The Hopper was first introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January of 2012 and the first iteration was released in March of that same year. The Hopper is a line of digital video recording (DVR) set-top boxes offered by the U.S. direct-broadcast satellite television provider DISH Network. It is in its third iteration, making the Hopper 3 the most cutting-edge DVR on the market. Let’s take a closer look at what the Hopper 3 is and what it’s capable of.
Storage
When we talk about the Hopper in 2017, we are talking about the Hopper 3. Now in its third iteration, the Hopper 3 has more storage, power and features than ever before. A new model sports 2,000 hours of recording power–twice that of any competitor. You’ll never have to worry about someone deleting your recordings to make space for theirs again.
Features
The technology behind the Hopper 3 has allowed for some truly game-changing features to be incorporated into the set-top box. Multi-view allows you to turn your living room into a sports bar with the ability to watch four different programs simultaneously, on one screen, in all their high-definition glory.
The Hopper 3 comes with apps like Netflix, Pandora and YouTube already built in. Essentially, this turns any television into a smart TV. The Hopper even has auto-skip technology that automatically skips past commercials on certain prime-time channels. Once you’ve experienced TV without commercials, you’re never going to want to go back.
Perhaps most impressively, the Hopper 3 has 16 tuners, allowing it to record up to 16 different shows simultaneously. Can’t decide what to watch? Watch it all with the Hopper 3. The modern smart home receives a major IQ boost when paired with the power of the Hopper 3. It even offers full integration with Amazon’s Alexa technology, allowing your virtual assistant to be even more useful in your day-to-day interactions.
Remote
The Hopper 3’s remote deserves a section of its own, it’s just that good. The remote utilizes Otto technology to enable extremely effective voice recognition. Simply tell the remote what you want to watch, and it will search all of your apps and television programming for you. If voice commands aren’t your cup of tea, the remote features a touchpad capable of gesture control–simply swipe and scroll your way to the content you want.
If you you are looking to invest in a DVR system, or just want to upgrade the one you have, there is no better choice than the Hopper 3. Competitors try to replicate the power of the Hopper 3, but they all pale in comparison to the original. Pair that with DISH Network’s award-winning customer support and bundle pricing and the truth becomes self-evident: if you want a new DVR, DISH Network’s Hopper 3 is the best choice.