HDTV Magazine recently reviewed the Hopper/Joey that might be of interest: http://www.hdtvmagazine.com/reviews/2012/10/review-dish-network-hopper.php
HDTV Magazine Hopper/Joey Review
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I am just wondering if he has anything to do with the sales of the Darbee Darblet?
The PQ from the Hopper is among the best PQ I have seen from a DISH receiver.
The PQ from the Hopper is among the best PQ I have seen from a DISH receiver.
Well, after reading the entire and rather boring review, it is interesting to note that at the end he says :
All the factors pointed in the direction of discontinuing my cable service and subscribe to Dish right away with my eyes closed. Although the slight difference in image quality affects me I still put the Hopper system high in my list of options and I probably switch to Dish, and that may be the case for most people interested on this feature loaded Hopper system.
One thing I noticed was that he talked about the lack of 'native pass through' with Dish. I have had a few Dish HDDVRs over the years and don't remember that ever being an option. And since Dish's HD isn't one of the standard resolutions, how could it be?
All the factors pointed in the direction of discontinuing my cable service and subscribe to Dish right away with my eyes closed. Although the slight difference in image quality affects me I still put the Hopper system high in my list of options and I probably switch to Dish, and that may be the case for most people interested on this feature loaded Hopper system.
One thing I noticed was that he talked about the lack of 'native pass through' with Dish. I have had a few Dish HDDVRs over the years and don't remember that ever being an option. And since Dish's HD isn't one of the standard resolutions, how could it be?
Native pass through means auto switching the output, so if you tuned to a 480i channel the Hopper send out the video in 480i, if its 720p it would go into 720p and if a channel is 1080i it sends out the signal in pure 1080i.
Normally if something is in 480i it is upconverted to the resolution you have the receiver set to, which for most people is 1080i. Some people dont like it when a 720p is upconverted to 1080i, they want the picture pure. So native output gives them the video is their native form.
Normally if something is in 480i it is upconverted to the resolution you have the receiver set to, which for most people is 1080i. Some people dont like it when a 720p is upconverted to 1080i, they want the picture pure. So native output gives them the video is their native form.
Scott, I know what it is, I just don't remember Dish ever having it.
And how could Dish offer it for the HD channels anyway? Their HD resolution is not 720 nor 1080 by any definition. I would think a TV might have some issues with a 'native' Dish HD signal.
And how could Dish offer it for the HD channels anyway? Their HD resolution is not 720 nor 1080 by any definition. I would think a TV might have some issues with a 'native' Dish HD signal.
No DISH has never had it, DIRECTV does.
DISH said at one time that they were going to add Native Resolution Support but it never happened.
Yeah, and that bothers me. Because I want to view some SD programming and with the SD from satellite being so poor, I'm using my AVR to do some massaging of the video, but it only massages up to 720p because of its age. I'm using component video/digital audio and taking it through the AVRs video massaging software and out VIA HDMI. It appears that somewhere along the line I'll either have to switch to all HDMI via an HDMI switch or switch out my AVR to something more modern.
I actually hate the idea of doing either.
I actually hate the idea of doing either.
I am at a loss about his report of PQ. Certainly not only myself, but many other posters report they can barely if at all see a difference between OTA and the Satellite signal. Even those that feel they do, mostly report a slight difference. I can see the fine hairs on people's arms, can see wrinkles, on close ups even can see pores, and yes the grey hair ends, virtually anything he listed on my 55" TV. When I switch from the direct antenna feed to the TV input, (no Dish involved) then to the Dish satellite input other than color saturation I can see just about no difference, if so very minute. I do see a little more saturation with OTA.
Yeh, and what I found amusing, was after all the pontification, he "did not have time" to play with/comment on auto hop.
I am very familiar with Rodolfo La Maestra. Like I am here, I am a 'Founder' of HDTV Magazine. He is a nitpicker, but I can guarantee that he has his TV calibrated to any test receiver he is working with. That said, he also uses various 'enhancers' between the receiver and the TV. I'm going out on a limb here and say that none of us ever use these devices. We go from the receiver to the TV, most of us with HDMI, others with component cables. Rodolfo is only interested in the 'videophile' version of TV, thus the reasons for his added devices. Take what he has to say with a grain of salt...
The variable in OTA would be are they using the full 19mb of bandwidth they have or has the station put up a couple of SD sub-channels and therefore seriously degraded the PQ on their OTA HD feed.
From this link:
Analog Sunset – 2013. No Licensed Player that passes Decrypted AACS
Content to analog video outputs may be manufactured or sold by Adopter after
December 31, 2013.
However, I was mistaken, as it mostly applies to Blu-ray. From the same link:
The analog sunset does not apply to cable and satellite
TV set-top boxes.
Except for some restrictions on VOD.
Thanks. Doesn't sound as bad as it sounded. Though I think it is a great idea to restrict analog access to devices that have 1080i + resolution... because we all know that 480i is just as good. *sigh* And they crack this stuff so quickly to get the HD version on the Internet immediately. I hate industry, they be dumb and stuff.
I was afraid it would apply to existing devices and that they would turn off access for those outputs, which would suck 100 ways towards Sunday... or as bad as that "Debate" tonight.
Well, they CAN and have selectively cut analog output resolution to 480. HBO has done this off and on, IIRC.
Image Constraint Token or ICT, and the Digital Only Token or DOT.
Image Constraint Token or ICT, and the Digital Only Token or DOT.
