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So I have integrated voice commands through Alexa/Echo into my AV system including the Hopper. So I can say, Alexa, turn on mute and the TV mutes, or Alexa turn channel thirteen on (or Alexa turn NBC on) and it changes the hopper to channel 13. Or, Alexa turn on pause or turn on resume (play) and the hopper pauses and resumes on voice command. But I have some questions/oddities that you might be able to help with.
The set up - Global Cache wi2ir (the person who set up the ad hoc networking on that devices -- needed for initial set up -- deserves a special place in purgatory), Homeseer Zee 2, Homeseer Echo API skill and Homeseer Global Cache plugin. Each channel/ command is set up as a virtual devices, which is discoverable in Echo's home automation skill. So when I say Alexa turn channel thirteen on - it switches on the virtual device, which triggers an event that send the ir command over to the hopper to change the channel. The virtual resets to off. Everything works great. I have alternate names in Alexa so I can say either channel thirteen or nbc . One trivial annoyance is that the virtual device needs to have the number spelled out in Homeseer - channel thirteen not channel 13. I discovered I only watch 16 channels live on a regular basis. Lots more I record from, but only watch 16 live.
So here are issues/questions:
So I can control my antenna, turn it to position x then send a command over to the hopper to tune in a specific channel and then record, I can then tell the hopper to stop recording when the program is over and return the antenna to a "neutral" position. However, my channels come in from 2 different directions, and I can not figure out how to scan, save then scan in a different direction without the channels in the first scan disappearing. Suggestions?
Annoyance, virtual devices send a change status that invokes an event. Mute is a toggle. There is no feedback between the TV and the state of the virtual device since it does not directly control the TV. So if I say turn on mute - it will send the mute toggle to the TV - mute it if there is sound, unmute it if it is muted. I would like more natural speech and say turn off mute. But that will not work because it ts a toggle. I can also create an alternate word in Alexa (which I have - sound) and say Alexa turn on the sound. It works, but any suggestions on virtual devices for those of you who program home automation systems?
Major annoyance, The sun hits my IR blaster between 4 and 7. I have tried to reposition it, but it is in the perfect blast position for all the devices. I will be installing emitters, so that is a cheap alternative - they are around $4.
This was a major achievement for me. My entire house is either automated to use voice control. When I get to the door, homeseer recognizes my phone and unlocks my door, my lights come on automatically depending on the darkness of the room. I tell my bedroom light to turn off at night and it turns off all the lights in the house, locks the doors and puts power strips into night mood. Being able to have a hands-off experience with the AV system brings me 1 step closer to Star trek computer automation.
The set up - Global Cache wi2ir (the person who set up the ad hoc networking on that devices -- needed for initial set up -- deserves a special place in purgatory), Homeseer Zee 2, Homeseer Echo API skill and Homeseer Global Cache plugin. Each channel/ command is set up as a virtual devices, which is discoverable in Echo's home automation skill. So when I say Alexa turn channel thirteen on - it switches on the virtual device, which triggers an event that send the ir command over to the hopper to change the channel. The virtual resets to off. Everything works great. I have alternate names in Alexa so I can say either channel thirteen or nbc . One trivial annoyance is that the virtual device needs to have the number spelled out in Homeseer - channel thirteen not channel 13. I discovered I only watch 16 channels live on a regular basis. Lots more I record from, but only watch 16 live.
So here are issues/questions:
So I can control my antenna, turn it to position x then send a command over to the hopper to tune in a specific channel and then record, I can then tell the hopper to stop recording when the program is over and return the antenna to a "neutral" position. However, my channels come in from 2 different directions, and I can not figure out how to scan, save then scan in a different direction without the channels in the first scan disappearing. Suggestions?
Annoyance, virtual devices send a change status that invokes an event. Mute is a toggle. There is no feedback between the TV and the state of the virtual device since it does not directly control the TV. So if I say turn on mute - it will send the mute toggle to the TV - mute it if there is sound, unmute it if it is muted. I would like more natural speech and say turn off mute. But that will not work because it ts a toggle. I can also create an alternate word in Alexa (which I have - sound) and say Alexa turn on the sound. It works, but any suggestions on virtual devices for those of you who program home automation systems?
Major annoyance, The sun hits my IR blaster between 4 and 7. I have tried to reposition it, but it is in the perfect blast position for all the devices. I will be installing emitters, so that is a cheap alternative - they are around $4.
This was a major achievement for me. My entire house is either automated to use voice control. When I get to the door, homeseer recognizes my phone and unlocks my door, my lights come on automatically depending on the darkness of the room. I tell my bedroom light to turn off at night and it turns off all the lights in the house, locks the doors and puts power strips into night mood. Being able to have a hands-off experience with the AV system brings me 1 step closer to Star trek computer automation.
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11539 views
Staff member
Pub Member / Supporter
Please post your remote make/model here and any details of your issue. We are looking to collect as many examples as possible. I may reach out to you for your receiver number, but please do not post it here.
If you've already reported this to me, please repost it here so I can track all instances in one thread.
Thanks!
Brittany
If you've already reported this to me, please repost it here so I can track all instances in one thread.
Thanks!
Brittany
26 Replies
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1094 views
Yea, I've only been a CIO for the last 30 years!
Trust me, when something important breaks, they get to own it!
My Hopper 3 updated itself to H713 last week and the IR issue is worse now. On H711, I could be on an SD channel for several hours and the IR side of my H3 would still be responsive without my having to tap the View button on my Pronto Pro every 15 minutes. Now, if I stay even on an SD channel without tapping the View button at least once an hour, it becomes unresponsive to my Pronto Pro without tapping the View button at least 5-20 times, just like on the HD and 4K channels. So, H713 actually made the issue worse. 
brittanygarden
brittanygarden
Staff member
HERE TO HELP YOU!
Cutting Edge
Sometimes a thread gets so many posts in it that is can cause issues for the server so that why today we introduce The Song Name Game Part 3!
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
68700 Replies
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2682374 views
Pub Member / Supporter
Pissed off at the crappy healthcare costs
My health Insurance renewal for 2027 just came in. Going from $827 a month to $1,187 a month. Deductible going up a $1k to $9,350. Max out of pocket also going up $1k to $11,000. Doctor co-pay of $40. Urgent Care co-pay $50. ER 50% coinsurance after deductible. That's all in network. Out of network is double, should it be needed.
Have to think about this. I'm really tempted to just go without now. I only go to the doctor once or twice a year. I pay out of pocket for Tirzepitide and can do without the Rosuvastatin (crestor) now. Really tired of spending over $10k a year and getting nothing out of it.
After years with Blue Cross I switched last year to Ambetter as my Blue Cross premium was going from $1200 to $1800 for a Silver plan and the Bronze plan was still going to be $1300 at BCBS. Ambetter was $827 for the same coverage with a Bronze plan. Didn't think it would jump this much so soon.
I'm guessing a Silver plan is probably over $2,000 a month for 2027.
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448 views
Such a scam. Healthcare.gov shows me cheaper individual plans available for 2027 from ambetter that ambetter doesn't show on their website. Looked it up. I've spent $68,000 in premiums the last 5 years and got nothing out of it except a few doctors visits and labs.
I have Dish with Hopper3. I choose to get local channels OTA and had a "guide list" established at my previous home. Having moved a few miles away, I wanted to update the list by appending a couple new stations via a rescan. As many would know, some stations come in with the UHF/VHF antenna aimed in one direction, while others come in better with a different direction.
Unfortunately, when a scan is done (bringing in 25-30 stations for that particular antenna aim), the dialog screen does not present the established guide list; it presents an empty field to the right that the scanned stations may be selected one by one and added to the empty guide. But because of antenna aim, some stations originally saved are missing, and would have to be retrieved with a different antenna aim. But as I explain, if a 2nd scan is done with a different antenna aim, the stations saved from the first scan are lost.
It troubles me that Dish didn't develop software that would allow a user to simply append only 1 or 2 channels to the established list.
Any thought on this? Has anyone experienced this or heard of this from others?
Unfortunately, when a scan is done (bringing in 25-30 stations for that particular antenna aim), the dialog screen does not present the established guide list; it presents an empty field to the right that the scanned stations may be selected one by one and added to the empty guide. But because of antenna aim, some stations originally saved are missing, and would have to be retrieved with a different antenna aim. But as I explain, if a 2nd scan is done with a different antenna aim, the stations saved from the first scan are lost.
It troubles me that Dish didn't develop software that would allow a user to simply append only 1 or 2 channels to the established list.
Any thought on this? Has anyone experienced this or heard of this from others?
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49 views
After having continuing trouble with my eight+ year old Dell Inspiron laptop I am looking to hopefully catch a good deal on new one. My options to buy is Costco and Sam's Club. It seems like a lot of new laptops are 2 in 1 which I do not need. I use the laptop to mainly surf the web and keep up with my finances, money and bills. I would like to have at least a 15" screen and having a touchscreen is a plus. The keyboard would need to lighted also. I don't game any. It would have to be Windows instead of and not Mac. The brands I see the most are Asus, Dell and HP. My two last laptops has been Dell's. Of these brands are there any standouts over the other brands. My budget (hopefully) is $600+-. Also while researching I noticed that do not have ethernet ports.
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137 views
Pub Member / Supporter
Lifetime Supporter
Dang female lions don't mess around when it comes to their kiddos....aka whelps.
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Vvefv5xW77s?feature=share
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Vvefv5xW77s?feature=share
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Supporting Founder
Pub Member / Supporter
Apple Fall Hardware Event takes place today, September 9, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. PT / 1:00 p.m. ET. It marks the debut of new CEO John Ternus and the expected reveal of Apple's first foldable phone.
139 Replies
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2049 views
S
when was the last time they innovated something
I'd probably say when they came up with their M-series of processors with integrated memory. That allowed Apple to get away from the inefficient Intel CPUs that were limiting their notebook computers.when was the last time they innovated something
Supporting Founder
Really excited for this season with Kentucky having a new coach and some really exciting recruits. Probably won't last long, but here's hoping this season is great.
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3076 views
..I hate playing in Ames.
I hate playing in LA ...
Buckeyes had 2 weeks off and came out and looked absolutely terrible ... broke in a new Freshman Qb, but that wasn't the worst part ... undiscipline play, at last count they had 10 penalties.
Freshman in the end of the game trying to play catch up, had a lot of Over throws ... Bucks lose ...
#1 Miami struggled but pulled away in the end beating North Carolina by 3 ...
Tuesday the CFP brings out thier Playoff Top 12 again ... Buckeyes should drop from #2 to about #22 (they won't) had they had thier Starting QB, it would have been a different game ...
They could lose the rest of thier games at this point.
My in-Laws came from Iowa, she was a graduate of ISU. Unranked Iowa teams beat the #24 and #25 teams on Halloween.
And I heard that your QB made a poor choice after scoring the tying touchdown, leading to a fifteen yard penalty on the ensuing kickoff. The Cyclones were then able to take advantage of the resulting field position to get close enough to score the winning field goal.
In a NCAA Football season of bizarre endings, this has to rank right up there.
I had an old Wireless Joey replaced by a Wireless Joey 4 (Android TV) - still have a Hopper 3 without the Hopper Plus. What do I have to do to get the EPG to show channel logos instead of "Dish"? This is annoying as hell and it's been this way for over a month…
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34 views
Lifetime Supporter
Looks like dish is Bankrupt. Filling tomorrow Tuesday June 30th
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14615 views
S
www.aboutamazon.com
Amazon to acquire Globalstar and expand Amazon Leo satellite network
Globalstar satellites, radio frequency spectrum, and operational expertise will enable Amazon Leo to add Direct-to-Device (D2D) services to future generations of its low Earth orbit satellite network.
www.aboutamazon.com
S
www.foxnews.com
SpaceX reportedly seeks 80,000 cell sites to become a wireless carrier | Fox News
SpaceX is reportedly pursuing 80,000 cell sites to turn Starlink into a wireless carrier that could compete with Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile for cell coverage.
www.foxnews.com