New Hopper Software Has Rolled out (S215, S216, S217)

[DishSubLA]

I did, but the UI would still be a bit of a mess. Don't forget, PTAT still takes advantage of multiple channels on the same transponder to record multiple shows using only one tuner, even if it's no longer just recording the entire stream on the transponder.

So, imagine someone coming along and saying "Hey, I'd like to record SciFi every night using this PTAT thing". They'd need to be able to find which transponder SciFi is on (certainly doable with a search), then from there the receiver would say "Oh, you can also record up to 3 more of the following..." listing all the other channels that happen to share that transponder. Heck, depending on how good the on-the-fly demuxing is, you might even be able to allow more than 4 as long as they're in the same stream. Definitely doable, but is it worth Dish's effort to implement and (more importantly -- this IS Dish ) debug?

The LIL's are almost EXCLUSIVELY on spots and will almost NEVER be moved. So, the PTAT has some stability/reliability in the future. All the other channels can often be moved to different transponders over time to achieve best PQ according to Statistical Sampling as in, let's move that sports channel to a different xpndr so the others look a little better and the sports channel can also look better, or let's move Starz which has a lot of action to another SATELLITE-even- etc. There is no such virtual GURANTEE that channels OTHER than LIL will be at the same transponer or satellite over months down the line. This makes a PTAT feature for such channels more troublesome and it would CHANGE what you could record on a given xpndr. This would lead to howls from customers whose PTAT selections have been "jacked" because a channels have moved to different xpndrs and now are in a group of different channels. However, Dish may re-evaluate this, but I doubt it as the engineers need the greatest flexibility to move and shuffle from xpndr to satellite for all channels other than LIL's.

 

[DishSubLA]

I don't think Krell meant any random network, but additional locals on the same transponder. I have two HD PBS stations and two HD independents on the same transponder as the big four. It's would be theoretically possible to add check boxes for those stations to the PTAT setup screen. They may have to limit it to "any four" or something like that due to processing of de-mux capabilities.

I personally think Dish won't do this, following KISS principle and not wanting to restrict transponder moves - but I would be very happy to be proved wrong.

The big 4 are the only LIL's they have made a serious commitment to providing and they have those in almost all the DMA's. PBS LIL is not nearly as blanketed as the big 4 and varies from DMA to DMA, and the CW in HD is primarily the few DMA's that Tribune owns and other CW's in HD varies from DMA to DMA and this is true for My TV, etc.

I don't think Dish wants to advertise or market other than the big 4 because those are the LIL's they provide in the greatest number of markets. However, Dish could make CW's, etc. WHERE THEY ARE AVAILABLE in a DMA to DMA basis. But that might further complicate the software and get folks really angry that the people in the Tribune markets are getting CW as part of PTAT and not them, etc.

 

[DishSubLA]

Scott originally said a month that started with a J ,but he also updated that and said if not this month then in August . They are waiting on the software to be written. I just hope that with the ota software , they include manual timers too. I have a couple of ota channels that DISH doesn't supply guide data and the only way to record them is through manual timers.

+1

 

[DishSubLA]

I wonder if it fixes the other EHD bug. The very serious one that renders your recordings unviewable when using an EHD to transfer recordings from an old Hopper to a replacement Hopper (and possibly from a VIP to a Hopper, as well.)

It would be nice if they'd fix that intentional bug where the EPG defaults back to My Channels instead of staying on the last-used guide. Their logic for designing it that way is pretty weak. Plus, it does it the correct way on the Joey, which renders their argument moot.

I'm really looking forward to someday being able to disable the nested channel feature, as well.

I agree that the default back to My Channels is a pain for us POWER USERS. However, I can tell you from personal experience that Joe Blow and Suzy Q go into a panic because they can't see the channels they know the subscribe to and don't realize that they are still in the personal lists. Yep, they call Dish CSR's and anyone else in a heart racing panic because their "box isn't working right. I can't see my channels. What's going on. Please HELP!" If I were in Dish's place, considering how much each call to a CSR costs, I would probably design it to default back to My Channels as well, but as a user of Dish, I do wish that it wouldn't.

 

[navychop]

Makes sense. So bury in a menu the option to have it default to the last list displayed.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Scott originally said a month that started with a J ,but he also updated that and said if not this month then in August . They are waiting on the software to be written. I just hope that with the ota software , they include manual timers too. I have a couple of ota channels that DISH doesn't supply guide data and the only way to record them is through manual timers.

I have heard no plans for Manual timers unfortunately, but they would be perfect for situations like this. I too would like to see manual timers just for reasons like this.

As far as the OTA tuner goes, I have not heard anything officially but I am hearing rumbling now its looking like the end of summer. I will work on trying to get more information on that.

 

[3HaloODST]

Did they say why they chose to leave out manual timers, and what they plan on doing with OTA (sub)channels that don't have guide data? How are you supposed to schedule recordings for them?

 

[MikeD-C05]

I don't know why they don 't standardize their ota functions to be consistent across the entire spectrum of receivers. There was a place on the back of the Hopper that could even hold the ota module , just like the 922/722k. Manual timers should be the easiest thing for DISH to add to the software since the very first pvrs had nothing but manual time related timers , just like the vcrs had. I would love it if DISH would add guide data for Metv and Mytx so I wouldn't need manual timers ,but have given up on this since I can't get them to work with me on this . After months of trying , I give up. I hate to think that the ota tuner won't make it to the market till September. I really wanted it to be in place before the new fall season started. Till then I guess I will keep my other account for my old 211k with dvr software ,so I can record with manual timers for Metv.

 

[DishSubLA]

n

I don't know why they don 't standardize their ota functions to be consistent across the entire spectrum of receivers. There was a place on the back of the Hopper that could even hold the ota module , just like the 922/722k. Manual timers should be the easiest thing for DISH to add to the software since the very first pvrs had nothing but manual time related timers , just like the vcrs had. I would love it if DISH would add guide data for Metv and Mytx so I wouldn't need manual timers ,but have given up on this since I can't get them to work with me on this . After months of trying , I give up. I hate to think that the ota tuner won't make it to the market till September. I really wanted it to be in place before the new fall season started. Till then I guess I will keep my other account for my old 211k with dvr software ,so I can record with manual timers for Metv.

I agree completely. You've spoken for me, including the whole MeTV thing. I admit that I am no computer software engineer by any stretch, but considering the legacy of manual timers, one would think it easy enough to continue on the 922 and Hopper. I can't help but feel Dish made a decision, based upon review and even debates among staff, to DROP a Manual Timer feature feeling that was a feature that was for another time when external devices like VCR's were openly supported, and they just kept in subsequent DVR's, but when the truly new generation of 922/Hopper came along for complete review of what features to keep and dump, they may have felt that Manual Timers no longer made sense. A case of engineering THINKING for us rather than Dish asking us because users can use devices that engineers never think of.

As far as OTA, I am disappointed that the module will have only ONE OTA tuner, although I would HOPE I can attach a second Module to my other Hopper and that flexibility, but we won't know until it becomes available.

Now, for how the 222 and 222K NEVER become DVR capable . . .

He, he, he. I won't go there. I am over it .

 

[3HaloODST]

Got S216 tonight. RIP S215. Available Joey software is S268. Haven't checked the Joeys or other Hoppers yet.

EDIT: Hard drive percentage used went down, granted I never use PTAT so I guess it gave me the space that PTAT would normally occupy. Space available on the internal drive is up to 1231 GB from 1000.

EDIT2: All 3 Hoppers are on S216 and 2 Joeys are on S268. Had to re enable bridging on 1 Hopper to get Internet connectivity on the other 2 Hoppers and 1 MoCA Joey, plus it re enabled the wireless Joey's ability to link with the MoCA Hoppers.

So far so good, all Hoppers and Joeys can see each other. On S213, I had lots of issues with receivers randomly unable to see each other after the nightly update until I did a red button reboot. Disabling bridging on the MoCA-only Hoppers didn't even help. Hopefully that won't be the case anymore. I certainly never had problems with that on S212.

I am also very happy to see that my recordings that previously said "You are not subscribed" are now restored and work fine!

So S216 is a winner in my book!

 

[hpman247]

Umm. You guys said it's S215? I got S216 showing on my Hopper?

 

[satjay]

Same here, I have 216 this morning

 

[dishfan82]

I'm still on 213 for both my hoppers, what gives ? How do I get the newest software ?

 

[stimpson]

216 on both Hoppers.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

It was 215 but then they tweaked something and now its S216.

 

[CCTX]

It was 215 but then they tweaked something and now its S216.

Do you know what kind of tweak?

 

[JM42]

Do you know what kind of tweak?

One at least, Hopper to Hopper AutoHop works now.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

Went straight from S213 to S216. Had no problems on the prior version, so hopefully this continues...

 

[loubon]

216 here as well. Unfortunately, EHD transferred recordings still don't work. :-(

 

[3HaloODST]

I'm still on 213 for both my hoppers, what gives ? How do I get the newest software ?

All you can do is wait. There is nothing you can do to force an update.