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DISH Hopper™ Whole-Home HD DVR vs. DIRECTV Genie™
The DISH Hopper™ Whole-Home HD DVR offers industry-leading technology and features that you just can't find on any DIRECTV receivers, including the DIRECTV Genie™. Look at the comparison chart below, and you'll see why unique features like PrimeTime Anytime™ and AutoHop™ make the Hopper™ the best HD DVR around.
 |
 |
|
|---|---|---|
| PrimeTime Anytime |  |
 |
| AutoHop | |
|
| Hard Drive Size | 2TB | 1TB |
| Recording Capacity | Up to 500 HD Hours | Up to 200 HD Hours |
| TV Technology | Live TV & DVR Recordings | DVR Recordings Only |
| Simultaneous Recordings |
6 Recordings with Prime Time Anytime Enabled |
5 Recordings |
| On Demand Options When Connected to Broadband Internet |
Access to More Than 15,000 IPVOD Titles |
Access to 7,000 IPVOD Titles |
| On Demand Options When NOT Connected to Broadband Internet |
Access to 80 New Release Titles | Access to 12 New Release Titles |
| Bluetooth® Integration | |
|
| Remote Control Locator | |
|
| Receiver Fees for 4 TVs | $31 / MO | $38 / MO |
| Free with Packages | America's Top 120 & Higher ($44.99) DishLatino Dos & Higher ($44.99) |
Entertainment & Higher ($54.99) Optimo Mas & Higher ($46.99) |
| SRS TruVolume® | |
|
| Number of TVs on Whole-Home DVR |
6 TVs 2 Hoppers Allowed Per Account |
4 TVs 1 Genie Allowed Per Account |
Whole-Home Features
The Hopper and Joey from DISH Network finally gives you the whole home DVR features that you've always wanted. With the Hopper and Joey, you can truly share your recordings between any TV in your home, you can record up to 6 programs at the same time with Primetime anytime and so much more.
Hopper and Joey Features:
- Never miss another show - the DISH Hopper records up to 6 programs at the same time during Primetime
- Watch HD programs and control the DVR in up to 4 rooms
- Watch recorded or live TV on up to 4 HD TVs at the same time
- Pause, play, and rewind programs on every TV
- Uses one Hopper DVR and 3 smaller Joey receivers
- See what other people in your home are viewing from the Hopper
- Over 250 hours of HD DVR storage space (2 terabyte hard drive) or 2000 hours of standard definition programming
More Features:
- DISH Unplugged gives you a high quality picture without buffering and allows you to access many of the movie choices offered by Blockbuster@Home.
- Download up to 10 movies a day via satellite
- Remote control locator - push a button and the Hopper makes your remote beep so you can find it
- SRS TruVolume® prevent volume fluctuations between programs and commercials
- TV APPs with real time access to Facebook, Twitter, Pandora, Flickr, games, news, weather, sports and stock quotes
- Channel 99 (consolidates all the Sirius stations)
Primetime Anytime
The innovative PrimeTime Anytime feature allows you to record up to 6 of your favorite primetime shows at the same time and will store them for up to 8 days so you can view them whenever you want. This means you can record your favorite shows on ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC at the same time, all in HD. You'll have instant access to all of your favorite programming, with the touch of one button and without using up any of your personal DVR hard drive space.
PrimeTime Anytime Features:
- Record up to 6 shows on ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC at the same time
- Access primetime shows On Demand for up to 8 days
- Record every Primetime show in HD
- Does not use DVR hard drive space
- Records automatically with the touch of one button
- Record up to 3 hours of primetime programming per night
Tech Specs:
Feature |
Hopper |
Joey |
|
 |
# of Satellite Tuners |
3 (8PSK-Turbo/QPSK) | 0 |
Video Resolution |
480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p24 | 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p24 | |
Home Media Formats |
Video- MKV, MP4; Music- MP3; Images- JPG | Video- MKV, MP4; Music- MP3; Images- JPG | |
3D Compatible |
Frame compatible, 1920 x 1080p24 | Frame compatible, 1920 x 1080p24 | |
Hard Drive Size |
2 Terabyte | N/A | |
Front Panel Buttons |
Power, System Info, Directional, Select,Info, Menu, Jump,Reset, Remote Control Locator | Power, System Info, Select, Remote Control Locator,Up, Down | |
Processor |
Broadcom 7420, 750 MHz | Broadcom 7340, 405 MHz | |
CPU |
1700 DMIPs | 1100 DMIPs | |
RAM Memory |
768 MB | 512 MB | |
Flash Memory |
64 MB | 64 MB | |
 |
Picture-In-Picture |
Yes | No |
Program Guide Length |
9 days | 9 days | |
DishONLINE (IPVOD) |
Yes | Yes | |
DISH On Demand (VOD) |
Yes | Yes | |
Blockbuster @Home |
Yes | Yes | |
Applications |
Yes | Yes | |
 |
Dimensions (WxDxH) |
16" x 11.4" x 2.05" | 6.62" x 5.27" x 1.49" (without stand) |
Weight |
8 lb | 0.7 lbs (without stand) | |
Color |
Black | Black | |
 |
F-coaxial port (Satellite & MoCA Band F compatible) |
1 | 1, MoCA only |
Phone-line port (RJ-11) |
1 | 0 | |
USB 2.0 Port |
3 (2 Rear, 1 Front) | 1 | |
Ethernet Port (10/100 BaseT) |
2 | 1 | |
eSATA Port |
1 | 0 | |
Remote antenna |
1 | 0 (UHF antenna is internal) | |
HDMI 1.3 port |
1 | 1 | |
S/PDIF optical digital audio(Dolby & PCM) |
1 | 1 | |
RCA composite audio/video |
1 | 1 | |
YPrPb component video |
1 | 0 |
Hopper & Joey FAQ's
Whole Home Features
Q:What exactly is a whole home DVR?
A:The whole home DVR is when you have a Hopper and up to 3 Joeys all connected. They all have HD capabilities as well as full DVR functionality. The Joeys can access the DVR on the Hopper as well as pause and rewind live TV.
Q:How many programs can I record at the same time with Hopper?
A:You can record 6 programs in HD simultaneously, including Primetime Anytime.
Q:How many TVs can I watch at the same time?
A:With a Hopper and 3 Joeys you can watch TV on 4 TVs. You can have 3 live, using the 3 tuners, and 1 can be recorded programming.
Q:What is the Hopper™ Whole-Home HD DVR "What's Hot" feature?
A:The "What's Hot" feature shows you DISH's most popular programming, based on what everyone else is watching. You can filter these shows by local or national programming, as well as the airing schedule. "What's Hot" also lets you choose from different genres, so you can find shows that best match your personal taste.
Q:How do I access "What's Hot"?
A:The "What's Hot" icon appears on your Hopper™ Main Menu. You can also access it by clicking the blue color key from the Guide.
Q:Can I pause a show in one room and continue watching in another?
A:Yes, the Hopper and Joeys all have full DVR functionality along with the ability to join in on a show being watched in another room.
Q:What is DISH Unplugged?
A:DISH Unplugged will automatically download popular movie choices offered by Blockbuster @Home. You can download 10 movies per day to view at any time.
Q:What is the new user interface like for the Hopper and Joey?
A:The Hopper has a completely upgraded user interface that the Joeys share. This includes a graphically rich user interface, including poster art and network logos, predictive search, and custom DVR timers.
Q:Does the Hopper have On Demand?
A:Yes. On Demand is available with the Hopper and Joey. You can get an even bigger selection if your Hopper is connected to the internet.
Q:I have more than 4 TVs in my home I'd like to connect. What can I do?
A:You can easily add a second Hopper and up to 3 more Joeys. This would give you the ability to watch 6 live HD channels, 9 during prime time hours.
Hopper
Q:How do I get internet on my Hopper and Joeys?
A:The Hopper can be connected directly to a router using an Ethernet cable. If you don't have a router closely available, you can use the Hopper Internet Connector (HIC) to connect wirelessly to your home network. If the Hopper is connected, it will provide internet to all attached Joeys.
Q:What is the Hopper Internet Connector (HIC)?
A:If you can't connect your Hopper to your network directly, the Hopper Internet Connector (HIC) will allow you to connect wirelessly.
Q:I would like a back view of the Dish Hopper.
A:Here you go:
Q:How many tuners does the Hopper have?
A:The Hopper has 3 satellite tuners.
Q:How many Joeys can I connect to one Hopper?
A:You can connect up to 3 Joeys.
Q:How big is the Hoppers hard drive?
A:2 Terabytes.
Q:How much of the Hopper hard drive is usable by me?
A:1 Terabyte, the remaining 1 Terabyte is reserved for Primetime Anytime and DISH Unplugged.
Q:How many hours of HD programming can the Hopper hold?
A:The Hopper can store 250 hours of HD programming.
Q:How many hours of standard definition programming can the Hopper hold?
A:The Hopper can store 1000 hours of standard definition programming.
Q:Can anyone see what I'm watching on TV?
A:The Hopper allows you to see what other rooms are watching and switch to those channels at the push of a button.
Q:Can I connect my Bluetooth devices to the Hopper or Joey?
A:You can connect Bluetooth devices to the Hopper but not the Joey.
Q:Can I listen to audio on a Bluetooth headset with my Hopper™?
A:Yes, you can. Go to your "Settings" icon on the main menu, select "Bluetooth", and click "Find Devices." It will find your headset and pair it to the Hopper™. This feature is not available on the Joey™.
Q:Is picture in picture (PIP) available for the Hopper and Joey?
A:The Hopper has picture in picture (PIP) but the Joey does not.
Q:I can't find a remote. Do you have any suggestions?
A:The Hopper has a remote control finder on the front. Just press the button and follow the lights and sounds.
Q:Can I stream Blockbuster @Home on the Hopper?
A:Yes, you can even stream without an internet connection using DISH Unplugged.
Q:Where can I find a full list of features for the Hopper?
A:Right here:
- View DISH Network High-Definition (HD) and Standard-Definition (SD) programming; view MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 programming
- Three HD/SD satellite tuners
- Digital Video Recorder (DVR) capacity
- Up to 1000 hours SD
- Up to 250 hours HD
- DVR with name-based recording
- Advanced search easily finds shows, recordings, and On Demand content
- Image rich Graphics User Interface (GUI)
- Multiple independent TVs supported - HD or SD
- HDMI digital audio/video output
- Three USB 2.0 ports
- Ethernet built-in
- Favorites Lists
- Parental Controls
- Closed-caption support
- On-screen Caller ID with history
- Software upgradeable via satellite
- Up to 9-day Picture-In-Guide with optional widescreen Electronic Program Guide (EPG)
- DishCOMM compatible
- DISH On Demand with Video-On-Demand (VOD)
- Blockbuster @Home
- Primetime Anytime with instant On Demand access to as much as 8 days of ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC content
- DishONLINE
- DISH Remote Access
- Integrated apps
- Smart Card slot for conditional access
- Enabled for multi-room HD content sharing and other Whole-Home DVR services
- Optional Sling Adapter capability
- Optional External Hard Drive (EHD) capability
- Joey compatible to enable HD sharing of satellite and DVR content to Joey connected HDTV
- SRS Truvolume
Q:What remote control comes with the Hopper?
A:Model 40.0 Universal UHF/IR remote control using proprietary ZigBee RF4CE profile (provided with every receiver)
Q:What features does the Hopper remote have?
A:2-way learning functionality, Universal remote control allows IR programming of up to three additional devices such as TVs and DVD players, DVR buttons: 30-sec. skip forward, 10-sec. skip back, stop, play, pause, fast-forward and rewind (4x, 15x, 60x, 300x)
Joey
Q:How many tuners does the Joey have?
A:None, the Joeys use the Hoppers tuners.
Q:How many programs can I record at the same time?
A:With Primetime anytime, you can record 6 programs simultaneously and in HD.
Q:Does the Joey support HD programming?
A:Yes.
Q:Does the Joey allow for me to pause, play, and rewind live TV?
A:Yes.
Q:Can I watch shows I recorded on the Hopper using the Joey?
A:Yes, the Joeys can all access the DVR on the Hopper.
Q:Can the Joeys be connected wirelessly?
A:No, the Joeys are connected to your Hopper using a coaxial cable only. If the Hopper is connected to a network either through a cable or wirelessly, this will transmit to all connected Joeys.
Q:I would like a back view of the Dish Joey
A:Here you go:
Q:How big is the Joey?
A:6.62" x 5.27" x 1.49", you can see further specs on our product specs sheet.
Q:Where can I find a full list of features for the Joey?
A:Right Here:
- Integrated Home Video Network (HVN) signals communicate to a MoCA-connected Hopper receiver for easy access to Whole-Home DVR services and satellite programming
- High-definition (HD) and standard-definition (SD) programming; view MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 programming
- Hopper Internet Connector compatible
- Electronic Program Guide (EPG)
- Advanced Graphical User Interface (GUI)
- Ethernet built-in
- Video-On-Demand (VOD) capability
- Integrated Apps
- Software upgradeable via satellite
- Secure to the base horizontally or vertically for added stability
- Mount on a wall or flat surface for space saving convenience
Primetime Anytime
Q:What is Primetime Anytime?
A:Primetime Anytime allows you to record all prime time programming using only one of your tuners.
Q:What does Primetime Anytime record?
A:Prime time anytime records 8 days of primetime content from ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC.
Q:What time is considered prime time for Primetime Anytime?
A:8 to 11 PM ET Monday through Saturday, and from 7 to 11 PM ET on Sunday.
Q:Can I save shows for longer than 8 days?
A:Yes, you can select the show through your onscreen menu and save it to your DVR.
Q:Can I auto save shows recorded with Primetime Anytime?
A:No, that feature isn't available yet.
Q:Where can I find my shows recorded with Primetime Anytime?
A:Primetime Anytime shows up in a folder on your DVR.
Apps
Q:What apps are available for the Hopper?
A:Some of the most popular apps include Facebook, Pandora, Twitter, Flickr, games, news, weather, sports, and stock quotes.
Q:Can I get the GameFinder app on my Hopper™?
A:Yes, the Hopper™ now has access to the GameFinder app. Just press the blue button on your remote while watching live TV to access the app.
Installation
Q:Can I connect the Joeys to the Hopper wirelessly?
A:No, All Joeys must connect to the Hopper using a coaxial cable. If the Hopper is connected to a wireless network, your Joeys will also be connected.
Others
Q:Can the Hopper get TV Everywhere?
A:Yes, you can get TV Everywhere with the Sling Adapter as long as your Hopper is connected to the internet.
Q:Can I use Sling with the Hopper?
A:Yes, you can use a Sling Adapter with the Hopper to get TV Everywhere.
Q:Does the Hopper™ have Over-the-Air (OTA) support?
A:Yes, for $30 you can get an optional "USB Digital OTA Tuner" for the Hopper™. This tuner allows you to watch and record over-the-air channels directly on your Hopper™.
Q:Can I get 3D programming with the Hopper?
A:Hopper is 3D compatible. You can find 3D programming on channel 501 and 1.
User Interface
Q:How can I search for shows with the Hopper and Joey?
A:The Hopper and Joey have Seek and Record, which allows you to create custom DVR timers by channel, actor, keyword, and more.
Q:How has the user interface functionality been improved on the Hopper and Joey?
A:The Hopper and Joey both include Seek and Record, as well as predictive search. The user interface allows for fast scrolling, with minimal lag, and is graphically rich with poster art and network logos.
