Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. News

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Dish’s HopperGo let’s you literally take DVR content anywhere, while Sling TV stays steady

Ryan Waniata
By

dish-network
Dish Network
Dish Network press conferences just aren’t the same without former CEO Joe Clayton: No fanfare, no dancing kangaroos — no fun, really. That said, with the release of the uber-powerful Hopper 3 DVR and its revolutionary TV everywhere companion, the HopperGo, Dish has just changed the game when it comes to TV everywhere.

The two new devices make for an impressive upgrade for Dish customers, especially when compared to sister company Sling TV this year. But we’ll get to that in the moment.

Recommended Videos

The Hopper 3

With the Hopper 3, Dish now arguably has the most powerful DVR on the market. Powered by the new Broadcom 7445 quad-arm processor, the Hopper 3 is claimed to be seven times as fast as the Hopper 2, twice as fast as TiVo’s new Bolt, and offers up to 16 tuners across its lightning fast interface. That means the Hopper 3 can power up to seven rooms in the home (with additional Joey boxes), record up to 16 shows at once, and even show four channels on screen at a time, each in HD quality for a bar-like experience.

dish-network-hopper-3-sling-tv
Image used with permission by copyright holder

In addition, the new device now incorporates broad universal search across both broadcast TV and Netflix, as well as adding YouTube into the mix. And a new partnership with Sony Pictures, The Orchard, and Mance Media gives the service a slew of new 4K VOD content — though, unfortunately, there’s still no talk of 4K live broadcasts. The Hopper 3 is due sometime this month, and is a free upgrade for Dish subscribers.

The HopperGo

However, the most exciting new innovation from Dish — especially for TV Everywhere fans — may just be the new HopperGo. Though subscribers will have to shell out an extra hundred dollars to get it, the device allows for true wireless viewing of your favorite DVR content on your mobile device — no matter where you go.

dish-network-hopper-go-sling-tv
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Just plug the HopperGo into your Hopper 3 via USB, and the device can download up to 100 hours of recorded content ready to playback no matter where you are. That’s because the slim, battery powered device creates its own personal Wi-Fi network to connect to your mobile device. While there are fewer and fewer places without Wi-Fi these days, the HopperGo allows you to truly take your favorite DVR content anywhere. Not too shabby. The HopperGo is expected sometime late in Q1 of this year.

Slow and steady Sling TV

In comparison, Sling TV’s portion of the presser was rather dry. CEO Roger Lynch spent most of the time recapping just how awesome Sling TV was in 2015. And while the service has no doubt grown into something of a streaming giant among cord-cutters looking for a viable cable alternative, CES is all about innovation — and there just wasn’t much there this year.

Apart from touting the impressive arsenal of channels Sling TV has acquired since debuting last year — which includes everything from AMC to HBO, Lynch did have some new morsels of news for the service. The biggest bit of news was a new interface coming to the service, called My TV, which is designed to grow with the user to understand what you want to watch, and help you better find it. The feature will automatically recommend shows based on your previous use, aggravate your search across multiple channels, and also recommend shows the service thinks you might like. The upgrade launches sometime in Q1.

The only other real bit of news for Sling TV at CES 2016 is the addition of ESPN3 to the service’s Best of Live TV package, a “live multi-screen digital network” that allows users to watch a thousands of live sports, as well as on demand content. ESPN 3 will launch for Sling TV users later in Q1, as well.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Ryan Waniata
Ryan Waniata
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ryan Waniata is a multi-year veteran of the digital media industry, a lover of all things tech, audio, and TV, and a…
Tubi teams with DAZN for sports as free TV service continues its takeover
The Tubi app icon on Apple TV.

Not that Tubi was exactly lacking for anything to watch, but the free (as in ad-supported) streaming service just added a couple more reasons to keep you glued to your couch. The Fox-owned FAST service (that's short for free ad-supported television) today announced a partnership with DAZN that brings a bevy of sports to platform.

The tentpole addition is DAZN Women's Football. It'll be available 24 hours a day, with "a compelling mix of live and classic soccer matches from prestigious tournaments." Those will include the UEFA Women's Champions League, Liga F, and the Saudi Women's Premier League, among others. It'll be available in the U.S. and Canada.

Read more
Hisense’s PX3-Pro Laser Cinema gets AI, a bigger picture, and better sound
The Hisense PX3-Pro Laser Cinema.

Hisense's PX2-Pro Laser Cinema ultra short throw projector made all kinds of best projector lists for its excellent picture, big brightness, and accurate color. Today, the Chinese electronics maker announced the popular projector's latest model, the PX3-Pro, a $3,500, premium triple-laser projector that improves on its predecessors with better sound, a brighter light source, and AI smarts to further enhance its image.

The PX3-Pro sees some improvements over the PX2. For one, it's brighter than the PX2's 2,400 ANSI lumens at 3,000 ANSI lumens, which should mean a significant boost, especially in brighter rooms. But one key improvement with the PX3 that Hisense is certainly hoping will make an impact is its integration of "real-time Pro AI Algorithms" that Hisense says will "enhance brightness, fine-tune contrast, and eliminate noise." Using AI to enhance picture quality, color, and more, has been showing up in all the best TVs over the last year or so, so it's no surprise to see it start making its way into the best projectors now, too.

Read more
Get up to $1,000 off Victrola, Mobile Fidelity, Yamaha turntables today
Yamaha MusicCast Vinyl500

For those who are thinking about diving into the world of vinyl records, or if you already have a healthy collection, you may want to take advantage of Crutchfield's turntables sale. You'll enjoy discounts of up to $1,000 on turntables made by some of the most popular brands in the space, including Victrola, Mobile Fidelity, and Yamaha. You're going to have to be quick with your purchase though, as the offers will only be up for a limited time. As soon as you decide what to buy, whether from our recommendations below or by browsing through all the deals yourself, you should push through with the transaction immediately.

What to buy in Crutchfield's turntables sale
In Crutchfield's turntables sale, the most affordable option is the Victrola Hi-Res Onyx, which is a semi-automatic belt-driven turntables with the option to play your music through Bluetooth. It's down to , following a $100 discount on its original price of $400. Next up is the Music Hall MMF-Mark1, a manual belt-drive turntable that will be yours for , for savings of $80 on its sticker price of $475.

Read more