DISH Hopper 3 vs Xfinity X1
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Picking the right TV plan is a big decision. If you don’t want to miss any of your favorite shows, you’ve got to find the perfect plan and get the best DVR. Before you settle on a package that includes a DVR, take a look at all the features and see how well it fits your needs. DISH Hopper 3 allows you to schedule recordings and catch up on all those prime-time shows, sitcoms, and dramas whenever it suits you best. But it’s totally fair to evaluate different options in the market.
Here, you’ll find all the info you need about DISH Hopper 3 and Xfinity X1 DVRs to make your choice.
DISH Hopper Features
With DISH Hopper 3, you can record up to 16 shows at the same time and store 2,000 hours of content.
The receiver supports 4K video streaming, has Bluetooth, quad split-screen, built-in streaming apps, DISH voice remote control, and more [1]. Just keep in mind that to stream in 4K, you’ll need to upgrade your DISH antenna. The installation only takes about 15 minutes.
Check out these other cool features:
- AutoHop – Skip all the commercials on most PrimeTime shows.
- Storage – Store more programming than the competition with 2,000 hours of space.
- Remote Finder – Can’t find your remote? No problem. Just hit the button on the receiver to make your remote beep, and voila!
- Multi-View – Watch up to 4 live shows at once.
- Whole Home DVR System – Watch your favorite shows on any TV in your house.
- Game Finder – Track multiple games at once with live scores and stats for all your favorite teams! The best part? You can set your own preferences.
- Parental Controls – Keep your kids from watching inappropriate shows.
- Bluetooth – Connect wireless speakers or headphones to your Hopper.
- Apps – Download TV streaming apps like Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube TV, and mobile apps to schedule recordings, pay your bills, and more.
With the Hopper 3’s crystal-clear picture quality, your viewing experience will be even better.
You can also add the Hopper Plus, an add-on for the Hopper 3 with Google Assistant integration and extra storage for recording your favorite shows. The Hopper Plus lets you easily access live TV and your favorite streaming apps all in one place.
With Hopper Plus, you get access to over 6,000 apps from the Google Play Store, and you can even play Google Stadia, a cloud gaming service from Google.
Hopper 3 users can also add a 4K Joey receiver, a smaller box for your secondary TV. If you’ve got a big house, the Joey TV Receiver is the way to go. Joeys lets you expand your service to multiple rooms without needing a separate DVR [2].
Link your Alexa device with your Hopper 3 to make your life easier. You can tell Alexa to search for your favorite shows and pause or restart them, but you can’t go back to watch a previous show.
The Hopper 3 interface is at the forefront of technology, and the search option is faster than ever before. Not only can you find the most-watched shows right away, but you can also see all the options sorted by genre on your screen.
Find movies, sports, and more on the neat channel grid display in the upper-right corner of your screen [3].
Of course, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows – installing Hopper 3 does come with some extra fees. And 4K media content is limited to DISH VOD and Netflix.
Xfinity X1 Features
Xfinity X1 isn’t the worst choice out there, but it definitely falls short on storage compared to the Hopper 3. If you’re still leaning towards this Comcast option, keep in mind it only offers 500 GB of storage, which translates to less than 200 hours of recording space.
Is that going to cut it for your family? It’s worth mulling over before you commit. If you’re cool with it, here’s what you’re in for.
- Smart Resume – Fast forward through commercial breaks in select DVR recordings. This is only available for top shows on NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, CW, Bravo, HGTV, Discovery, MTV, and TLC, or on eligible HD programs you recorded after January 1, 2019. Same as AutoHop on Hopper 3 [4].
- On the Go – Catch your favorite recorded shows in your personal library. You don’t even need the Internet because you can download the show for non-commercial purposes.
- Voice Remote Control – Use it for recommendations and more.
- Link it to your Smartphone – X1 lets you stream the best moments of your life from your phone to your TV [5].
- Know What You Watch – Click on a program to see cast and crew information along with movie reviews and ratings. That way, you can set up recordings from the best actors or directors.
X1 has good features, but it might not be the cheapest service out there.
DISH Hopper vs Xfinity X1
If you need to take a closer look before deciding, check out this comparison of the two:
Xfinity X1 and DISH Hopper Similarities
Both Xfinity X1 and Hopper 3 have built-in features like sports stats, weather, and news. You can catch real-time scores and cheer for your team.
And if you’re a binge-watcher, DISH and Xfinity have good news for you. Enjoy back-to-back series or shows without any effort. No need to switch from On Demand programming to your streaming app because both devices do it for you.
Xfinity X1 and DISH Hopper Differences
One of the big differences between the DISH Hopper 3 and Xfinity’s X1 is that the X1 uses cloud DVR instead of a hard drive, so you’ll need an Internet connection to watch your recordings.
Besides that, DISH locks in the same price for two years, while Xfinity only guarantees the cost for 12 months.
DISH’s basic packages also include more channels.
With DISH, you can access recordings from another Hopper at home or from an external device by following some easy steps in the Options or Sources menu.
Of course, we can’t forget about the specs that are totally different between the two.
Hopper 3 is 2.1-by-16-by-11.4-inches, has 2 TB storage, H.264 – H.265 Video Coding, USB 2.0 drive up to 7 TB Expandable Storage, and weighs 10.25 lbs [6].
The ARRIS and Pace XG1v3 Xfinity X1 is 2.55" H X 13.43 " X 9.05 Depth, has 3 HDMI ports, USB, eSata, component, composite, two coaxial ports, and ethernet. It has a multi-core processor, 500 GB of storage, and 5 TV tuners.There are others X1 devices such as Pace XG1v1, and ARRIS XG1v4.
Which One is Right for Me?
Now that you have a better idea of what to choose, think about what your family needs. Don’t just focus on the price. Call infinitydish.com now and ask any questions you have to find a plan that works for you.
Sources
[1] PCMag.com. “Dish Network Hopper 3 Review.”
[2] CableTV.com. “DISH Hopper 3 Review 2024.”
[3] TomsGuide.com. “Dish Hopper 3 Review: The Best Just Keeps Getting Better.”
[4] Xfinity.com. “Smart Resume for Fast-Forwarding Commercial Breaks.”
[5] Comcast.com. “XFINITY TV’s Next-Gen X1 Platform: The Future of Television.”
[6] ResidentialSystems.com. “DISH Network Hopper 3 Whole-House DVR Review.”