DIRT question / help - Current hopper limit?

TG2

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
Feb 7, 2011
1,380
7
Viginia
Any DISH IRT/Dirt members on?

I wanted to go Hopper3 for the 16 channel DVR, but then find its still only a 2TB drive, so doesn't meet our needs.

Try now to get a 3rd hopper added but not getting anywhere. The last post I could find was from 2013 when a Dirt Member said 3 hoppers 6 joeys is limit on an account.

Can you confirm this is still the case? Should I just buy a refurb unit and ask to get it added? (a much cheaper option compared to what the last rep told me of 299 for a new unit from them, but then told me I couldn't add it to my account).

Thank you!!
 
When the HwS first came out there was a 1 per account limit. I waited and we now have two. So that is one reason that I am waiting, plus there are so many bugs still left to work out. This unit should have been premiered at CES 2017.
 
Any DISH IRT/Dirt members on?

I wanted to go Hopper3 for the 16 channel DVR, but then find its still only a 2TB drive, so doesn't meet our needs.

Try now to get a 3rd hopper added but not getting anywhere. The last post I could find was from 2013 when a Dirt Member said 3 hoppers 6 joeys is limit on an account.

Can you confirm this is still the case? Should I just buy a refurb unit and ask to get it added? (a much cheaper option compared to what the last rep told me of 299 for a new unit from them, but then told me I couldn't add it to my account).

Thank you!!
If hard drive space is your issue my understanding is it supports 3 2 tb ehd. You really need more then that?
 
Any DISH IRT/Dirt members on?

I wanted to go Hopper3 for the 16 channel DVR, but then find its still only a 2TB drive, so doesn't meet our needs.

Try now to get a 3rd hopper added but not getting anywhere. The last post I could find was from 2013 when a Dirt Member said 3 hoppers 6 joeys is limit on an account.

Can you confirm this is still the case? Should I just buy a refurb unit and ask to get it added? (a much cheaper option compared to what the last rep told me of 299 for a new unit from them, but then told me I couldn't add it to my account).

Thank you!!
currently Dish has a limit of 1 - Hopper3 per account. Not sure about the other Hoppers.
 
If hard drive space is your issue my understanding is it supports 3 2 tb ehd. You really need more then that?
Understanding is one thing, in practice use is another. First, I've not found a way to access the external recordings except from the *one* DVR. Second, the amount of time it takes to manage that amount of recordings.

In the hopper3 thread, I see the same anguish, how could dish have been so stupid as to use a 2 tb drive (single) allowing only 500 hrs of digital recording but yet 16 tuners? As they've said over there .. sure it ends arguments when it comes to which shows (channels) to record, but opens up the battle on storage space.

Dish needs to find a better way to handle drive space, additional drives, and any external storage.

Either way.. still looking for DIRT member to chime in..

Thx!
 
It has been posted elsewhere, 2TB is an operating system restriction, EHDs work fine. 2 Hopper3s can be done with purchase AND 2 dishes.
 
I remember reading that the Broadcom
chip restricts the hard drive to 2TB. I tried
a 4TB external, and it couldn't recognize it. I have three 2TB externals hooked up.
 
Any DISH IRT/Dirt members on?

I wanted to go Hopper3 for the 16 channel DVR, but then find its still only a 2TB drive, so doesn't meet our needs.

Try now to get a 3rd hopper added but not getting anywhere. The last post I could find was from 2013 when a Dirt Member said 3 hoppers 6 joeys is limit on an account.

Can you confirm this is still the case? Should I just buy a refurb unit and ask to get it added? (a much cheaper option compared to what the last rep told me of 299 for a new unit from them, but then told me I couldn't add it to my account).

Thank you!!
You will have to purchased the 3rd. Dish only leased two per account
 
Hey everyone, just wanted to chime in. Currently our only supported installation for the Hopper 3 is 1 Hopper 3 (purchased or leased) and 6 Joey's per account. While other install setups may work, that is currently our only supported setup.

As others have mentioned, you can use EHDs for additional storage. The current limit we guarantee will work is between 50 Gb and 2 TB. Again, others may work but that is what is currently recommended.
 
Understanding is one thing, in practice use is another. First, I've not found a way to access the external recordings except from the *one* DVR. Second, the amount of time it takes to manage that amount of recordings.

In the hopper3 thread, I see the same anguish, how could dish have been so stupid as to use a 2 tb drive (single) allowing only 500 hrs of digital recording but yet 16 tuners? As they've said over there .. sure it ends arguments when it comes to which shows (channels) to record, but opens up the battle on storage space.

Dish needs to find a better way to handle drive space, additional drives, and any external storage.

Either way.. still looking for DIRT member to chime in..

Thx!
It may be that once at the 3GB HDD storage point heat increases and so does density, and this increases chances of failure to a minor or major extent. Since Dish has to replace any of their DVR's that have an HDD failure, Dish probably felt the best economical solution was to stay with the "safer" 2TB. And let's keep in mind that unlike some other boxes out there (TiVo's S3 had a far more robust fan at the rear which worked great, and the old DVR recorders also made room for a robust fan even if it did stick out at the rear a bit), the Hopper case/box does a really LOUSY job of cooling. Any of us who have attempted to put one in even an OPEN cabinet have found this out. That fan will go into over noise mode and still won't work properly. I would not doubt Dish, indeed, tested >2TB internal HDD's and found total failure more because of the lousy cooling of the Hopper case box and it pathetic fan. But, in the past, Dish had so many complaints about fan noise (especially from units in bedrooms) on its legacy DVR's, the company seems to have adopted a "quietest as possible fan noise" mentality and would rather keep the 2TB HDD than pay for more quiet running fans or just have the current fans run at higher speed, but that creates too much noise.

Yes, there are some more expensive 3TB and higher capacity HDD's, but they are more expensive, and Dish may find that after a cost analysis, it was just too expensive to get the more reliable models of HDD for greater than 2TB, and the risks of failure for even a more expensive >2TB HDD, while diminished, still present a greater risk even though not necessarily a big one.

Bottom line: it was the cost. However, I do agree that a 2TB internal HDD is silly for a 16 tuner model that is supposed to serve EVERYONE in the family as being their own DVR. Agreed, if Dish had made it possible for all to access the two external HDD's from anywhere (even on line) that would have gone a long way to having the internal HDD at 2TB being of no big deal.

In addition to the size of the HDD being not optimum, consider the lack of personalization (like Identities or Profiles) to keep each members content separate from each other (although Echostar seems to have--or is requesting a patent for just such a feature) in a 16 tuner DVR seems just as "half-baked" to me. This H3 is supposed to be serving everyone in the family. Managing all that content must be a bit taxing for those with full house.
 
I'm just giessing..... but it sounds like the kids are running buck shot over your TB space.

Perhaps Dish could restrict the space based on some sort of parental control?

Just a thought.
 
Hey everyone, just wanted to chime in. Currently our only supported installation for the Hopper 3 is 1 Hopper 3 (purchased or leased) and 6 Joey's per account. While other install setups may work, that is currently our only supported setup.

As others have mentioned, you can use EHDs for additional storage. The current limit we guarantee will work is between 50 Gb and 2 TB. Again, others may work but that is what is currently recommended.
Tommy, the original question is how many regular hoppers on one account.

I've found DIRT postings from 2 years ago that say 3 hoppers (not the hopper 3, but regular hopper / hopper with sling) on an account and 6 joeys.

Is that currently the case?

TY!
 
Tommy, the original question is how many regular hoppers on one account.

I've found DIRT postings from 2 years ago that say 3 hoppers (not the hopper 3, but regular hopper / hopper with sling) on an account and 6 joeys.

Is that currently the case?

TY!

Sorry, I did misunderstand the original post. Our typical installations are 2 Hoppers or HWS and 6 Joeys leased, however there is no specific limit currently. Additional Hoppers would just have to be purchased.
 
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Sorry, I did misunderstand the original post. Our typical installations are 2 Hoppers or HWS and 6 Joeys leased, however there is no specific limit currently. Additional Hoppers would just have to be purchased.
Awesome ... would you be able to look at my account, to confirm I can just purchase one, and then I could schedule a work order to install?
 
If you have a good local retailer you should probably call them first. :)
lol and "good" is relative. Any online suggestions? I looked for what use to be recommended on the main page of the satguys but I'm either blind or they are missing.. :( Looking for a refurb unit (don't want to waste money on brand new when doesn't need to be). :)
 

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