This doggone new software update to my Hopper is really annoying. The menu is very slow, and connecting to the Hopper in the kitchen to play DVR recordings takes 20 seconds before it will play. The joey in the bedroom is now about worthless. I'm out of contract and am not in the mood to get the Hopper 3 and sign another 2 year contract. My wife is not happy at all. I wonder if there are any deals to be had by upgrading. If not, I might just have to go back to our local cable provider.
Hopper with Sling sloooowww
- Thread starter gitpicker
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So, you're willing to switch to cable, and all the hassle that entails, but you aren't willing to sign a new contract to get a H3. Are you thinking you won't want traditional linear TV sometime in the next two years? If so, have you considered Sling, DNow, PS Vue, etc.? It is a different kind of hassle, but at least you wouldn't have to go back to cable. Just sayin'...
Other than the slow operation, were you not happy with Dish, or are you just wanting to change out of spite? Also, Is changing worth losing your recordings?
The Hopper 3 is quite nice, and you would get newer Joeys as well. Maybe contact Dish and see what they might do for you before you go another route.
The Hopper 3 is quite nice, and you would get newer Joeys as well. Maybe contact Dish and see what they might do for you before you go another route.
I am in the same boat as the OP, except my Hopper 1 is even worse than my Hopper 2. To answer the others questions posted from my point of view:
Recordings will be lost even if moving to Hopper 3, the software is so slow and unreliable transferring to EHD (unless moving just a few recordings at a time) rarely works to completion, and some recording don't even show up in the transfer screen. My discounts are due to expire soon and that will be Dish's chance to see if they want me as a customer or not.
There is no more hassle adding TV from cable then having Dish install new equipment. In fact I would say it is less hassle and would not require a contract.
If my current equipment was operating correctly I would most likely spend another 2 years with Dish, BUT One of the reasons I am happy with Dish is the discounts I can, which once I am under a new contract will most likely go away.
If the hassle would be about the same, why go with cable, which is typically terrible in comparison? I get that the contract is not desirable, but to be saddled with something as bad or worse than the Hopper1/2 doesn't seem like a move in the right direction to me. Maybe you have access to an extra special cable company where this will not be an issue, but most people do not.
There is no way cable would be worse than what Dish has done to my current Hopper1/Hopper2/Joey setup, and at this point I am still reading of problems with the Hopper 3 here on satguys, so I am not willing to take a chance and be locked into 2 years.
For cable I would definitely go cablecard with either a Tivo or silicondust HDHomerun setup. Now that the Hopper3 fee has matched the Tivo monthly fee it makes the choice easier.
How is your local cable as far as picture quality and channel selection? Do they stack up as well? Not trying to necessarily convince you to stay with Dish, but just some things to consider if either of those are important to you. Cable systems vary so widely from area to area. I know around here, cable is pretty lacking in both of those areas.
Well, best of luck to you. I've had my H3 for about a month now with no significant issues. From what I've read about Tivo and cable lately, that isn't an avenue I wouldn't personally go down. I never could get it working reliably with TWC's SDV setup locally when I tried. Now that my local cable company is Spectrum, I'd be more likely to stop watching TV altogether than to go back to cable.
Whereas I've had no problems with Tivo and Cox with SDV Tuning Adapters. As said cable varies from City to City. Cox is great in Tulsa and Las Vegas, is all I can say. My sister still has Dish with HWS and comments all the time that the picture is better at my house. Some of that may be my 65in 4K though compared to their 55in 1080p
I too am disappointed with the slowness of my HWS's due to the forced change. I would have to get 2 H3 to duplicate the setup that I presently have. Why should I be forced to pay more for something that was forced on me? The new software is a step back with the loss of the 4x speed, the loss of showing which particular satellite you are watching, timer issues & of course the slowness. Other than the slowness, these may not be significant to most, but to me it is just principal. Why should me the customer pay continual higher prices for less features. The new interface did nothing for me but cause frustration. Granted, I would like to watch the Olympics in 4k, but paying more for less just doesn't sit well with me.
Just press Info and then Recall when on Live TV and you will see which satellite location the channel is coming from.
You know, I can relate. I remember where in fuel injection and pollution controls came out and made it impossible for me to sit in the engine block and change my plugs and my oil at the same time while tuning up my carburetor. I decided then and there why should I be forced to use newer technology for more money so now I’ve decided, like I should’ve years ago, I’m just not going to drive anymore.
Or better yet, because I’m so old school, I’ll just ride my bicycle
Or better yet, because I’m so old school, I’ll just ride my bicycle
I can just see you riding that bicycle with a 16' ladder attached!
HipKat, your analogy is way off... fuel injection improved car engines with enhanced reliability, lower fuel consumption, better cold and hot starting, and easier maintenance to name a few. On the other hand the forced CUI "upgrade" did not do anything that made my HWS better than it was with the previous interface, in fact, it made it worse. It is now a lot slower, and I had features removed that I liked and used.
This has nothing to do with being old fashioned and not keeping up with progess!
This has nothing to do with being old fashioned and not keeping up with progess!
You know, I have 2 HWS's and their performance with the new interface is a bit slower than it was, but it is not that bad.
I really don't notice much slugishness at all, maybe the difference between 0.5 second response and 1.0 second response.
OH MY it's twice as slow, but when the increments are that small its really nothin'.
My biggest gripe is the removal of the 4X FWD.
15X, 60X are imperceptible to the eye, 300X is for zoom to the end only.
Get rid of 30X and give us back 4X which allowed us to watch video fast but not so fast it is unwatchable.
I really don't notice much slugishness at all, maybe the difference between 0.5 second response and 1.0 second response.
OH MY it's twice as slow, but when the increments are that small its really nothin'.
My biggest gripe is the removal of the 4X FWD.
15X, 60X are imperceptible to the eye, 300X is for zoom to the end only.
Get rid of 30X and give us back 4X which allowed us to watch video fast but not so fast it is unwatchable.
I have 2 H2's and I would rather have the old software back. This new software is so sluggish I have to sit and wait on it and it is aggrevating compared to the older software where things ran just fine. Sometimes change is NOT good. I hope they plan on updating the software to make things run faster. Does anybody know if they plan on doing so? Perhaps it was a big mistake having the new software on the older Hoppers.
