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DB10

Last reply Jan 23, 2021 · posted in DISH Network Support Forum

Is it just me or are the Hopper and Joey garbage?

I replaced my old boxes a few months ago with these and they seem super flaky. They are very slow, particularly the Joey. When you change channels or use the guide you'd think it was calculating the meaning of life or something. The signal strength between the two boxes is at max. Sometimes they change channels by themselves.

Other times you'll find yourself shunted into an inescapable menu. A few minutes ago I had to reboot the Joey because there was no getting out of a particular screen. A little later the hopper decided it needed to reboot and run diagnostics in the middle of a hockey game. There are various other problems with the systems.

My guess is the boxes try to do too much with cheap, under-powered hardware and code created by learning disabled chimpanzees. The latter is not specific to Dish though, the world is full of lousy code.

Are these typical issues?

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dweber

Jan 21, 2021

I have two Hopper3 receivers, a Joey3 client, and I use Dish Anywhere through an Amazon 4K Firestick. I am always surprised with people having problems since my setup works very well. I watch 4K content with Netflix and Amazon Prime with no problems. I have watched 4K sports on channel 540-01 with my only complaint being less vivid color since Dish does not use HDR.
The Hopper3 Google Assistant controls all of my Lutron Caseta lights, keeps track of my calendar, and does a decent job on program searches. Alexa does a great job controlling my Dish equipment. I have 3 Hard Drives of saved content from 2000 - present. I also love PTAT and Autohop.
My one son has Spectrum DVR and my other son has YouTube TV. They will use Dish Anywhere to watch content on their dad's dish. Their systems don't even compare to my Dish equipment. I have an Amazon Recast Fire TV but it is much harder to use. The only advantage that the Recast has is the Guide is complete while my Dish Guide is missing info for 28 of the 55 OTA channels. The AirTV tuner on both of my Hopper3 receivers is about equal to the tuner on the Recast or the Sony Bravia TV tuners.
In summary the Dish Hopper3 and Joey3 system is great and nothing compares to it.

Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

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DB10

Jan 21, 2021

dweber said:
In summary the Dish Hopper3 and Joey3 system is great and nothing compares to it.

Well I just got off the phone with them and apparently I have a Hopper Duo and a Joey 2 or something like that. I have to either buy a Hopper 3 for $350, or pay $150 and more per month, contingent on signing a new 2-year contract. I wish they told me they were giving me garbage at the outset so I could have made a more informed decision. I wasn't aware you needed to pick between boxes that work sometimes and others that are better. The fact that a coprocessor is even available is pretty funny in itself. That just screams kludge.

HipKat

Jan 21, 2021

DB10 said:
Well I just got off the phone with them and apparently I have a Hopper Duo and a Joey 2 or something like that. I have to either buy a Hopper 3 for $350, or pay $150 and more per month, contingent on signing a new 2-year contract. I wish they told me they were giving me garbage at the outset so I could have made a more informed decision. I wasn't aware you needed to pick between boxes that work sometimes and others that are better. The fact that a coprocessor is even available is pretty funny in itself. That just screams kludge.

OK, the Hopper Duo is about as fast as the Hopper 3. The Joey 2, however, is junk. Not quite the junk that the Joey 1 is, but still junk. It's been announced to us that Hopper Duo installs will include the Joey 3 sometime in the near future. You should be able to get one of those at the very least.

I would do this, call back and you need the Loyalty Depart, not an "advanced customer support" specialist - the BS "title" they use when the first person who answers tries to head you off. Tell them you're canceling your account or something that forces you to the loyalty Dept. Here's a hint - I never talked to a Retention person in the Philippines.

Be firm and explain that 1, you're not able to record the way you were originally told you could (Whether you were ever told anything or not). 2, you've been a customer for x number of years and you expect better treatment. You want a Hopper 3 and that's it (You can probably get them to drop to $50 or maybe even a free upgrade, but the $50 is worth it, IMO).

pattykay

Jan 21, 2021

HipKat said:
It's been announced to us that Hopper Duo installs will include the Joey 3 sometime in the near future.

Yes, mine included the Joey 3 earlier this month.

HipKat said:
I would do this, call back and you need the Loyalty Depart, not an "advanced customer support" specialist - the BS "title" they use when the first person who answers tries to head you off. Tell them you're canceling your account or something that forces you to the loyalty Dept.

No need to go through any of that hassle. Just use the direct phone line to the Loyalty Department: 1-888-496-1260

HipKat said:
you've been a customer for x number of years

The Loyalty Team already knows that info. That is one of the first things they say when they answer your call, "I see that you've been a loyal customer for..." down to the exact number of years, months, and days.

HipKat said:
(You can probably get them to drop to $50 or maybe even a free upgrade, but the $50 is worth it, IMO).

Be careful with that so-called "free" upgrade, though. Even the Loyalty Team can screw you over on that. In my case, the Joey 3 was supposed to be a free replacement receiver, and it was supposed to be listed as purchased, since it was replacing a purchased receiver that failed. It is indeed listed as purchased, but they charged me $50 for it. On top of that, they also charged me $25 for the "upgrade" to the leased Hopper Duo. Neither of those fees was disclosed to me at the time when I was speaking to the Loyalty Team. I did not find out about those charges until after my system was installed, and I noticed that the balance on my Dish account had jumped sky-high. (Keep in mind, I only have the $15 Locals Only package. So, an increase of $75 plus tax is a huge increase for me.) I called back to complain, and they could not do anything to reverse those fees, even after transferring me to an even more advanced department. (SRS, I think. "Senior Resolution Specialist" or something like that.) All they could do for me is let me out of my contract, since I called only a couple of days after the system was installed.

Bottom line, DB10: If you want a Joey 3 without the hassle of dealing with the Loyalty Department, or agreeing to a new two-year contract, then I still have my purchased Joey 3. I would be happy to send it to you, for the right price. By having a purchased Joey, it would also reduce your monthly equipment fees. A purchased Joey is only $5 per month, compared to $7 per month for a leased one.

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kugumby

Jan 21, 2021

I've been with Dish for 20+ years. I now have a Hopper 3 and a Joey 3 and have for a little over a year. Both have been mostly rock solid, although the H3 has been exhibiting issues with audio not syncing lately.. The Joey is noticeably slower than the H3 interface, but it's not terrible.

Now that hockey is back in business, I'm missing the Fox (Sinclair) Regional Sports Network which will, apparently, never return to Dish. I looked at streaming options and there, quite literally, is no streaming option that carries the Fox RSN's. So, I signed up for a 30 day trial of Spectrum and they said they'd pay any cancellation fees with Dish.

Just got the equipment delivered and installed yesterday and if you think ANY version of the Hopper is slow....Oh. My. God. These Spectrum boxes are BRUTAL. The Guide isn't great, but I might be able to get used to it, but the Search, Menu and DVR screens take 5-10 seconds to paint the screen and load from the top down. I feel like I've gone from an i7 processor to a 386. Only 2 recording streams while watching another. No PiP and the deal killer for the wife....no swap. If she ain't happy....you know the drill.

AT&T (Fiber and DirecTV) is the only other option and I hate AT&T, so there you go. I guess I'm stuck with no Fox RSN until they finally bypass the providers and go direct to consumer. I know that's their plan, but I just don't know when they are going to implement it.

NYDutch

Jan 22, 2021

Yes, Center Ice does blackout your in market games. With a good VPN, NHL-TV can be worked around that though.

pattykay

Jan 22, 2021

kugumby said:
the H3 has been exhibiting issues with audio not syncing lately..

That is not just the H3. I have noticed the same thing with my locals on Eastern Arc, on my ViP211k. It is not terrible, just enough to be able to tell that it is slightly out of sync.

olds403

Jan 22, 2021

crodrules said:
That is not just the H3. I have noticed the same thing with my locals on Eastern Arc, on my ViP211k. It is not terrible, just enough to be able to tell that it is slightly out of sync.

I have had the same issue with my Joey 3 in the bedroom, using HDMI from J3 to TV, then optical out to LG soundbar. The longer it is on the more noticeable the lag is. I thought it was the TV, maybe it is the Joey?? I may disconnect the soundbar and see if it does the same thing with the TV speakers. I have not noticed the sound out of synch on the H3 in the living room yet.

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DB10

Jan 23, 2021

crodrules said:
Bottom line, DB10: If you want a Joey 3 without the hassle of dealing with the Loyalty Department, or agreeing to a new two-year contract, then I still have my purchased Joey 3. I would be happy to send it to you, for the right price. By having a purchased Joey, it would also reduce your monthly equipment fees. A purchased Joey is only $5 per month, compared to $7 per month for a leased one.

Hey thanks for the offer. The Dish rep told me the Joey 3 is only compatible with the Hopper 3, so I guess I would have to upgrade the Duo for it to work. That would require a 2 year contract anyway as i understand it.

pattykay

Jan 23, 2021

DB10 said:
Hey thanks for the offer. The Dish rep told me the Joey 3 is only compatible with the Hopper 3, so I guess I would have to upgrade the Duo for it to work. That would require a 2 year contract anyway as i understand it.

That rep was mistaken. My Joey 3 was installed with my Hopper Duo, and worked just fine that way. In fact, the Joey 3 will soon be the standard client for all new Hopper Duo installs going forward.

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Scott Greczkowski

Staff member HERE TO HELP YOU! Cutting Edge

Last reply 8 minutes ago · posted in The Chit Chat Club

Song Name Game Part 3!

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....

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hwkn

Today at 10:33 AM

JUST You n' Me-Chicago

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gms49ers

Today at 11:03 AM

Saturday in the Park - Chicago

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Bobby

Today at 11:19 AM

MacArthur Park - Donna Summer

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dishstaller

19 minutes ago

Long Hot Summer - Keith Urban

gms49ers

8 minutes ago

Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress) - The Hollies

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TWiT Tech Podcast Network

10 minutes ago · posted in TWiT Tech Podcast Network

Ukraine's Hunt for Starlink Alternative #Shorts

Time for another AWESOME video from the TWIT Network!

View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ZJ6owrhM4SA

Direct YouTube Link - Ukraine's Hunt for Starlink Alternative #Shorts
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed

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JSheridan

Lifetime Supporter

Last reply Today at 11:23 AM · posted in DISH Network Support Forum

All DMA's now Western Arc

I know HipKat said that they were working on conversions but we got the official news yesterday right from Dish that starting next month all DMA's will be on the western arc, and all customers will be assigned to that. That's gonna mean a lot of customers around here aren't gonna get Dish unless there are exceptions. Too many mountains and trees.

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Foxbat

Sep 25, 2026

Unless Dish acquires DirecTV and its mid-USA satellite slots, I may not have Dish Network to reach 40 years. Or, I guess we could buy a new house…

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Strega

Friday at 10:01 PM

Even if you are broadcasting old SD-only shows, I would think advertisers would still want their commercials to look good.

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Jimbo

Friday at 11:17 PM

Strega said:
Even if you are broadcasting old SD-only shows, I would think advertisers would still want their commercials to look good.

Advertisers on SD channels are probably Far and Few, very hard to find, they have very few viewers to watch them.

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Mister B

Saturday at 7:35 AM

Jimbo said:
Advertisers on SD channels are probably Far and Few, very hard to find, they have very few viewers to watch them.

I watch mostly SD channels (H&I, Start and ION, etc.). There are plenty of advertisers, this time of the year it is mostly Medicare Advantage plans, auto extended warranties and the occasional walk-in-tub. They know who is watching.

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slow_poke_pete

Yesterday at 8:37 PM

Foxbat said:
Unless Dish acquires DirecTV and its mid-USA satellite slots, I may not have Dish Network to reach 40 years. Or, I guess we could buy a new house…

have charlie buy you a new house :biggrin

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telstar_1

Yesterday at 8:46 PM

Well, I didn't immediately think of broadcast, where there are all kinds of digital "subchannels"- I remember back when digital broadcast began that supposedly the 6mhz channel would likely support just 1 HD program and that the added subchannels would likely have to remain SD. I don't watch enough broadcast to know. Are there a lot of the subchannels in SD-only, and how do they do that, like are they in 4:3 or some kind of low-res widescreen?

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Foxbat

Yesterday at 8:53 PM

slow_poke_pete said:
have charlie buy you a new house

Unfortunately, I don't think my social proximity to Charle Ergen provides any special perks. Maybe if Foxbat, Jr. were to marry his daughter…

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slow_poke_pete

Yesterday at 9:11 PM

Foxbat said:
Unfortunately, I don't think my social proximity to Charle Ergen provides any special perks. Maybe if Foxbat, Jr. were to marry his daughter…

that would be one hell of a convo :biggrin

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osu1991

Yesterday at 11:27 PM

telstar_1 said:
Well, I didn't immediately think of broadcast, where there are all kinds of digital "subchannels"- I remember back when digital broadcast began that supposedly the 6mhz channel would likely support just 1 HD program and that the added subchannels would likely have to remain SD. I don't watch enough broadcast to know. Are there a lot of the subchannels in SD-only, and how do they do that, like are they in 4:3 or some kind of low-res widescreen?

New more efficient encoders. I think there's around 60 channels/sub channels now in the Tulsa dma. 480 widescreen for most of the sub channels, but some have 2 HD channels and a couple of SD sub channels while others have 1 HD and 5 or more SD sub channels. If they moved to mp4 or hevc encoding they could do higher bitrates for SD or more HD or even 4K in that 6Mhz channel. That could render some early digital tvs unable to tune though as they may not have the codecs for that. Considering 4K tvs have been on sale for years, I think it would be a very small minority of TVs with the problem. I'd rather see that happen and keep ATSC 1 than continue the move to a DRM enforced ATSC 3 world.

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slow_poke_pete

Today at 10:40 AM

Mister B said:
I watch mostly SD channels (H&I, Start and ION, etc.). There are plenty of advertisers, this time of the year it is mostly Medicare Advantage plans, auto extended warranties and the occasional walk-in-tub. They know who is watching.

can't forget the little blue m&m's

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telstar_1

Today at 11:15 AM

And captioning landline telephones. And "final expenses" insurance.

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charlesrshell

Today at 11:23 AM

slow_poke_pete said:
can't forget the little blue m&m's

That's what my wife calls my Viagra!!

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TVHabit

Last reply Today at 10:25 AM · posted in Free To Air (FTA) Discussion

Hybrid Dish setup

Picked up a sweet directv dish, mount, twin lnbs and a short cable.
Has anyone converted one to FTA? A Frankenstein of sorts...

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Titanium

Oct 18, 2026

Many of us have used a universal LNBF mount (or get creative with L brackets and plumbers tape - perforated metal strapping). Use a few inches of aluminum tube (or a piece of 1x2" lumber) to extend the support arm (replacing the plastic mount used by DirecTV and Dish) to place the LNBF throat opening at the correct distance from the reflector, the correct height and at the correct angle. Nothing magical... simply place the new linear LNBF in the center at the same distance, height and angle as the current combo.
www.amazon.com/Universal-Single-Bracket-Holder-FTA-US/dp/B074L85WK2

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k4otl

Tuesday at 6:42 AM

To add: 101W Ku seems to be (one of if not the) strongest for me, and if I only had Ku I definitely want 101W for the music mux, it's robust FEC and strong signal help a lot. I've thought about using a used Dish/DirectTV dish at my Dads to supplement his OTA (mainly for my benefit when I visit

)

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cyberham

Tuesday at 11:38 PM

I used a 60cm Shaw Satellie dish (60e) with its original dual-LNB. It worked fine for 101W/97W or 99W/103W at that time when weather was fine. But the fade margin was small so rainy weather killed reception or almost so. But it was all free since they're so plentiful so I couldn't complain.

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Titanium

Wednesday at 1:03 AM

A Shaw dish with the linear LNBFs are as rare as hens teeth in the US...

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TVHabit

Today at 10:25 AM

cyberham said:
I used a 60cm Shaw Satellie dish (60e) with its original dual-LNB. It worked fine for 101W/97W or 99W/103W at that time when weather was fine. But the fade margin was small so rainy weather killed reception or almost so. But it was all free since they're so plentiful so I couldn't complain.

Free is good

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Ramy

Supporting Founder

Last reply Today at 10:23 AM · posted in The Sports Section

2026-27 NCAA College Football

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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osu1991

Oct 19, 2026

View: https://youtu.be/mUq0cZaflyc?si=odZ2TTCweQXCWNBR

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Mike0616

Oct 19, 2026

osu1991 said:
View: https://youtu.be/mUq0cZaflyc?si=odZ2TTCweQXCWNBR

They get cruel sometimes, very very cruel.

. Hated to see my dawgs go down but I still say being ranked #1 is a hex on you!

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Jimbo

Oct 19, 2026

Mike0616 said:
They get cruel sometimes, very very cruel.. Hated to see my dawgs go down but I still say being ranked #1 is a hex on you!

Yup, I agree, I'd rather be 2 or 3 till the last few weeks.

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osu1991

Oct 19, 2026

View: https://youtu.be/F6KonG-9Gz0?is=NqOTlbotkS--p4aj

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osu1991

Today at 9:42 AM

View: https://youtu.be/bgOaI0013IE?si=S4bOiJ4TQWZuo86b

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Jimbo

Today at 10:23 AM

osu1991 said:
View: https://youtu.be/bgOaI0013IE?si=S4bOiJ4TQWZuo86b

That one was Awesome !!!!

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dishstaller

Pub Member / Supporter Lifetime Supporter

Last reply Today at 9:17 AM · posted in The Chit Chat Club

Might want to watch this before you buy a new vehicle battery

Love this guy's channel. Looks like Walmart has thrown in the towel when it comes to conventional car batteries.

I bought a new AGM battery from Walmart about a year ago, it is already needing replacing. I thought about just buying a regular battery but from what I've read, that might not be a smart move. Might check my Forscan program and see if I can change the battery type from AGM.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awe7kY5nvdU

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harshness

Yesterday at 11:33 AM

When you need a battery, you need a battery.

If you can wait, new technologies are on the not-too-distant horizon.

You're probably doing something wrong if you're only getting a year out of an AGM battery. Heat and infrequent charging both significantly reduce lifetime.

Jimbo

Yesterday at 12:17 PM

The guy in the Video, REALLY needs to TAKE a Breath ...
If he'd Slow down, you could figure out What he's testing and on what.

harshness

Yesterday at 12:23 PM

Jimbo said:
If he'd Slow down, you could figure out What he's testing and on what.

You can't view his videos passively.

I appreciate this approach to videos that take an hour to deliver a fraction of the same data.

Now, if YouTube were required to flag the AI "reviews", that would really be something.

dishstaller

Yesterday at 12:53 PM

harshness said:
You're probably doing something wrong if you're only getting a year out of an AGM battery. Heat and infrequent charging both significantly reduce lifetime.

Huh? How can I be doing something wrong.....I took out the original battery, that was 6 yrs old and put in a new one.....kinda hard to screw that up. I figure it was just a bad battery....it happens.

The biggest takeaway I got from this video was the Walmart batteries only had something like 85% of battery life left even though they were brand NEW. The ones from O'Reilly all tested 100% of life left.

Jimbo

Yesterday at 1:01 PM

dishstaller said:
Huh? How can I be doing something wrong.....I took out the original battery, that was 6 yrs old and put in a new one.....kinda hard to screw that up. I figure it was just a bad battery....it happens.

The biggest takeaway I got from this video was the Walmart batteries only had something like 85% of battery life left even though they were brand NEW. The ones from O'Reilly all tested 100% of life left.

And the Walmart ones mostly had very little warranty.

My last AGM (using now) I got from O Rielly's, its the Super Start ... I got the Platnium, they had several to choose from.

TRG

Yesterday at 1:03 PM

dishstaller said:
Huh? How can I be doing something wrong.....I took out the original battery, that was 6 yrs old and put in a new one.....kinda hard to screw that up. I figure it was just a bad battery....it happens.

The biggest takeaway I got from this video was the Walmart batteries only had something like 85% of battery life left even though they were brand NEW. The ones from O'Reilly all tested 100% of life left.

I've been buying my batteries from AutoZone. I avoid Walmart whenever possible.

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dishstaller

Yesterday at 1:08 PM

harshness said:
I appreciate this approach to videos that take an hour to deliver a fraction of the same data.

That's the way I feel about it.
I hate those videos where they show themselves slowly opening up the box and unwrapping it.
His videos are probably the fastest pace test videos on Youtube.

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telstar_1

Yesterday at 1:14 PM

He sounds like he's trying to sell me a pocket hose.

I just had to replace a car battery this week and thought I'd look into LiFePo4. Amazon has plenty of them, but all have top posts and only one 'also' has side connections (Group 75).Then I read that they're really lousy in the cold. So, an AGM, but again, almost nothing with side terminals instead of top. In researching that, I read that most mfrs in recent years have dropped side terminals and gone back to the old top posts, which is surprising to me since those are more corrosion-prone, cause the battery to need more space and are generally more hazardous. Finally I just threw up my hands and bought a regular lead-acid at Sam's Club. They had a Group 75 "Duracell" with side terminals only. It was virtually the only such battery with side posts on their shelves

arlo

Yesterday at 2:20 PM

Had a Die Hard in my folks cellar for over 6 years. Pulled it out, slapped it on a charger for a day. Put it in my 'Cuda and drove it around for a week of my vacation. Next year, the same. But my dad kept it topped off for me.It was a mid 80's battery in early 1990.

Flooded acid batteries like a float voltage of around 13.5-13.8 voltage.
AGM needs a float of 14.2 volts. So if you slap an AGM in where a flooded was. It never gets a full charge.
"Why do they die so fast?" Question answered. There are folks who sell voltage regulators for alternators that are designed to boost float voltage for AGM batteries.
The other way around? Flooded will gas-off a little at 14.2 volts. But seems to tolerate it pretty good.

Lithium car/bike/atv batteries. After 3 batteries in my Harley. The OEM flooded and two AGM's (before the 14.2 volt float requirement to let them live was learned). I bought a lithium for it. 4 year, no gripe warranty after having it tested by an approved store.
The thing started like Thor himself sent a bolt from the sky. Except......try to start it around freezing? Nope. Needed a heating pad.
And I usually like to park it around events in the evening with the parking light on. Looks cool like that.
We could traipse around for a few hours no worries. Hop on, fire it up, and go putt around.
Lithium? A Dakota Lithium at least. The BMS shuts it right down if it discharges below <something>.
Come back. Parking lights off. Won't start. And you know the rest. But it lasted 6 years. A lot better than 'new every two'. And the fact that powersports batteries are warranted for six, maybe nine months. Ludicrous.

I called Noco. Asked all of the right questions. Great warranty. Save some bucks ordering directly, faster service that the wally world alternative.
They addressed (or claimed over the phone) that the shut down was addressed. Sure. The BMS keeps it form being damaged. But if it is shut down because it does become low. Shut down any load (key on, parking or headlights left on) for 10-15 minutes and you get a second try to start your rig. Not a bad thing if it really works. Right?!

Exide, Interstate? Be very afraid. They ain't what they used to be. In Florida my '70 Cutlass had an Interstate (early 90') that lasted 6 years until it dropped its plates at an intersection and boiled over. In Florida, mind you. The last Interstate.....done in 2. Guys down there would suck out the acid and put water in shortly before the warranty ran out. Make it to the auto parts, get them tested. And get a new one pro rated. No more pro rating.
You can't beat an Odyssey. Napa, AC Deco (the better ones). Yup.
The mom and pop Car Quest only sells Die Hard. For a reason, the old man says. So they convinced that a Die HArd Platinum was the hot ticket for me. l will see. Stand by!

You can't cut Mr. Project Farm down. He does great tests of all sorts of things. Not sponsored and pressured to slap a little sugar on his comparisons and reviews. Compared to the Brits and Aussies with their constant overzealous and same sounding (Dave from EEVblog) rant. I like P-Farm a lot. Of course I like AvE (Boltr) too.
Reminds me to beware when wearing shorts around the garage vice.

Opinions may vary.

harshness

Today at 9:17 AM

Jimbo said:
And the Walmart ones mostly had very little warranty.

The days of the 84-month warranty appear long gone, regardless of brand or where you acquired it. Warranties tend to be shorter, with much greater dependence on quick prorating.

The big problem for lead-acid batteries (whether flooded or AGM) is that the US no longer produces lead (the last smelter closed in 2013) and must import it.

Recycling covers a good chunk of the need (~70%), but it isn't free.

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klang

Pub Member / Supporter Lifetime Supporter

Last reply Today at 9:06 AM · posted in TV Shows

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy - Paramount+

Season 2 order already in hand:

'Star Trek: Starfleet Academy' Renewed for Season 2, Tatiana Maslany to Guest Star in Season 1

I've not been optimistic about this show based on what I've read so far. Seems to be aimed at a younger audience. Interesting though that Tatiana Maslany will have some sort of role.

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harshness

Yesterday at 11:53 AM

Females wearing any clothing is unthinkable on Ferenginar.

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long_time_Dish

Yesterday at 3:35 PM

harshness said:
Females wearing any clothing is unthinkable on Ferenginar.

Was never a huge of the Ferengi-centric episodes in Trek...

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Jimbo

Yesterday at 8:14 PM

long_time_Dish said:
Was never a huge of the Ferengi-centric episodes in Trek...

Me either ...
They turned out to be a Poor adversary ....

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Foxbat

Yesterday at 9:02 PM

They got their proper due on "Deep Space Nine"

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long_time_Dish

Yesterday at 9:52 PM

Foxbat said:
They got their proper due on "Deep Space Nine"

And too many episodes centering on/around them as well...

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harshness

Today at 9:06 AM

Jimbo said:
They turned out to be a Poor adversary ....

As has always been the case for those consumed by their own financial enrichment.

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SatZach

Last reply Today at 9:04 AM · posted in The Chit Chat Club

Is Roku the new Legacy Cable?

The title was to catch everyone's eye lol! But it is a thought I've been having as I dev a Roku app for a client. You see many MAAANY years ago I got really interested in cable TV channels and even chatted with a regional carrier, Insight about what it took to get a channel number. It was surprisingly easy although prohibitively expensive.

You could petition, reserve a high channel number, they monitored performance and if they liked you, you'd get lower channel number overtime and cut into ad overlays.

Roku has a similar setup. Make an app, if it has a strong, original linear component you could get channel assignment on The Roku Channel.

As mixed as my feelings are on the current media landscape, I can't help but feel a little excited interest when I scope out the apps in the Roku store.

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navychop

Yesterday at 9:53 PM

Hmmm. I think Roku will last. But will Firestick? With their backing, I guess so. Apple TV STB? Of Course. Walmart? Seems someone ought to go, but with their backing?….

Off brands have, as probably expected, very short lives.

SatZach

Yesterday at 10:51 PM

navychop said:
Hmmm. I think Roku will last. But will Firestick? With their backing, I guess so. Apple TV STB? Of Course. Walmart? Seems someone ought to go, but with their backing?….

Off brands have, as probably expected, very short lives.

All of those services have FAST Channels. FAST is a linear online broadcast stndrd. You notice how their linear channels all have some overlap? They are gettting paid for every second those streams are up without really having to do their own accounting. Best part is they don't even facilitate any of the stream bandwidth. Over glorified app stores on some android hardware. No reason NOT to stay in the game.

harshness

Today at 9:00 AM

It is largely because of the standard Roku remote that channel numbers are a distant memory on the streaming side of things. Because their competitors followed suit only reinforces that they were right.

Linear TV's death is a direct result of DVRs giving you what you wanted when you wanted it; why go back?

harshness

Today at 9:04 AM

SatZach said:
FAST is a linear online broadcast stndrd.

FAST is uniquely popular as a way of saving money. It isn't so much about consumption as passing time.

dishstaller

Pub Member / Supporter Lifetime Supporter

Last reply Today at 8:41 AM · posted in TV Shows

Brutal review of Netflix's series Below

Don't know if any of you have watched this series yet, it would be interesting to see if you feel this review was accurate. It was very humorous to listen to however.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tsDO3y8I2c

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KAB

Yesterday at 8:16 AM

What a "pile of slop" review! I liked the show.

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Yespage

Yesterday at 4:48 PM

KAB said:
What a "pile of slop" review! I liked the show.

If the review is like the article, oi! Eighteen paragraphs into the review and... all they've done is not really talk at all about the actual thing they are reviewing.

Halfway into the "written" review, I know more about how the writer "thinks" than I do about what they are writing about. I understand their politics, their self-overestimated understanding of film, their inability to be funny.

Takes about 22 paragraphs to get to one that starts "Anyway, the story kicks off...". Talk about Slop!

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harshness

Today at 8:41 AM

Punditry is alive and well and just as divisive as ever.

TFLEV

Today at 7:42 AM · posted in TFLEV

How Far? The 2026 Subaru Trailseeker Takes On Toughest Mountain Range Test!

Time for another AWESOME video from TFL Electric Vehicles!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-wAFhIJCSk

Direct YouTube Link - How Far? The 2026 Subaru Trailseeker Takes On Toughest Mountain Range Test!