We are currently with Dish but are considering going to Direct TV. The reason is because they are offering free Dish, tripod and cable the whole works free if you sign up with them. Having said this, is there anything we need to be aware of when doing satellite TV with the RV? One installer from Direct TV talked about different kind of LNB's? When asked about this at Direct TV, directly, they did not know what that installer was talking about. Maybe there is one of you experienced out there that knows what I am asking. Bottom line is that it seems like everything is good to go with them and they say everything we need is included with the RV package.
satellite/direct tv
- Thread starter 3fivers
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Orick
Well-known member
Are you going to use DirecTv in your home too? Will you be moving the receiver back and forth from the house to the RV when you travel?
I think it's probably a reasonable new customer offer they have on the table but make sure you get a dish for the house and RV. Also, I assume you're looking for Standard Def and not HD. The manual dishes for HD with Direct can be a challenge to align. If you're interested in HD, be aware that with Dish you can get HD on a much simpler dish set up than you can with Direct. Another thing to be aware of is that once you travel a couple hundred miles or so from home you will lose the networks with you local channels so you won't get ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, or Fox. With either DTV or Dish you need special waivers and have to pay additional fees to get nation wide feeds for these networks which originate on either the east or west coasts. It is possible to get local channels wherever you are by calling DTV and changing your service address.... not a big deal but not something you want to do for every overnight stop along the way.
We have DirecTv HD but use an automatic rooftop dish and have the waivers mentioned.
Good Luck
Rick
I think it's probably a reasonable new customer offer they have on the table but make sure you get a dish for the house and RV. Also, I assume you're looking for Standard Def and not HD. The manual dishes for HD with Direct can be a challenge to align. If you're interested in HD, be aware that with Dish you can get HD on a much simpler dish set up than you can with Direct. Another thing to be aware of is that once you travel a couple hundred miles or so from home you will lose the networks with you local channels so you won't get ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, or Fox. With either DTV or Dish you need special waivers and have to pay additional fees to get nation wide feeds for these networks which originate on either the east or west coasts. It is possible to get local channels wherever you are by calling DTV and changing your service address.... not a big deal but not something you want to do for every overnight stop along the way.
We have DirecTv HD but use an automatic rooftop dish and have the waivers mentioned.
Good Luck
Rick
The additional step in setting up HD is simply using a zipcode or long/lat table to determine the skew to dial into the dish before doing a search for a signal.
This was about six years ago but the installer in Seattle was offering home installation plus a free tripod/portable dish for the standard installation fee. I never did figure out if Direct was ignoring the implications of this since they want you to have separate accounts for home and RV. :
This was about six years ago but the installer in Seattle was offering home installation plus a free tripod/portable dish for the standard installation fee. I never did figure out if Direct was ignoring the implications of this since they want you to have separate accounts for home and RV. :
taoshum
Well-known member
Maybe that's the "trick"; go with Dish for a while, few years; then accept a deal from DTV for a few years; then back to Dish; and so on. Meanwhile, the steady customers of both companies languish in high rates and obsolete equipment.
What a racket...!
What a racket...!
Jim Godward
Well-known member
I just upgraded my DISH receivers and antenna on the house to HD, 2 2 channel, i.e., watch one record on the other, DVrs and one just single channel, no record for the grand total of $15 but had to take a new 2 year contract so I have all new stuff except the dish on the MH which I expect to cost me ~$1500.
Just had to ask the right questions at the right time I guess.
Just had to ask the right questions at the right time I guess.
Mexray
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2006
- Posts
- 440
Jim, we have the same set-up that you described, except they made us 'pay' for the single sat receiver, as we only converted from two older DVR units...
We're also hooked up with All American for the East/West coast network channels - we get San Francisco and NYC - cool, as we can watch the East coast feeds three hours earlier when we feel like it!
I believe the Dish 3-LNB antennas are much easier to deal with than the DTV, which I believe need four Sats to hit for complete HD reception...some of the RV sat dishes aren't compatible with DTV's HD set up...
We installed a winegard Traveler' auto seeking Sat dish on our Airstream, so far it works great... http://www.adventurerv.net/winegard-travler-traveler-dish-1000-camper-home-p-4391.html
We're also hooked up with All American for the East/West coast network channels - we get San Francisco and NYC - cool, as we can watch the East coast feeds three hours earlier when we feel like it!
I believe the Dish 3-LNB antennas are much easier to deal with than the DTV, which I believe need four Sats to hit for complete HD reception...some of the RV sat dishes aren't compatible with DTV's HD set up...
We installed a winegard Traveler' auto seeking Sat dish on our Airstream, so far it works great... http://www.adventurerv.net/winegard-travler-traveler-dish-1000-camper-home-p-4391.html
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Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
I think he may have been referring to the Ka band service used for local channels in some areas. That's a different frequency and I think uses a different LNB to receive it. In some regions you need up to five LNBs to receive all the available DirecTV stations, whereas in others you can get them all using only 2-3 and standard def with just one.
I'm not getting the point about switching to DTV from Dish. Yes, you get free hardware with a new installation, but it's just a replacement for the Dish hardware you already have. What do you gain? And they will install a fixed dish, so you still need a portable one or a roof mount for the RV.
I'm not getting the point about switching to DTV from Dish. Yes, you get free hardware with a new installation, but it's just a replacement for the Dish hardware you already have. What do you gain? And they will install a fixed dish, so you still need a portable one or a roof mount for the RV.
taoshum
Well-known member
I don't know, just reacting to the advertising that comes almost every day in the newspaper... if you switch, it says the price is about 1/3 what we are paying for a year plus better equipment, then it goes to the "regular" price per month... probably a two year contract. So, after two years... I guess you could switch again, get the low introductory price for another year, another set of new equipment, etc, etc, etc.
I just throw the ads in the recycle bin but I wonder... If it weren't for the "huge hassle" of changing I'd do it just to play the system. My real, fundamental point, is that they might be much smarter to spend a little bit on the existing customers once in a while instead of investing so much in trying to entice "new" customers to switch. I've read that it is 6X's more expensive to get a new customer than to retain an existing customer and 10X's more expensive to regain a lost customer than to retain one. So if Dish is willing to spend $200 to get a new customer, but won't spend $1 on retention... in the end they miss a golden opportunity, IMHO.
I just throw the ads in the recycle bin but I wonder... If it weren't for the "huge hassle" of changing I'd do it just to play the system. My real, fundamental point, is that they might be much smarter to spend a little bit on the existing customers once in a while instead of investing so much in trying to entice "new" customers to switch. I've read that it is 6X's more expensive to get a new customer than to retain an existing customer and 10X's more expensive to regain a lost customer than to retain one. So if Dish is willing to spend $200 to get a new customer, but won't spend $1 on retention... in the end they miss a golden opportunity, IMHO.
Juanita and me
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2010
- Posts
- 93
I believe that offer must be from an independent seller. I called Direct after I saw the ad in Good Sam magazine. When asked about it, I was referred to their RV Specialist. When I called him, he said all he does is provide info as to where you can buy the portable sat antennas. Called Direct again next day and immediately was assured they could take care of me. After getting everything set for an installer to come including giving them money from my credit card, I reminded her to have the installer bring out the portable antenna and was told he couldn't and I would have to call their RV Specialist.
They let me cancel everything, but I had to call them and ask for about a $30 charge they put on about a week later. I called Dish and they upgraded me, gave me special rates and great service.
Be sure you have that AD in front of you when you call and hope you have better luck than I did (Although I ended up with great stuff from Dish because of it)
They let me cancel everything, but I had to call them and ask for about a $30 charge they put on about a week later. I called Dish and they upgraded me, gave me special rates and great service.
Be sure you have that AD in front of you when you call and hope you have better luck than I did (Although I ended up with great stuff from Dish because of it)
Wow, there's alot to learn about DTV/Dish RV satellite hookups! Thanks for all the tips/advice - think we will take it slow and explore it more some before deciding which way to go. So, we will use our crank up antennae and get whatever stations are available in the area we are at. That's OK since when we are out camping somewhere we are out and about til dark and don't watch TV til then. ;D
3fivers said:
The simple answer to that question is yes. There are many preferences among RV'ers as you might have noticed by the other posts here. You have already said that you were going to take it slow in making a decision. So in that process may I suggest that the next time you go camping, walk around the CG and find some external dishes. Then knock on the owner's door and ask questions about their set up and experiences. Sooner or later you'll find the right answer for your situation and personal preferance.
Juanita and me
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2010
- Posts
- 93
Great idea! I knocked on doors and stopped and asked people before we got our dome. Never a bad reaction and great way to meet neighbors. Wouldn't knock to early or too late though.
