So Hopper has really only 3 tunners?

[Suppafreak]

I am sure this was already discussed, but I just want to make sure I understand it correctly

I have Hopper and 3 Joeys for couple of weeks now. Dish advertises that Hopper has 6 tuners with PTAT enabled. Actually, it only has 3 tuners.

As I said I have 3 tuners and 4 TVs. Hopper and each Joey connected to the TV.

This is how tuners distributed:

1. If nothing is recorder before and after the PTAT, 3 TVs can watch different programmings and 4th TV can only watch what any of the three tuners are showing.
2. During the PTAT recording, one of the three tuners is being used by PTAT. So, 2 TVs can watch different programming, 3rd TV can watch PTAT or other 2 tuners and 4th TV can only watch what any of the 3 tuners are showing.

Is this correct and the only way to free up tuners is to get another Hopper?

 

[nismoman]

Well it's not advertised as 6 tuners during ptat, it's advertised that you can record up to six shows at once during ptat. I think you understand basically how it works. Ptat uses one tuner and pulls the local network feeds from one sat all at the same time. So yes if you need more than 3 tuners you need another hopper, just be aware that the two hoppers don't communicate with each other at this time.

 

[Jonhern]

I am sure this was already discussed, but I just want to make sure I understand it correctly

I have Hopper and 3 Joeys for couple of weeks now. Dish advertises that Hopper has 6 tuners with PTAT enabled. Actually, it only has 3 tuners.

As I said I have 3 tuners and 4 TVs. Hopper and each Joey connected to the TV.

This is how tuners distributed:

1. If nothing is recorder before and after the PTAT, 3 TVs can watch different programmings and 4th TV can only watch what any of the three tuners are showing.
2. During the PTAT recording, one of the three tuners is being used by PTAT. So, 2 TVs can watch different programming, 3rd TV can watch PTAT or other 2 tuners and 4th TV can only watch what any of the 3 tuners are showing.

Is this correct and the only way to free up tuners is to get another Hopper?

Yes. I expect a lot of people are in the same boat you are, since dish is advertising this as a 4 tv solution but only 3 at the max can watch live tv at any given time. Their adverts are very misleading.

 

[sparc]

I am sure this was already discussed, but I just want to make sure I understand it correctly

I have Hopper and 3 Joeys for couple of weeks now. Dish advertises that Hopper has 6 tuners with PTAT enabled. Actually, it only has 3 tuners.

As I said I have 3 tuners and 4 TVs. Hopper and each Joey connected to the TV.

This is how tuners distributed:

1. If nothing is recorder before and after the PTAT, 3 TVs can watch different programmings and 4th TV can only watch what any of the three tuners are showing.
2. During the PTAT recording, one of the three tuners is being used by PTAT. So, 2 TVs can watch different programming, 3rd TV can watch PTAT or other 2 tuners and 4th TV can only watch what any of the 3 tuners are showing.

Is this correct and the only way to free up tuners is to get another Hopper?

4th tv can also watch any content that you've already recorded as well. It doesn't necessarily have to watch what the other tuners are watching. Just depends on the viewing habits in your household.

If you need more than three Live tuners because your household watches mostly channels that are not PTAT during those primetime hours, then you should go for a second hopper.

In my household, nobody watches PTAT regularly so we were pretty much forced into two hoppers because we needed at least 4 live tuners during primetime hours.