which satellite dish to buy...help?

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Parttymer - Well, if you don't need in-motion, why do you want a dome?  Why not go with MotoSat that handles both DirecTV and Dish TV?  And, have you decided which one you want?

Maverickbbd - What is a b band connection?  Never heard of it before.  Ka band and Ku band are two of the bands widely used in satellite TV.  Previously they mostly used C band.  Is this the type of band to which you're referring?

ArdraF
 
ArdraF said:
Parttymer - Well, if you don't need in-motion, why do you want a dome?  Why not go with MotoSat that handles both DirecTV and Dish TV?  And, have you decided which one you want?

Maverickbbd - What is a b band connection?  Never heard of it before.  Ka band and Ku band are two of the bands widely used in satellite TV.  Previously they mostly used C band.  Is this the type of band to which you're referring?

ArdraF
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The Winegard isn't a dome.  I think the B band converters are little doo hickies (pardon the technical jargon) which just screw onto the inputs of the HD receiver and they came with mine from DirecTv.
 
A B-band converter is required to receive Ka band signals on a DirecTV HD receiver.  See this web page for the details.  It is not required to receive SD only or Ku band only programming.
 
The new Winegard Sk-3005 will be delivered tomorrow. I plan to install it myself after we get back from our trip to Boston, Cooperstown, and Niagara Falls. I couldn't find the $1100.00 one someone mentioned, but I did find one on ebay that was $1494.00 with $75.00 shipping. I sent an email offering $1290.00 with free shipping and they accepted as long as I ordered it direct instead of ebay.  Best deal I could find, but there are probably better ones out there.

Thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions. I'll be back in a couple of weeks with lots of installation questions!!  ;D
 
Just remember a couple of tihngs

1: You need a ground mount (Tripod) type dish.. This is not an option less you never go to the land of trees and forests

2: It is way easier to change antenna if you put a cheap (Less than 10 bucks) A/B switch near the receiver's LNB in  Wire as follows

A: To the roof, up A-bove
B: to the Bulkhead or Basement connection for the ground hugging antenna
The remaining terminal goes to the LNB in on the sat receiver

One switch per LNB in

To switch to ground mount when parked under the evil signal eating tree

HOOK UP antenna first.. Slap switch(es) to "B"

IF DirecTV: Reset the receiver and then point
If DISHnetwork: Point antenna then do CHECK SWITCH

In both cases best antenna pointing meter is a small battery operated color TV and the antenna pointing page on the Sat Receiver.. Way better than any other meter I've seen save perhaps a Bird Dog.. DISHnetwork receivers are as good as the BD.
 
I'm waiting for all this to move over to the internet or google LOL... it is such a crazy racket...  I mean it's just TV and a few movies and yet we have to buy $1000 to $2000 antennas, $400 receivers, DVRs, coax, amplifiers, pay monthly fees of $120/mo, 2 year obligations, early termination fees, PPV for $6, pay for channels we never (ever) watch, rates going up every year, legaleze that takes a lawyer to understand, more porno channels than news, etc, etc, etc.  On top of everything, the best deals go to the new subscribers instead of the steady customers.  How did we ever get to this conundrum?

Sorry for the rant.
 
Exactly Taoshun!!

I remember when it first came out...cable.  $12.00 a month and NO commercials. Then a couple of years later...a commercial right in the middle of a classis on AMC. I called them and asked what gives? They said subscriber fees were not enough to offset costs. Do you think they asked ME or anyone else if we'd pay more. Heck no!

The rest is history. The biggest scam ever foisted on the American public. (Well, right up there anyway!)  I pay money to watch someone try to sell me something. Think about that for a minute.

:(
 
OTA antennas offer programing free of charge just as they always have.  IMO its our desire to have the latest, greatest, biggest, best that brings the big price tags.  ;)
 
Orick said:
OTA antennas offer programing free of charge just as they always have.  IMO its our desire to have the latest, greatest, biggest, best that brings the big price tags.  ;)
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except in France, for example, for $19/mo they get hi speed internet, 100 channelsl of TV and phones.  How is that possible?
 
taoshum said:
except in France, for example, for $19/mo they get hi speed internet, 100 channelsl of TV and phones.  How is that possible?
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Because they're a socialist country and their taxes are sky high?
 
Atta boy Jimmy, always look on the bright side :)
 
parttymer said:
Exactly Taoshum!!
  I pay money to watch someone try to sell me something. Think about that for a minute. :(
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Pretty soon, as soon as you "open" the channel, they will assume you want to buy it unless you call and "opt out".  Just wait, it's coming.  LOL
 
First, thanks for all the help from everyone.

The Winegard SK-3005 is installed and functioning great with DirecTV in HD. It even locks in on the satellites through the trees in our driveway.

We talked to DirecTV billing department, and since our only service is to the MH (we have cable at home because of the aforementioned trees) they will allow us to "suspend" service.

The 2 year commitment is counted only while we have service activated. We are allowed to suspend 2 times in a 12 month period, however, when we activate, it must be for a minimum of 60 days each time. There is no early termination fee for this privilege. This works perfectly for us, as we will be putting the MH in winter storage by the end of October and going on "suspension" on Nov 25th..the soonest we can stop this time because the service just started on 9-25 and we have to meet the 60 day rule. In April, when we come out of storage, we will activate, and be good until the following October.

It seems great right now. We'll see. I will update with any problems.

Stan
 
BernieD said:
I'm not surprised since I didn't have my brain in full gear. I was trying to say Kingdome can't provide a DirecTV HD signal, neither the stationary or mobile models.
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As far as I'm concerned KD is not worth power to blow to hell. Just the slightest rain and our picture goes away. And all I've gotten from KD is the  giant run around.
 
None of the domes are much good in the rain. Or even a heavy dew. Some of the high end models have a heater built in to help dispel condensation, but even that won't do any good if it rains.  It's the price you pay for the convenience of a dome. If you want a more reliable reception, get an open face dish.
 
The Winegard SK-3005 is installed and functioning great with DirecTV in HD. It even locks in on the satellites through the trees in our driveway.

Did you install yourself?  Also, did you remove the old system yourself?  If the answer to both is "yes", could you provide detailed info as to how you did it?  I'm getting ready to do the same and am not qualified to do it myself.  I have seen some great deails on various forums, but none that could help me with removing the old system.
 
taoshum said:
I'm waiting for all this to move over to the internet or google LOL... it is such a crazy racket...  I mean it's just TV and a few movies and yet we have to buy $1000 to $2000 antennas, $400 receivers, DVRs, coax, amplifiers, pay monthly fees of $120/mo, 2 year obligations, early termination fees, PPV for $6, pay for channels we never (ever) watch, rates going up every year, legaleze that takes a lawyer to understand, more porno channels than news, etc, etc, etc.  On top of everything, the best deals go to the new subscribers instead of the steady customers.  How did we ever get to this conundrum?

Sorry for the rant.
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i guess i am just an old fuddy-duddy................ don't care if it is HD  or SD  or evan  black and white......................
i am not a full-timer so the TV is not very important to me.  i have the king dome and i carry a old 18" dish, (free) for when trees get in the way. just use a receiver from my house for direct tv,  don't know why all the fuss about HD, i can hardly tell the diff. bad eyes i guess.

besides i am a cheapo........................ 300.00 for the dome free 18" dish. 190.00  for a 20" hd tv......................no way will i spring for over a grand for a dish, automatic or not. i could be just as happy with just the OTA TV stations.  TV time at my camper is maybe two hours a day, not worth the investment. IMO


bob
 
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