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

Dish courts cord cutters, offers free HopperGo pocket DVR to new sign-ups

By Kris Wouk November 21, 2016

dish music app dts play fi multiroom streaming hoppergo — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Even as Dish is making life easier for cord cutters with its Sling TV streaming service, the company is still doing everything it can to attract users to its satellite TV service. With Black Friday sales beginning to ramp up, the company is offering a new deal that could make the decision to sign up for its satellite service a whole lot easier: a free HopperGo pocket DVR.

Released near the beginning of the year, the HopperGo isn’t a DVR itself, but it does let you watch your DVR recordings anytime, anywhere. The device plugs into a standard Dish DVR like the Hopper 2 or Hopper 3 via USB. Once connected, it downloads your recordings and allows you to carry up to 100 hours of content with you.

The HopperGo creates its own wireless network that your mobile device can connect to in order to let you view content, meaning no space on your phone or tablet is used, and you don’t have to worry about using up your cellular data. The built-in battery allows the HopperGo to operate for up to four hours, and up to five devices can connect at once. Once it’s time to power up, the device can be charged via any standard USB port.

The portable, battery-powered DVR usually retails for $100, but Dish is offering new sign-ups to get the device for free by using the code “FreeHopperGO.” The offer is available to customers who sign up for Dish’s Flex Pack or any other base programming package. Of course, you’ll also need an actual DVR in order to record your favorite shows, like the company’s top-of-the-line Hopper 3.

The HopperGo promotion kicks off Monday and will run through December 11. For more information on the deal, see the Dish Network website. If you’d rather give your friends or family the gift of cutting the cord, the Dish-owned Sling TV is now selling gift cards as well.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…

Audio / Video

HD to 4K: these home theater projectors are up to $2,000 off

The Optoma UHD55 projector.

While TVs are great, if you want to have a large screen TV that goes over 80 inches, you're liable to spend thousands of dollars, and if you want to go over 100 inches, you may not even find any options at all, especially at the consumer level. Luckily, there are a lot of great projectors that can not only hit those targets but exceed them and do it at a much cheaper cost than a regular TV. Even better, there is quite a big sale right now at Crutchfield on home theater projectors, with everything from budget-friendly options to top-of-the-range stuff.

What you should buy in Crutchfield's projector sale
Not all projectors have to be incredibly expensive, and you can grab a great project for a good price with the Optoma HZ40HDR, which is , saving you a solid $450 in the process. It's an FHD projector, although it can handle 4k and HDR sources, and the bulb has a 30,000-hour life span, which is pretty great for a budget-oriented projector. On the other hand, if you want 4k, Optomo has a good budget option for that too, the Optoma UHD35STx, which is a 4k short-throw projector with HDR10 and HLG HDR going , which isn't a massive discount on the usual $1,549, but it's still pretty good.

Audio / Video

Best AirPods Max deals: New and refurbished for $440

A woman wearing the Apple AirPods Max.

Shopping the best headphone deals will turn up a number of options from a wide variety of headphone brands, but if you’re interested in what Apple has to offer in terms of premium audio, the Apple AirPods Max are where you’ll want to turn. The AirPods Max are Apple’s top-of-the-line headphones, and while they churn out some impressive audio experiences, they also churn out a hefty price point. With the rumors of AirPods Max 2 going on you’ll be able to find some decent AirPods Max deals out there. We’ve done that hefty lifting for you, however, and have laid out the best AirPods Max deals below. You’ll find deals on both new and refurbished AirPods Max, but click quickly if one of these deals works for you, as Apple deals can be unpredictable and we don’t know how long these will last.
AirPods Max -- $519, were $549

The AirPods Max are Apple's first attempt at a set of over-the-ear headphones. They got a lot of things right. We love these headphones, even when compared against some audiophile options that prioritize sound quality. The AirPods Max have awesome noise cancelling. Everything Apple learned with the earbud-style AirPods works even better with the cup style of the AirPods Max. Along with great ANC comes a great transparency mode. With a twist of the Max's massive knob, you'll go from complete silence to feeling like you're not wearing headphones at all. The audio on phone calls is great as well, and they pair better with the iPhone than any non-Apple headphones could ever hope to.

Audio / Video

Best AirPods Pro deals: Get Apple’s flagship earbuds for $122

The Apple Airpods Pro in their charging case.

Apple’s lineup of headphones has grown over the years. It currently makes a number of AirPods models that can be talked about among the best wireless earbuds. Among them are the AirPods Pro. The AirPods Pro are regularly in contention to be among the best headphones overall as well, and because of their popularity it can be difficult to track down AirPods Pro deals worth shopping. We’ve managed to find some out there, however, and below we’ve rounded up all of the best AirPods Pro deals you can shop right now. You’ll find discounts on both new and refurbished AirPods Pro models, as well as some information on why each model might be best for you.
Apple AirPods Pro (Refurbished) — $122, was $220

While there’s a newer model of AirPods Pro available, the first generation Apple AirPods Pro can still hold their own against some of the best wireless earbuds. Made for a slightly more premium user than something like the Apple AirPods 3, the AirPods Pro have higher end features, including active noise cancellation and a transparency mode, which allows you to hear and interact with the world around you while you have the headphones on. Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking is another impressive feature. This makes watching movies and other content a truly immersive experience. This refurbished model of the Apple AirPods Pro comes with free 30-day returns and a 1-year warranty.