Satellite TV

We are looking to buy an automatic satellite dish.  One that is permanent on the top of the RV.  We would appreciate all input.  Brand etc. Price difference and are they really automatic?  Which company to go with.  Thanks

There are tons of articles here the talk about this very topic. One word of advice I can give you is to stay away from Direct TV SD dishes. As one recent post outlines, they are doing away with the SD satellite in the near future.

Hopefully I got that right from memory. If not, I know someone will give correct information. 

Check out wineguard. They sell all the dishes, for direct TV and dish network. Direct TV has better picture and sound, and has more channels. There are automatic dishes which find your home satelites, and in motion types. Also there is a remote style which you have to direct manually to the satellite(s) of choice. I have the wine guard automatic. just turn it on and it sets itself up automatically. Not cheap though. They run about 2,000 installed.

Hope this helps

I have the Winegard Trav'ler Satellite Dish. Push one button for set up and I believe Amazon sell them for about $1400. I have Direct TV and have had no problems.
Check on youtube for videos on them also.



The information is out there, all you have to do is let it in.

Happy Prospector said:

I have the Winegard Trav'ler Satellite Dish. Push one button for set up and I believe Amazon sell them for about $1400. I have Direct TV and have had no problems.
Check on youtube for videos on them also.



The information is out there, all you have to do is let it in.

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Same one I have

If you're a part-time RV'er, DISH is the only DBS provider that offers a month-to-month pay-as-you-go plan that you can start and stop at will. Also, roof dishes do have some significant limitations if you frequently stay in parks with large numbers of trees.

if not a roof dish then what?  I really like the automatic idea.

NY_Dutch said:

If you're a part-time RV'er, DISH is the only DBS provider that offers a month-to-month pay-as-you-go plan that you can start and stop at will. Also, roof dishes do have some significant limitations if you frequently stay in parks with large numbers of trees.

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If you have DTV at home you can simply add receivers to your account and the wine guard will pick up your home networks channels where ever you go for us it cost an additional $7.00/month, per receiver

where doesn't direcTV work?

anywhere in the continental USA

Msbudlite said:

if not a roof dish then what?  I really like the automatic idea.

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You get a remote unit (SD ONLY) that plugs into your cable input

I would have to get a receiver (2).  We don't subscribe to Dish or DTV.  Where do I buy a receiver?

Msbudlite said:

I would have to get a receiver (2).  We don't subscribe to Dish or DTV.  Where do I buy a receiver?

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I have the info in my truck. Give me a few and I will post it for you

thanks you

Dish would be the best for us so we can cancel when we want.  Just take a monthly subscription.

Msbudlite said:

if not a roof dish then what?  I really like the automatic idea.

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That depends on which service you choose. There are more portable automatics available for Dish than DTV. Some of the Dish compatible automatics are limited to a specific receiver series, and all of the dome antennas, portable or roof mount, are limited to "seeing" just one satellite at a time. None of the domes work with the more advanced Dish multi-tuner DVR receivers, such as the Hopper series. Dish also uses two different sets of three satellites, called the "eastern arc" and "western arc". While both arc sets are receivable in most parts of the country, one or the other may be easier to "see" from a given location. Where I am right now for instance, all broadcast satellites are blocked by trees for a roof mounted dish, and the western arc and DTV satellites are blocked from anywhere on the site. Only the Dish eastern arc is within line of sight. Winegard does make a couple of automatic portables that can be configured for either arc. And I use a portable tripod mounted multi-LNB dish that can be equipped for either arc, so we're happily watching our preferred programming on our multi-tuner Dish Hopper as I post this. The downside to my setup is that it isn't automatic, and requires about 15 minutes to set up and aim. There is a bit of a learning curve to dish aiming, but it's not rocket science.

As for receivers, if you are going to use the service year round, you could just sign a two-year contract with either service and let them supply the equipment, but they usually won't do RV installations, and they don't supply automated dishes. If you go with a Dish pay-as-you-go account, take a look at Dish4MyRV.com. I would pick a bundle with the Winegard Pathway X2 portable dish, since it will use either arc satellites and supports two receivers. A limitation of any of the domes though, is that they tune only one satellite at a time, and you're out of luck if each receiver wants to be used t watch programs that are on different satellites.

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/winegard-travler-dish-1000-multi-satellite-tv-antenna/37341

The Trav'ler is a great choice that will support any Dish receiver, but it is subject to the usual roof mount restrictions such as tree cover. It's also a western arc only dish, which can also be limiting for aiming options as well losing out on some local stations in the eastern part of the country. And then there's the cost...

What about the portable automatic?  It's a lot cheaper?  If there are trees you can put it in the right location?  Does Winegard make a portable automatic?  What is on it's way out?

Msbudlite said:

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/winegard-travler-dish-1000-multi-satellite-tv-antenna/37341

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going to check out dish4myrv for sure.