My Hopper Wedding Night ...

oldengineer

SatelliteGuys Master
Original poster
Lifetime Supporter
May 14, 2011
5,684
1,964
Lower Macungie Township, PA
The good, the bad, the ugly

The good:
1. The box is whisper quiet.
2. The hopper has a UHF remote and it works great. Its almost identical to the 21s.
3. The PQ out of the auxiliary RCA outputs is much better than the 612/722
4. The guide has nice channel logos, at least on one box.
5. Its fast.

The bad:
1. The Joeys never linked. Another tech visit today.
2. PTAT didn't work on either box, even though it took a tuner and the guide showed little "pt" logo.

The ugly:
1. It takes a long time for the guide to load. Smart Search works on one box but not the other, probably because the search guide hasn't downloaded completely.
2. It looks like E* hired the Windows 7 design team for this box. The menus are all icon displays and its a real PITA to set up favorites lists, timers etc. I want the old Classic View returned.
 
The icon display may really turn me off from upgrading. I've noticed there is a trend recently on websites (Gmail, Dish's new website, my bank) and UIs (Dish) to go to a more blocky, preschool-picture-book look. We are not 3rd graders.
 
The icon display may really turn me off from upgrading. I've noticed there is a trend recently on websites (Gmail, Dish's new website, my bank) and UIs (Dish) to go to a more blocky, preschool-picture-book look. We are not 3rd graders.

I agree. Setting up favorites lists used to be easy. Now you get a 4X3 array of channels, with nice logos though, that you have to page and maneuver through to get your list. It's pretty but not functional, IMO.
 
After reading all the problems with subs just getting the upgrade price that was not sky high, the bugs and problems just getting the system to recognize the joeys etc, it sure makes me glad I did NOT upgrade to the Hopper at this time. I knew it wouldn't work properly when they put it out there. No new receiver DISH has ever made has worked well out the gate. I think the 722k was an exception to many of the software bugs that are common to new receivers when I first got it, and the 922 was the most extreme problem ridden , feature less receiver I've ever had ,next to the 921 pvr and the original 7100 webtv /dishplayer. I am prediciting now , that many of these problems in software will take months to fix and the hopper integration will be long time coming. Sure makes me glad I stuck with my trusty 722k with dual ota support.:)
 
MikeD-C05 said:
After reading all the problems with subs just getting the upgrade price that was not sky high, the bugs and problems just getting the system to recognize the joeys etc, it sure makes me glad I did NOT upgrade to the Hopper at this time. I knew it wouldn't work properly when they put it out there. No new receiver DISH has ever made has worked well out the gate. I think the 722k was an exception to many of the software bugs that are common to new receivers when I first got it, and the 922 was the most extreme problem ridden , feature less receiver I've ever had ,next to the 921 pvr and the original 7100 webtv /dishplayer. I am prediciting now , that many of these problems in software will take months to fix and the hopper integration will be long time coming. Sure makes me glad I stuck with my trusty 722k with dual ota support.:)

And my system is up and working. I haven't had a chance to double check that PTAT fired, but I have no reason to believe it did not.
 
No new receiver DISH has ever made has worked well out the gate. I think the 722k was an exception to many of the software bugs that are common to new receivers when I first got it, and the 922 was the most extreme problem ridden , feature less receiver I've ever had ,next to the 921 pvr and the original 7100 webtv /dishplayer.

I know there are lots of people who have problems with all the receivers, but I ordered a 622 the first day they were available (for $299), and it's still working for me just fine, recording a minimum of 6 programs per day. When I got my sling adaptor (for $100), it worked perfectly. That's been screwed up by DishOnline, so I still use the dish remote app which has fewer problems. I ordered a 722 (never used a 722k though) for my mom's Dish installation, and I upgraded my 721 (no problems, but I got it well after it premiered) to a 722 (for $100) at about the same time, and both failed in about a year. It just goes to show... perhaps that I am way out of the norm. :D

I would record less with a H/J setup, because I wouldn't need to double up on some recordings that I start in the TV room and finish in the bedroom, but I'm going to wait this time. I've paid enough for new products that are only new for a few months and prices drop, sometimes precipitously. I will also wait for OTA support.
Thanks to all the test subjects out there who are making my upgrade less problematic and less expensive.:cheer2:
 
After reading all the problems with subs just getting the upgrade price that was not sky high, the bugs and problems just getting the system to recognize the joeys etc, it sure makes me glad I did NOT upgrade to the Hopper at this time. I knew it wouldn't work properly when they put it out there. No new receiver DISH has ever made has worked well out the gate. I think the 722k was an exception to many of the software bugs that are common to new receivers when I first got it, and the 922 was the most extreme problem ridden , feature less receiver I've ever had ,next to the 921 pvr and the original 7100 webtv /dishplayer. I am prediciting now , that many of these problems in software will take months to fix and the hopper integration will be long time coming. Sure makes me glad I stuck with my trusty 722k with dual ota support.:)

There are some problems admittedly, but the majority of reports on here seem to be positive. I do agree that the integration may take a long time. Actually I am also glad that you did not get the Hopper.
 
I just verified that PTAT fired correctly on both Hoppers. Sling and Blockbuster are also working correctly.
 
After reading all the problems with subs just getting the upgrade price that was not sky high, the bugs and problems just getting the system to recognize the joeys etc, it sure makes me glad I did NOT upgrade to the Hopper at this time. I knew it wouldn't work properly when they put it out there. No new receiver DISH has ever made has worked well out the gate. I think the 722k was an exception to many of the software bugs that are common to new receivers when I first got it, and the 922 was the most extreme problem ridden , feature less receiver I've ever had ,next to the 921 pvr and the original 7100 webtv /dishplayer. I am prediciting now , that many of these problems in software will take months to fix and the hopper integration will be long time coming. Sure makes me glad I stuck with my trusty 722k with dual ota support.:)

Mike, I like a lot of your input but I just picture you sitting there reading these posts with a smug look on your face and laughing. Kind of that, I'm smarter than everyone else, attitude.

Some people enjoy being early adapters and like taking the risks. I think everyone that signed up early was expecting some snags to happen. I'll bet there are just as many installs that went perfect too. Most people who post online tend to focus on the negative things that happen instead of what went right.

I honestly am not surprised with how the launch has gone and for the most part have been impressed with how well the new system works. As for how Dish is handling some people's upgrades is a nothing thing. Dish has a mess on their hands there.

I guess what I'm saying is that you got your point across about how great you are for waiting and you no longer have to rub it in the people's faces who are experiencing some problems. I can tell that you are actually pretty excited for the Hopper system for yourself but prefer some wrinkles to be ironed out first.
 
Seems like these threads always get derailed with replies from 1 comment.......never fails.
 
After reading all the problems with subs just getting the upgrade price that was not sky high, the bugs and problems just getting the system to recognize the joeys etc, it sure makes me glad I did NOT upgrade to the Hopper at this time. I knew it wouldn't work properly when they put it out there. No new receiver DISH has ever made has worked well out the gate. I think the 722k was an exception to many of the software bugs that are common to new receivers when I first got it, and the 922 was the most extreme problem ridden , feature less receiver I've ever had ,next to the 921 pvr and the original 7100 webtv /dishplayer. I am prediciting now , that many of these problems in software will take months to fix and the hopper integration will be long time coming. Sure makes me glad I stuck with my trusty 722k with dual ota support.:)

Oh Mike, I'm so glad you're here to bring everyone one else down.

This has been nothing at all like any other DISH launch to date. Yes, there are bugs. There always are, but you can't test every single way customers have their Dishes setup. The contractor they sent to do my install said that this is the first time Dish had multiple pieces of hardware on hand to their installers. When the 922 was first sent out, they were only sent boxes for the people that ordered it and that's it. If the box was messed up, you had to wait for a new one to be sent. When my dad was having an issue with his hopper seeing his Sling Adapter this morning, the tech that came had another hopper in the truck to swap it out with. He wasn't left at all without working service.

In regards to software, they have been rolling out software versions and fixes multiple times a month. They have been sticking to their promise of getting this thing out the door and into customers hands as fast as they can. And already, they have over-delivered on what they said was going to be ready for ship. (EHD transfer was stated to be read only, timers for auto saving PTAT programs) This thing is fast, stable, and you know what... you can thank the 922 for that. Just like how the 722k according to you had a stable launch thanks to the 722. Starting from a known quantity matters. They took lessons learned form the 922 and rolled that into the hopper.

You know what? You're happy where you are... good for you. I'm enjoying having my recorded programs in HD in three rooms without needing to sneaker-net a hard drive back and forth. Ya, I might miss OTA a little, but except for a few hours on Saturday when my local CBS affiliate decided to loose his marbles, I like saving some HDD space. And PrimeTime Anytime lets me record those shows that would have been OTA. I'm happy. My dad (who is coming from a 722k) is happy and it's only going to get better.
 
Also true.

Back to the OP though. Does anyone else think the guide takes to long to load? I've never noticed it. I also enjoy the way the menus and guides look, the tiles do not bother me.

It looks like a crapshoot to me. One hopper downloaded the guide within 3 hours of activation, and the other took almost 21 hours. The funny thing is that the slow hopper actually started out faster - it would allow recordings from the basic guide while the other one would give error 23 - unable to access guide data. The error 23 guide ended up completing in 3 hours.
 
There are some problems admittedly, but the majority of reports on here seem to be positive. I do agree that the integration may take a long time. Actually I am also glad that you did not get the Hopper.

I am too. I finally learned my lesson after the problems I had with the 921 pvr that I paid a $1000.00 to own and the 922 Dvr that I traded my old 722k in to Dishdepot to own. Luckily he let me trade the 922 back in after 10 months for a new 722k again. I was only out $100.00 after all was said and done. I am so willing to let others be the cutting edge guinea pigs this time. After reading of all the problems , I am betting that the time to fix all of them, will run well into next year. Although, if they can pull it off and really fix all of the problems, I think the hopper will really be the best receiver that DISH has .
 
Mike, I like a lot of your input but I just picture you sitting there reading these posts with a smug look on your face and laughing. Kind of that, I'm smarter than everyone else, attitude.

Some people enjoy being early adapters and like taking the risks. I think everyone that signed up early was expecting some snags to happen. I'll bet there are just as many installs that went perfect too. Most people who post online tend to focus on the negative things that happen instead of what went right.

I honestly am not surprised with how the launch has gone and for the most part have been impressed with how well the new system works. As for how Dish is handling some people's upgrades is a nothing thing. Dish has a mess on their hands there.

I guess what I'm saying is that you got your point across about how great you are for waiting and you no longer have to rub it in the people's faces who are experiencing some problems. I can tell that you are actually pretty excited for the Hopper system for yourself but prefer some wrinkles to be ironed out first.


I don't have a camera unit on my computer so I am really wondering how you knew I was sitting here with a smug face, laughing my ass off.:D

Look I was a early adopter of the original webtv/dishplayer back in August of 99. I loved the receiver and it was my first experience with the internet. I loved the pvr features and back then we had east /west coast networks for recording our shows. So we still could record all 4 networks , time delayed. But Microsoft and DISH had a falling out and the dishplayer went to HELL quickly. But after trading it back in for a replacement to DISH for 4 times in a row and at $15.00 a pop, I gave it up and went back to a 301 receiver.

I then was an early adopter of the 501 pvr and the 721 pvr and the 921 hd pvr. The 721 and 921 lost their minds quite regularly and had to be replaced ,again several times. I had to daily unplug the 921 receiver every day in order to try to prevent lost recordings. I put it on a surge protector with a switch so I could cut power on it easily. They sounded great in concept and they had future ports that would be used for computer access, but it NEVER happened.

So once again I kept these till they came out with the 522 receiver with Name based recording. I leased this bad boy and loved the entire idea ,but it was in Sd and I wanted a dvr that did hd. So when the 942 dvr came out I bought 2 of them. LOVED these receivers and they were really fun to own . I even could see analog channels through the 942 ,but couldn't record them. Then bought the 622 dvr , the 722 dvrs , had two of them- till the dvr fee PER dvr fee was instituted and traded them in again for a 722K and then the 922 dvr that everyone knows I had problems with ,and back to a 722k and two 211ks with dvr software -like hd versions of the 501 pvr ,but with ota tuners. And that was just my history with pvrs /dvrs that I've had since 99. I also had the regular sat receivers , like the 2800, 3800 ,4900 receivers ,but they were nothing like the pvrs/dvrs in relation to problems.

My point is that I have been a cutting edge ,early adopter since I've been with DISH for the last 15 years , and I've PAID to OWN my receivers on all of my 3 DISH accounts. So forgive me if I am sitting here laughing right now,looking smug, at someone else who is going through the pain for once. As much money as I've paid in receivers, sat dishes , switches, turbo plugs, sling adapters , and even the sling pro hd stand alone box, I think I have more than EARNED my smugness and happiness , that it isn't me suffering through the software glitches and problems, that come with a new "cutting edge" receiver.

I did try to warn all that were reading this board to learn from my experiences with the 922 debacle and to WAIT to upgrade till the receiver was more stable and feature filled ; 2 hopper integration and ota support. The uneven , inconsistent upgrade experiences alone, should be enough to scare just about anyone off of trying to even ask for the hopper upgrade. Oh and the hopper has to have a joey with it or you can't get it. Oh but some got it alone and without any joeys. Ridiculous for a company like DISH to operate like this . But that being said , I hope that the Hopper will become the best receiver DISH has. I don't have much faith it will happen this year and maybe not till well into next year. After all the 922 is still waiting to be fixed so Blockbuster @home can be added. But when and IF they do get it working with all the features like ota and 2 hopper integration too, you're right, I want one too.:eek:k:
 
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I do understand that you went through a lot with all of that and it looks like you've learned a few things. The one thing you have not learned yet is to quite buying your equipment. I don't feel that bad for people who buy their equipment when in most cases it just makes more sense to own. I'm a retailer that can just take one out of my inventory for free and call it purchased if I want, but I still lease my equipment like any other customer.
 
Oh Mike, I'm so glad you're here to bring everyone one else down.

This has been nothing at all like any other DISH launch to date. Yes, there are bugs. There always are, but you can't test every single way customers have their Dishes setup. The contractor they sent to do my install said that this is the first time Dish had multiple pieces of hardware on hand to their installers. When the 922 was first sent out, they were only sent boxes for the people that ordered it and that's it. If the box was messed up, you had to wait for a new one to be sent. When my dad was having an issue with his hopper seeing his Sling Adapter this morning, the tech that came had another hopper in the truck to swap it out with. He wasn't left at all without working service.

In regards to software, they have been rolling out software versions and fixes multiple times a month. They have been sticking to their promise of getting this thing out the door and into customers hands as fast as they can. And already, they have over-delivered on what they said was going to be ready for ship. (EHD transfer was stated to be read only, timers for auto saving PTAT programs) This thing is fast, stable, and you know what... you can thank the 922 for that. Just like how the 722k according to you had a stable launch thanks to the 722. Starting from a known quantity matters. They took lessons learned form the 922 and rolled that into the hopper.

You know what? You're happy where you are... good for you. I'm enjoying having my recorded programs in HD in three rooms without needing to sneaker-net a hard drive back and forth. Ya, I might miss OTA a little, but except for a few hours on Saturday when my local CBS affiliate decided to loose his marbles, I like saving some HDD space. And PrimeTime Anytime lets me record those shows that would have been OTA. I'm happy. My dad (who is coming from a 722k) is happy and it's only going to get better.

Please read the post I made a post above this one, detailing my long 15 year history of being a early adopter of all the latest dish receivers. This isn't my first rodeo with DISH. I've seen this same process play out time and time again. The difference this time is that I learned from the 922 debacle. I am not upgrading to a new receiver again till it is fully functioning the way it is supposed to work. That means ota support , 2 hopper integration, PTAT working well , and the rules for whether you have a joey for each hopper are finally resolved . When and IF all that happens , I will most likely join you in upgrading or buying a new hopper/joey system. Till then allow me to feel good, that it isn't me believing the DISH hype and then suffering through the long process of fixing all the software problems and glitches. AND the best part of all; waiting for some mythical module to finally hit the market to make the entire receiver worth while . Can you say sling extender? But till then enjoy the new system. I know I waited 10 months till I threw in the towel on the 922 , then another year for the sling extender to be used on my 722k with sling adapter ,that I spent $100.00 to buy from DISH. I sure hope that DISH learned from the 922 flop and it doesn't take 10 months or more, to get the hopper fully working with ota and 2 hopper integration. But if it does , I won't be surprised anymore.;)
 
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