Original Hopper Conflict With Hopper 3 ?

dangerousdave

SatelliteGuys Family
Original poster
Sep 18, 2008
51
6
The guy that I rent a room from in his home desires to change his original Hopper to a Hopper 3. We currently have 3 original Hoppers. One Hopper is the one that I bought and the other two are leased. The DISH phone tech told him that there is some type of conflict with the original Hoppers if the home owner decides to go to the Hopper 3. He didn't understand what was being told to him and wants me to investigate this.

So, does anybody know the conflicting issues? I have heard that the Hopper 3 records up to 16 shows at once but what else might I give up or gain if I was to buy one also? I'm kind of a technical person so give me what you can. Apparently DISH won't allow more than 2 Hoppers to be leased at a time unless something has changed in the past few years.

Thanks,
Dave
 
You are correct that we only allow 1 Hopper 3 on an account. You would get Joeys where the other 2 Hoppers are. You would lose a few features, such as PIP, where the Hoppers are replaced with Joeys
 
BUT there are a few people on this board, that have gotten "exceptions" to have (2) H3's on their accounts (easily found by doing a search on this board); otherwise, it IS correct that they will NOT allow people to mix an H3 with ANY other model of Hoppers.
 
I have read posts from those who have multiple H3's, but most, if not all have them on separate accounts, don't they?

I know they have to have a separate dish for each, because there is not an lnb or switch existing that supports 32 tuners or 2 H3's.
 
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Well, upon first release of the H3, some people did get TWO H3's on one account, but it required (and still does) each H3 to have its own reflector, and even more complicated, if one needs to also see a 4th satellite, then that 4th position also needs its own reflector--for EACH H3. So, that would be 1 reflector for each of the two H3's + 1 reflector for the 4th sat for 1st H3 + 1 reflector for 4th sat for 2nd H3. That is a total of TWO reflectors for both H3's if you wanted only Core services or a total of FOUR reflectors for both H3's to also receive the 4th sat (most commonly 118).

Then several weeks later, DIRT and Dish ceased providing any installs for more than ONE H3. All those extra reflectors--even just ONE additional--is costly to Dish multiplied by all those many installs--reflectors plus LNBF's and any other support equipment, or put another way, the cost of TWO installs for only ONE subscriber, and adding more points of failure that could also cost on tech visits and fixes. As of nearly a year or so, Dish will ONLY allow the install of a second H3 on the condition that the customer agrees to have a seperate account for each H3, and those are the only known instances of multiple H3's that have been installed since Dish stopped allowing multiple H3's on one account. And for even worse matters, even if a customer who subscribe to Internationals who need to look at the 4th sat at 118 and only wants ONE H3, Dish is still saying, "NO!" to these customers because it would still require an addtional reflector to look at 118.

A new switch (DPH42) is is just recently being used in use PR (as reported by posters) and that switch will allow for economical multiple H3 installs and access to a 4th sat using only ONE reflector AND using existing DPP LNBF's that are already part of many multi-satellite installs. So for many upgrades to H3 (from Hopper, for example) it may only require a change-out of switches and Nodes and never even having to touch the mounted reflector and its LNBF's. We are presuming that once this switch is available, Dish allows multiple H3 and 4th sat installs. Until the DPH42 is available here in the USA, Dish is NOT allowing any multiple H3 installs nor any H3 installs that require looking at a 4th sat like 118 for Internationals, unless each H3 as its own account.

There are a number of posts from users who have been DENIED installs because they want eihter TWO H3's or need to look at a 4th sat. They have been given phony reasons like "low beam" for denail, only to find in a few instances that the "low beam" problem dissapears once they agree to having each H3 on seperate accounts. Some have gone to the competition after being denied. It is purely a business decision by Dish not to accomodate mulitple H3 installs or H3's that require looking at a 4th sat because any additonal refelector does cost Dish too much money for Cheap Charlie's budget.

There is even a post of one guy who only wanted ONE H3, but told he has "low beam" which prevents use of the H3. But his neighbor two doors down has an H3 intalled in his home; why is he not affected by "low beam?" he wanted to know. It was because the poor fellow requesting an upgrade to H3 was being denied was because in Dish's database it has him looking 118, a 4th satellite. After some haggling, phone calls, and back and forth, it turned out after some confirmation that he is NOT looking at 118 after all, then all of sudden the "low beam" problem that prevents the H3 from working magically went away and he was APPROVED to have an H3 installed at his home, just like his neighbor a few doors down has. Plenty more ODD posts of kookie reasons for denial that deny it has to do with the cost of multiple reflectors. Well, there was ONE post where a CSR did confirm to the poster that it was related to the cost of the additional reflector(s). A lot of people denied have felt very frustrated.

Years ago, Dish even got in troulbe with the FCC after some months later it suddenly REFUSED requests for the 2nd reflector to see other, smaller LiL channels subscribers were entitled to access as per Federal law, with some CSR's even citing the cost (oops! They weren't supposed to tell the customers that:)). Clearly Charlie wanted to end the additional costs for as long as possible until, of course, finally, after complaints (and competitors notifying them, as well) the FCC officially orderd Dish to CEASE its refusal to accomodate subscriber's requesting a 2nd reflector to see their additional LIL's as per law. In this matter of multiple H3's, no such requirement by law, so we wait upon the DPH42 for households who want or even need more than one H3 and still watch Internationals at 118.
 
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Well, upon first release of the H3, some people did get TWO H3's on one account, but it required (and still does) each H3 to have its own reflector, and even more complicated, if one needs to also see a 4th satellite, then that 4th position also needs its own reflector--for EACH H3. So, that would be 1 reflector for each of the two H3's + 1 reflector for the 4th sat for 1st H3 + 1 reflector for 4th sat for 2nd H3. That is a total of TWO reflectors for both H3's if you wanted only Core services or a total of FOUR reflectors for both H3's to also receive the 4th sat (most commonly 118).

Then several weeks later, DIRT and Dish ceased providing any installs for more than ONE H3. All those extra reflectors--even just ONE additional--is costly to Dish multiplied by all those many installs--reflectors plus LNBF's and any other support equipment, or put another way, the cost of TWO installs for only ONE subscriber, and adding more points of failure that could also cost on tech visits and fixes. As of nearly a year or so, Dish will ONLY allow the install of a second H3 on the condition that the customer agrees to have a seperate account for each H3, and those are the only known instances of multiple H3's that have been installed since Dish stopped allowing multiple H3's on one account. And for even worse matters, even if a customer who subscribe to Internationals who need to look at the 4th sat at 118 and only wants ONE H3, Dish is still saying, "NO!" to these customers because it would still require an addtional reflector to look at 118.

A new switch (DPH42) is is just recently being used in use PR (as reported by posters) and that switch will allow for economical multiple H3 installs and access to a 4th sat using only ONE reflector AND using existing DPP LNBF's that are already part of many multi-satellite installs. So for many upgrades to H3 (from Hopper, for example) it may only require a change-out of switches and Nodes and never even having to touch the mounted reflector and its LNBF's. We are presuming that once this switch is available, Dish allows multiple H3 and 4th sat installs. Until the DPH42 is available here in the USA, Dish is NOT allowing any multiple H3 installs nor any H3 installs that require looking at a 4th sat like 118 for Internationals, unless each H3 as its own account.

There are a number of posts from users who have been DENIED installs because they want eihter TWO H3's or need to look at a 4th sat. They have been given phony reasons like "low beam" for denail, only to find in a few instances that the "low beam" problem dissapears once they agree to having each H3 on seperate accounts. Some have gone to the competition after being denied. It is purely a business decision by Dish not to accomodate mulitple H3 installs or H3's that require looking at a 4th sat because any additonal refelector does cost Dish too much money for Cheap Charlie's budget.

There is even a post of one guy who only wanted ONE H3, but told he has "low beam" which prevents use of the H3. But his neighbor two doors down has an H3 intalled in his home; why is he not affected by "low beam?" he wanted to know. It was because the poor fellow requesting an upgrade to H3 was being denied was because in Dish's database it has him looking 118, a 4th satellite. After some haggling, phone calls, and back and forth, it turned out after some confirmation that he is NOT looking at 118 after all, then all of sudden the "low beam" problem that prevents the H3 from working magically went away and he was APPROVED to have an H3 installed at his home, just like his neighbor a few doors down has. Plenty more ODD posts of kookie reasons for denial that deny it has to do with the cost of multiple reflectors. Well, there was ONE post where a CSR did confirm to the poster that it was related to the cost of the additional reflector(s). A lot of people denied have felt very frustrated.

Years ago, Dish even got in troulbe with the FCC after some months later it suddenly REFUSED requests for the 2nd reflector to see other, smaller LiL channels subscribers were entitled to access as per Federal law, with some CSR's even citing the cost (oops! They weren't supposed to tell the customers that:)). Clearly Charlie wanted to end the additional costs for as long as possible until, of course, finally, after complaints (and competitors notifying them, as well) the FCC officially orderd Dish to CEASE its refusal to accomodate subscriber's requesting a 2nd reflector to see their additional LIL's as per law. In this matter of multiple H3's, no such requirement by law, so we wait upon the DPH42 for households who want or even need more than one H3 and still watch Internationals at 118.

When I joined DISH in 2007 I needed to spot five satellites to receive all the channels I wanted. There was one lonely Public Service channel that I wanted that was only available on 61.5. I had a Dish 1000+ that spotted four birds and had to pay additional for a Dish 500 side dish to receive 61.5. At the time DISH was working on a five satellite switch but it never came out.

The DPH42 switch was going to be available by the end of 2016 and now here we are in March 2017 and still not out yet. I hope this new switch doesn’t fizzle out like the five satellite switch did. I wonder if something is not working out with the DPH42 switch Beta testers or something else! I wish the DIRT members were allowed to inform us what is going on, give us a new issue date, or something else.

It has been posted that only about 5% of DISH customers have more than one Hopper. That is still a lot of customers and throw in the ones that need a side dish for the International channels. I think DISH is missing out on a lot of additional income, much less the unfulfilled customers that have been left out. We need the new DPH42 switch.
 
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Then several weeks later, DIRT and Dish ceased providing any installs for more than ONE H3
More than (1) H3 receiver installs went on for much longer than "several weeks". We just got a Hopper 3 a few months ago and my installer came from a job he started the day before that he wasn't able to finish - it was for (2) Hopper 3s.

The DPH42 switch was going to be available by the end of 2016 and now here we are in March 2017 and still not out yet.
You've been around this site and with Dish long enough to know that any announced date isn't worth anything.... Name one thing they've released when they said they would. Some things they announce never see the light of day, in fact.... Not saying this device will disappear, but it's out when it's out, not when Dish gives a date that it will be.
 
Thank you very much to all of the VERY informative replies to my dilemma of a possible original Hopper conflict with a Hopper 3.

My decision was just rendered "unnecessary" a few days ago. When I was at work, the home owner had a Hopper 3 installed and my Hopper that I own, disconnected.
I had no idea this was taking place but of course I'm not the homeowner so I have no say.
I lost hundreds of hours of programming / movies on my Hopper and attached 1tb external hard drive so that's disappointing.

So far, I dislike the Hopper 3 and especially the associated remote as it appears that I'm losing functions which I will post a new thread about.
I assume there's not a market for original Hoppers and I would have to find a way to remove all of my recorded programming from the hard drive.

Thanks,
Dave
 
Use your remote from the Hopper 1.
You can transfer the recordings from the H1 to an external HDD, then attach that HDD to the H3 (or copy the files to it).

I have not tried to use my H1 remote on my H3 system that is located on another level of the home I live in.
I will try that when I get home from the office today and advise the results.

Also, am I incorrect in assuming that my H1 has to be connected onto the DISH Network to be able to view the shows on the H1 drive on my TV?
I assumed it wouldn't be allowed back on our system since the new H3 was installed. My old H1 that I own is just sitting powered down near my TV.

Also, the home owner already has his two external drives connected to his H3 so I don't appear to have that option available to me, a tenant.

Thanks very much for your informative reply.

Dave
 
You can watch your existing recordings off of the H1. You may have a limited time (no one knows what it is or if it's still applicable) to do so as well.

Do you now have your own (landlord-supplied) Hopper 3 in addition to his Hopper 3 in this same 'home' ?
 
I have not tried to use my H1 remote on my H3 system that is located on another level of the home I live in.
I will try that when I get home from the office today and advise the results.

Also, am I incorrect in assuming that my H1 has to be connected onto the DISH Network to be able to view the shows on the H1 drive on my TV?
I assumed it wouldn't be allowed back on our system since the new H3 was installed. My old H1 that I own is just sitting powered down near my TV.

Also, the home owner already has his two external drives connected to his H3 so I don't appear to have that option available to me, a tenant.

Thanks very much for your informative reply.

Dave

As Hall said you should be able to watch your old recordings for a while, or you could transfer them to your EHD and connect it to the H3 because the H3 supports up to 3 EHD's at a time.
 
You can watch your existing recordings off of the H1. You may have a limited time (no one knows what it is or if it's still applicable) to do so as well.
Do you now have your own (landlord-supplied) Hopper 3 in addition to his Hopper 3 in this same 'home' ?
No, there is only one H3 in the entire home, located on the main floor for my landlord and for myself downstairs.
I'll try and hook up my H1 via HDMI to my TV to see what I can view, thanks.
Dave
 
My H1 remote does not work for any button functions on my H3 device, only TV power & volume ;-)

Did you go through the procedure to pair the old remote to the H3?

That said, if you are going to attempt to continue to use your H1 to watch recordings, you'll need to keep the old remote paired to the old H1 until you are finished using it.
 
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