So whos NOT getting a Hopper due to lack of OTA?

[MikeD-C05]

Because there was enough interest in the Hopper as is to justify not delaying it for six months until that feature was ready to be rolled out.

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I can see that. But I would think that using existing ota module like the Vip series has , could of been used with the hopper from the start. There was no need to re-invent the wheel again for the hopper. There is even a place on the back of the hopper where they could used the module.

 

[mike123abc]

I have a feeling that Dish knows exactly how many really "need" OTA, and this is not a development priority for them. They probably are working on it in the background, but the main team is working on getting the other features of the Hopper done.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

No I wouldn't say that.

 

[TheKrell]

Yeah, they should have simply used the MT2 whose control software is already there in the 922. So what's taking them so long? Working on the error message popup, "USB device unplugged"? No, they have that working already as well (for the EHD).

 

[thxtech]

I've done some homework here for my local area in central Oregon. We have locals from Bend Oregon if you live in that county. One major population center (Bend 80,000 pop) and the closest in that county (redmond 25,000 at 20 miles away) get the locals in sd. The surrounding cities have to settle for Portland (although its in hd is 120 miles away) so lots of my customers either can't get their locals in hd or can't get the locals that are really local. A few resort to ota antennas. In the past four years I have personally installed nearly 2000 dish network systems. Of those, only 9 have ota run through the receiver to record it.

Now this is in a place were people have a reason to use ota and still most people won't, (greater than 99%). I think the problem here is that there is no great return on investment for ota in the hopper. The number of people affected by not releasing this on launch is near infinitesimal. They didn't reuse the code from the 922 ota so as to use an improved tuner and because they intend to support only one tuner (due to hard drive I/O limitations with so many streams). Same reason they didn't put all six tuners in one hopper.
Anyway, they will get it out to us SOON, lol!

 

[Hall]

I have a feeling that Dish knows exactly how many really "need" OTA...

As much of a dismay that may be to people, you can be 99% certain this is EXACTLY the reason. Dare I say it, if the Hopper NEVER sees an OTA module, people shouldn't be shocked.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Yeah, they should have simply used the MT2 whose control software is already there in the 922. So what's taking them so long? Working on the error message popup, "USB device unplugged"? No, they have that working already as well (for the EHD).

The problem with it is outputting in MoCA format so that the tuner can be used by not only your Hopper but your Joeys as well. Its a totally different beast.

 

[Peter Parker]

I like to watch (and record) some of the DC subchannels ans well as Baltimore stations (not their subchannels really) consequently the lack of OTA is a big deal for me. having said that I am still a DISH sub (with VIP receivers) so they are not losing much by not accommodating me.

 

[MikeD-C05]

The problem with it is outputting in MoCA format so that the tuner can be used by not only your Hopper but your Joeys as well. Its a totally different beast.

Just make ota work on the hopper itself for live tv and recorded and only can watch recorded ota shows on the joeys. Also let each joey work with an individual ota usb tuner for live ota tv. That way it won't tax the system to have more than one ota tuner for recording purposes. Maybe in the future they could add recording to the joey ota usb tuners. But this way you could get ota working now on the hopper. Also add Manual timers back to the hopper for ota channels with no guide data.

 

[cditty]

The problem with it is outputting in MoCA format so that the tuner can be used by not only your Hopper but your Joeys as well. Its a totally different beast.

I was just about to type that. It's easy to forget that anything they give the Hopper, will have access from the Joey's. I am glad they are taking their time. I am impressed by how quickly they have worked on this software. In all honesty, I have been happy since day one.

 

[dangue]

Just make ota work on the hopper itself for live tv and recorded and only can watch recorded ota shows on the joeys. Also let each joey work with an individual ota usb tuner for live ota tv. That way it won't tax the system to have more than one ota tuner for recording purposes. Maybe in the future they could add recording to the joey ota usb tuners. But this way you could get ota working now on the hopper. Also add Manual timers back to the hopper for ota channels with no guide data.

This comes across as indicating that what you're saying is 1) possible given the current hardware in a Joey and 2) simple to achieve. I'm not so sure that either of those is the case.

 

[JM42]

The problem with it is outputting in MoCA format so that the tuner can be used by not only your Hopper but your Joeys as well. Its a totally different beast.

Also, we should not lose sight the MT2 is not perfect. There have been reported apparently multi-path based lockups going way, way back. There is a current 722k thread about general lockups with it and whether the latest updates help or not. If anyone is aware of the issues it should be the Echostar engineers. Then add in the extra heat issues, production costs, etc.

We can second guess Dish on this forever. Taking the easy shortcut is usually not the best course. If they had gone that route, had issues, and the answer was "Because with the MT2...." we'd all be bitching about how they should have known, this or that had always been a problem, and they should have redesigned it from the ground up.

 

[MikeD-C05]

This comes across as indicating that what you're saying is 1) possible given the current hardware in a Joey and 2) simple to achieve. I'm not so sure that either of those is the case.

At one time in the early days of the hopper idea, it was hinted that they would use the joeys for ota usb tuners . Add one to each joey and gain another ota tuner. I don't see why they have usb inputs on the joeys ,unless they plan on using them for either external hard drives for that Joey or for ota usb tuners. The only limits are what DISH puts on them. The software just needs to be written, unless this is a functional design flaw in the joeys themselves.

 

[sparc]

I don't see why they have usb inputs on the joeys, unless they plan on using them for either external hard drives for that Joey or for ota usb tuners.

many have been using them for USB network adapters. Although not quite as important now that bridging is enabled on the hoppers.

 

[ScottChez]

One of my DirecTV HardDrives is going out they want money to send someone out, but cant switch to Dish with out the Over the Air tuner as I would be missing many Local Channels like:

PBS in HD Nebraska, PBS in HD Iowa, METV, MyTV Omaha, My TV Lincoln, Local Weather, LiveWell, CreatePBS Iowa, PBS Kids ect

There are way to many channel not uplinked on the SAT, and I dont trust dish switching to Dish now thinking they might come out with it later (we all know there track record with older models, soon could mean a year)

There was a rumor this was coming out in a month start with "J" sure hope that is not Jan of next year.
Surely someone is beta testing it by now.

 

[navychop]

I suspect, but do not know, that OTA will be out in August or September. Now, how much manual timer support will be there, who knows?

Things are no doubt delayed due to problems with the last Hopper s/w rollouts.

 

[rogerpl]

I'm going ahead with hopper, hope over the air comes soon

 

[navychop]

I'm going ahead with hopper, hope over the air comes soon

I'll set aside some Bactine for those arrow holes in your back.

I'll wait. From what I'm reading here, 219 is quite stable, so maybe OTA will get some attention.

 

[rogerpl]

I'll set aside some Bactine for those arrow holes in your back.

I'll wait. From what I'm reading here, 219 is quite stable, so maybe OTA will get some attention.

With two hoppers OTA not needed as much, more concerned with buggy issues that my wife will be less tolerant of.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Can I tell you a secret... I believe the OTA software is already on your box. It might not be the final version but if it's on there it's there making sure it causes no issues or memory leak issues.

Of course I could be wrong as well.

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