# Hopper3 vs. Hopper with Sling



## Gary55 (Jun 5, 2017)

I am a new member, so apologize if this has been discussed previously. I could not find a thread like this. When I subscribed to Dish at the beginning of this year, I obviously did not do enough research. I had no idea there were 2 Hopper DVRs. Interestingly, if you look at the commercial now running that features the Property Brothers from HGTV, Dish does not want you to know. The box featured on that commercial only shows Hopper! So now I am stuck with an inferior product for about 19 months when my "2 year subscription runs out."

Hopper with sling only has 3 tuners. If you have 3 TVs like we have, many times it's capacity will rear it's ugly head! It will change your live channel to do a recording. It will give you a few seconds to override this, but you better be looking at the TV or you will miss it. The Prime Time Anytime feature is good, but it takes up a tuner leaving you with only 2 during prime time! What that means, of course, is you cannot watch all 3 TVs unless you watch something that is being recorded. And don't record more than 3 things at a time, or it will make decisions based on what it thinks are priority. Several times we have started watching a recording not noticing it is only partially recorded. Nothing like watching a program that stops halfway through!!

I had TIVO for many years and I guess was spoiled by how well it functioned even though it only had 2 tuners. I really looked forward to getting Hopper because I thought it had several tuners. 

Also, if you see something that you want to record to watch later or show someone later, don't just hit the Record button. It will then only record video moving forward. You can back up to a spot where you want the recording to start, but don't just hit record. There are several interesting operational things like this.

Sorry, this is lengthy, but Dish is extremely deceptive about the Hopper3 vs. the Hopper With Sling. I have talked to them on many occasions and the only options I have to get Hopper3 is to pay a $150 upgrade fee. And my contract starts all over again!

Consumer beware!!! Hopper with Sling is extremely limited.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

Gary55 said:


> *Hopper3* only has *3* tuners


what ?
have you read threads/post in _dedicated_ forum about H3 ? and specifications of the model on dish site ?


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## unr1 (Jul 16, 2005)

There are actually 3 hopper DVRs. Original hopper, hopper w/sling, and hopper 3.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

unr1 said:


> There are actually 3 hopper DVRs. Original hopper, hopper w/sling, and hopper 3.


Indeed !


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## Gary55 (Jun 5, 2017)

P Smith said:


> what ?
> have you read threads/post in _dedicated_ forum about H3 ? and specifications of the model on dish site ?


My bad. I meant to say Hopper w/sling, so made that correction.


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## RBA (Apr 14, 2013)

You might be interested in replacing a Joey with a Super Joey. That will add 2 tuners to your existing system.


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## ekilgus (Sep 23, 2014)

unr1 said:


> There are actually 3 hopper DVRs. Original hopper, hopper w/sling, and hopper 3.


I would say that for all practical purposes the original Hopper has been relegated to mostly obsolete status like the VIP receivers. I think Dish is offering only the HWS and H3 to subs.


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## unr1 (Jul 16, 2005)

ekilgus said:


> I would say that for all practical purposes the original Hopper has been relegated to mostly obsolete status like the VIP receivers. I think Dish is offering only the HWS and H3 to subs.


the tech who installed my H3 last week said they still give the original hopper to customers. Particularly to those with poor credit. So no, it is not obsolete according to dish.


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## ekilgus (Sep 23, 2014)

unr1 said:


> the tech who installed my H3 last week said they still give the original hopper to customers. Particularly to those with poor credit. So no, it is not obsolete according to dish.


Well, when these subs that got the H1 receive the new UI they're going to be really unhappy.


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## unr1 (Jul 16, 2005)

ekilgus said:


> Well, when these subs that got the H1 receive the new UI they're going to be really unhappy.


indeed


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## BreadDawg (Sep 12, 2016)

As to the OP, this is very true. I saw the ad for the Hopper 3 earlier in the fall. When I called in to order my equip and service, I was about halfway done with setting it up and thank God I asked, "This is the new Hopper 3, correct?" No, they were sending a HWS, I basically had to bluff them and say cancel everything and they gave me the H3. I understand Dish is making business moves, but from a consumer standpoint it is a little shady.


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