DISH releases Hopper Duo Smart DVR

[DishSubLA]

You mean the one with two tuners? We’re all these years 722 with two tuners seems like a lot of people are happy with that. Val a new dual tuner comes out and everybody’s talking like two isnt enough. I guess I’m confused

I would suggest they just made do, and tolerated it so they wouldn't have to increase their monthly bill to move on up to the Hopper, etc. It really was a compromise, not "happy" with it, but it was adequate. Yeah, 722 and other dual tuner subs were willing to get a system with more tuners, but---"WHAT? It's gonna increase my bill? No thanks. My bill is high enough." Making do, not really "happy."

Plus, don't forget that 2 tuners was the maximum with ANY DVR in those earlier days, so multiple boxes (TiVo's, etc.) was the answer in those days. Hey, people just LOVED their flaky, frustrating 721's when they came out because they had TWO tuners. Oh, MY HEAVENS!! TWO TUNERS!!! Our 721 was exaulted in our house because it was of the very few 2 tuner DVR's. Really no one today is impressed with the limitation of 2 tuners in this hundreds and hundreds of TV channel world of our today because times and expectations change.

FWIW TiVo hits right spot with 4 tuner OTA box, and 6 tuner boxes for cable MSO.

 

[DishSubLA]

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

which is about 99% of current or potential subscribers, but not us very small number of Powerusers.

 

[DishSubLA]

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

Fair enough statement, but any of us could choose to leave Dish for the competition. Certainly Dish is trying to make the price the most appealing to new customers. Charlie used to say that everybody (we were all new customers at one point) gets the new customer deals, and then regular pricing or upgreade fee for the latest and greatest. Makes sense, but I understand how current customers feel left out and taken advantage of.

Dish need more PERKS exclusive to current customers maybe points accumulated by package level, number of DVR's, number of clients, subbiing to Premiums or add-ons, and points for each month of D Protection Plan, more points the fancier the system/DVR, etc. Points redeemable at Dish store for OTA dongles, remotes, accessories, even coffee mugs and junk, or even waiving upgrade or shipping charges or truck rolls. You know some kind of rewards for staying with Dish beyond the committment and keep on staying while enjoying great Hopper and Dish services.

 

[MikeD-C05]

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.

I was only saying that most people will need at least 3 - 5 tuners( like a hopper 2 with a super joey) just to cover their prime time shows ,if they don't have PTAT as a feature, so why not just make ONE class of receiver like the Hopper 3 and enable the lesser amount of tuners instead and charge lesser dvr fee ? Simplicity should be what DISH wants and it seems to me that they are quickly retiring many classes of receiver to get down to just a few types of receivers, so why not stream line down even further to one class of Hopper and use if for the basic dvr receiver. The duo receiver is still going to be able to use a joey , just like the hopper 3 , so I really don't see why the duo receiver with just two tuners is worth the $10.00 . Especially since the combination of the $7.00 joey and the $10.00 duo dvr fee would be $17.00 a month to do the almost the same thing you could do for $7.00 with the 722k with sd tv output.

 

[dishdude]

I was only saying that most people will need at least 3 - 5 tuners( like a hopper 2 with a super joey) just to cover their prime time shows ,if they don't have PTAT as a feature, so why not just make ONE class of receiver like the Hopper 3 and enable the lesser amount of tuners instead and charge lesser dvr fee ? Simplicity should be what DISH wants and it seems to me that they are quickly retiring many classes of receiver to get down to just a few types of receivers, so why not stream line down even further to one class of Hopper and use if for the basic dvr receiver. The duo receiver is still going to be able to use a joey , just like the hopper 3 , so I really don't see why the duo receiver with just two tuners is worth the $10.00 . Especially since the combination of the $7.00 joey and the $10.00 duo dvr fee would be $17.00 a month to do the almost the same thing you could do for $7.00 with the 722k with sd tv output.

To me, it's the Wally or Hopper. I see no reason for the Duo now that the Wally has two tuners enabled other than the capability to share recorded programs on two TVs.

 

[DishSubLA]

I forgot to add that even 2 members of my family were interested in the Hopper and Hopper 3 because they didn't like the 2 tuner limitation, but as soon as they learned their bill would increase with these better systems, they BALKED! "NO! NO!" They keep trying to find ways to get the Dish bill down, not up.

 

[pattykay]

...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.

...and so far doing a good job on both of those fronts, especially the speed of the CUI.

 

[DishSubLA]

I forgot to add that 2 members of my family were interested in the Hopper and Hopper 3 because they didn't like the 2 tuner limitation, but as soon as they learned their bill would increase with these better systems, they BALKED! "NO! NO!" They keep trying to find ways to get the Dish be

...and so far doing a good job on both of those fronts, especially the speed of the CUI.

Good to hear the speed is good.

 

[navychop]

We also liked the 721 showing the ongoing program at the top while we scrolled thru the guide. We certainly didn’t have that with the 301s, and IIRC, did not have it with the 508, at least at first.

 

[MikeD-C05]

To me, it's the Wally or Hopper. I see no reason for the Duo now that the Wally has two tuners enabled other than the capability to share recorded programs on two TVs.

True you could just go with the Wally ,the dvr software and your own external hard drive. That is what I did for my parents on my second account this month when I upgraded them from a 722k to the Wally with dvr software and external hard drive. Other than the usual adjustment pains , they like it and can operate it now. Changing remote controls to the 54 model meant learning all new terms and how they worked. But they have gotten much better. There really isn't a need for the duo receiver they just come out except for the fees they can charge on it. Maybe they look at it like a transition receiver from the 722k Vip receiver to the hopper. You can use the joey with the duo receiver, but come on two tuners? It's just not worth the $17.00 a month to be able to use it in two rooms.

 

[jtoo]

Just wondering, currently I have a 722k and a 222k setup, could I swap out my 222k for the Duo if I wanted to and still keep my 722k on the same account?

 

[dishdude]

True you could just go with the Wally ,the dvr software and your own external hard drive. That is what I did for my parents on my second account this month when I upgraded them from a 722k to the Wally with dvr software and external hard drive. Other than the usual adjustment pains , they like it and can operate it now. Changing remote controls to the 54 model meant learning all new terms and how they worked. But they have gotten much better. There really isn't a need for the duo receiver they just come out except for the fees they can charge on it. Maybe they look at it like a transition receiver from the 722k Vip receiver to the hopper. You can use the joey with the duo receiver, but come on two tuners? It's just not worth the $17.00 a month to be able to use it in two rooms.

Its crazy when you can have 2 Wallys for $7 month and have 4 tuners (8 if you add the OTA dongle)! A little more out of pocket, but at least you have tangible hardware and not ongoing monthly fees.

 

[pattykay]

Just wondering, currently I have a 722k and a 222k setup, could I swap out my 222k for the Duo if I wanted to and still keep my 722k on the same account?

Dish let me keep my ViP722k active on the same account as the Hopper Duo, but that is a special temporary case so that I have time to transfer the recordings from the ViP722k to an external hard drive. When I am done with that, they expect me to notify them so that the ViP722k can be removed from the account.

 

[dare2be]

Dish let me keep my ViP722k active on the same account as the Hopper Duo, but that is a special temporary case so that I have time to transfer the recordings from the ViP722k to an external hard drive. When I am done with that, they expect me to notify them so that the ViP722k can be removed from the account.

So, just don't notify them.

 

[pattykay]

So, just don't notify them.

Exactly. My point was that it is only supposed to be a temporary solution, so I don't know how long Dish would let me (or jdt) get away with it.

 

[JSheridan]

Exactly. My point was that it is only supposed to be a temporary solution, so I don't know how long Dish would let me (or jdt) get away with it.

Until you see the extra charge for the 722K on your next bill.

 

[pattykay]

Until you see the extra charge for the 722K on your next bill.

Oh, I have no intention of leaving the ViP722k active any longer than I actually need it. I was just passing along my experience to prove that it could be done.

 

[dishdude]

Dish let me keep my ViP722k active on the same account as the Hopper Duo, but that is a special temporary case so that I have time to transfer the recordings from the ViP722k to an external hard drive. When I am done with that, they expect me to notify them so that the ViP722k can be removed from the account.

Were you grandfathered with the $7 DVR fee and if so did they let you keep it?

 

[pattykay]

Were you grandfathered with the $7 DVR fee and if so did they let you keep it?

I lost the grandfathering a long time ago, after switching to Hopper 1 and then back to ViP722k, so that was not an issue.

 

[dishdude]

I lost the grandfathering a long time ago, after switching to Hopper 1 and then back to ViP722k, so that was not an issue.

So you went from a Hopper account back to ViP?