Interesting Issue for Hopper 3 in an RV

[Brussam]

While DVRs in RVs is a small number, and Hopper 3s are even a smaller number, this is a frustrating issue.

Most RVs move to new locations, sometimes daily, or weekly. Assuming a normal travel day, the arrival to a new location happens mid-afternoon. You put up the dish and contact Dish to change the Service Address.

The Service Address happens really fast these days, just a couple of minutes. But the change in Locals is usually too late for the PTAT schedule. PTAT usually picks up tomorrow.

That isn't the issue. The issue is that if PTAT is set, you can not set timers for the Locals channels. I don't mind having to do manual timers for the night but having to turn off PTAT to set the timers is a pain. With PTAT off, previously recorded PTAT shows are not available.

I realize this affects a small number, but RV subscribers tend to be more loyal because we have more invested just to receive the satellite signals.

 

[spoiler1041]

While DVRs in RVs is a small number, and Hopper 3s are even a smaller number, this is a frustrating issue.

Most RVs move to new locations, sometimes daily, or weekly. Assuming a normal travel day, the arrival to a new location happens mid-afternoon. You put up the dish and contact Dish to change the Service Address.

The Service Address happens really fast these days, just a couple of minutes. But the change in Locals is usually too late for the PTAT schedule. PTAT usually picks up tomorrow.

That isn't the issue. The issue is that if PTAT is set, you can not set timers for the Locals channels. I don't mind having to do manual timers for the night but having to turn off PTAT to set the timers is a pain. With PTAT off, previously recorded PTAT shows are not available.

I realize this affects a small number, but RV subscribers tend to be more loyal because we have more invested just to receive the satellite signals.

the networks are the same other then news so why change address?

Not an RV'r so maybe there are issues I don't know about.

 

[Brussam]

Maybe you haven't heard about Spot Beams and Locals. You have to change your Service Address when you move out of the range of the Spot Beam you were in.

 

[spoiler1041]

Maybe you haven't heard about Spot Beams and Locals. You have to change your Service Address when you move out of the range of the Spot Beam you were in.

New to me, thanks. Is the entire country spot beamed? Maybe a real remote area far from a big market has a national feed you could use. i'm thinking Wyoming.

 

[navychop]

But why would anyone go to Wyoming?
JK! JK!

 

[spoiler1041]

But why would anyone go to Wyoming?
JK! JK!

They don't... not kidding.. ok just kidding.

 

[Brussam]

After all the discussions about "moving", someone doesn't know there are not National Feeds. Wow.

 

[blackjackmark]

Just

After all the discussions about "moving", someone doesn't know there are not National Feeds. Wow.

Just curious. When did they drop the national feeds? I remember back in the heyday before spot beamed locals when I had an RV (wink wink!) and got both the east coast and west coast network feeds. It was very handy to be able to catch a rebroadcast 3 hours later in the event of rain fade!

 

[Brussam]

DNS went away a few years back. First Dish dropped DNS from Broadcasters pressure. Then All American Direct offered DNS for Dish users. Then Dish brought DNS back. Then AAD went out of business. Then Dish dropped DNS because they had Locals into virtually all DMAs. DirecTV still has DNS because they don't have Locals in all DMAs.

Yes DNS was nice even though it was only SD. But it is no more.

So we have this wonderful thing called PTAT which only works with HD channels. A problem when your roof dish only works with the WA and your are in the East. So you had to deal with SD channels and no PTAT. But now Dish is removing the SD Broadcast channels from the WA so the only answer for Broadcast channels in the East is using a ground tripod dish or use a crippled capacity single headed ground dome dish which doesn't work with a Hopper 3.

But with all that, changing Service Addresses, even daily, works very well. Dish did make that work better. But the delay in PTAT scheduling keeps you from using PTAT the first day after a move. A way to get the EPG updated faster would be useful but I think the Scheduler still needs a couple of EPG hours in advance of doing any scheduling.

That wouldn't be so bad if having PTAT on allowed you to set manual timers for the Broadcast channels, which it doesn't

 

[n0qcu]

you are using a H3 you have 16 tuners. Just forget about PTAT just use a timer for each show

 

[Brussam]

Well there are some features of PTAT we do prefer, but using seek timers may be the answer for the first day after moving.

I didn't see this before with the Hopper but it seems it is a lot easier to create a seek timer on the Hopper 3.

 

[n0qcu]

The new UI in the H3 has removed the ability to do a seek and record timer DISH has made some really stupid changes

 

[nashcat]

In my H3, when I open the Menu and select Search, most of the times it finds whatever I was looking for. If it can't find any instances of that search in the guide it gives me the opportunity to record it when it becomes available.

 

[Brussam]

I found that you can go into the Guide, click on a program with the Search button and that program is the "0" option for selecting to make a timer. A whole lot easier that typing in the program name.

 

[ChadT41]

The new UI in the H3 has removed the ability to do a seek and record timer DISH has made some really stupid changes

I have set up several seek timers, through search, as recent as last night. It's not disabled, it's just changed how you do it.

 

[blackjackmark]

I have set up several seek timers, through search, as recent as last night. It's not disabled, it's just changed how you do it.

Formerly you could set a name-based timer even if you could not find the program in the guide. Now it only works when that program is in the guide.

For example Survivor has ended for the season. There's no way that I know of to set a recording since it won't be found in the program guide...or is there?

 

[ChadT41]

Run a search for survivor.

 

[blackjackmark]

Run a search for survivor.

Bad example since it is still on. Try it with "Hanibal". You get no results and I see no way to set a recording for future airings (of which there will be none since it cancelled, but pretend it's on next November and you want to create a recording today when it's on your mind).

Old Hopper allowed you to do that. I think it was called Seek and Record or similar?

 

[nashcat]

Do a search for HANNIBAL
Once you've typed as much as "HANNI" you should see it appear in the list of search results to the right.
Press the number next to it and, although you will see "No Episodes Available,"
Cursor UP to highlight the Episodes tab.
Cursor LEFT to highlight the Summary tab.
Select "Record When Able."
A seek timer will now be set with a priority of 1, which should work even if the show goes to another network. (Supergirl)

 

[blackjackmark]

Do a search for HANNIBAL
Once you've typed as much as "HANNI" you should see it appear in the list of search results to the right.
Press the number next to it and, although you will see "No Episodes Available,"
Cursor UP to highlight the Episodes tab.
Cursor LEFT to highlight the Summary tab.
Select "Record When Able."
A seek timer will now be set with a priority of 1, which should work even if the show goes to another network. (Supergirl)

Wow they undertook some major efforts to bury this feature!