Questions about new HD DVR Service

Deep South

Active SatelliteGuys Member
Original poster
Mar 21, 2013
19
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South Alabama
I'm looking to start a new service with Dish and I'm trying to decide what will by my cheapest option of having HD DVR service on up to 4 televisions. I know that if I go with a Hopper and 4 Joey's it will be $31 per month additional. It looks like if I go with two Duo DVR receivers it will be $24 per month but I don't know if I would have to pay for the 2nd receiver. Is there an option of going with a Hopper, 1 Joey, and one Duo DVR and would that be $24 per month?

The 4 tv's will probably never be watched at the same time so my other thought is to go with a Hopper and 1 or 2 Joey's and just move the Joey's around to where they are needed at the time if they can be moved. I'm guessing that as long as a tv has a satellite feed this can be done but I have asked this question in the Hopper Zone.

Just thinking out loud here and looking for advice from others or a DIRT team member.
 
First, you can not mix Hopper/Joeys with VIP duo receivers. If not all of your TVs are not HD, you can use the composite outputs, or RF modulator connected to same to mirror one or two of the Joeys. That would save you some money. But even if you went for the max....it would only cost you $4.00 per month more than 2 duo receiver/dvrs....and more than worth it for a whole house system and the Hopper features.
 
For four TVs it would be 1 Hopper and 3 Joeys, or, much better, 2 Hoppers and 2 Joeys. Monthly cost would be the same either way. Might have to pay more up front though. And I suggest you go with, and specify, the new Hopper with Sling rather than the old Hopper.
 
First, you can not mix Hopper/Joeys with VIP duo receivers. If not all of your TVs are not HD, you can use the composite outputs, or RF modulator connected to same to mirror one or two of the Joeys. That would save you some money. But even if you went for the max....it would only cost you $4.00 per month more than 2 duo receiver/dvrs....and more than worth it for a whole house system and the Hopper features.

All 4 are HD tv's and I think I'm pretty much sold on the Hopper. I just need to decide how many tv's we want to be able to watch at the same time.
 
For four TVs it would be 1 Hopper and 3 Joeys, or, much better, 2 Hoppers and 2 Joeys. Monthly cost would be the same either way. Might have to pay more up front though. And I suggest you go with, and specify, the new Hopper with Sling rather than the old Hopper.
I can't wholly a agree. OP said all four TV's are never on at same time, and it's up to him to decide if he wants to pay more for HWS, especially if he would not use, or want to use its' features. I think the wholesale recommendation of two Hoppers is unnecessary in all cases, and another additional up front cost.
 
Does HWS stand for Hopper With Sling? I would definitely want the one with Sling but I thought it was "free" to new customers.
 
Seems new customers are getting the HWS, if they get a second Hopper it's the original. Depending on your needs and how much you are willing to spend, I have to recommend to get two Hoppers and two Joey's. The Monthly cost is the same, you get three more tuners and a back-up if a Hopper fails. There probably will be a one time charge for the second Hopper.
 
If the OP wants the ability to watch HDTV on all 4 tv's, he would need to have all 4 wired, even if he doesn't have a Joey at each. He would have to move a Joey to the TV. The questioin is, how many tuners does he need at one time to record. Even there are only 2 of us in the household, I find having 2 Hoppers to be a big advantage.
 
Thank you everyone for chiming in so far!

I just bought the house and the previous owners left 4 flat screen tv's with the house and they all have a coax jack at each location. They also had some kind of Dish Network HD service because the dish is still in the yard. I'm assuming that the dish is wired to all 4 tv's but I may have to borrow a receiver from someone to find out. I think I'm going to go with a Hopper with Sling and 2 Joey's to begin with. The TV in the kid's play room can just be a dedicated movie room (dvd player) or I can move 1 of the Joey's in there when they want to watch tv in there.
 
Another intriguing possibility is to buy your own Joey(s), and activate as needed. (If you lease a Joey, then it has to go back to Dish when you deactivate it.)
 
Now you've got me to thinking. How much does Dish charge to buy a Joey?

And how receptive might they be to my upgrading my two ViP722s to two leased HWS and either one owned and one leased Joey or two owned Joeys?

Just some speculation related to topic.
 
There is no advantage to owning vs leasing unless you don't want a 2 year contract. The cost per month is the same. If a DVR fails, Dish will replace it for just a $17 shiping fee, leased or owned. Once past the initial expense, there is no difference in monthly cost for a 2nd Hopper vs a Joey. Each is $7/mo. With a 2nd Hopper, you will have a backup if one dies.
 
Now you've got me to thinking. How much does Dish charge to buy a Joey?
And how receptive might they be to my upgrading my two ViP722s to two leased HWS and either one owned and one leased Joey or two owned Joeys?

Just some speculation related to topic.


I don't think Dish charges an up front for the Joey's on your account, only the $7 additional receiver fee. To purchase is something between $70 and $90 depending on where you buy and what the shipping is...
 
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