Was it difficult getting started with Satellite TV?

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SuzanneH

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Jun 12, 2017
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We have a 2016 HR Endeavor.  It has a dome preinstalled and is prewired for a satellite receiver.  Not being techies, we are wondering what is the best way to get started with satellite.  Is this something an average person can handle getting hooked up? (we are not technophobes, and can manage do it yourself stuff, follow instructions, etc.)  Or is it better to get help installing stuff? (we have also heard some horror stories of Camping World installs via forums...) 

Would anyone care to share their advice/stories?  Thank you for taking the time to help us think through this.  :) :) :)
 
Since you have the dome, the first step (unless you are willing to replace that dome with something else) is to determine what the dome will receive, that is, is it intended for Dish or for DirecTV (or something else), or perhaps it can handle either one (perhaps with some switch or programming change needed). Once that is determined, you need to get a satellite receiver (and service package, of course) for the satellite service you'll be using, and to get it installed. The actual installation, if it's just getting and installing the receiver, is pretty much like installing a VCR, DVD player or such, except that it also needs to be hooked to the dome.

Others will likely chime in, but you first must know which service(s) you can use.
 
Good info from Larry. Since you are prewired, that is most of the battle. If you have a home you can call which ever satellite provider you choose and they would most likely send a tech to your home to hook it up and get you started. If you are a full time RV'er (like me) you are probably on your own. 

But, it's not hard. Make sure the cables are hooked up correctly on the back of the receiver,  and the the TV is in the right switch position to receive the satellite signal.  You should be good to go.  The other consideration is to try to park where you can get satellite signal through or above the trees. 

The easiest way I have found is with a satellite app for my smart phone. For android phones it's called "Satellite AR" and is a free download from the play store. I am not sure about iphones. 

That's most of what there is about getting set up and viewing satellite.  Ask away if you have any other questions.
 
We have a 2014 coach that came with a Winegard Roadtrip Mission installed.  When we decided to get satellite reception, we chose Dish Network because we could get high definition signals, where DirectTV would only be standard definition signals.  We ordered the Dish Network VIP211Z receiver from Amazon.  Because the Winegard dish was pre-set for DirectTV, I had to go up on the roof, remove the dome cover, and change the dip switches to the Dish Network settings.

Once that was done, it was simply a matter of calling Dish Network, and giving them my receiver number (and credit card number for billing).  With Dish Network, you can choose to subscribe with no contract, and just pay as you go.  I chose one of the network packages (we got everything except the premium movie channels).  Within minutes, I had satellite channels on my TV's.

We have the local channels option in our programming package.  As we travel around the country, I just call Dish customer service and tell them the address of the park we are staying at.  Within minutes, we are getting the local channels for the location we are at.  All local channels are "spot beamed" from the satellites to an area that is roughly a couple of hundred miles in diameter.  Out west, the spots are bigger, and in the southeast, they are smaller.
 
As we travel around the country, I just call Dish customer service and tell them the address of the park we are staying at.  Within minutes, we are getting the local channels for the location we are at.

This works well for some, just be sure you know that this will eliminate the local channel reception for any receiver you left at home -- ALL receivers are sensitive to the new locals, but no longer can receive the old locals.
 
Thank you everyone.  Definitely sounds easy to accomplish!  Many, many thanks!
 
I know little about all that stuff but because we couldn't get an air signal in the Q we bought all the stuff at the satellite place in town. It didn't seem all that bad to get it working initially but every time we move DW has to call and give the new area code and sometimes she sits on the phone a long time. Maybe we are doing something wrong. There are too many trees to use it at home so in the end I think it was all bought just for a few months in the desert. At least it's only $7.00 or something when it's off.
 
QZ said:
I know little about all that stuff but because we couldn't get an air signal in the Q we bought all the stuff at the satellite place in town. It didn't seem all that bad to get it working initially but every time we move DW has to call and give the new area code and sometimes she sits on the phone a long time. Maybe we are doing something wrong. There are too many trees to use it at home so in the end I think it was all bought just for a few months in the desert. At least it's only $7.00 or something when it's off.

If you have internet access I would use the online chat. I have a typed out request for changing the service address saved and just change the address part of it when we move and paste it into the chat window. I have much better luck with chat reps than with those on the phone. Rarely have I had to do a second chat for them to get it right.

We are fulltime, but I thought Dish had a ?pay as you go? program where you could turn service off and on without paying anything in the off months? Maybe you can only get that thru the Dish for RV site? Not sure of the web address. Maybe someone else here knows what it is. Might be worth checking out if it will save you money.

Vicki
 
Shorts
Thank you very much. DW just said she thinks it's $5 per month when off. It is the pay as you go plan and it gave another discount when we had it on auto pay  with credit card.
 
We have the Dish "pay-as-you-go" plan. You pay for 1 month in advance, then when your month is up, you can renew for another month, or let it lapse. If you let it lapse, there is no charge for the time it is not activated. When you want it activated again, just call up and pay for another month.
 

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