wow i have more descriptive words to describe MTV.... u were so nice... im kinda like Dee_Ann i grew up on the old MTV..... pat benatar, dire straits, headbangers ball, & hairbands
wow i have more descriptive words to describe MTV.... u were so nice... im kinda like Dee_Ann i grew up on the old MTV..... pat benatar, dire straits, headbangers ball, & hairbands
You know, I remember seeing that video (Video Killed the Radio Star) on MTV in the early days and I actually hated that song. Now, I rather like it quite a bit. I still think it is a kinda "dumb" song, but it was quite prophetic for the time. I hope you see what I mean... TV was meant to be always be FREE, radio was meant to be "in" audio (only), Bill Cosby's comedic style was going to be in fashion for all time and John Wayne was supposed to live forever and keep making movies! None of those things remained true and I think the world is a lesser place because of it.
Currently, there isn't one big singer or vocal group, not one actor nor comedian, let alone any politician or hero that anyone could possibly admire, look up to or respect today!
I know that sounds very negative and pessimistic, but I wanted it to explain how I feel about that song that you posted. Looking backwards, the song just seems so accurate that it is scary!
You know, I remember seeing that video (Video Killed the Radio Star) on MTV in the early days and I actually hated that song. Now, I rather like it quite a bit. I still think it is a kinda "dumb" song, but it was quite prophetic for the time. I hope you see what I mean... TV was meant to be always be FREE, radio was meant to be "in" audio (only), Bill Cosby's comedic style was going to be in fashion for all time and John Wayne was supposed to live forever and keep making movies! None of those things remained true and I think the world is a lesser place because of it.
Currently, there isn't one big singer or vocal group, not one actor nor comedian, let alone any politician or hero that anyone could possibly admire, look up to or respect today!
I know that sounds very negative and pessimistic, but I wanted it to explain how I feel about that song that you posted. Looking backwards, the song just seems so accurate that it is scary!
I totally agree with you! The 90's was the death of pretty much anything worth a darn. I remember when my kids discovered "Beavis and Butthead" on MTV and I was horrified. MTV was near death by then.
Then came Southpark and I was 100x more horrified. The world was going to hell in a handbasket.
My daughter idolizes "Snookie" on Jersey Shore and that useless, plastic creature, Kim Kardashian. These are people she admires!
My son is much more mellow, he's an evangelical Christian so he has much different hero's than most folks. My daughter? I can't offer any logical explanation for her.. I tried but she is strong willed and independent. I can't imagine where she got that from.. :
But what role models are there anymore for kids? Is there anything DECENT on TV for kids anymore? NO..... Cartoons are so full of potty mouth language and innuendo that it makes me sick.
In the 90's I pretty much stopped listening to music, MTV was on the decline and I was too busy raising my kids, working and keeping house. The kids were in control of the TV because I was too busy to sit there and watch it anyway.
It's MY OPINION, that the last of the good music died off in the late 80's. Very little good music was produced in the 90's and in this century, NOTHING OF VALUE has been produced.
Last night I was in the kitchen. I needed to clean, wash dishes, cook, etc. I turned on the radio to 92.5 KCOL which is a (mostly) classic rock (60's, 70's 80's) station. What was on? The local high school football game! Arrrrrrrrrrgh!!! :rant:
So I went through the dial searching for some classic rock which is the only music I can tolerate. There was nothing. C&W is NOT for me, tons of Christian stations, again not for me and some new tard music for little EMO kids. After about 10 minutes of trying to find a station I got p****d off , cursed loudly for a minute, turned the radio off and spent the evening in the kitchen in silence.
Then it dawned on me. I have this new WD TV thing in my bedroom on my big screen TV and it's NEAT! I have an old TV in the kitchen that used to be hooked to the satellite but isn't anymore, I do not know for what reason my ex unhooked it but he did and I thought to myself that I could buy another one of those WD things and put it in the kitchen on that TV and use it to watch TV in the kitchen once again or listen to the radio even when they put stupid sports on the local radio! Woo hoo!
So yeah. I'm a half century old and I don't like anything new. New music, isn't music. It's noise that makes me want to smack the radio with a hammer!
The BS that's on TV is, BS. That's why I am so thrilled to have MeTV and ThisTV.
During the day I watch OTA stuff, ladies talk shows and court shows then by 4pm I kick over to MeTV and start watching Hawaii 5.0 and what-not for the rest of the evening. I like the oldies. I need my oldies. They take me back to better times. The new stuff they put out now just makes me angry and makes me feel so totally out of place in this world. I feel like an alien from another planet because I don't march to the drumbeat that everyone else does.
Oh well. As long as I can get my oldies I'm a happy girl.
edit: I just found ~the very first~ minute of MTV broadcast video.
Amen, Dee Ann! I hate the networks crap. Only a couple of decent detective shows. My tv stay off more often now, nothing worth watching anymore. It seems the writers have ran out of ideals for shows and now bringing in immoral plots. No decency at all.
I have a JBC Atmos system in my living room now, so I'm giving this to my Daughter. I'm gonna break down and pay to get it mounted. I did my 65" Sony, and the mount will work but needs to be adjusted, I think, to center it in the space it's going in
Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson had an argument about who was responsible for the dynasty building of the early 90's Cowboys.
The rest of us figured it out in about 3 years, Jerry has had over 30 years but still can't admit it. It's all he lives for, to show everyone he can put together a winner. I don't think he can. His kids only know what he taught them.
Week Six Balls and Goats and WTH is Going On in The NFL??
Browns. 1st place in the North. Yup. Believe it or not
Chiefs. Undefeated.
Titans. Won a game ! .... Colts I know, but still.
Saints. Won a game after a while.
Steelers. Having the same season they always have. They somehow find wins on their way to an unceremonial 1st round exit. Mike Tomlin is proud.
Cards. Won a game without scoring a single touchdown
Broncos. How they manage to win games with the dogshit offense they have should be studied.
Bears. Caleb's back and so is their mojo.
Goats
NFC East. For the 2nd straight week no team from this clown show of a division won a game. Eagles are cooked without Hurts. Who's not that good anyway. Commanders suck, Dallas is well ..... Dallas and the Giants have no QB.
Ravens. Lamar is out (as usual). But still. Losing to the Browns is never ok.
Chargers. Still can't win.
Rams. So much for the powerhouse team. They are 2 games under .500
Every time my Dish contract comes up I weigh the options of keeping Dish or switch to streaming. Right now I can watch/record the OTA channels vis my HDHomerun. I also can stream CBS and NBC via the Paramount+ and Peacock apps. What I would need to find is how to watch the Food Network, HGTV, Syfy, USA, Hallmark channels, Great American Family, Lifetime channels plus a few more with an app or two. My current Dish bill is $118, so I should be able to get a few apps for a lot less.
Any suggestions? I would want the best picture quality and audio quality I could get.
Every time my Dish contract comes up I weigh the options of keeping Dish or switch to streaming. Right now I can watch/record the OTA channels vis my HDHomerun. I also can stream CBS and NBC via the Paramount+ and Peacock apps. What I would need to find is how to watch the Food Network, HGTV, Syfy, USA, Hallmark channels, Great American Family, Lifetime channels plus a few more with an app or two. My current Dish bill is $118, so I should be able to get a few apps for a lot less.
Any suggestions? I would want the best picture quality and audio quality I could get.
Why pay more for TV? Start your Philo free trial and enjoy live TV plus on-demand content starting at just $25/month. Stream hit shows, movies, and more.
Every time my Dish contract comes up I weigh the options of keeping Dish or switch to streaming. Right now I can watch/record the OTA channels vis my HDHomerun. I also can stream CBS and NBC via the Paramount+ and Peacock apps. What I would need to find is how to watch the Food Network, HGTV, Syfy, USA, Hallmark channels, Great American Family, Lifetime channels plus a few more with an app or two. My current Dish bill is $118, so I should be able to get a few apps for a lot less.
Any suggestions? I would want the best picture quality and audio quality I could get.
This is what Google Search AI says, let's see how good AI can really solve problems.
To perfectly cover your specific channel checklist while saving significantly on your $118 Dish Network bill, you can leverage your existing HDHomerun setup alongside a live TV streaming service or app combination.
Since you require USA and Syfy, budget entertainment-only streaming apps like Philo ($28/mo) or Frndly TV ($7–$11/mo) will not work as standalone solutions because they exclude NBCUniversal networks. [1, 2]
Here are the best ways to get all your channels, optimized for high picture and audio quality:
Option 1: Hulu + Live TV (The All-In-One Match) Hulu + Live TV ($89.99–$99.99/mo) is the most seamless replacement because its base tier natively carries every single channel on your list: [1, 2, 3]
Channel Checklist: Food Network, HGTV, Syfy, USA, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Mystery, Great American Family, Lifetime, and Lifetime Movies. [1]
Quality & Audio: Hulu + Live TV is widely praised by cord-cutters for its excellent high-bitrate 1080p video quality at 60 frames per second (fps) on compatible streaming hardware. It supports 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound on most live channels and compatible home theater systems.
Bonus Value: The price automatically bundles the entire on-demand libraries of Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+, which gives you a massive amount of additional content. [1, 2]
Option 2: YouTube TV (The Premium Interface Alternative) YouTube TV ($82.99/mo) is highly regarded for its robust streaming stability, unlimited DVR, and highly polished user interface. [1, 2, 3]
Channel Checklist: It includes Food Network, HGTV, Syfy, USA, Hallmark channels, and Lifetime.
The Catch: Great American Family is not in the base lineup and requires the Sports Plus or Entertainment Plus add-on package, which increases the monthly cost.
Quality & Audio: It streams in 1080p/60fps with an advanced compression codec that minimizes buffering. It features native 5.1 surround sound audio across major streaming hardware platforms.
Option 3: The Maximum Savings "App Stack" Combination
If you want to maximize your financial savings by skipping a massive live TV guide, you can split your checklist across a few dedicated streaming apps. Because you already pay for Peacock, you can cross USA and Syfy content off your list, as Peacock hosts most of those networks' premium shows next-day or live.
By adding the following, you can build a highly customized tier:
Frndly TV ($6.99–$10.99/mo): This affordable live app brings you all 3 Hallmark channels, Great American Family, and the Lifetime networks with a classic cloud DVR.
Discovery+ ($4.99–$8.99/mo): This gives you the full, deep on-demand libraries and live feeds for Food Network and HGTV. [1]
Total Estimated Stack Cost: Around $12 to $20/mo combined on top of what you already pay.
Quality Note: Frndly TV maxes out at 720p/1080p high-definition with stereo audio, while Discovery+ supports highly optimized crisp 1080p and selective 4K video playback with strong digital audio depth on high-end streaming sticks. [1]
Cord-Cutting Tips for Peak Quality
Streaming Hardware Matters: To get the best possible image processing and audio passthrough, use dedicated streaming hardware like an Apple TV 4K or a high-end Roku Ultra rather than relying on the built-in smart TV operating systems.
Check Your Bandwidth: Ensure your home network has a stable downstream speed of at least 25–50 Mbps dedicated to your main television device to ensure the streaming apps auto-negotiate to their highest available bitrate and frame rates without dropping down to lower resolutions.
This is what Google Search AI says, let's see how good AI can really solve problems.
To perfectly cover your specific channel checklist while saving significantly on your $118 Dish Network bill, you can leverage your existing HDHomerun setup alongside a live TV streaming service or app combination.
Since you require USA and Syfy, budget entertainment-only streaming apps like Philo ($28/mo) or Frndly TV ($7–$11/mo) will not work as standalone solutions because they exclude NBCUniversal networks. [1, 2]
Here are the best ways to get all your channels, optimized for high picture and audio quality:
Option 1: Hulu + Live TV (The All-In-One Match) Hulu + Live TV ($89.99–$99.99/mo) is the most seamless replacement because its base tier natively carries every single channel on your list: [1, 2, 3]
Channel Checklist: Food Network, HGTV, Syfy, USA, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Mystery, Great American Family, Lifetime, and Lifetime Movies. [1]
Quality & Audio: Hulu + Live TV is widely praised by cord-cutters for its excellent high-bitrate 1080p video quality at 60 frames per second (fps) on compatible streaming hardware. It supports 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound on most live channels and compatible home theater systems.
Bonus Value: The price automatically bundles the entire on-demand libraries of Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+, which gives you a massive amount of additional content. [1, 2]
Option 2: YouTube TV (The Premium Interface Alternative) YouTube TV ($82.99/mo) is highly regarded for its robust streaming stability, unlimited DVR, and highly polished user interface. [1, 2, 3]
Channel Checklist: It includes Food Network, HGTV, Syfy, USA, Hallmark channels, and Lifetime.
The Catch: Great American Family is not in the base lineup and requires the Sports Plus or Entertainment Plus add-on package, which increases the monthly cost.
Quality & Audio: It streams in 1080p/60fps with an advanced compression codec that minimizes buffering. It features native 5.1 surround sound audio across major streaming hardware platforms.
Option 3: The Maximum Savings "App Stack" Combination
If you want to maximize your financial savings by skipping a massive live TV guide, you can split your checklist across a few dedicated streaming apps. Because you already pay for Peacock, you can cross USA and Syfy content off your list, as Peacock hosts most of those networks' premium shows next-day or live.
By adding the following, you can build a highly customized tier:
Frndly TV ($6.99–$10.99/mo): This affordable live app brings you all 3 Hallmark channels, Great American Family, and the Lifetime networks with a classic cloud DVR.
Discovery+ ($4.99–$8.99/mo): This gives you the full, deep on-demand libraries and live feeds for Food Network and HGTV. [1]
Total Estimated Stack Cost: Around $12 to $20/mo combined on top of what you already pay.
Quality Note: Frndly TV maxes out at 720p/1080p high-definition with stereo audio, while Discovery+ supports highly optimized crisp 1080p and selective 4K video playback with strong digital audio depth on high-end streaming sticks. [1]
Cord-Cutting Tips for Peak Quality
Streaming Hardware Matters: To get the best possible image processing and audio passthrough, use dedicated streaming hardware like an Apple TV 4K or a high-end Roku Ultra rather than relying on the built-in smart TV operating systems.
Check Your Bandwidth: Ensure your home network has a stable downstream speed of at least 25–50 Mbps dedicated to your main television device to ensure the streaming apps auto-negotiate to their highest available bitrate and frame rates without dropping down to lower resolutions.
When walmart set a price...they weigh the container and the product...the product label only shows the weight of the product...I am sure if you brought your own plastic baggies to bring the product home you could get the cheaper price
Well, the bag can't weigh that much, right? But by law food product packaging must display the actual net weight of the product, i.e., the contents of the container, so by any logic, if not law, a store's stated per-ounce cost should reflect that figure. But since there's not any law regulating shelf statements, a store can say whatever it wants without violating any rules. So I guess the answer is more consumer legislation. Or simply caveat emptor.
Well, the bag can't weigh that much, right? But by law food product packaging must display the actual net weight of the product, i.e., the contents of the container, so by any logic, if not law, a store's stated per-ounce cost should reflect that figure. But since there's not any law regulating shelf statements, a store can say whatever it wants without violating any rules. So I guess the answer is more consumer legislation. Or simply caveat emptor.
17 years ago the US turned off analog OTA signals in favor of digital broadcasting. Now the push is ATSC 3 "Nextgen TV". But nobody seems to be able to agree on DRM implementation protocols. People don't want to hook their TV up to the internet in order to watch over the air TV. At least I don't. With all the data they collect about your viewing habits the box should be given away at no cost.
That's not really unusual. Cable companies like to the provide the box too. The phone company provided the phones in until the government forced them to allow third-party phones.
That's not really unusual. Cable companies like to the provide the box too. The phone company provided the phones in until the government forced them to allow third-party phones.
National (50-States or wide/NAT+PR beams) Local (Local-Into-Local or narrow/Spot beams)
Additional tabs provide:
OTA the (Over-The-Air) Database VOD (Video On_Demand) Records Offline Records Engr Records Net Decoder a graphic presentation of all satellites and transponders
WCWW/25 CW South Bend and WBKP/5 CW Marquette are now testing on the stream server. These are both already available on satellite.
Now live in the satellite guide:
663-2 PISTONS (663-1 is likely being reserved for an overflow feed of Detroit Sportsnet, if there's a 2027 MLB season)
675 THUNDER
693 CLIPPERS
HAWKS, HORNETS, GRZZLIES, HEAT, MAGIC, CAVLIERS, TWOLVES, BUCKS, PACERS and SPURS channels have also been added, however they are pointing to a TV Promise slate, which says they are working with DAZN and others to strike a deal for those teams.
HAWKS, HORNETS, GRZZLIES, HEAT, MAGIC, CAVLIERS, TWOLVES, BUCKS, PACERS and SPURS channels have also been added, however they are pointing to a TV Promise slate, which says they are working with DAZN and others to strike a deal for those teams.
Wait…..
So even though DAZN keeps touting 'only way to see games' if you are a subscriber to Choice (like my stepdad) if an agreement is reached he can see the Wolfies on 668?
I know the Wild are in dispute and a slate is on 668-1.
Now live in the satellite guide:
663-2 PISTONS (663-1 is likely being reserved for an overflow feed of Detroit Sportsnet, if there's a 2027 MLB season)
675 THUNDER
693 CLIPPERS
They're finally live in the app's API, doing a check
PISTONS is not available in Detroit (WMYD/20), it is available in the rest of Michigan including Marquette who also gets the games on their MyNet station WJMN/3, along with the Toledo DMA and the northern portions of the South Bend and Fort Wayne DMAs.
THUNDER is available in OKC and Tulsa, so I wonder if DTV is just going to keep the OTA feeds of KSBI/52 and KQCW/19 and direct viewers to 675 for the rest of the games.
On stream it's in Choice for Oklahoma (inlcuding the Oklahoma portions of the Amarillo, Sherman-Ada, Wichita Falls-Lawton and Joplin DMAs) and Western Arkansas and requires Sports Pack for Nebraska, Kansas and Western Missouri, I'm not sure if it's the same for satellite.
HAWKS, HORNETS, GRZZLIES, HEAT, MAGIC, CAVLIERS, TWOLVES, BUCKS, PACERS and SPURS channels have also been added, however they are pointing to a TV Promise slate, which says they are working with DAZN and others to strike a deal for those teams.
It appears we are not getting both home & away feeds out of market on League Pass for these teams either…
I've been watching the Spurs home feed on channel 676-1 (was part time San Antonio specific feed) out of market with NBALP for YEARS on satellite (through the multiple iterations of Fox Sports SW, Bally Sports SW, FanDuel Sports SW) Looks like that will not happen unless a deal is reached with DAZN. I do see the placeholder channel on 680 if it happens.
Center Ice does have the non-carried feeds, including the Hurricanes, Wild, Blues and Blue Jackets and spotbeam local only teams like the Panthers, Mammoth and Golden Knights. So it probably depends on the available part time bandwidth each night as things they are able to provide to in market viewers in the 600s, PPV Events in the 100s and commercial events in the 9000s get priority first, along with games where neither team has a remappable feed.
League Pass tonight for example (it is almost a full slate tonight):
Hawks @ Magic (only Hawks feed which is easy to insert since its OTA this season and simulcast across multiple Gray Television markets, Magic signed a non- exclusive streaming deal with DAZN and also OTA)
Bucks @ Wizards (only Wizards feed easy to remap, Bucks are OTA & there own streaming service Bucks+)
Hornets @ Nets (only Nets feed which DirecTV already carries so simply YES remap, Hornets signed non-exclusive streaming deal with DAZN, also OTA)
Bulls @ Raptors (Bulls only feed via CHSN remap, its common that we don't get Raptors feeds that often)
Jazz @ Grizzlies (Jazz only feed OTA easy to insert, Grizzlies signed streaming deal with DAZN)
Pacers @ Pelicans (Pelicans only feed which is OTA easy to insert, Pacers signed streaming deal with DAZN)
Maybe it will change but it looks like DirecTV may only carry DAZN feeds on NBA LP when there is no other option, such as when two teams (either Cavaliers, Pacers, Grizzlies, Timberwolves, Spurs) that are both DAZN exclusive are playing each other, we shall see as the season goes on I guess.
This NBA season will be the first in a long time where many League Pass games are carried on feeds DirecTV doesn't normally carry or are only available through OTA spot beams. It'll be interesting to see how it plays out, especially whether we eventually get both home and away feeds for these teams out of market again.
This started a couple months ago. I have 2 H3s on one network, both with 2 EHD identical 3 TB seperately powered so all recordings are accessible by all 4k & J4s (8 of them).
On one H3 (not the main one that controls the MOCA network), after it reboots, it doesn't recognize it has two EHDs plugged into it. Rebooting the EHD by their power source doesn't fix it. Resetting the network doesn't. Software h3 reset doesn't fix it. Rebooting MOCA h3 doesn't fix it but so far, after 3+ cold boots (unplug pwr to H3 with unrecognized EHDs), it finally it figures out they are plugged into it. BUT.... Then when you open a program it only partially shows series and episodes, but instead of showing recordings, it only shows upcoming airings. HELP!!!!
JohnGalt1234 - So you basically have 2 Hopper 3's. The CasinoH3 is the one that is Hopper 3 only while Master Bedroom is a Hopper 3 with Hopper Plus setup.
Master Bedroom uses Android TV (ATV) software so the DISH part is actually a app and will behave differently as you can probably tell the Guide's are different on the Master Bedroom which will resemble the same guide used on other ATV devices such as the Joey 4 and Wireless Joey 4. If I am correct, the CasinoH3 is the one with the problem since you did say the one dated 09/05/2026 is the naughty one while 08/15/2026 named Master Bedroom is the nice one. Usually I would expect the CasinoH3 to be the one without the problem because it's Hopper 3 only and Master Bedroom would be the one with problems because it has the Hopper Plus involved. That is why they behave differently because CasinoH3 is running the native Hopper 3 software while Master Bedroom is running the Android TV software and also it runs a app called DISH known as package com.dish.atv.launcher, the version for mines is P15403 2026100917 so it's probably the same version as the Hopper Plus software version with the date of October 9, 2026, not sure what the 17 means except maybe revision 17?
This explains it better than I can. Sorry, had to take all the ads out.
JohnGalt1234 - So you basically have 2 Hopper 3's. The CasinoH3 is the one that is Hopper 3 only while Master Bedroom is a Hopper 3 with Hopper Plus setup.
Master Bedroom uses Android TV (ATV) software so the DISH part is actually a app and will behave differently as you can probably tell the Guide's are different on the Master Bedroom which will resemble the same guide used on other ATV devices such as the Joey 4 and Wireless Joey 4. If I am correct, the CasinoH3 is the one with the problem since you did say the one dated 09/05/2026 is the naughty one while 08/15/2026 named Master Bedroom is the nice one. Usually I would expect the CasinoH3 to be the one without the problem because it's Hopper 3 only and Master Bedroom would be the one with problems because it has the Hopper Plus involved. That is why they behave differently because CasinoH3 is running the native Hopper 3 software while Master Bedroom is running the Android TV software and also it runs a app called DISH known as package com.dish.atv.launcher, the version for mines is P15403 2026100917 so it's probably the same version as the Hopper Plus software version with the date of October 9, 2026, not sure what the 17 means except maybe revision 17?
This explains it better than I can. Sorry, had to take all the ads out.
As I understand it, the android is just the display signal from the hopper+. I can disconnect the H+ and plug the hdmi directly into the master hopper3.
As I understand it, the android is just the display signal from the hopper+. I can disconnect the H+ and plug the hdmi directly into the master hopper3.
It is not just a display signal as explained above. When you have the Hopper+ connected, it uses Android TV for pretty much everything except for the satellite signal which is why it uses the DISH app for the standard Hopper 3 functions. But that should not matter because in your case, CasinoH3 is the Hopper 3 with the EHD which is what you call the naughty one based on the dates you mentioned and Master Bedroom which has the Hopper Plus connected to the Hopper 3 that does not have the problem. So one way to test the theory is disconnect the Hopper Plus from that Hopper 3 and then use the EHD's connected to CasinoH3 currently to see if the same issue exists. That way you will know if the problem is there without a Hopper Plus connected or if CasinoH3 is just a bad hopper to begin with.
Normally when you disconnect the Hopper Plus, it will be 30 minutes or more before you can use the Hopper 3 again.
What you want to do is:
hold the POWER button in, not the red reset button, for about 45 seconds or so while disconnecting the power to the Plus and moving the HDMI cable and it will reboot to the normal Hopper only immediately.
Yes, I have only two online at a time.
One comes online; the other consistently won't. Also, when I connect the EHD, the USB Detected status light on the EHD itself changes from Red to Green. But the Hopper (713) does not start the EHD read process. The light changes to indicate that the EHD has detected a valid USB cable, but the Hopper does not recognize it.
It is not just a display signal as explained above. When you have the Hopper+ connected, it uses Android TV for pretty much everything except for the satellite signal which is why it uses the DISH app for the standard Hopper 3 functions. But that should not matter because in your case, CasinoH3 is the Hopper 3 with the EHD which is what you call the naughty one based on the dates you mentioned and Master Bedroom which has the Hopper Plus connected to the Hopper 3 that does not have the problem. So one way to test the theory is disconnect the Hopper Plus from that Hopper 3 and then use the EHD's connected to CasinoH3 currently to see if the same issue exists. That way you will know if the problem is there without a Hopper Plus connected or if CasinoH3 is just a bad hopper to begin with.
Normally when you disconnect the Hopper Plus, it will be 30 minutes or more before you can use the Hopper 3 again.
What you want to do is:
hold the POWER button in, not the red reset button, for about 45 seconds or so while disconnecting the power to the Plus and moving the HDMI cable and it will reboot to the normal Hopper only immediately.
Yeah, I read through that and understand that now. It rebooted itself last night and upgraded to H713, and lost the EHDs again. As usual, power cycling the EHDs, did nothing, software H3 reboot didn't either, but it only took one cold boot to get them to come back.
Did you ever answer how to trigger that external hard drive test? Had the guys over Saturday to watch college football and BS (mostly BS) and in my rec room (casino H3) I have two TVs one from Casino H3, and the other either duplicates the H3 (if we only want to watch one game) or a separate Joey4 if we want to watch 2 games. In the last Quarter of the Rutgers at Maryland game, Casino H3 decided it wanted to do that EHD test, which it said could take up to 100 mins. I set up the game on tablet with dish anywhere for two guys most interested in that game because I wanted to see what the test said when it was completed. I missed it but the EHDs were working fine and I put the game back on that TV (took about 15 mins for the test).
Yeah, I read through that and understand that now. It rebooted itself last night and upgraded to H713, and lost the EHDs again. As usual, power cycling the EHDs, did nothing, software H3 reboot didn't either, but it only took one cold boot to get them to come back.
Did you ever answer how to trigger that external hard drive test? Had the guys over Saturday to watch college football and BS (mostly BS) and in my rec room (casino H3) I have two TVs one from Casino H3, and the other either duplicates the H3 (if we only want to watch one game) or a separate Joey4 if we want to watch 2 games. In the last Quarter of the Rutgers at Maryland game, Casino H3 decided it wanted to do that EHD test, which it said could take up to 100 mins. I set up the game on tablet with dish anywhere for two guys most interested in that game because I wanted to see what the test said when it was completed. I missed it but the EHDs were working fine and I put the game back on that TV (took about 15 mins for the test).
Maybe what you might want to do the next time is first disconnect the EHD's and then reboot using the physical Red Button Reset in the Hopper 3 and let it boot up and basically Live TV, wait 10 minutes or so after that and then plug in EHD #1, give it 5 minutes to detect and either after it detects or if after the 5 minutes whichever comes first, plug in EHD #2 and give it 5 minutes to detect. If you got both detected successfully, then you can use the Menu based Reboot and see if it detects itself within the first 10 minutes. But don't hit the DVR button on the remote until that 10 minutes after Live TV in both scenarios.
As for how to trigger the External Hard Drive Test, I have no idea except I know I saw it periodically like it says but some people on reddit apparently has seen it daily everytime it does that nightly reboot as seen in this thread on reddit:
So not sure what is triggering it for them but basically they lose up to 110 minutes every night which can include sleep for at least one of the persons because of the "periodically" External Hard Drive test and waiting for a fix promised fix while no one on here seems to have the issue. I had not seen the External Hard Drive test for years. If I had to guess, it is similar to Linux/Unix and Windows when the system was not shutdown properly so you will see the fsck running at startup or the Windows Filesystem Check.
Google Search AI says the following:
The Hopper 3 determines whether to run the external hard drive (EHD) test at bootup based on a set of internal firmware rules. At its core, the Linux-based operating system on the Hopper looks for specific hardware markers and system file states when initializing:
1. The File System "Dirty Flag" (Most Common Trigger)
Like a computer running an unexpected disk check, the Hopper 3 looks at the drive's file system table during boot.
If the drive was unmounted safely before the reboot, the system sees a "clean" status flag and skips the test entirely to speed up boot times.
If the Hopper lost power suddenly, froze up, or received a forced hard reset while the drive was spinning, the status flag remains marked as "dirty" (unclean shutdown). The bootloader detects this flag and automatically triggers the test to scan for corrupted file segments and index errors before allowing playback.
2. Linux Kernel Device Interrogation (fsck)
When the Hopper 3 initializes its Linux kernel at bootup, it queries every connected USB peripheral.
If it detects a new or altered hardware ID (such as plugging a drive into a different USB port, swapping cables, or attaching a drive that was disconnected during the last power cycle), it runs a foundational mount check.
This scan ensures the file structure matches the receiver's encryption keys before mapping the storage directory to your DVR menu.
3. Read/Write Mount Error Counts
The Hopper tracks background hardware performance metrics. If the internal system logs show that the external drive suffered from timed-out read/write commands or communication drops just prior to the reboot, the operating system overrides the default boot process. It forces the external hard drive check to determine if the drive is physically failing or suffering from partition degradation.
4. Scheduled Maintenance & Major Software Binds
Dish pushes system software updates over the satellite stream, usually during the 1:00 AM – 5:00 AM maintenance window. If a newly installed firmware version introduces changes to the receiver's DVR file structure or database index system, the update sequence purposefully injects a one-time diagnostic flag into the boot cycle. This ensures that old recordings on the external drive remain entirely compatible with the new software.
Operating systems run file system checks (such as fsck on Unix/Linux/FreeBSD or chkdsk on Windows) during startup to detect and repair data corruption, fix broken directory structures, and ensure the storage drive is safe before mounting it for normal use. [1]
Why File Systems Get Corrupted
Unclean Shutdowns: Power outages, hardware resets, or sudden crashes interrupt write operations before data and metadata are fully saved to the disk.
Inconsistent State: Metadata (such as file allocation tables, inodes, or journaling logs) can point to missing blocks or overlapping file paths.
Scheduled Maintenance: Older file systems trigger periodic, count- or time-based scans to catch slow degradation or orphaned sectors. [1]
How Operating Systems Handle the Checks
Unix / Linux / FreeBSD (fsck): Inspects the superblocks, inode tables, and directory trees. Modern journaling file systems (like ext4, XFS, or ZFS) use a transaction log to quickly replay or roll back unfinished operations instead of scanning every block, meaning a full check only runs if the system was marked "unclean" or after a set number of mounts. [1, 2, 3]
Windows (chkdsk / NTFS): Checks the Master File Table (MFT), security descriptors, and bitmap structures. NTFS uses a built-in transaction log ($LogFile) to automatically recover consistency almost instantly, rarely requiring a full disk surface scan unless a serious hardware or logical error occurred.
So not seeing it is usually a good thing as these people probably have failing storage devices or corrupted filesystems.