# 2 Hoppers/2 Joeys.... How is the DVR content shared



## smitbret (Mar 27, 2011)

I am with DirecTV and have 4 HDDVRS that share their recorded content on 1 big consolidated playlist. This ability to share all content in all rooms is very important to me. Almost as important is having 2 different DVRs that can record. That way if one DVR crashes, I don't lose ALL of my DVR content and I can still watch TV at other locations versus losing TV at all locations if the lone Hopper goes down.

So, if I get 2 Hoppers and 2 Joeys is the DVR content viewable at all 4 locations or do they basically get broken up into 2 separate networks? If content from both Hoppers is viewable at all locations, is it presented as 1 big playlist or how is that handled?

Finally, how many coax cables would need to come from the Dish into the house. I have my home prewired with 2 cables coming in and I really don't want to punch another hole in an exterior wall.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

A duo node can be mounted outside so you could get away with two cables coming in and using "taps" to split off the MoCA for the Joeys. You may also be able to use CAT5 to connect the Joeys.


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## smitbret (Mar 27, 2011)

harsh said:


> A duo node can be mounted outside so you could get away with two cables coming in and using "taps" to split off the MoCA for the Joeys. You may also be able to use CAT5 to connect the Joeys.


The Dish rep that I chatted with said that only 1 cable needs to come off the dish and into the house. I can run an RG6 to every room that needs it. CAT5? Not so much. I pulled a training guide off the net and the schematics seem to indicate that 3 are necessary from the dish to Duo Node and then split off to the Joeys and Hoppers from there.

How is the playlist shared for DVR content?


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

To run two Hoppers, you need three inputs from the dish to a duo node... if you mount the duo node outside, then you could use the two cables you have already fed through the wall as one for each Hopper from the output of that duo node. With the use of the already mentioned tap, once inside your house you can use a tap on a Hopper feed to "split" off for a Joey connection. Joeys could be fed via a tap connection from each Hopper line OR both Joeys could be split off of one tap from either Hopper.

Meanwhile... the interaction.

Hoppers can see each other's content via a dropdown from the DVR menu. You cannot see external hard drive content, however, except on the Hopper directly connected to that external drive.

Joeys can link to either Hopper and see content or set timers. Joeys can only be linked to one Hopper at a time, but can easily switch to the other.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

smitbret said:


> The Dish rep that I chatted with said that only 1 cable needs to come off the dish and into the house.


I'm relatively certain that the DISH rep was wrong about this. The node stacks 2-1/2 tuners per cable so each Hopper needs its own feed.


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## djlong (Jul 8, 2002)

You might find that a Hopper and Super Joey would work better. If you have two Hoppers, each Joey has to "link up" with a particular Hopper - it takes several keystrokes to change that and, whichever Hopper you're linked to, you can't see the external drive on the other Hopper (if you've hooked one up, of course).


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## smitbret (Mar 27, 2011)

djlong said:


> You might find that a Hopper and Super Joey would work better. If you have two Hoppers, each Joey has to "link up" with a particular Hopper - it takes several keystrokes to change that and, whichever Hopper you're linked to, you can't see the external drive on the other Hopper (if you've hooked one up, of course).


I can't see the point of a Super Joey. I want a 2nd Hopper for redundancy so that if the Hopper goes down, I don't lose service at all locations. Also, if I have 2 Hoppers I can spread out the DVR programming so that, once again, if a Hopper goes down I don't lose anything.

The Super Joey looks like a stop gap solution because they screwed up with the tuner setup on the original Hopper (3 tuners for general use, what a joke).


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## bnewt (Oct 2, 2003)

I have 2 hoppers & 1 wireless joey
both hoppers can see the recordings of each other
the wireless joey can do this as well
just wish that I could set timers for either hopper from each unit instead for that particular unit


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## tafische (Jan 30, 2004)

I just did a two Hopper / 3 Joey setup last weekend coming from a Direct DVR system...works great with a few limitations --

- Make sure they give you two Hopper w/Sling boxes. They initially gave me one w/sling and one w/out sling. Found out quickly that you can not watch the second DVR remotely or transfer programs to an iPad on the second Hopper. I was initially told that as long as I had one sling it would work - that was not the case.
- You can see all the recordings on all boxes, but you can only view one DVR at a time (they are not combined). No big deal, there is a menu selection at the top of the playlist to switch DVRs.
- You can only edit timers on the DVR or the Joey attached to the DVR. It is easy to switch a Joey to slave to another DVR and then edit timers, but you can not adjust DVR timers from another DVR if that makes sense

As far as the lines coming from the Dish - more than likely your installer is going to insist on bringing in the third line and going to a Duo as that is how he was trained. I think technically they could come in from the two Host ports off the Duo and then go two two Taps, but I don't know if that is an allowed configuration. Two taps are allowed in a system if all lines are the correct RG6. They seem very particular about the Hopper systems and how they are connected so not sure if they will support that config.


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## tafische (Jan 30, 2004)

Your other option might be to get two Hopper DVRs and two wireless Joeys. I think it is just a single one time fee of $50 for the Access point and nothing additional for the STBs. As long as you are not too far away from one of the Hoppers, that might be a good solution if you insist on not having the third line.


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