How many shows can you record?

[fatpug]

How many shows can your record not counting the primetime feature? I have a 711 but constantly run out of tuners to record. Normaly I am recording one-two CBS/FOX/ABC/NBC networks and need to record another one-two regular cable channels. Will the hopper help?

Thanks

 

[Mr Tony]

I think you mean a 722 (or 722K)

There are 3 tuners in the Hopper. During Primetime you can turn on the PTAT feature. That ties up one tuner but it will record the Big 4 nets as long as the networks are in HD. The other 2 tuners can be used for cable type channels
PTAT runs from 7-10 Central M-F, 6-10 Sunday and I assume 7-10 Saturday

so to answer the question "How many shows can your record not counting the primetime feature"....answer THREE

 

[3HaloODST]

I think it's so dumb that Dish advertises Hopper as recording "up to 6 at once." At the very least if they have to stick with that ad they should at least inform those that are interested that it's only during prime time on the local networks. Seems to me that Dish took a page out of AT&T U-verse's book. U-verse advertises "up to 4 shows at once." Yeah... Only 3 in HD, can't even get a second receiver for more tuners...

 

[Mr Tony]

and not every market can use the PTAT since the locals arent in HD

 

[3HaloODST]

Actually I think Dish enabled PTAT for a bunch of SD markets as well...

 

[Mr Tony]

correct. But it says by 10/10

Just heard an update from the retailer chat today that 28 markets will now have PTAT in SD by Oct. 10th.

Alexandria, LA
Amarillo, TX
Bend, OR
Billings, MT
Biloxi-Gulfport, MS
Binghamton, NY
Bowling Green, KY
Casper, WY
Charlottesville, VA
Clarksburg-Weston, WV
Dothan, AL
Elmira, NY
Eureka, CA
Glendive, MT
Greenwood, MS
Hattiesburg, MS
Lima, OH
Lubbock, TX
Marquette, MI
Presque Isle, ME
Rapid City, SD
Tyler, TX
Utica, NY
Victoria, TX
Watertown, NY
Wheeling, WV-Steubenville, OH
Yuma, AZ
Zanesville, OH

wonder how many markets that leaves? I know Mankato, MN is one. SD locals (2 are imported from Mpls)

 

[Centex]

I think it's so dumb that Dish advertises Hopper as recording "up to 6 at once." At the very least if they have to stick with that ad they should at least inform those that are interested that it's only during prime time on the local networks. Seems to me that Dish took a page out of AT&T U-verse's book. U-verse advertises "up to 4 shows at once." Yeah... Only 3 in HD, can't even get a second receiver for more tuners...

They do. There is a disclaimer at the end of the ad that is basically: Network channels, primetime in select markets with PTAT enabled.

 

[Claude Greiner]

The thing is that Dish advertises it and the customer doesn't know what the hell prime time anytime means anyways.

Its a 3 tuner DVR plain and simple, they need to stop the deceptive advertising and telling customers things that it can't do.

People don't understand the concept that 3 hours per day, 4 additional tuners light up to record network programming. When you say 6 shows, people think any 6 shows

 

[dangue]

The thing is that Dish advertises it and the customer doesn't know what the hell prime time anytime means anyways.

Its a 3 tuner DVR plain and simple, they need to stop the deceptive advertising and telling customers things that it can't do.

People don't understand the concept that 3 hours per day, 4 additional tuners light up to record network programming. When you say 6 shows, people think any 6 shows

Except it's not just a three tuner DVR. Contrary to your belief, PTAT is significantly beneficial for some viewers. Like the OP who says that some nights he needs two of the big four and two other channels to record at once. Low and behold, with PTAT enabled, he could do that on a single Hopper. I would personally recommend a two Hopper set up for flexibility and redundancy, but that's my take on it.

As for wanting Dish to stop advertising this, why would they? It's a feature that distinguishes their product from the competition. Why would they go through the trouble of a court battle to defend it, if they didn't think it was worth having and advertising?

While i don't have an english dictionary in front of me, I'm pretty sure that "record up two six channels" doesn't mean "record any six channels at any time." Expecting Dish to explain PTAT in the midst of a 30 second ad is unreasonable, and probably not even possible. Commercials are there to generate interest in a product. The fine print is there to give consumers a heads up that there's way more than can be explained in 30 seconds. Remember, we're talking about a commercial, not a long format infomercial.

People need to do their research before buying. And Dish needs to make sure that the sales people who are selling these setups to consumers do a good job of explaining the system and it's limitations during the sales process. That way, if a consumer needs more tuners, they can opt for a second Hopper in their set up.

 

[harshness]

I think it's so dumb that Dish advertises Hopper as recording "up to 6 at once."

"up to" is a priceless sales tool.

COMCAST used to claim demand movies/episodes as channels. DIRECTV used to claim satellite capacity as a selling point with full knowledge that they were using less than half of it. DIRECTV still claims PPV as "full-time channels" when a single movie may be playing on "up to" five channels at once.

 

[3HaloODST]

Don't get me wrong, PTAT is a great feature for those that need it. I wouldn't trade my Hopper setup for anything in the world (except the next receivers that Dish releases.) The thing is though, yes, I know that there is a fine print disclaimer, yes I know that everyone else does it in their own way, but Dish could at least properly inform customers when they are ordering. Are they afraid of losing potential customers? As it currently stands, it's only $99 to upgrade to 2 Hoppers for most people, and that would even be 1 more (REAL DVR) tuner than DirecTV's current offering, but to make people think that they can record 6 things at once at any time on any channel on their single Hopper is pretty lame. While the Hopper would be nicer if it had more tuners, it wouldn't be so bad if Dish was just straightforward instead of just hoping that people don't read the fine print and don't use their TVs. If people decide they need more than 3 REAL tuners then Dish should make it reasonable to get another Hopper (which they do, if the customer knows about how it really works.)

I think that 1 Hopper with 3 Joeys is just a joke if you have a family of 4. If Dish is claiming 6 things at once then people will be sorely disappointed with that setup once they find out how it really is. Dish shouldn't be pushing 1 Hopper and 3 Joeys so hard, but rather giving the customer an informed choice on whether or not 2 Hoppers and 2 Joeys would be more appropriate. I know that's not how most companies do things these days, but Dish could stand out from the rest and perhaps even gain more customers, especially if people are praising their Hopper setup, rather than telling their friends that they hate it because there's not even enough tuners for 4 TVs.

Just my 2 cents. I'm just glad that I knew how it worked from the get-go. AT&T screwed me over a few years ago when they pulled their marketing crap on me. I went back to Dish as soon as I could with a couple of 722Ks, which already could do more (in regards to recording HD) than U-verse.

 

[ohioankev]

Don't get me wrong, PTAT is a great feature for those that need it. I wouldn't trade my Hopper setup for anything in the world (except the next receivers that Dish releases.) The thing is though, yes, I know that there is a fine print disclaimer, yes I know that everyone else does it in their own way, but Dish could at least properly inform customers when they are ordering. Are they afraid of losing potential customers? As it currently stands, it's only $99 to upgrade to 2 Hoppers for most people, and that would even be 1 more (REAL DVR) tuner than DirecTV's current offering, but to make people think that they can record 6 things at once at any time on any channel on their single Hopper is pretty lame. While the Hopper would be nicer if it had more tuners, it wouldn't be so bad if Dish was just straightforward instead of just hoping that people don't read the fine print and don't use their TVs. If people decide they need more than 3 REAL tuners then Dish should make it reasonable to get another Hopper (which they do, if the customer knows about how it really works.)

I think that 1 Hopper with 3 Joeys is just a joke if you have a family of 4. If Dish is claiming 6 things at once then people will be sorely disappointed with that setup once they find out how it really is. Dish shouldn't be pushing 1 Hopper and 3 Joeys so hard, but rather giving the customer an informed choice on whether or not 2 Hoppers and 2 Joeys would be more appropriate. I know that's not how most companies do things these days, but Dish could stand out from the rest and perhaps even gain more customers, especially if people are praising their Hopper setup, rather than telling their friends that they hate it because there's not even enough tuners for 4 TVs.

Just my 2 cents. I'm just glad that I knew how it worked from the get-go. AT&T screwed me over a few years ago when they pulled their marketing crap on me. I went back to Dish as soon as I could with a couple of 722Ks, which already could do more (in regards to recording HD) than U-verse.

Yes but from the corporate side they more than likely enjoy setting up these uninformed customers with 1H/3J set up because it means they have an additional Hopper to get into an additional household that brings them in programming packaging fees (for 24 months, or an early termination fee) rather than $7/month in additional receiver fees.

 

[3HaloODST]

Yes but from the corporate side they more than likely enjoy setting up these uninformed customers with 1H/3J set up because it means they have an additional Hopper to get into an additional household that brings them in programming packaging fees (for 24 months, or an early termination fee) rather than $7/month in additional receiver fees.

I was thinking that as well... The contracts are supposed to "protect" Dish as they are actually losing money on new customers with all the free equipment. However it seems that Dish can also take advantage if the contracts by supplying folks with inadequate hardware that once they realize isn't enough for the job there's nothing they can do about it other than either sit on their hands, pay an upgrade fee (which costs more as an existing customer,) or pony up the ETF.

Sent from my iPhone 4S using SatelliteGuys

 

[fatpug]

Thank you for the information. I did not understand the PTAT feature before reading this thread.

Currently I have one 722, and two 211 tuners. I have the 722 also sending the 2nd tuner output to a 4th room and use the UHF remote for it.

What setup do you recommend to cover 4 rooms if I switch to a hopper setup? Does the hopper have the option to send a tuner to my 4th room without adding a Joey to room 4?

 

[sparc]

What setup do you recommend to cover 4 rooms if I switch to a hopper setup? Does the hopper have the option to send a tuner to my 4th room without adding a Joey to room 4?

For 3 Tuners to share : 1H/3J
For 6 Tuners to share: 2H/2J

Really depends on how many people are in the household and whatever conflicts you might in live viewing and recording. The safest thing is 2H/2J if you're worried about conflicts.

If that fourth room needs independent viewing from the other hopper and joeys, then yes it would require a joey. Otherwise, you could potentially mirror one of the other hopper and joeys in your system.

If you're interested in mirroring, there's a few threads that discuss it:
http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads...or-content-from-one-Hopper-to-a-second-Hopper
http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/286157-Mirror-a-Joey-to-2-TVs
http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/281708-Recommended-RF-Modulator-for-SD-TV-mirroring
http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/280084-Mirror-Tvs-with-a-Joey

 

[garys]

With proper wiring, one Joey can be viewed in two different rooms, both would view the same program/recording. 1H/2J or 2H/1J would work in if only three different viewings are what you need.