A third generation DISH Hopper just broke cover at the FCC. The second gen model won CES 2013 Best of Show by building upon automatic recording and commercial skip with newly integrated Slingbox capabilities. As to the incoming model, we don’t have much to go on as the juiciest parts of the filing are confidential. Given the previously announced 4k Joey DVR extender, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to suspect the Hopper 3 might similarly include UHD capabilities – it’s all the rage these days.
Beyond video resolution, this new Hopper is tricked out with all sorts of wireless capabilities:
What’s unclear is if that Zigbee is specific to RF remote control or somehow related to Echostar’s home automation aspirations. And certainly Bluetooth could come in handy for those sorts of interactions. Possibly related, is another Echostar filing for the Zigbee-powered “Wally” — as that’s the only wireless technology listed (thus far), could this be some sort of super-powered slab-style remote?
Unlike Amazon or TiVo, Echostar and DISH products have longer gestation periods post-FCC… so we may be waiting until January’s CES before we learn much more.