Thinking of a Hopper or Hopper 3

[NR2D]

I'm thinking of replacing my 722K with a Hopper or a Hopper 3. I will not be using any Joeys.
Presently I have a 1000.2 on the western arc with a Dish Pro Plus 3 satellite LNB. I do have
a 1000.4 dish with the eastern arc Dish Pro Plus 3 satellite LNB that I can install.

I receive my locals via a conventional TV antenna on the roof of my house. I have that split
to 2 Dish receivers and 2 HD TVs.

My location is 10 miles east of Philadelphia, PA.

With the 1000.2 I have rain fade but only with heavy rain, I.E. summer thunderstorms.

Will I need to change out my dish and/or LNB in order to user the Hopper or Hopper 3? I have 2 of
the 3 LNB outputs being used presently. The third does not come into the house.

 

[Scherrman]

I recommend the Hopper 3 since the monthly cost is the same and it gives you a lot more. You would need to swap out the LNB and it only requires one cable into the house.

 

[dare2be]

Is the monthly cost the same? I thought H2 DVR fee is $12 and the H3 fee is $15? Or did they both go up to $15?

 

[JM42]

Both are $15. I think existing H2K/HWS are grandfathered.

 

[NR2D]

I have 1 additional question though. I am planning to use a Hopper 3 with 1 Joey 2.0.
I know I will need the new LNB Hybrid and a Hybrid Solo Hub. We receive our local
stations OTA. Will i need an OTA just for the Hopper 3 or for both the Hopper 3 and
the Joey 2.0?

I'm trying to get all "my ducks in a row". I already have 2 RG-6 cables coming in from
my primary dish so that's no problem.

I'll be replacing a 722K and a 211K and removing a 211K that we don't us. So between
the DVR fees and the receiver fees my bill should only go up $1.

Does the Joey 2.0 add an additional receiver? If so will it allow me to record more than 16
channels? Not that it matters. I don't think I will even come close to needing the 16 channels.

 

[bmetelsky]

Will i need an OTA just for the Hopper 3 or for both the Hopper 3 and
the Joey 2.0?

Just for the H3.

 

[bmetelsky]

Does the Joey 2.0 add an additional receiver?

Nope. The H3 has 16 tuners. How many more would you need?

 

[bmetelsky]

I don't think I will even come close to needing the 16 channels.

One of the tuners works as the PTAT tuner, which will effectively record 4 primetime channels at once, during the primetime hours. So, you can actually be recording 19 channels at once, + 1 more with the OTA tuner, for a total of 20. You have to buy the OTA tuner from DISH.

 

[NR2D]

Nope. The H3 has 16 tuners. How many more would you need?

I was just asking. There was a discussion else where on the total number of receivers with the Hopper 3 and Joeys.

 

[Scherrman]

I was just asking. There was a discussion else where on the total number of receivers with the Hopper 3 and Joeys.

Receivers and tuners are two different things so there may be some confusion here.

 

[NR2D]

Just for the H3.

If I have the OAT receiver on the Hopper 3 will I be able to record more than 1 OTA show
at a time? I don't very often record show OTA but my wife does. Most of my OTA recordings
are live events. There have been 1 or 2 times when we both record show OTA at the same time.

I have a 772K in my computer/radio room and she has a 211K with an external hard drive in our
rec room.

I don't receive my locals from the satellites. I'm in New Jersey but I have my dish on the western arc.

BTW thanks everyone for the great info. I thought I was and "expert" with my 722K and 2 211Ks. But
with the Hoppers it is all new to me. I have 2 Dish 1000.2s installed. 1 on the pole that was used
for my C band dish and the other 20' up on my tower. The first feeds my 722K and the second
feeds the 2 211Ks. Again thanks all for the great info.

 

[Scherrman]

If I have the OAT receiver on the Hopper 3 will I be able to record more than 1 OTA show
at a time? I don't very often record show OTA but my wife does. Most of my OTA recordings
are live events. There have been 1 or 2 times when we both record show OTA at the same time.

I have a 772K in my computer/radio room and she has a 211K with an external hard drive in our
rec room.

I don't receive my locals from the satellites. I'm in New Jersey but I have my dish on the western arc.

BTW thanks everyone for the great info. I thought I was and "expert" with my 722K and 2 211Ks. But
with the Hoppers it is all new to me. I have 2 Dish 1000.2s installed. 1 on the pole that was used
for my C band dish and the other 20' up on my tower. The first feeds my 722K and the second
feeds the 2 211Ks. Again thanks all for the great info.

It is only one tuner so it is limited to recording only one OTA channel.

 

[dare2be]

It is only one tuner so it is limited to recording only one OTA channel.

And how does it handle back-to-back OTA recordings?

 

[Scherrman]

And how does it handle back-to-back OTA recordings?

Good question. I can't remember running into that. I believe it will record the end of the show with a few minutes after and then stop. Then it will start the next recording late.

Hopefully someone who has seen this recently can correct me.

 

[NR2D]

Well I was just looking at some reference stuff on here for the eastern arc. I had at 1 time way way back a single dish for
61.5. It was before locals were carried by dish or locals were available to anyone who could receive the locals via a
conventional TV antenna. The signal strength was quite low. About a year after I took it down and just worried about
receiving the western arc Dish launched the new satellite for 61.5.

I'll have to search around to see if I still have that dish and LNB still around. If I do I'll through it up on my pole
and play around with my locals on 61.5. If they work out then maybe I'll look into moving over to the eastern arc.
I played around with the eastern arc a couple of years ago and I was having a problem getting the dish aligned.
At the time I was playing around with a new satellite meter, SATLOOK LITE, and at the time it would not identify
any eastern arc satellites. I update the firmware and satellite log over the weekend so maybe it will work better.

I also use a Channel Master meter which I love since the display are analog meters. I'm old fashion when it comes
to that.

If the locals work out on 61.5 then having to buy the Dish OTA adapter is a mute point then. Both the wife and I can
DVR to our hearts content.

 

[donebu]

Well I was just looking at some reference stuff on here for the eastern arc. I had at 1 time way way back a single dish for

If the locals work out on 61.5 then having to buy the Dish OTA adapter is a mute point then. Both the wife and I can
DVR to our hearts content.

I would think about getting a Dish OTA adapter just to have for the inevitable local station carry negotiation stalemates. But you also lose the guide data so it makes them tough to DVR.