DISH releases Hopper Duo Smart DVR

[MikeD-C05]

I have just one TV, so called DISH about the Hopper Duo. They said that for now, it’s only available to new customers. I have the Hopper 3, and she recommended I keep it, even when ( and if ) the Duo becomes available to existing customers because the H3 has more features and “ costs the same “. But I said, the DUO apparently costs $ 10.00 a month, and I’m paying 15.00 a month. She said the $ 10.00 per month is only for the new customers, and after their 2 year commitment, would be increased to $15.00 a month.

Proving they are pushing everyone to the $15.00 dvr fee, regardless of what you get with each receiver. The hopper has more tuners than any receiver and you can use auto skip on your recorded shows after a certain amount of days. The Duo receiver does only two tuners and NO auto skip ,but you will pay the same ? That is a Rip OFF .

 

[Bobby]

Proving they are pushing everyone to the $15.00 dvr fee, regardless of what you get with each receiver. The hopper has more tuners than any receiver and you can use auto skip on your recorded shows after a certain amount of days. The Duo receiver does only two tuners and NO auto skip ,but you will pay the same ? That is a Rip OFF .

Only to those that don't know any better...

 

[DWS44]

Only to those that don't know any better...

...and there will be lots and lots of those.

 

[MikeD-C05]

The main thing the Duo/Joey would allow, as opposed to a pair of Wallys, would be the ability to have a single set of timers/recordings. That is what someone coming from 622/722 would have been used to. Now, whether that particular feature is worth the add'l fees, would be up to the user to decide. In that scenario, it seem like a move to a lower level Hopper would make more sense; however, given the performance issues of the H1/HWS in the post-CUI world, the Duo may make more sense if two tuners would be sufficient.

I think you are right about the amount of tuners. They should just make a standard hopper 3 that can be enabled for say 3 - 5 tuners for smaller house holds and a smaller dvr fee -say $10.00 a month. Those who want the full experience get the 16 tuner hopper and you pay $15.00 dvr fee. Then you would get the best experience with Prime Time Anytime feature and auto skip features -after a few days. One class of Hopper that can be enabled for 3-5 tuners or the full 16 tuners is easier to keep up instead of creating another duo tuner receiver . But being able to use the joey with the duo gets the fee up to $22.00 a month once the $5.00 discount ends on new customers. So I know why DISH went this route rather than standardizing one Hopper for all subs. So if you have the VIP 722k receiver , you only had the $7.00 dvr fee and you had tv 2 in sd for no fee. Now you get the same receiver with the latest interface and NO TV 2 unless you pay $7.00 for a joey . What an improvement .

 

[dare2be]

I think you are right about the amount of tuners. They should just make a standard hopper 3 that can be enabled for say 3 - 5 tuners for smaller house holds and a smaller dvr fee -say $10.00 a month. Those who want the full experience get the 16 tuner hopper and you pay $15.00 dvr fee. Then you would get the best experience with Prime Time Anytime feature and auto skip features -after a few days. One class of Hopper that can be enabled for 3-5 tuners or the full 16 tuners is easier to keep up instead of creating another duo tuner receiver . But being able to use the joey with the duo gets the fee up to $22.00 a month once the $5.00 discount ends on new customers. So I know why DISH went this route rather than standardizing one Hopper for all subs. So if you have the VIP 722k receiver , you only had the $7.00 dvr fee and you had tv 2 in sd for no fee. Now you get the same receiver with the latest interface and NO TV 2 unless you pay $7.00 for a joey . What an improvement .

Do people not read all the posts in a thread before posting? You even liked my post.

Here's what I would have done if I was Charlie.

Only one current/new model in production, the H3.

1-2 TV households get 3 tuners activated on the H3 for a $10 DVR fee.
All others have access to all 16 tuners for the full $15 DVR fee.

Also, it has been determined that the regular DVR price for the Duo before discounts is $10, not $15.

 

[littlecloud319]

Without the auto skip feature it doesn’t “hop” so it shouldn’t be in the “Hopper” category.

 

[pattykay]

I think you are right about the amount of tuners. They should just make a standard hopper 3 that can be enabled for say 3 - 5 tuners for smaller house holds and a smaller dvr fee -say $10.00 a month. Those who want the full experience get the 16 tuner hopper and you pay $15.00 dvr fee. Then you would get the best experience with Prime Time Anytime feature and auto skip features -after a few days. One class of Hopper that can be enabled for 3-5 tuners or the full 16 tuners is easier to keep up instead of creating another duo tuner receiver . But being able to use the joey with the duo gets the fee up to $22.00 a month once the $5.00 discount ends on new customers. So I know why DISH went this route rather than standardizing one Hopper for all subs. So if you have the VIP 722k receiver , you only had the $7.00 dvr fee and you had tv 2 in sd for no fee. Now you get the same receiver with the latest interface and NO TV 2 unless you pay $7.00 for a joey . What an improvement .

Yep, what dare2be said above. Also, $10 per month is the price Dish is currently offering a fully-functional Hopper 3 for to new subscribers, so charging that same amount for a stripped-down version does not seem fair. Having said that, I prefer to think of the Hopper Duo as a souped-up Wally, rather than a stripped-down Hopper or any kind of replacement for a ViP DVR.

 

[pattykay]

I have just one TV, so called DISH about the Hopper Duo. They said that for now, it’s only available to new customers. I have the Hopper 3, and she recommended I keep it, even when ( and if ) the Duo becomes available to existing customers because the H3 has more features and “ costs the same “. But I said, the DUO apparently costs $ 10.00 a month, and I’m paying 15.00 a month. She said the $ 10.00 per month is only for the new customers, and after their 2 year commitment, would be increased to $15.00 a month.

The CSR was wrong. It is right in the press release that Hopper Duo is available to new and existing customers for no upgrade fee.

Beginning today, qualified new and existing customers can receive a Hopper Duo at no upfront cost. The Hopper Duo system requires a whole-home DVR fee of $10 per month, with an additional $7 per month required for an added Joey.

 

[MikeD-C05]

Do people not read all the posts in a thread before posting? You even liked my post.

Also, it has been determined that the regular DVR price for the Duo before discounts is $10, not $15.

I knew I heard that somewhere. Great minds think alike.

 

[Ziptied]

Yep, what dare2be said above. Also, $10 per month is the price Dish is currently offering a fully-functional Hopper 3 for to new subscribers, so charging that same amount for a stripped-down version does not seem fair. Having said that, I prefer to think of the Hopper Duo as a souped-up Wally, rather than a stripped-down Hopper or any kind of replacement for a ViP DVR.

$5.00 Mo. for new subscribers.

 

[pattykay]

$5.00 Mo. for new subscribers.

Right, but existing subscribers would pay $10 per month. If you look at the post I was replying to, I was responding to MikeD-C05's suggestion of modifying a Hopper 3 so that fewer tuners would be usable for a lower DVR fee. I was pointing out that it would be unfair to charge existing subscribers $10 per month for that, while new subscribers get a fully-functioning version of the exact same receiver for the same price.

 

[Ziptied]

Right, but existing subscribers would pay $10 per month. If you look at the post I was replying to, I was responding to MikeD-C05's suggestion of modifying a Hopper 3 so that fewer tuners would be usable for a lower DVR fee. I was pointing out that it would be unfair to charge existing subscribers $10 per month for that, while new subscribers get a fully-functioning version of the exact same receiver for the same price.

Ah, got it.

 

[ChadT41]

I’m not sure it’s “unfair”. And is still a better offer than competition.

 

[pattykay]

I’m not sure it’s “unfair”. And is still a better offer than competition.

Well, technically, it is inherently unfair to offer new subscribers lower equipment fees than existing subscribers in the first place.

 

[ChadT41]

But DatV and Dish already do that. It’s part of the incentive.

 

[pattykay]

But DatV and Dish already do that. It’s part of the incentive.

And I have no problem with that, as long as they offer the same deal to existing subscribers who are willing to sign a two-year contract for the same discount.

 

[TheKrell]

How many have two of those VIP units especially 612's but even if they have a 722?

I do. 6 sat tuners; 3 OTA tuners.

 

[Ziptied]

And I have no problem with that, as long as they offer the same deal to existing subscribers who are willing to sign a two-year contract for the same discount.

Except for the $5.00 mo. Joey fee, The "Existing Customer Renewal Offer" does that now.

 

[DishSubLA]

Hopper, H2, HWS are all SLOW as clunky molasses and would sour customers on Dish services.

I don't know why Dish does not offer more than two tuners on the new Duo, but Dish should have to choose from 3 set-ups:
*Wally for those who want the least
*New Dish Duo-like box (for two or even three rooms), but with 6 tuners becaue even a two TV household can have situations where there are one or even two additional shows airing at the same time, and add to that each user is also watching Live TV at the same time. and PTAT should be a feature offered with this DVR, as well.
*Hopper 3, the ultimate experience with 16 tuners, etc.

Of course, these NEW boxes would handle CUI far better than any of the older Hoppers, and that is an important thing. You can't have people experiencing the frustration of the CUI on older boxes. the new Dish Duo just seems like a half-hearted attempt at appeasing those who find the cost of the Hopper too much money, and trying to get a low end DVR with decent speeds with the CUI. It may seem counterintuitive to Dish, but they should really make that Dish Duo spot be far more attractive option than it is because compared to the OTT option, the Dish Duo just comes up too short.

 

[DishSubLA]

Please, all this ranting. Whatever the Duo lacks is in a Hopper 2 or 3.

but they choke on the new CUI. My HWS has gotten worse, slower and not releasing weather apps etc. in the last several weeks, and this happens at the MAIN Hopper WS units.