really like the new interface and the guides and menus are much faster than the Hopper 1. I asked the tech about transferring my timers to the Hopper 3 and he said it could not be done. I showed him this forum saying it could be done so he said he would try it. He also asked some other techs and they said it could not be done. He paired the remote and restored my settings and the timers did not show up. He finished the install and right after he left I checked the timers again and they were all there. I called him to let him know it does work.

I'm going connect an OTA, I assume I can record from the OTA. Do the digital channels provide a guide or do I set up a timer by time?

One more question, when I turn the Hopper 3 and TV on it comes up on the home page (tending live, my recordings, menu). Is there a setting where it comes up on the last channel I was watching?

Thanks

Are these installers told this by their bosses or do they just say whatever they feel like. Man, they are full of the wrong info.
 
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I'm going connect an OTA, I assume I can record from the OTA. Do the digital channels provide a guide or do I set up a timer by time?

Yes, you'll be able to record them and they will be integrated into the regular guide!

Once you connect the OTA Adapter, you go into the Menu > Settings > OTA Antenna, and Scan to add the channels you can pick up. Once you do that, make sure you hit Save. Afterwards, the new OTA channels will be added to the regular guide screen along with the sat channels. Note that it may take up to 24 hours for the guide data to populate on the new OTA channels.

Also important to note if you are new to OTA on Dish receivers...you may not get guide data for some/all of the OTA subchannels (i.e. you'll likely get guide data for the major channels like NBC, FOX, etc, but other OTA subchannels like MeTV, AntennaTV, etc may or may not have guide data). Dish is hit or miss in which subchannels they provide guide data in different markets, and they are no longer adding or updating. Basically, if you get guide data, use and enjoy it...if you don't, that probably won't change. You can still create manual timers to record programming on OTA subchannels that don't get guide data.
 
Are these installers told this by their bosses or do they just say whatever they feel like. Man, they are full of the wrong info.
Sometimes I thing installers should be given a free year of basic Dish and equipment, just so that they might have a vague idea of what they are doing. Other times, I think it's useless.
 
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Sometimes I thing installers should be given a free year of basic Dish and equipment, just so that they might have a vague idea of what they are doing. Other times, I think it's useless.
My installer said they do give them free dish network, plus equipment but he said the equipment is like the old 722's and such. That doesn't really help them keep up with the technology, does it?
 
My installer said they do give them free dish network, plus equipment but he said the equipment is like the old 722's and such. That doesn't really help them keep up with the technology, does it?
Well that is kinda lame. My Tech said it was his first H3 install, but he said that they had one hooked up at their warehouse. So he got to play with it and that showed in the way he was flying through the setup process.
He then hooked up his Android phone to the front USB and showed me their internal app to run a diagnostics. He said that they were required to do that.
 

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