DISH Hopper coming at CES ?

[stardust3]

So, how many TV watchers are in your family?

1.5

 

[digitalblue]

From the Washington Post ...

The box will be free with a two-year contract, said Vivek Khemka, Dish's vice president of product management. The company will start shipping it in January, and it should be in consumer hands shortly thereafter.
The full article is here ...
Dish Network launches ‘Hopper’ set-top box with DVR that extends to TVs in other rooms - The Washington Post

 

[MattG@DISH]

What about OTA support? If available how will it work??

We have not received word on how/if OTA will work.

 

[jgATL]

Hmmm, how long does it take again to be considered a new sub after canceling?

I asked yesterday. 3 months but you lose all "status" as a customer. If status doesn't get you in line for the new technology the same time as a new customer, I'm not sure what "status" does for me. Reminds me of those ally bank commercials...

 

[jgATL]

No mention at all on pricing other than the box will be free to new subscribers. What about the monthly "box" fees?

 

[navychop]

We have not received word on how/if OTA will work.

This is a bad sign.

I'm sure a LOT more than 3% of Dish customers are interested in OTA.

 

[gdarwin]

Scott has reported elsewhere that OTA will be via USB.

 

[Bobby]

and Matt has said "We have not received word on how/if OTA will work." You take it from there....

 

[redelephants]

We have not received word on how/if OTA will work.

Matt,

Any word on pricing? I noticed that the Washington Post has an article stating that it will be free w/ a 2 year commitment but will that include current subs that are out of contract?

 

[MattG@DISH]

Matt,

Any word on pricing? I noticed that the Washington Post has an article stating that it will be free w/ a 2 year commitment but will that include current subs that are out of contract?

There is currently no word on pricing for new or existing customers. There is also no information on monthly fees.

 

[stardust3]

There is currently no word on pricing for new or existing customers. There is also no information on monthly fees.

You will be the 1st to let us know? Good or bad we can take it.

 

[MattG@DISH]

As soon as I get the information, and the OK to talk about it, I will be sure to let everyone know

 

[gpflepsen]

Just another point of info on the number of tuners needed...

We have primarily a two viewer household with the following;

622 in central location with component to main switching receiver. HDMI out to main bedroom. SD out via OTA distribution.

722k w/ OTA module in central location. HDMI to main switching receiver, SD out to OTA distribition.

For two of us, the combination of 4 SAT and 3 OTA tuners is almost the bare minimum, we could get by without one of the OTA tuners, but it does get used and I'd not want to part with it.

This would dictate that I'd have to have two Hoppers and a Joey just to get the functionality of my two ViPs. No OTA support would be a bitter pill to swallow. Why would I be interested? Because I currently have only two out of 5 displayes able to work with HD signals, and I can get three DMAs via OTA with vastly different subchannels, let alone the diversity offered by interstate PBS signals.

 

[chicagonettech]

We have not received word on how/if OTA will work.

If you do not have the ability to do OTA, that will be a killer for about 50% of those who live in areas with PBS in HD. The Chicago PBS HD you put out on Dish, not you, specifically, but the feed your uplink center sends out, is pure CRAP - in no uncertain terms.

Channel 11, WTTW, has one of the largest engineering budgets in the PBS network. They constantly have incredible program content. By the time Dish gets done with it, the end result, via the satellite feed, is no longer in the same picture format, Dish has compressed the hell out of it, and it is totally non-watchable.

OTA IS A MUST in major markets or Hopper / Joey will fail.

 

[theoak]

I want one of those Joey stuffed animals!

I thought that was Scott???

Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

 

[theoak]

While it is recording "PrimeRime Anytime" can you watch programming that is recording like you can now with a recording in progress???

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[MattG@DISH]

While it is recording "PrimeTime Anytime" can you watch programming that is recording like you can now with a recording in progress???

You should be able to, yes. Viewing a recording does not use any tuners

 

[Ghpr13]

Looks pretty cool...Just want to know about pricing and OTA.
My nick name is "Hopper", so I'll have to get one!

Ghpr13

 

[MikeD-C05]

There is currently no word on pricing for new or existing customers. There is also no information on monthly fees.

Oh, but there WILL BE FEES Matt, there will be fees....

 

[ScottChez]

I guess the question that many are asking is will they Sell an Over the Air add on box like DirecTV does. It plugges into the USB port and gives you Two more turners.
I think Scotts orginal Team summit source mentioned you could plug this into the Hopper and or any Joey to add on Over the Air channels.

Can someone please confirm this. Look around there booth for a box that is smaller with what like a USB printer port and a Coax labeled OTA or ANT. Below is a link to what the DirecTV box looks like. I think they sell it for around $30 to $60.
I am guessing Dish could sell the same type of thing.
It should would be nice to be able to add OTA to all Joeys and add say 4 more OTA turners.

A first look at the DirecTV AM21 -- Engadget