SATELLITE DISH
- Thread starter rmarr189
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The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
There is no "best". The choice of Dish Network or DirecTV is based mostly on what channel package meets your requirements best. As for antennas, for HD the Winegard Trav'ler is probably the best choice in fully automatic models. For SD only, the Winegard manual with elevation indicator is excellent and reasonable in cost.
Both of those are roof mounts. If you park under trees a lot, then you'll want to look at the portable models. They range from a standard 18" dish on a tripod to fully automatic antennas in a box.
Both of those are roof mounts. If you park under trees a lot, then you'll want to look at the portable models. They range from a standard 18" dish on a tripod to fully automatic antennas in a box.
arcticfox2005
Well-known member
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- Apr 18, 2011
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- 716
From our perspective, trees are very frequently in the way. We have a portable model (Winegard Carryout with DISH Network) and I would be unhappy with a rooftop model.
B
bucks2
Guest
I just replaced our 7 year old Kingdome receiver with a Winegard Travler earlier this month (roof mount). Very straightforward instructions and it worked just as advertised for the short 12 day trip we've taken so far. No dropped signal even in extremely hard rain.
You will need to decide which carrier to go with before you buy your antenna as the Dish and Direct antennas are different. We now take our Hopper and Joey from home, which allows each tv to watch it's own channel AND has a huge DVR (I have 262 shows recorded and my hard drive is 13% full) for recording shows and watching them when you want. The Kingdome required a special receiver and both tv's had to watch the same channel and no DVR.
We bought our Travler from PPL motorhomes because of the best price. HOWEVER, they do not offer the "duo node" which is needed for a two tv installation. PPL's rep didn't even know what it was, much less have one in stock when I provided the part number. Fortunately they are easily available online.
If you hadn't thought of it yet, it may be beneficial to change your home tv carrier to whichever satellite carrier you decide on. Then you'll have the exact same channels on the road as at home. You can use the same recievers in both places, you don't run into having to pay for a month of service for just the weekend you're camping, etc. We travel in the MH 6 months each year and with Dish we can change the local channels (service address) whenever we get outside the spot beam. If you live in WA, for example and are vacationing in AZ, you will get a message that you are outside the viewing area when you try to tune in the local ABC, NBC etc channels. By changing the service address you will get the local ABC, NBC etc channels in AZ.
Ken
You will need to decide which carrier to go with before you buy your antenna as the Dish and Direct antennas are different. We now take our Hopper and Joey from home, which allows each tv to watch it's own channel AND has a huge DVR (I have 262 shows recorded and my hard drive is 13% full) for recording shows and watching them when you want. The Kingdome required a special receiver and both tv's had to watch the same channel and no DVR.
We bought our Travler from PPL motorhomes because of the best price. HOWEVER, they do not offer the "duo node" which is needed for a two tv installation. PPL's rep didn't even know what it was, much less have one in stock when I provided the part number. Fortunately they are easily available online.
If you hadn't thought of it yet, it may be beneficial to change your home tv carrier to whichever satellite carrier you decide on. Then you'll have the exact same channels on the road as at home. You can use the same recievers in both places, you don't run into having to pay for a month of service for just the weekend you're camping, etc. We travel in the MH 6 months each year and with Dish we can change the local channels (service address) whenever we get outside the spot beam. If you live in WA, for example and are vacationing in AZ, you will get a message that you are outside the viewing area when you try to tune in the local ABC, NBC etc channels. By changing the service address you will get the local ABC, NBC etc channels in AZ.
Ken
Larry N.
Well-known member
I bought the Trav'ler for Direct last month (to replace my older Kingdome), and currently have Direct as my provider. But a major reason I bought the Direct version is that for around $300, or so, you can swap out the main dish section (a few bolts and a couple of wires) for the Dish version, but it's not convertible in the other direction. I actually did this before I had a provider (except Dish pay as you go, which I still have, but it's inactive). So after my two years are up, it'll be minimal cost to change to Dish, or had I decided on Dish I'd have minimal cost to change the antenna.
Except for the local channels (unless you change your address with them), once you're past 100-200 miles from home.
In the eastern part of the country (especially Michigan and east) we've often (not always) run into trees that mostly block satellite, but in the western US that's not frequent.
Except for the local channels (unless you change your address with them), once you're past 100-200 miles from home.
In the eastern part of the country (especially Michigan and east) we've often (not always) run into trees that mostly block satellite, but in the western US that's not frequent.
B
bucks2
Guest
Larry N. said:
Didn't I say just that in the same paragraph? And remember to change ONLY your service address, not your billing address. You sometimes have to repeat that to the customer service person.
Ken
ArdraF
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- Feb 12, 2006
- Posts
- 10,695
Also, if you want HDTV you have to have an appropriate antenna which will be different from the SD antenna.
We prefer DirecTV and we have a roof-mounted HDTV automatic antenna. There is a box inside the RV where you press "Find" or "Stow" so it finds the appropriate satellites and you don't have to aim it manually which takes a bit of effort to learn. When you're ready to leave you press the Stow button and it lays down.
If you have a roof-mounted antenna you do have to learn to ask for a satellite-friendly campground site. Some of the people who work behind the desk actually understand what you're talking about, but others don't even know which direction is south! We carry a handheld compass so Jerry can figure it out fairly quickly.
ArdraF
We prefer DirecTV and we have a roof-mounted HDTV automatic antenna. There is a box inside the RV where you press "Find" or "Stow" so it finds the appropriate satellites and you don't have to aim it manually which takes a bit of effort to learn. When you're ready to leave you press the Stow button and it lays down.
If you have a roof-mounted antenna you do have to learn to ask for a satellite-friendly campground site. Some of the people who work behind the desk actually understand what you're talking about, but others don't even know which direction is south! We carry a handheld compass so Jerry can figure it out fairly quickly.
ArdraF
Ardra you have one of those complicated antennas. On the Trav'ler you push the power button to turn it on and it automatically locks on. Push the power button again to shut it off and it stows. The only time I have screwed it up was when I touched the power button by mistake and it went up. :
Makes the days of MotoSat internet ridiculous.
Makes the days of MotoSat internet ridiculous.
B
bucks2
Guest
My Travler is HD compatible, although my TV's and eyes are not up to that standard.
Ken
Ken
Tom Hoffman
Well-known member
We started out last Oct. We were told that the CR had cable included. We got there and "OOPS" no cable installed yet. We called DISH and they sent out a Local DISH Dealer with a TailGater Automatic dish and a compatible receiver.
It is very easy to set up when we need to move to a new spot. Just hook the cable to the outside connector on the RV and make sure the Handle of the dish is pointed NORTH and go in and turn on the TV pick your state and it will track and automatically lock on the SATS and then we call in and give our address and get the "LOCALS" we have dish at home and we turn it off and call in at our next location and turn the TAILGATER acct on.
The whole thing works pretty simply and easily.
The only real hassle we had was when a HUGE MH pulled in next door and blocked the signal. I went out an moved the dish to a new location to see around the MH and we were back in business.
The TAILGATER just sits on the ground and looks like an OCTAGONAL Snow Ball.
It is very easy to set up when we need to move to a new spot. Just hook the cable to the outside connector on the RV and make sure the Handle of the dish is pointed NORTH and go in and turn on the TV pick your state and it will track and automatically lock on the SATS and then we call in and give our address and get the "LOCALS" we have dish at home and we turn it off and call in at our next location and turn the TAILGATER acct on.
The whole thing works pretty simply and easily.
The only real hassle we had was when a HUGE MH pulled in next door and blocked the signal. I went out an moved the dish to a new location to see around the MH and we were back in business.
The TAILGATER just sits on the ground and looks like an OCTAGONAL Snow Ball.
Chet18013
Well-known member
We've got the Winegard Trav'ler and with DirecTV HDTV. It works great! We have the DNS service which gives us the east coast network stations.
B
bucks2
Guest
Tom can you clear something up for me? You said: "we have dish at home and we turn it off and call in at our next location and turn the TAILGATER acct on." My understanding, from talking to several different folks is that the tailgater account has a minimum 30 day (month) susbscription when you turn it on. Is that your experience too?
Also when you suspend your home account does it pro-rate the days and credit appropriately or does it only go by 1 month chunks too.
Ken
Also when you suspend your home account does it pro-rate the days and credit appropriately or does it only go by 1 month chunks too.
Ken
Tom Hoffman
Well-known member
bucks2 said:
Good questions, I don't know the answer. We are in each location for 3 months and then we go home for a week or two and then go for another 3 month location. I was under the impression that we were just charged for days used and prorated as needed. Probably you should just call DISH...
Tom...
B
bucks2
Guest
Calling Dish and going thru their 17 layers of "push 2 for engrish" and still not knowing if the answer I get is right, will have to wait for another day. I was hoping you could tell us the real answer from experience. Happy trails,
Ken
Ken
arcticfox2005
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- Apr 18, 2011
- Posts
- 716
Ken,
Not the same situation (we have DirecTv at home) but we have DISH in the motorhome with the Pay-As-You-Go account, and when we activate it, it must be for a 1 month (or 30 day???) time frame. Hope this partially answers your question.
Bill
Not the same situation (we have DirecTv at home) but we have DISH in the motorhome with the Pay-As-You-Go account, and when we activate it, it must be for a 1 month (or 30 day???) time frame. Hope this partially answers your question.
Bill
gc1966
Well-known member
If you have to have NFL Football there is no comparison ... It's Direct
I had the pay as you go for dish for a month and decided to cancel it because to me it's a rip off.
Just take a house receiver with you, you are already paying for it.
I had the pay as you go for dish for a month and decided to cancel it because to me it's a rip off.
Just take a house receiver with you, you are already paying for it.
B
bucks2
Guest
arcticfox2005 said:
Thanks for the confirmation Bill. I thought that was how they had it set up.
It just seems wrong to pay for the month on an "RV" account and pay for the whole month at home too.
Ken
Tom Hoffman
Well-known member
bucks2 said:
Ken, I just called dish and asked about the prorating of the account and their answer was..................................
Wait for it...
You are only charged for the days you use it!!! ;D ;D
You're right I did have to go throught numerous options, but it was worth it to get you the right answer. ;D ;D
Tom...
