Confused about the Hopper/Joey System, Am I a good candidate?

[hdmi_guy]

I am currently using 2 separate DVRs and I would love to be able to have one "main" DVR like the Hopper offers. I currently have a Vip612 in the bedroom and Vip622 in the Family room, each hooked only to their own tv.

I would like the ability to add my spare bedroom tv to the mix.

My concern is with my love of auto racing and my wife's love of tennis and my kids love of Disney movies you fill our current DVR very fast. Ive read threads about using dual Hoppers but when I contacted Dish they said at the time they are only allowing 1 Hopper.

I also love the Sirius channels I get for free with Dish, would I still have that with the Hopper?

Anyhow maybe you guys can point me into the right direction...

 

[sparc]

Dish for at least the time being is enforcing a 1hopper/1joey rule minimum since their seamless integration software isn't live yet.

It would be difficult for them to advertise whole home if you can't see everything over your whole home.

I suspect they may loosen this rule when that software is rolled out. For now, forum members are trying to get around this rule by signing up for the number of joeys that Dish wants and then dropping them later on after they are activated. (Not sure how well that's working out yet)

So in your case 2 hoppers would require at least 2 Joeys for the time being....

 

[hdmi_guy]

So When you say "I want the Hopper" does it come with a Joey? Thats were I get kind of confused? Is the Hopper just the main DVR and the Joeys access it from other TVs?

 

[sparc]

So When you say "I want the Hopper" does it come with a Joey? Thats were I get kind of confused? Is the Hopper just the main DVR and the Joeys access it from other TVs?

Under their current rules, yes 1 Joey would be required. Although some people have been able to get around that requirement by using retailers or CSRs who might have found a way around it. (or trying to drop the Joey later on)

Yes, the Joey is basically a client of the main Hopper box. The Hopper has all the tuners and hard drive.

 

[hdmi_guy]

So I would need one Joey for every TV other than the one connected to the Hopper..

 

[sparc]

So I would need one Joey for every TV other than the one connected to the Hopper..

Correct. Each Hopper can support up to three Joeys. Since there are three tuners/PTAT in each hopper, you'll have to figure out what your household watches and how well they can share that.

Then if you need more than the three tuners/PTAT than the first hopper provides, you can go to 2 hoppers and whatever joeys. Right now 2 hoppers can't see each other until Dish pushes a software that will enable that. The Joeys in a 2 hopper system can see both hoppers even under the current software.

(Of course the catch on 2 hoppers is mentioned in the posts above when you have a low number of joeys. Might take a little bit of work to get it done.)

 

[hdmi_guy]

I guess that is the sticking point for me then... Is 3 tuners going to be enough...

My family doesnt really watch anything on the "Big 4" so I wouldnt use the PTAT feature.. sports are the big killer around me house... Tennis season sucks... my wife records the Tennis matches and if anything else is recording we are forced to watch something previously recorded.

It sounds like with the Hopper we could be recording 2 things and still be able to watch something live, anywhere in the house for that matter. and the kid could watch something previously recorded in her room. All at the same time...

That is more or less how we have done with 2 DVRs.. If the Family Room DVR (Vip622) is recording 2 things and we will set certain recordings up on the bedroom DVR (Vip612).

 

[sparc]

that's the dilemma. If each hopper had 4 tuners, i wouldn't have even done a second one. It wouldn't have even been worth the $100 more (existing customer) as 4 tuners would have been plenty for us. Of course they only have three tuners/PTAT.

I guess having more is better. Maybe i can setup recordings for guests? lol