Dish Network's Hopper 3 was the most powerful pay TV set-top on the market when it was introduced back in January 2016, supporting simultaneous HD recording of 16 shows, Wi-Fi capability and access to popular OTT services including Netflix and YouTube. 

Now serving about half as many satellite TV subscribers as it did back in those relatively halcyon days -- just under 7.8 million as of the end of Q2 -- Dish has refreshed its Hopper 3 "customer premises equipment" (CPE) with a 4K/UHD-capable, Android TV-powered streaming box designed to sit atop of the main hard disk, the Hopper Plus. Dish has also added two new 4K "Joey" client device models to handle TVs in other rooms. 

The 4K-capable Hopper Plus connects to the Hopper 3 via USB-C cable and displaces the Hopper 3's connection with the living room smart TV or other primary display unit with its own HDMI 2 interface. It essentially replaces the DVR unit as the "brains," providing 16 gigabytes of digital storage, access to more than 6,000 apps via Google Play, Google Stadia gaming, improved Google Assistant capability, a new homepage and Dolby Atmos support. 

The Hopper 3 continues to spin, piping in live TV and DVR content via all expensive-to-replace tuners and hard drive storage, but the new UX is delivered by the Hopper Plus -- at least that's how it appears to work to us. 

Dish has also upgraded the client devices to 4K with the Joey 4, which comes in both wired MoCA and wireless ethernet iterations. 

"Hopper Plus is the next evolution of our award-winning whole-home DVR system and delivers an industry-leading viewing experience," said Brian Neylon, Dish TV group president. "It offers convenience for our customers to do more in one place, accessing their favorite live TV, streaming services and smart-home technologies all from their Dish Home screen."

In an advertising claim version of "storage wars," The National Advertising Division (NAD) of BBB National Programs has recommended that Dish pull the plug on some claims about its Hopper 3 DVR's superiority to that of others and the company has agreed to do so.

Also Read: NAD Has Issues With Comcast Claim

Streaming service AT&T TV, which uses cloud DVRs, had complained about Dish claims in an online and TV ad that the Hopper 3 was: “TV’s most powerful DVR”; “Records . . . 2 times more than our competition” (or “more shows”); and has “twice the storage space . . . as any of our competitors” (or superior storage space)."

DISH had offered up a consumer perception survey to bolster its contention that its "Girls' Night In" TV ad does not "convey and implied comparative message" and that even if it did, the comparison was to other hardware-based DVRS, not cloud DVRs--which AT&T offers.

NAD said the survey's open ended questions "simply did not test whether panelists took away a comparative message from the advertisement."

Also Read: Verizon Will Drop Certain 5G Ad Claims

Since NAD discounted the survey as evidence, it said it "stepped into the shoes of the reasonable consumer," and concluded that consumer would reasonably assume the claims were a comparison to all types of DVR including AT&T TV and its cloud DVRs.

As to Dish's uncontested claim that its Hopper 3 records "up to 16 shows at once and holds up to 2,000 hours of SD programming or 500 hours of HD programming," NAD concluded that Hopper 3 does not have superior recording or storage capabilities to could DVRs, and said that, in fact, Cox's DVR service beats Hopper 3 on number of shows recorded and hours of video stored.

According to NAD, Dish said it would go along with the self-regulatory process--NAD decisions are recommendations, not orders--and agree to, as NAD recommended, "discontinue or modify [the claims] to limit the comparisons to better fit the support provided." But Dish also said it was disappointed that its consumer perception evidence was not persuasive.

Dish Network is building home automation wherewithal into its Hopper 3 DVR, much in the same way Comcast integrated it to its X1 platform several years ago. 

Dish today announced that its Hopper and Wally receivers now support the Google Nest Hello video doorbell, delivering onscreen notifications when the doorbell rings. 

Yes indeed, Dish subscribers must never endure the horror of missing the pizza guy again.

The Google Nest Hello retails for $229.99. 

Dish said that the video doorbell is just the first of a series of Google Nest announcements that will unfurl over the coming months. The satellite TV company—soon to be wireless company?—has already established a sales page for the full line of Google Nest products and services. 

“Google Nest on Hopper is about giving our customers added choice and control over their home environment—with the subtle on-screen alerts delivered by the Nest Hello, customers are better equipped to hit pause and take action right away,” said Rob Sadler, Dish director of product management, in a statement. “This is just the beginning of a powerful relationship with Google Nest and their vast portfolio of products.” 

Dish Network has finally joined the legions of pay TV operators that let subscribers access Amazon Prime Video directly on the main interface of their set-top.

Dish’s Hopper 3 DVR will now have the SVOD platform natively embedded, allowing the dwindling ranks of Dish subscribers with the device to access shows like Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel without toggling between HDMI inputs.

Just like it has with Comcast’s X1 platform for several years now, Amazon Prime can be accessed via voice control—users merely say, “Launch Prime Video” into their Dish voice remote.

Hopper 3 users can also stream Amazon Prime Video 4K content.

“Rather than switching between inputs, devices or even remotes to watch Prime Video, our customers get the convenience of having all of their programming in one place, providing more value to the Hopper 3 experience,” said Brian Neylon, group president of Dish TV, in a statement.

Amazon Prime joins Dish’s catalog of integrated video streaming options, including Netflix, YouTube and YouTube Kids.

Dish on Monday said an Amazon Prime Video app is now available on its Hopper 3 box, allowing subscribers to stream Amazon Prime programming as easily as other Dish content.

“Amazon Prime Video on Hopper gives our customers the most seamless way to access the content they already know and love,” said Brian Neylon, group president of DishTV. “Rather than switching between inputs, devices or even remotes to watch Prime Video, our customers get the convenience of having all of their programming in one place, providing more value to the Hopper 3 experience.”

Users can access to Amazon Prime Video app by using their voice remote or by turning to channel 301 on their program guild.

“We’re committed to providing customers with the best viewing experience possible and that means giving them even more ways to watch Prime Video,” said Andrew Bennett, director of worldwide business development for Amazon Prime Video. “With Prime Video now available on Hopper 3, we are making it easy for even more DISH customers to immediately start enjoying their favorite TV shows and movies on Prime Video.”

Amazon’s 4K content is also available to Hopper 3 customers with a 4K TV.

In addition to Amazon Prime, Netflix, YouTube and YouTube Kids are among the streaming options that have been integrated into Dish’s Hopper 3.

Taking aim at homes with one or two TVs, Dish Network has introduced the Hopper Duo, an HD-DVR that sports two tuners alongside several features that are also integrated with its higher-end, flagship whole-home DVR, the Hopper 3.

RELATED: Dish Serves the Hopper 3

The Hopper Duo features the current Hopper user interface, universal search, a remote finder, compatibility with Amazon Alexa, and apps such as Game Finder and Pandora, with an integration with Netflix “coming soon.” The new device works in tandem with a Joey box (the Joey baseline client, 4K Joey or Wireless Joey).

The Hopper Duo also includes a 500 gigabyte hard drive (enough to store up to 125 hours of HD video), support for Bluetooth audio, (via an adapter), WiFi, and Dish’s VOD service, picture-in-picture viewing, and ships with Dish’s new voice remote. This product page also notes that Hopper Duo users can add an adapter to receive over-the-air broadcast TV signals.

Dish noted that Hopper Duo users can watch or record two live programs at the same time, and can still watch DVR recorded content or anything from its VOD catalog while the customer is recording two live shows at the same time.

Dish said qualified new and existing subs can get the Hopper Duo for no upfront costs, though it does require a whole-home DVR fee of $10 per month, and an additional $7 per month for any Joeys that are connected to it.

RELATED: Dish Bundles New Voice Remote With Hopper DVRs

“The average US home has about two TVs connected to a pay-TV service,” Niraj Desai, Dish’s vice president of product management, said in a statement. “Hopper Duo is a feature-rich, high-value product for households that want DVR capacity for only one or two screens.”

The more powerful Hopper 3, launched at the 2016 CES, supports 4K video, integrates Sling Media’s place-shifting technology, packs 16 tuners, and lets users attach up to six Joey clients, allowing for Hopper 3 customers to watch seven different shows at once or record up to 16 shows at once.

RELATED: Dish Launches ‘Sports Bar Mode’

Dish ended Q3 2017 with 13.2 million pay TV subscribers (a number that includes Sling TV subs), but has not said what percentage of them are on its Hopper platform.

Dish Network has finally moved forward with the national debut of its Voice Remote, a $30 product that also features backlighting and a clickable touchpad for “swipe and scroll navigation.”

Dish’s new Voice Remote, which is about half the size of its traditional remote control, is compatible with the recently launched Hopper 3 whole-home DVR and 4K Joey set-top boxes and can control up to two IR devices. It features two touchpad models – the default setting allows for navigation tasks, while a numeric mode illuminates a keypad when channel or password entry is preferred.

Dish’s Voice Remote follows a similar voice-powered remote control that Comcast has rolled out for its X1 platform (Comcast has already rolled out more than 6 million voice remotes).

Dish’s version has been long in the making. The company introduced the Voice Remote at the 2015 CES and, at the time, had plans to launch the product later that year. Rovi announced in April 2015 that its Conversation Services platform would power Dish’s new voice-based TV interface.

Dish said its Voice Remote can interpret natural language and provide search results based on program title, actor or genre, and use contextual searches to narrow options. Voice commands can also be used to control basic functions of the set-top, including recording and changing channels.

“Voice Remote is simple to use, affordable and, most impressively, operates with incredible speed and accuracy,” Vivek Khemka, Dish’s executive vice president and chief technology officer, said in a statement. “Leveraging modern navigation paradigms like touch and voice, this remote represents a complete reinvention of the outdated remote control customers have come to expect from cable providers.” 

Adding a feature that could give VOD usage a boost, Dish Network said it is providing access to movies and TV trailers via its interfaces for the new Hopper 3 DVR and 4K Joey client, as well as at DishAnywhere.com

Dish said it worked with the Internet Video Archive (IVA), an online supplier of movie and TV trailers, to incorporate the feature into those platforms.

The integration with IVA attaches trailers to most of Dish’s VOD library, which currently consists of more than 40,000 movies and TV episodes, as well as some trailers for some content that is airing live.

Dish said the new feature also offers trailers of movies that are currently in theaters. From a Hopper 3 or 4K Joey, customers can select those movies to record once they’re available from the pay TV provider.

Timed with the start of the NCAA March Madness men’s college basketball tournament, Dish Network has launched “Sports Bar Mode,” a multiview option for the pay TV provider’s new 4K-capable Hopper 3 DVR.

The feature, which is compatible with both 4K and HD TVs connected to the Hopper 3, divides the screen into quadrants, with each displaying a different live TV program. The feature essentially decodes four streams and stitches them together and shows them simultaneously. The feature takes advantage of the tuner-rich Hopper 3, which sports 16 of them.

The new multiview mode supports linear TV channels, VOD and recorded programming. Users can also use the option to place two cahnnels side-by-side, and a setting that overlays a second channel in the upper right hand corner of the TV screen.

Dish said Sports Bar mode was included in a new software update pushed to Hopper 3 boxes last night.

Dish introduced the Hopper 3 in January at CES, and opened access to the new product in February. Dish ended 2015 with 13.9 million video subs, but has not announced how many are on the new platform.

“This technology replicates the fan experience of catching several games at once, now from the comfort of your home instead of heading to a local pub,” Vivek Khemka, Dish’s EVP and CTO, said in a statement. “Sports Bar Mode is an especially useful tool throughout the month of March, as the tournament airs across four different channels. Not to mention, it’s great for households who don’t want to miss their favorite drama or sitcom, but also want to keep tabs on any live basketball games.”

Dish Network has opened access to the Hopper 3, a next-gen whole-home DVR platform that’s packed with 16 tuners and 4K video capabilities.

Dish said qualified new and existing customers can receive one Hopper 3 for  no upfront cost.  Others can get their hands on it for $15 per month, plus $7 per month for each Joey client, including Dish’s new 4K Joey.

Dish unveiled the Hopper 3 at last month’s CES gadgetfest in Las Vegas.

The Hopper 3 will also support some elements from previous-generation Hopper platforms, including Sling Media place-shifting technology and AutoHop. The Hopper 3 will also support MoCA 2.0 (for whole-home support via coax lines), a gigabit Ethernet port, and a USB 3.0 port for expanded storage.

The 16-tuner device allows subs to attach up to six Joey clients, enabling them to watch seven different shows at the same time. Hopper 3 users can also watch and record up to 16 shows at once. 

Taking advantage of the new Hopper’s 4K resolution capability, the new device also lets viewers stitch four live HD streams onto the TV screen at the same time – what Dish calls “Sports Bar Mode.”

Dish said the Hopper 3 will launch the Netflix app and integrate Netflix titles into the Hopper 3’s “universal” search platform in the “coming weeks.”  Dish has also announced plans to bring YouTube to the Hopper platform.

The 16-tuner Hopper 3 gives bragging rights to Dish, enabling it to one-up Cablevision Systems’ multi-room DVR and a multi-device X1 setup that Comcast is testing that enables customers to record up to 15 shows at once. Verizon FiOS TV’s Quantum TV platform lets usersrecord up to 10 shows at once when they combine the functions of two Arris-made Verizon Media Servers. 

“Packed with industry firsts, Hopper 3 is the most advanced DVR in the world,” Vivek Khemka, Dish’s EVP and CTO , said in a statement. “It provides our customers with the innovative features they loved on our legacy Hopper DVRs, while additionally delivering the ultimate, conflict-free entertainment experience.” 

Dish will try to pump sub numbers with the Hopper 3 in the new year. It lost 23,000 video subs in Q3 2015, ending the period with 13.91 million.