How many live channels on the Hopper?

Gordon

Well-Known SatelliteGuys Member
Original poster
Mar 11, 2004
28
1
Ok, been searching for awhile but not finding this (!) How many live channels can be viewed at once with one Hopper and relative Joeys? Can one of them be a Sling channel? Thanks.
 
During any time except prime time, you have 3 tuners that can be used to view live content. If I am not mistaken, during the viewing of those three channels, you could also watch something off of the DVR or on demand.

During "prime time" if you enable Prime Time Anytime, then all four of the major broadcast networks (CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX), if you have them in HD, will record on one tuner, leaving two open tuners to watch other shows. This effectively gives you 6 programs to watch at any one time during prime time, assuming you watch the main networks. As well as the DVR content and on demand that I mentioned before.

If you do not enable the "PTAT" feature, then the first part that I explained would apply at all times.

If I am wrong, then someone can come and correct it. I am fairly new to the hopper joey setup.


Edit: Using sling would take up one of the available tuners whenever it is active.
 
You are correct, the Hopper has 3 tuners, so 3 spearate live channels can be viewed at the same time.

Sling will take up a tuner when in use (if all tuners are in use by the Hopper, sling will display a black screen until a tuner becomes available).
 
You are correct, the Hopper has 3 tuners, so 3 spearate live channels can be viewed at the same time.

Sling will take up a tuner when in use (if all tuners are in use by the Hopper, sling will display a black screen until a tuner becomes available).

Can the sling access recordings while the live channels are occupied?
 
Can the sling access recordings while the live channels are occupied?

Yes. If all the tuners are in use when you connect via sling you will end up viewing what ever that tuner is recording. As long as you do not try to change channels and cancel the recording, you can simply pick a DVR event to view without affecting anything.

The same happens when viewing a tuner and a recording comes up, your sling view will suddenly change channels to what is to be recorded.
 
Ok. I'm confused about the "black screen" comment. That would imply that you cannot connect if the tuners are recording. Although the other explanation sounds more in keeping with someone turning on another TV and operating the tuner accordingly. Can someone clarify?
 
The last few answers are wrong. I just watched a recording via sling and all 3 tuners were still available. And no one can ever join the tuner sling is using. When you sling a recording, it doesn't use a tuner.

EDIT: Turns out I was watching live. I can't get a recording to play from sling. It grabs a tuner the first second, then releases it, then shows nothing instead of playing the selected recording. So I don't know how or if it works. Seems like it worked when I first got my hopper, but isn't working now.
 
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