A new DVR with a never-earlier-seen feature doesn't come up around every day, and if it'due south the sort of assiduities that works in every room of the firm, without compromise, and so we merely have to review information technology. What would make the list? Try the Dish Hopper whole-home DVR, which tin record six shows at once. Of course, there are specs and marketing claims, and then there's real-world performance. Is this set-top box everything nosotros could have dreamed of? There's only one way to find out: you'll have to meet united states of america by the suspension and take a walk through our total review.

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Pros

  • Consistent experience in every room2TB of capacity with an external storage optionPrimeTime Anytime is a slap-up way to discover new content

Cons

  • Unimpressive user interfaceOdd remote layoutNo congenital-in over-the-air tuner

Standard DVR disclaimer

Any time we write a DVR review we have to remind ourselves that the world we alive in doesn't afford well-nigh people the luxury of choosing a DVR. What we hateful is that usually DVRs and their software are tied to specific providers, and thus aren't available to everyone. So our questions in a DVR review are two-fold: would we switch to a provider who offered this DVR? And how does it compare to 3rd-political party options like Windows Media Eye or TiVo?

Hardware

The Hopper is a good-looking and solidly built box, with but about every input and output on the dorsum you'd expect on a DVR. Only a single coax input is required from the satellite, and there'due south an eSATA port for adding external storage to complement the 2TB of built-in infinite (half of which is for your use). As information technology happens, that internal drive can likewise be used to transfer recordings from your old Dish DVR. There are both HDMI and component HD outputs here, as well as the old-school ruby-red, white and yellow for the Luddites. For whatever reason, the designers stuck two Ethernet jacks on hither. Finally, as with most DVRs, the power supply is internal.

Overall, the Hopper is exactly what y'all'd await a DVR to be: near the aforementioned size and weight, and adorned with a glossy stop that will hands blend into your home theater setup. On i end there'due south a USB port (with two more 'round back) and on the other is a door, backside which yous'll find a smart carte slot and a few essential buttons like power and reset. Finally, two LEDs sit in the middle to indicate when the box is on or if it's recording. Thankfully, neither of these is distracting or crazy vivid. In that location are still a few hardware features yet to be explored, like Bluetooth for headphones and Zigbee for remote command (currently that feature merely works with the included remote). There's an IR input for legacy programmable remotes, just no HDMI-CEC to simplify setup or IP control to integrate with home automation controllers. The other hardware feature coming shortly is an optional over-the-air tuner, which we consider a requirement for anyone who watches PBS (Dish doesn't deport PBS Hd in all markets, don'tcha know).

The trivial multi-room customer, known as the Joey, is just what yous'd want in a streamer: compact, lightweight and replete with various mounting options. Its small removable base has holes perfect for wall-mounting or to wire necktie it to the dorsum of an HDTV. The base of operations tin can be attached to the Joey vertically or horizontally, and can be attached after the mountain has been fastened to make the installation easier. The outputs are much more than sparse than on the Hopper, but while component HD outputs are missing, optical audio, HDMI and Ethernet are all there. Unlike the Hopper, the Joey has a wall-wart power supply. The coax is used to stream content from the Hopper for multi-room viewing, but an Ethernet connectedness to your network is withal required for things like DLNA, some video on demand services and interacting with the smartphone and tablet app remotes. If you tin't connect the Ethernet, yous tin can buy the optional Hopper Net Connector to bridge the IP between MoCA to Ethernet since the Hopper tin't practise it; standard MoCA bridges aren't compatible. One last feature worth mentioning is SRS TruVolume (also offered on the Hopper), which helps spare you the hurting of loud commercials.

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Remote

We've never met a provider remote we liked, and the ones belonging to the Hopper and Joey are no different.

We've never met a provider remote nosotros liked, and the ones belonging to the Hopper and Joey are no dissimilar. It at to the lowest degree makes for a feel, though, since the same remote works for both the Hopper and the Joey (labels are included in the box to help distinguish them) and we honey the way Dish made use of the two-way Zigbee RF control to avoid IR and also to simplify the remote-programming procedure. Here, you lot'll use on-screen menus to salvage yourself from programming the remote past entering codes on the keypad. This as well comes in handy for helping find the remote, if you lot misplace it. Speaking of which, although the remote controls the Dish and Hopper via RF, at that place's an IR emitter to command your Tv set, disc player or AV receiver. That'south the good news. The bad news is the layout couldn't be any more annoying. One oddity we're non sure we can always adjust to is combining the upwardly and downwards arrows from the D-pad with the channel up and downwardly.

Another unorthodox touch are the volume buttons, which aren't stacked on top of each other, but instead sit side by side -- and at the top of the remote, of all places. There are likewise two power buttons, one for the TV and i for the receiver, although we're not sure why anyone would use the Dish remote to plough on one and not the other -- another reason we wish information technology had HDMI-CEC. The transport buttons pick up where the navigation buttons left off with separate pause and play buttons, even though the centrally located pause button can also be used to united nations-pause (or play, if y'all prefer). We wouldn't go then far as to say you can't get used to it, though, and since the remote resembles remotes Dish has issued in the past, we're sure existing customers will experience right at home.

Now for the proficient stuff: the DVR push is front and heart where other providers put shortcuts to their video on demand service (the Dish VOD button is on the push right). That DVR push button will toggle between recorded Television, timers, scheduled recordings and PrimeTime Someday content, and so it's quite handy. Only a bit to a higher place that, but still in the eye, is the search button, which makes it easy to search for upcoming shows, as well as things that are in the eye of airing or were previously recorded. Speaking of search, the usual on-screen keyboard is present, but the number keys as well take the T9 manner letter labels so you lot can use that for search instead.

User interface

If you loved the Dish 922 guide and user interface, then you lot're going to love the Hopper: it'due south basically the same thing. If you recall, the 922 was originally announced to accept a remote with a touchpad and while we've put it out of our minds, the Dish developers accept not. What we mean is that the user interface is obviously still based on it, simply is navigated with a D-pad. The main navigation menus and even the recorded Television receiver screen calls to mind Finder or Windows Explorer. Prefer the list or detailed view? Tough luck.

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Also similar nigh computers, there's a cursor to bear witness what y'all're about to select. You can choose the size and the color of it, but y'all can't cull some other style to highlight objects. Every bit for navigating, some DVRs use the left button to get dorsum, others have a dorsum button, the Dish DVR has cancel. This makes sense, but in some instances it doesn't accept you lot back where you were and y'all take to use left instead, other times it takes you back but non exactly where you were. This tin can be a bit annoying at first until you figure out which is which, and if that isn't completely clear, there's also a stop push, that won't relieve you from the spoiler window, to speedily bargain with a recorded evidence y'all're washed with. There are also a few hotkeys that remind united states of an older Nokia UI, like menu+menu, to get direct to system info.

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Beyond bones navigation there are a few other mentionable features that don't fit in the post-obit sections. There'southward the ability to adjust for over-scan as well as a method to fill-in and restore some settings (just not recordings). At that place's non an selection to laissez passer through the native resolution of the content with the exception of 1080p24, though. Video on Demand is displayed both as channels and in grids. The grid isn't much easier to navigate than the competition'southward, sadly, only you at least have an like shooting fish in a barrel way to filter out the pay-per-view stuff. The easiest way to notice things is to use the search button on the remote. These searches can exist used to find any and all media, just things from the guide, or video on need. You can fifty-fifty search your recordings, or what's on right now (including simply displaying live sports). The lesser line: at that place is no shortage of means to search here.

As with every other provider-issued box, what's missing are over-the-top services like Amazon, Vudu, Netflix and Hulu. We bluntly don't expect any video service provider to e'er willingly put its competition on a level playing field, but there are some DVRs that do, and then it'southward an important indicate to note. That's not to say at that place aren't any apps, because there are a few like Facebook, Pandora, MSNBC, NBC Sports, MLB and fifty-fifty a Twitter client. Apps are patently a must-have these days, but the express selection and typical implementation makes them something we recall you lot'd hands forget.

Guide

The grid guide displays what's on six channels for three hours and is oddly arranged in descending lodge by default, simply yous can hands correct that in the settings. Overall, information technology'due south quite snazzy, just it's withal a typical grid guide with a non-removable spoiler window in the top left corner. There's no list guide to rapidly glance at upcoming shows on 1 detail channel, and there's also no color-coding for sports, news and the like. The recording indicators in the guide are much appreciated, and something no DVR should be without. The channel numbers are listed on the left where yous'd look them, along with spiffy logos sitting just to the left. The HD channels are marked with big, almost transparent messages behind the channel number.

Sadly, there'southward no Hard disk drive indicator on the private programs, just there is if you striking the info button. The local channels have odd numbers similar 003-000 instead of just 3 and the Hard disk simulcasts of the SD channels share the aforementioned number, where the Hard disk drive channel comes on if you direct dial it with the remote. There are pre-divers aqueduct lists to filter the guide such equally My Channels, My Hard disk Channels and All Channels and you can customize four more lists -- any of which can be ready to the default. One interesting characteristic that we've never seen is the ability to collapse channels into one foursquare. This is especially useful for the seemingly endless music channels and sports packages similar NHL Center Ice -- just the feature is noticeably not an option for the i hundred channel 1 Dish Movie house channels. In that location's besides a mini guide, which can be summoned past striking the right button and lists what the next two shows are coming on a item channel.

Oh, and there's a new way to discover what'south on here too. Hitting the left push button brings you to a browse menu that allows you to choose a theme, sub-theme, media source or schedule. Substantially you tin can return an icon list of all the live golf game events that are on correct at present, or all the animated movies that are coming up.

Scheduling and managing recordings

Navigating the search results and finding your style to a tape button involves a little more clicking than nosotros'd like.

Navigating the search results and finding your way to a record button involves a little more clicking than we'd like. Ane abrasive thing is that the results are not displayed in a listing, and the results turn up unmarried episodes instead of shows, so these lists are long and somewhat confusing. There are recording defaults, thankfully, simply the all-important new and rerun versus first-run-only isn't one of them. We'll talk almost PrimeTime Someday later, but we'll say this: without information technology there are merely 3 tuners, which means you'll probably run into some programming conflicts -- especially if you lot don't live solitary. The conflict resolution screen is not one of our favorites; in fact, it took a bit of study to even understand what nosotros were looking at.

Why information technology's so hard for DVR developers to provide a elementary list of shows and let you check any three is beyond us, but almost no box maker gets this right. Yous tin, of course, gear up priorities to help the Hopper automatically resolve conflicts, and either bank check the guide or the list of scheduled recordings to run across what's on deck. One thing y'all cannot exercise, however, is select a prove in the guide or recorded TV and quickly find out near upcoming showings. You can select the testify, striking the search button which automatically searches for that show in the guide, which finally returns the latest upcoming episodes for that show. It isn't exactly intuitive, though. If there'southward something you want to record, but you can't find information technology through search, the Dish DVR equivalent of a wishlist or keyword recording is called Seek & Record, which simply records whatsoever your saved search turns upwardly.

Enough about finding stuff to record; it's finally time to relax and watch something. The quickest way to do this is to hit the DVR button on the remote and the screen becomes filled with a filigree of icons representing what'south bachelor for playback. The red, green, yellow and blue buttons on the remote offer quick access to various views to assistance in finding something to watch which includes the ability to arrange recordings in folders by championship, genre or custom folders.

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The idea of organizing content by genre is a bang-up i, only missing from the genres is comedy and drama. Instead all the Telly series are in a single binder. Sports, family and movies are there, just the characteristic just has limited usefulness as long equally the main categories are missing. You can manually motion recordings into custom folders, though, one at a time or in batch using the "Edit All" carte selection -- the other edit all options include delete, protect or un-protect. The other way to manage what shows up in custom folders is to configure the destination when scheduling the recording. Custom folders are pretty unique for a DVR and appreciated, some other affair missing that other DVRs do have is the ability to display a list of recordings. This is especially odd since it's possible to brandish a list of scheduled recordings or timers. Another thing we don't understand is why the program that's currently recording is displayed at the summit of the grid of icons, regardless of if you've chosen to sort by DVR engagement, alphabetically or by rating (view by rating is a slap-up style to ensure kids' shows are at the top, since children's programming is the lowest rating).

Each square in the filigree contains a show graphic, also as the name of the program and a number to signal how many episodes are in that binder. When you drill down into a folder, shows are displayed in a listing with the details of the show on the correct that includes both the recorded date equally well as when the prove beginning aired. Each episode listed besides shows a greenish bar to indicate if you've watched any of it, and if so, how much. Selecting a show brings you to a context menu where you can become even more details about the testify, edit, delete or play it dorsum at the outset or from where you left off (y'all can hitting play instead for quicker admission to resume).

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Playing a prove is much like any other DVR with the usual transport controls, including stop, which does exactly what you call back, only also provides quick admission to a menu assuasive you to easily delete the show, resume, watch some live Idiot box or return to the list of shows (not where you lot were last, unfortunately). There'due south also a 30-second skip characteristic, which is what it sounds similar, and a "skip back" option that returns you eleven seconds. In either case, hit skip won't bring up the scrub bar.

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The play and info buttons also don't reveal your current betoken in the testify; in fact, the only way to know how much time is left is to pause or the quondam fashioned fast forrard or rewind. Speaking of which, the fast forrad and rewind are very quick, 300x in fact, which comes in handy since there isn't any other style to quickly become to a specific spot in a long recording -- like TiVo'south skip to tick or chaptering on the Verizon DVR. The scrub bar does testify how much time is left in the show, vs showing y'all how much you've watched, which is the same affair sans some math. Ane thing it doesn't brandish, nevertheless, is the current time. So if you are interested to know if you can finish the current programme before information technology's fourth dimension for bed, you'll need to press two buttons, pause so info.

Watching live Television

Believe it or non, most people nonetheless hit the guide button before the DVR button when they sit down to watch TV, and then the live Tv set feel is as of import every bit ever. We've covered the guide already, only at that place are a few notable things almost watching Live Telly on the Hopper or Joey. First off, y'all can always rapidly get to live TV from with the defended View Live TV push. Changing channels, which takes about iii seconds, ever brings upward a aqueduct banner, but some channels take an annoying second banner at the lesser.

The main imprint does include what you'd expect with the addition of the corporeality of time left in the programme. Interestingly, pressing the info push button doesn't bring upwardly the aqueduct imprint, instead it brings up the total screen translucent info screen, which includes shortcuts to tape the prove or create a series recordings.

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The transport buttons work exactly as they practise during playback of a recording with the addition of the record push providing one printing recordings. A 2nd press of the tape push gives you the ability to add a buffer to the stop, which is specially useful if you decide to record the rest of a sporting event you lot are watching (the live TV buffer is not included when yous striking the record button). Once again, Dish delivers with some unique features with live Television set, including PIP -- sadly PIP is unique these days -- and a multi-aqueduct call up bill of fare. The PIP works as yous might retrieve and is the only way to maintain dual live buffers. Y'all can, of course, motility the smaller window wherever you desire, change its size and quickly switch between the two streams. Y'all can even choose to lookout man ane recording and one live show using dedicated PIP buttons on the remote.

We mentioned earlier that yous have to use PIP instead of the more familiar remember push button if you want dual live TV buffers, which is likewise bad because of the very absurd multi-channel call back carte. It works similar this: you hit the recall button and instead of instantly switching to the last channel your were watching, y'all're met with a menu allowing y'all to select from anyone of the past iv channels you've watched -- don't worry, if you prefer, you tin can set up the recall push button to fork in the conventional way. One last note worth mentioning is that if yous happen to be watching alive Tv when a scheduled recording is about to beginning, you are given a thirty-2nd alert with the selection to cancel the recording or allow the DVR to change the channel.

PrimeTime Anytime

Without a dubiousness the most interesting feature of the Hopper is what Dish calls PrimeTime Anytime (PTA) -- a feature then cool our commencement thought was it was only a matter of time until the networks file suit. In brief, its mission is to retool the DVR experience so that information technology requires even less forethought. What we mean is that as much as we love DVRs, the planning and configuration required to make the most of it is fundamentally different from the traditionally passive experience Idiot box-watching is supposed to be. That all ends with PTA, which you plough on with a single setting and which opens your current viewing options to everything that aired on the big four broadcast networks in the by eight days.

Here'due south how it works: Dish broadcasts the four major networks on a unmarried satellite transponder. This allows the Hopper to utilize a single tuner to capture all four streams at the same time, while freeing upward the other two tuners for other duties. Effectively this gives the Hopper the ability to record six shows at once during primetime. Considering these are the same four networks that typically only broadcast their programming once, information technology'due south the time with the almost DVR conflicts. It is a unmarried setting because Dish sets which channels are included (ABC, CBS, NBC and Play a joke on) and defines the time itself. Monday through Sat, the recordings offset at 7:55 PM and stop at 11:08 PM; on Sun, programming starts at vi:55 PM. This is not configurable in any way and you can't set an extra buffer to deal with the CBS Sun night problem -- no CBS, no ane is expecting lx Minutes to start at 7PM. PTA is automatically extended if the bear witness runs past 11 PM according to the guide, though, so in the case of an awards show.

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All of the PTA programming is bachelor via its own view that tin can quickly be accessed with a second press of the DVR button. This includes nonetheless folder options we discussed in the DVR section with the exception of custom folders and with the improver of the ability to put in a folder by Network. The PTA content is stored for eight days, unless you select a specific show to save or chose to schedule a timer for a show, in which case all the episodes are stored as if they were recorded with PTA disabled. An interesting caveat here is that the early get-go and late end buffers that you tin configure when setting up a serial recording don't apply if the prove is recorded on one of the big 4 networks during primetime, if y'all accept PTA enabled. This might be a problem, simply is somewhat mitigated by the fact that when you playback a recording during the eight-day period, when i bear witness ends, the adjacent one begins automatically with the only indication being the info screen displaying different information. This is actually interesting because you tin can actually spotter every show from ABC, for case, i night back to back without always touching the remote.

When all is said and done, nosotros really appreciate PTA because it allows united states to notice shows someday after they first aired, so if y'all learn of a great new testify while wasting time at the water libation, it isn't too late to go home and watch it or choose to salvage it for a later viewing. It'due south a footstep towards a future where we tin scout whatsoever nosotros desire without having to plan in advance or consult a list to brand sure our shows will be recorded. What else can we say? It just works. We exercise wish we could extend the feature beyond primetime, and tape, say, every football game game that might be broadcast on the aforementioned transponder.

Whole-habitation DVR

The Hopper offers some unique, desirable features that you just tin can't get anywhere else.

DVRs with multi-room viewing have been effectually for a long long fourth dimension. In fact the ReplayTV 4000 serial featured the ability to watch a recording on a DVR in another room x years agone and TiVo has had information technology for most every bit long. Even the older Dish DVR enabled users to lookout man a show in SD on a Tv set in some other room of the house, only this is different. What makes this setup unique is that the experience on the Joey's is nearly duplicate from what you lot'll get on the Hopper. At that place's no transferring, no walking to the other room to schedule a recording to resolve a disharmonize. The consistency of the feel is crucial: ideally, TV should but work no affair what room y'all're in -- like cloud services, simply at home. There have been other multi-room DVR experiences in the past, with the near notable being U-Verse and Windows Media Center. Only they're either non available nationwide or non easily accessible cheers to the required HPTC and home network. Other providers are working towards this nirvana as well; in fact, nosotros fully expect 2022 to be the yr of the whole-dwelling DVR with more than a few providers unveiling similar systems. These include DirecTV's HR34, which is already bachelor, but dependant on the unavailable C30 for whole-home action, DirecTV'due south respond to Dish'south Joey.

The way Dish's whole-home works is you place a Hopper on ane of the TVs in the house and the smaller Joeys at upwards to three other TVs. The Joeys connect to the Hopper via MoCA, which runs over coax and so no special wiring or networking experience is required across what is required for any other Telly service. The Joeys really do just piece of work like the Hopper, with fast channel changes, a snappy user interface and a near-identical feature set. 1 of the few exceptions is that the Joey'south don't do PIP, which means yous only get a single live TV buffer. The other difference is that while you can join another Television set's session from any idiot box, but the Hopper tin can take over a session, finer changing the channel in another room. To command this while watching a program, striking the red button to pull up a Boob tube viewing status page. Now you might be concerned about the whole multi-room matter if you have kids in the abode and in that location are some things in life they aren't ready for. Well, thank you to parental controls per Boob tube, not only tin can you lock down what they can view in their room while not in your purview, but you can even forbid them from seeing what you're watching in a different room. One final particular worth mentioning is that although yous can simply have three Joeys per Hopper, you can have two Hoppers in the firm, only each Joey has to exist assigned to one Hopper and the two Hoppers work completely independent of each other.

Web, smartphone and tablet apps

Subsequently Echostar purchased Sling Media, Dish has been at the forefront of identify-shifting. Unlike the 922 before information technology, the Hopper requires an optional Sling Adapter to watch content on portable devices around the dwelling house or out and about. Unlike the 922 and the 722, the smartphone and tablet apps tin't control the Hopper or the Joeys, but nosotros're told that feature will come in a futurity update. The ability to schedule recordings or check on your schedule from the website, smartphone or tablet is all the same in that location, as is the option to stream from the Sling adapter without trying to render the Dish UI on the screen just to discover something to watch, have over the main viewing experience of the set-top box or pay for carve up Sling playback apps. Unfortunately, the Dish Sling has the aforementioned drawbacks equally ever, like the fact that it doesn't e'er play the show y'all asked for because of a conflict. This is to be expected, except that you're not given any indication as to why it didn't work -- is an error message indicating the tuner is in use besides much to inquire?

Wrap-up

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It isn't every 24-hour interval that a DVR comes along that not only delivers a sought-later feature merely likewise introduces a never-before-seen perk. Merely lo and behold, that'due south exactly what Dish has washed with the Hopper and Joey. There are a few quirks with the user experience, like the inability to view shows in a listing and a cursor that seems to miss its non-existent touch screen remote. The biggest gotcha, though, might be the fact that the Hopper only works with Dish'southward TV service, which is typically missing at to the lowest degree one cardinal channel thank you to ongoing railroad vehicle disputes. Additionally, information technology doesn't deport Hard disk versions of all the circulate networks, like PBS, in all markets and it requires a long-term contract for the privilege of leasing hardware that can never be owned.

If you have Dish already and can't decide if it's worth the upgrade, don't overthink it: this upgrade is a no-brainer. If you're considering switching to Dish and you're worried about not liking the DVR equally much as your electric current provider'due south DVR, you also accept an invalid concern, as the Hopper is as good as any provider-issued DVR nosotros've ever tried. In fact the only person nosotros'd even hesitate recommending this to is the TiVo evangelist or Windows Media Center fan, and even in those cases, we could brand a stiff argument that the Hopper has more than to offer. All that existence said, things volition become much more interesting when other providers become on the whole-dwelling house DVR game and outset to offer every bit many TV anywhere options as Dish, but for now the Hopper offers some unique, desirable features that you just can't become anywhere else.