Official - I have a Hopper 3 Thread!

This box really looks amazing and I am tired of DirecTV moving so slowly with technology. How is the picture quality though on Dish compared to DirecTV? Unfortunately Google searches seem to suggest DirecTV is better but the most recent info I was able to find was an AVSForum post from 1st quarter of 2015.
 
This question has been asked many, many times over the years. The overwhelming answer is that they are so close there is nothing to worry about.
Bobby, one last question. Was the Guide dumbed down? I thought Dish actually showed more hours on the guide on a single screen than DirecTV did, but it looks like they may be the same now from a video I just watched from CES (or maybe there is a way to change it). It would be nice to see more than 2.5 hours at a time. (and sorry, I should probably be asking this somewhere else as I am not a Hopper owner at the current time, but may be one soon)
 
Bobby, one last question. Was the Guide dumbed down? I thought Dish actually showed more hours on the guide on a single screen than DirecTV did, but it looks like they may be the same now from a video I just watched from CES (or maybe there is a way to change it). It would be nice to see more than 2.5 hours at a time. (and sorry, I should probably be asking this somewhere else as I am not a Hopper owner at the current time, but may be one soon)

DirecTV's guide is 1.5 hours and full of ads everywhere. The new DISH UI Guide is 2.5 hours and has 1 banner across the bottom.
 
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This box really looks amazing and I am tired of DirecTV moving so slowly with technology. How is the picture quality though on Dish compared to DirecTV? Unfortunately Google searches seem to suggest DirecTV is better but the most recent info I was able to find was an AVSForum post from 1st quarter of 2015.

We I've had both in the last 2 years.

Dish only broadcasts 1440x1080. (Really 4*3 HD which is stretched back out upon display.)

As a result, the HD is noticeably less sharp and detailed than Directv.

Dish definitely looks softer.

Ever since DTV switched to MPEG 4 the picture has improved on HD.

SD on Directv is terrible. Dish wins by a wide margin.

Dish is very quick to introduce new DVRs.

Directv is slow to move on that front for sure.

BUT... I have a Directv mini 4K client (same idea as a Joey...).

Right now they are about the same regarding 4K VOD. However, I have access to test 4K broadcasts over the air from satellite that are looking very good. So Directv is on it regarding 4K broadcast. In addition, Dieectv is doing 4K with Dolby Digital Plus, which also supports Atmos.

The Dish ecosystem also seems to have weird behaviors you must live with... Nightly reboots, the H3 not coming back on tuned to the last channel, etc. small annoyances, but to me annoyances none the less.

From my perspective the picture quality is the last thing holding me back from making the switch. But al the other features sure are tempting... Speed, tuners, Netflix integration, Sling..... I'm still debating the change...
 
From my perspective the picture quality is the last thing holding me back from making the switch. But al the other features sure are tempting... Speed, tuners, Netflix integration, Sling..... I'm still debating the change...
PQ has vastly improved on the H3 and the interface speed is phenomenal now. I wouldn't let that hold you back any longer.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
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I just switched from DirecTV. I am sure I'm not that discerning about the picture quality difference. I can't tell any difference, except that I've had far fewer issues with pixelation than I was having with DirecTV (which has more to do with my particular installation, I'm sure).

What I amazed by is how much better the sound quality is. There is much more distinct surround sound and far better bass with Dish than with DirecTV. Even my wife notices the difference and loves it.

I switched to Dish because the Hopper 3 is really superior to Dish's Genie at the moment, with PTAT, Autohop, 16 tuners, and other features. But I'm pleasantly surprised how much more enjoyable the sound quality is for us.
 
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Bobby, one last question. Was the Guide dumbed down? I thought Dish actually showed more hours on the guide on a single screen than DirecTV did, but it looks like they may be the same now from a video I just watched from CES (or maybe there is a way to change it). It would be nice to see more than 2.5 hours at a time. (and sorry, I should probably be asking this somewhere else as I am not a Hopper owner at the current time, but may be one soon)
The new guide is 2.5 hours, presently. It used to be 3 hours. I've not missed that 1/2 hour. Most of my TV viewing includes programs that are 1 hour or more so, if I can see the first 1/2 hour of the programs in the guide, I am seeing the entire hour, effectively.
 
"The Dish ecosystem also seems to have weird behaviors you must live with... Nightly reboots, the H3 not coming back on tuned to the last channel, etc. small annoyances, but to me annoyances none the less. "

So far I've had no visible nightly reboots on either J2 or H3 - it seems to be waiting till turned off. Glad we were listened to, finally.
 
Just got the Hopper 3 and 4K Joey installed a couple hours ago. He only had to replace the LNB not the dish itself. The tech wanted to keep the 40 remote from the old Hopper (didn't have a Joey prior to today) and was kind of insistent, but luckily we had found a really old Dish remote (it had a "VCR" button on it) this morning in a junk drawer and he agreed to take that instead, so I kept my old 40 remote, plus got a new 40 remote with the 4K Joey and the 52 remote with the Hopper 3. Tech tried to sell us a sound bar for $200 but nothing else. He left the extra HDMI cables. I tipped him $20, he said he wasn't supposed to accept but I stuck it in the pocket of his sweatshirt.

After he left I restored my timers from the old remote without issue, and my husband hooked up the OTA tuner (which we hadn't used on the old Hopper) to the USB 2.0 port and scanned the channels. It found quite a few. The only problem is I have hooked up the external hard drive that has all my recordings on it using the USB 3.0 port and the Hopper isn't recognizing it. It worked fine on the original Hopper (2.0 USB obviously). Any tips on getting that working? The tech was afraid the Hopper 3 would try to format the hard drive with all my recordings on it, but nothing has happened yet. It is a new Seagate 2 TB drive with external power and USB 3.0/2.0 compatible.
 

“select” button not working.

Wireless Joey questions

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