4K Hopper 3 Playback Reverts to 1/4 size display after Fast Forward

[JJinVista]

I've had a H3 receiver for years but just recently began watching and recording 4k content. I'm consistently having the display revert to the upper left quarter of the screen after fast forwarding or pausing the playback of 4k recordings.

Some research I've done blames it on the Hopper as not having the processing power to quickly shift between the FF or pause playback formats and it leaves the playback device in a mode thinking that it's no longer receiving a 4k stream. So it displays the 1/4 image.

I've found that I can quickly recover back to a full screen 4k display by using the remote sequence Pause / Info / Resume.

I've tested this on two different monitors, but they're both LGs, so maybe it's the TVs, and not the Hopper? Is this a known problem? Anyone else experience this?

 

[navychop]

I had similar problems when I had an H3. Not sure what triggered it. I don't think it was for 4K though, as I don't follow sports and what else has Dish put on in "4K?"

Sony UHD TV and Sony UHD player (no 1/4 there).

I think I was cycling power to work around it.

 

[slow_poke_pete]

might be a bad hopper. no issues here with my hopper with the 4k. you might want to swap it and see if that helps.

 

[Almighty1]

It might have nothing to do with the Hopper at all.

might be a bad hopper. no issues here with my hopper with the 4k. you might want to swap it and see if that helps.

That should always be a last resort.

Per Google Search AI:

No, his Hopper 3 is likely not defective hardware, and replacing the box itself may not completely fix the issue. [1]
The "real" solution to this problem lies in addressing a classic HDMI Handshake / EDID timing mismatch between the Hopper 3 and his LG TVs. When the Hopper drops out of trick-play (fast-forward or pause), the sudden timing shift in the 4K video stream confuses the TV. Because 4K is exactly four times the resolution of 1080p, the LG TV misinterprets the sudden frame changes and maps the image to a raw 1:1 pixel grid, which physically shrinks the 1080p/4K transition frame into exactly one-quarter of the 4K panel. [1]
The permanent solution requires stabilizing that HDMI connection so the TV doesn't lose the handshake:

1. The Real Fixes (Hardware Setup)

• Upgrade the HDMI Cable: The Hopper 3 requires high bandwidth for 4K. If he is using an older HDMI cable, it can cause lagging handshakes. He should replace it with a certified Ultra High Speed HDMI (HDMI 2.1) cable, even though the Hopper doesn't output 2.1, because the higher shielding prevents signal dropouts during resolution changes.
• Toggle LG Ultra Deep Color / HDMI Enhanced: On LG TVs, go to Settings > General > Devices > HDMI Settings and ensure HDMI Ultra HD Deep Color (or "Enhanced Format") is explicitly turned ON for the specific port the Hopper is plugged into. This forces the TV port to strictly expect high-bandwidth 4K signals.
• Bypass or Add an Audio Receiver/Soundbar: If the Hopper is plugged into a soundbar or AVR first, plug the Hopper directly into the TV to eliminate a middle-man handshake failure. If it is already direct, sometimes putting a cheap, powered HDMI 2.0 splitter or handshake manager (like a Dr. HDMI device) between the Hopper and the TV forces a permanent EDID lock, completely solving the issue.

2. Software Fixes

• Hard Reset: A standard software glitch can cause this. Unplugging the Hopper 3 from the wall for at least 60 seconds clears the HDMI cache. [1]
• Dish Firmware Updates: Because other users note they can watch 4K on a Hopper 3 without this glitch, his specific TV firmware or Hopper software version might have a minor bug. Ensuring both devices are fully updated is critical. [1]

If he implements a brand-new high-quality cable and correctly configures the LG HDMI settings, the TV will adapt instantly to the fast-forward stream shifts without dropping the image into a 1/4 window. [1]