Thread: Hopper vs direct tv

I'm a dish subscriber and I also install for them. I'm excited about the hopper and think it looks cool but I've seen ads on tv were directv was offering a whole home dvr service. What's the difference between dishs new whole home service and directvs?

About 10.00 more per programming pack with DIRECTV. The fees are yet to be released on the Hopper and Joey. We don't know if they are $7.00 per Hopper and PER Joey or $7.00 for both. So we really can't compare on the Fee structure yet. The DIRECTV new dvr for multi view has 5 sat tuners in it. The Hopper has 3, but Primetime Anytime feature enabled allows all network shows from ABC/CBS/FOX/NBC to be recorded during primetime and saved on the DISH partition of the Hard drive. It only uses 1 of the sat tuners to record the entire transponder itself. If you want to save any show from deletion after 8 days , you can select it and save it to your side of the hard drive. That is just a few that stick out to me. Maybe someone from DIRECTV can comment on how their receiver works .

I switched from D* last November. I had 2 HDDVRs and 1 HD receiver with MRV and Internet Connection. The system performance was very good - the MRV ethernet loop had data xfer rates of over 245 MBps. There were small but not aggravating lag times when doing trick play ops like fast forward or 30skip on a remote dvr. The older D* receivers needed an external DECA and the Internet Connection required a DECA and a power inserter. It looks like the E* solution has all of the MOCA stuff built in. Hopefully the E* performance will be as good as D* was. If it is and the pricing is right I'll switch.

Until the Hopper is in the hands of knowledgeable people - namely posters, it's hard to compare. And it is possible it will actually have four tuners. (OTA) It appears the Joeys can do everything the hopper does, where the Direct set-up requires you to be recording the program to pause, etc... It also appears Direct TV allows their regular DVR in the system which would provide a backup receiver should the whole house unit fail. The Dish answer may be allowing a second Hopper, which would be integrated meaning all joeys could see both hoppers. Rumor is Dish will not at least at first, if ever, allow a mixed set-up. The direct whole house units do not integrate that way. Already mentioned is the recording of all networks on one tuner, in some households like mine that is a definite plus, some households it may not be.
Because Dish is apparently going to charge a $4 whole house fee, I'm betting the first hopper will not have a receiver fee, as is policy now. You will pay an account DVR fee and the $4 account whole house fee. Then each Joey will be $7, and possibly the second hopper will be $7. IF, that's IF I am correct that looks to be less than Direct TV, especially when the packages cost a little less also.

One last thing I always feel obligated to say, to me the actual content makes the most difference, and on that front nothing has changed much. For the most sports, and in HD (somewhere around 16 to 18) you need Direct TV. Dish has actually improved quite some on the sports front, still lags, but their strong point is non sports channels in HD and movies. If that is more important, Dish is the way to go.

I would add that the Joeys are not capable of supporting picture-in-picture.

Not sure how many folks actually use PIP, but I use the swap function between the 2 tuners in my current 622 all day, every day. I also use the side-by-side PIP in conjunction with swapping. I guess I could live without side-by-side, but I def could not live without Swap.

I am very curious to see what button pushes (how many) would be involved in swapping with Hopper/Joey. Currently it's one button push on the VIPs.

Three tuners is very appealing, if I can actually get to them quickly. Also going to be curious to know if playing/viewing a recording makes us lose the buffer of one of the tuners like it does on the VIPs. I've always wished we could swap between three tuners, instead of just the 2 Sat tuners (2 SAT + 1 OTA). [i.e. Swap: Tuner 1, Swap: Tuner 2 , Swap: OTA Tuner, Swap: Tuner 1, etc.]

I dont need as much functionality out of a reciever as most of you, but we have one hopper in out training room at work, the thing is so fast in the guide and barely any delay when changing channels. And one cool feature, when you hit recall it gives you the option of your 3 previously viewed channels plus the one you are on.

Originally Posted by Dishman1978

I dont need as much functionality out of a reciever as most of you, but we have one hopper in out training room at work, the thing is so fast in the guide and barely any delay when changing channels. And one cool feature, when you hit recall it gives you the option of your 3 previously viewed channels plus the one you are on.

:drool:

keep going.......

The Hopper/Joey system will also allow for an EHD to be attached for extra storage. You will also be able to use EHD's from any VIP receiver except the 211/211k/411.

Originally Posted by Dishman1978

I dont need as much functionality out of a reciever as most of you, but we have one hopper in out training room at work, the thing is so fast in the guide and barely any delay when changing channels. And one cool feature, when you hit recall it gives you the option of your 3 previously viewed channels plus the one you are on.

Ok, I'm seated now, keep going.....