Technical questions for DISH

[dare2be]

Not sure if this is a technical question, but if there is any technical reason behind it, I'd like to hear it:

When the 8SPK conversion is complete on the WA, are there plans to turn on full-time HD RSNs as a top priority?

 

[DishSubLA]

I don't see how the 4k Joey, that is feed by the existing hopper, can do true 4k video ,but the hopper can't. That makes me think that the 4k joey is just upcoverting the hd signal it gets from the hopper to 4k resolutions.

Perhaps it has to do with the older HDMI version that may not support 4K on all Hoppers vs. the HDMI 2.0 presumably on the 4K Joey. Just a guess, but that is the ONLY reason I can think of that would make it impossible for the Hoppers to display 4K content, and the Hoppers (both versions) were designed a fairly long time ago (design 1-2 years PRIOR to mass manufacture and release to the public) when 4K just barely appeared to being a real thing. Heck, at the time DirecTV and Dish were putting together the Hopper and Genie, MOCA 2.0 came on the scene too late to be included even though it was finalized BEFORE manufacture of those boxes, but probably AFTER the design for the Hopper and Genie were finalized. The time it takes to get a device all done and commit to the vendors for parts, etc., and then to manufacture in large numbers and get it out means that technology can significantly improve and move along long before the first such device is available for purchase of installation.

 

[DishSubLA]

They blame dish for stuff anyway. Hold the stations accountable considering the money they want for retransmission consent, good guide data should be expected. Its been 3 yrs since I started conversing with the engineers and I've never seen a mistake on any of my 3 Dtv Pal dvrs which only use psip for guide. We pay Dish a lot of money for programming they shoukd be held accountable to provide something other than Digital Service in the guide.

Agreed. Especially since they sell us the OTA modules and offer the OTA feature.

 

[sam_gordon]

PSIP might be better in your market, but in the Albuquerque market it is practically non-existent.

I'd take PRACTICALLY non-existent over non-existent any day.

 

[sam_gordon]

Dish seems to be close to this now... but how about one of those little "press select now" popups during show promos that automatically set the DVR to record whatever show.

 

[KAB]

Dish seems to be close to this now... but how about one of those little "press select now" popups during show promos that automatically set the DVR to record whatever show.

Promos don't contain any guide data.

 

[JM42]

Perhaps it has to do with the older HDMI version that may not support 4K on all Hoppers vs. the HDMI 2.0 presumably on the 4K Joey. Just a guess, but that is the ONLY reason I can think of that would make it impossible for the Hoppers to display 4K content, and the Hoppers (both versions) were designed a fairly long time ago (design 1-2 years PRIOR to mass manufacture and release to the public) when 4K just barely appeared to being a real thing. Heck, at the time DirecTV and Dish were putting together the Hopper and Genie, MOCA 2.0 came on the scene too late to be included even though it was finalized BEFORE manufacture of those boxes, but probably AFTER the design for the Hopper and Genie were finalized. The time it takes to get a device all done and commit to the vendors for parts, etc., and then to manufacture in large numbers and get it out means that technology can significantly improve and move along long before the first such device is available for purchase of installation.

The HWS's BCM7425 chip was announced in January 2011, specs probably finalized earlier than that.

A short list of items not part of the public specs for the HWS chipset:
4K Resolution
10 bit color
HDMI 2.0 H265/HEVC

All are key for 4K. Even if 4K resolution can be squeezed out of the chip, or some flavor of HEVC is embedded, the odds of it having all the needed parts to support a full 4K implementation are slim.

The last thing Dish should do is cripple their 4K implementation trying to support existing hardware.

 

[MikeD-C05]

But I still don't understand how the video signal that goes from the hopper can be then seen in 4k resolution over the joey. It is coming from the hopper so is the joey upconverting the signal to 4k resolution?

 

[ncted]

But I still don't understand how the video signal that goes from the hopper can be then seen in 4k resolution over the joey. It is coming from the hopper so is the joey upconverting the signal to 4k resolution?

I don't think they would actually send a "signal" to the Joey. My guess is it is probably sending the encrypted MPEG4 data. MoCA is IP-based, so it is just packets. The Joey receives the data, decrypts it, and renders the video just like streaming from netflix or youtube.. It just happens locally within your home. In the case of 4K, it would be just higher bandwidth than 1080i or 720p. Of course I could be wrong.

 

[dare2be]

I wonder if the 4K Joey will require cabling higher than RG59?

 

[JM42]

I wonder if the 4K Joey will require cabling higher than RG59?

I think Moca 2.0 is still spec'd for RG59, if they even require a Moca 2 connection.

 

[sam_gordon]

Promos don't contain any guide data.

And the promos that have the pop up now to "Press Select to watch National Geographic Now!" do that how?

 

[ncted]

I wonder if the 4K Joey will require cabling higher than RG59?

4k streams from Netflix only require about 15 Mbps. The existing MoCA 1.1 standard provides 175 Mbps real-world speeds. Even on pretty old, bad cables, I don't see it being necessary to change anything, even with multiple 4K Joeys. I measured throughput on my ethernet connected Joey at around 5 Mbps on average. There is lots of headroom in the existing network technology.

 

[bluegras]

when are tunein and i heart radio apps coming to the hopper?

 

[KAB]

And the promos that have the pop up now to "Press Select to watch National Geographic Now!" do that how?

Have never seen such.

 

[satjay]

when are tunein and i heart radio apps coming to the hopper?

Patience....soon

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

If the HWS is unable to display 4K, should the plan be to use only Joeys at the TV and relegate the Hopper to a File Server role?

Yup. But it also gives you a better experience in your 4K home theater as the4K Joey has no moving parts, which means no fan or hard drive noise.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Will there be a 4k hopper to go with the 4k joey? Directv is coming out with their 4k receiver this year. Or is the present hopper capable of 4k video?

Not at this time. If people want 4K add a 4K Joey. And ultimately the experience will be better then having a Hopper in that room.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I don't see how the 4k Joey, that is feed by the existing hopper, can do true 4k video ,but the hopper can't. That makes me think that the 4k joey is just upcoverting the hd signal it gets from the hopper to 4k resolutions.

Nope. It takes the 4K data (which the Hopper / Hopper With Sling) can't decide itself and passes it off to the 4K Joey which can decode it.

Remember the Hopper Network is just like any other data Network. The Hopper is your Hub.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

What are the voice capabilities of the new touch remote?

This feature was not demoed. The remote they had that were working are early prototypes.