Newbie considering satellite TV reception - Page 2

DutchF · 03-25-2014, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NO3putt

Just a note, it's a no no with the feds to use a home account in a RV, but many do.

Also your local stations at home will not be recieved once you get out of your local spot beam.

The first statement is false. Any restriction like this is that provider's policy and not a federal issue (read that FCC). If you have any doubt, call DirecTV and ask. This is exactly why we do have DirecTV. Because you can take your Home DVR with you in your RV.

The second statement is part true, BUT... In the case of DirecTV, you simply call customer server and have your "service address" change to where you are camping. There is no cost, it takes about 20 minutes and you can do it as often as you like. I know, because we do it. Then, you get the local channels for the market you are camping at.

We live in DFW and go to El Paso. I call while we are in transit and when we get there an I set up, we have local El Paso channels in HD. When we go down south to Conroe, I call while we are in transit and when we get there and setup, we get Houston's local channels, in HD.

boowho · 03-25-2014, 07:01 PM

I'd bet anything that if your bill is paid regularly (first time EVERY time) and you've been doing it for years, even the CEO of Dish would give a wink and a nod to me having no permanent home location.

They are in business to make money. My guess would be that the stupid DVR (VIP711) has had it's life amortized out within a year or two after they ship it to me new. In other words, I could quit paying today, and they've already gotten a good ROI on my DVR unit.

JMO... YMMV.

Boowho??

62_inrightlane · 03-25-2014, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DutchF

The first statement is false. Any restriction like this is that provider's policy and not a federal issue (read that FCC). If you have any doubt, call DirecTV and ask. This is exactly why we do have DirecTV. Because you can take your Home DVR with you in your RV.

The second statement is part true, BUT... In the case of DirecTV, you simply call customer server and have your "service address" change to where you are camping. There is no cost, it takes about 20 minutes and you can do it as often as you like. I know, because we do it. Then, you get the local channels for the market you are camping at.

We live in DFW and go to El Paso. I call while we are in transit and when we get there an I set up, we have local El Paso channels in HD. When we go down south to Conroe, I call while we are in transit and when we get there and setup, we get Houston's local channels, in HD.

I also do the exact same thing.

I-RV · 03-26-2014, 12:52 PM

Since I started this thread a couple days ago, so many have responded with their suggestions and I am most thankful. I am leaning towards the portable tripod antenna with Dish Pay As You Go. I have not investigated all the Dish terms and what you get with the Pay As You Go. For instance, do they rent the receiver or can it be bought out-right. Does the receiver have a built-in DVR?

TURBS · 03-26-2014, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I-RV

Since I started this thread a couple days ago, so many have responded with their suggestions and I am most thankful. I am leaning towards the portable tripod antenna with Dish Pay As You Go. I have not investigated all the Dish terms and what you get with the Pay As You Go. For instance, do they rent the receiver or can it be bought out-right. Does the receiver have a built-in DVR?

You can buy a receiver outright.
Such as "ebay" which is where I bought mine.

If you get a dvr "outright" dish does charge a 5.00 or 7.00 monthly fee for dvr service.

I have a std definition receiver non hd if you or anyone else is interested.

I can get the model number tonight but I think its a 612.

I own it outright and it does not have any pending charges on it.

TURBS
Sabre owners united!

CSMRetired · 03-26-2014, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B and B

Places like this.....

South is thru the trees at the front of the site. This our favourite site at the Inverhuron Provincial Park.

Here comes the 'yeah but' factor....yeah, but if you had a site like that, why on earth would you even need a TV

CSMRetired · 03-26-2014, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I-RV

Since I started this thread a couple days ago, so many have responded with their suggestions and I am most thankful. I am leaning towards the portable tripod antenna with Dish Pay As You Go. I have not investigated all the Dish terms and what you get with the Pay As You Go. For instance, do they rent the receiver or can it be bought out-right. Does the receiver have a built-in DVR?

We have a Dish reciever and Dish at home, you can do this two ways...their pay as you go plan, or do as we did, either way you need a reciver. All we did was purchase a VIP 211z reciever and we are piggy backing off our home account. IOW, we get the exact same channels we do at home except the local for $7.00 additional a month. It seemed to make more sense to us to spend $84.00 for the entire year vice spending the Forty or Fifty something for 'Pay as you go' that could add up.
For local channels when you get to your destination all you have to do ia call Dish give them an address and a zip code, then you get the local channels.
I understand some folks just pull a reciver from their home and accomplish the same thing. We bought ours outright from Dish for $99.00m you can get them at CW as well.

ng2951 · 03-26-2014, 01:42 PM

I haven't tried setting up HD on manual dish with DirectTV. SD is pretty easy and I don't really bother leveling the dish.

The biggest thing you need is your zipcode. You use the zipcode to determine the azimuth and elevation of the satellite. I can usually do it all in under 5 minutes.

I have found if you have the azimuth you can figure out the elevation in a minute or so, level or not. A good compass is what you really need.

Once you have the dish pointed in the correct direction, you just elevate the dish until you get a strong signal. Then you just fine tune the position for a really strong signal.

HD is suppose to be a little more difficult, never tried it. I have heard it is easier to do with Dish than Direct, but I have no personal experience.

TURBS · 03-26-2014, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ng2951

I haven't tried setting up HD on manual dish with DirectTV. SD is pretty easy and I don't really bother leveling the dish.

The biggest thing you need is your zipcode. You use the zipcode to determine the azimuth and elevation of the satellite. I can usually do it all in under 5 minutes.

I have found if you have the azimuth you can figure out the elevation in a minute or so, level or not. A good compass is what you really need.

Once you have the dish pointed in the correct direction, you just elevate the dish until you get a strong signal. Then you just fine tune the position for a really strong signal.

HD is suppose to be a little more difficult, never tried it. I have heard it is easier to do with Dish than Direct, but I have no personal experience.

I tune in hd and it is not as easy as std def but do-able.

Basically with std def your only aiming at one sat.
With high def you have to hit two sats with the same dish.

TURBS
Sabre owners united!

DutchF · 03-26-2014, 04:03 PM

I aim DirecTV for HD. It's really not hard. Take me about 10 minutes. The "trick" is to make darn sure the vertical mount post is VERTICAL. With that and the coordinates, adjust the screws on the aiming plates to the degree settings for skew and elevation and then turn the dish for azimuth. TV screen has excellent strength indicators. Voila! Grab a beer.

I-RV · 03-27-2014, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CSMRetired

We have a Dish reciever and Dish at home, you can do this two ways...their pay as you go plan, or do as we did, either way you need a reciver. All we did was purchase a VIP 211z reciever and we are piggy backing off our home account. IOW, we get the exact same channels we do at home except the local for $7.00 additional a month. It seemed to make more sense to us to spend $84.00 for the entire year vice spending the Forty or Fifty something for 'Pay as you go' that could add up.
For local channels when you get to your destination all you have to do ia call Dish give them an address and a zip code, then you get the local channels.
I understand some folks just pull a reciver from their home and accomplish the same thing. We bought ours outright from Dish for $99.00m you can get them at CW as well.

Wow, I am not sure that I am reading you right. You say that you pay only $84 a year, is that correct?

TURBS · 03-27-2014, 07:26 AM

107.00 a month here.....

TURBS
Sabre owners united!

CSMRetired · 03-27-2014, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I-RV

Wow, I am not sure that I am reading you right. You say that you pay only $84 a year, is that correct?

Yes, on top of our regular home subscription.....so just for the motorhome $84.00 a year

IOW, we get the exact same channels we do at home except the local for $7.00 additional a month. It seemed to make more sense to us to spend $84.00 for the entire year

ng2951 · 03-27-2014, 08:13 AM

Quote:

I tune in hd and it is not as easy as std def but do-able.

I think its like DutchF says and it is a lot more important to be level as there is more than one horn to aim.

One of the things I haven't seen is a cheap HD dish for DirectTV. The SD dish can be had for about $50, tripod and all.

I-RV · 03-27-2014, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CSMRetired

Yes, on top of our regular home subscription.....so just for the motorhome $84.00 a year

IOW, we get the exact same channels we do at home except the local for $7.00 additional a month. It seemed to make more sense to us to spend $84.00 for the entire year

Thank's for the reply and now I understand that the $84 is on top of your home service. This does not work for those like me that do not have home satellite.

I-RV · 03-28-2014, 07:44 AM

With regards to non-rooftop antennas, Winegard has portable automatic and tripod antennas. Besides the factors of price and automation, is there much difference in performance between the two categories?

I am looking at the Winegard TR-6100 because it does Dish HD and still puzzled over the portable automatics. I have noted that the TR-6100 has three receivers and the portables have two, but still can do HD. What is the advantage of the three receivers vs the two receive models?

Winegard offers the Dish VIP 211z receiver, so does the Receiver have to have the same internal number of Receivers as the antenna does?

2012 Berkshire 390BH

boowho · 03-28-2014, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I-RV

Since I started this thread a couple days ago, so many have responded with their suggestions and I am most thankful. I am leaning towards the portable tripod antenna with Dish Pay As You Go. I have not investigated all the Dish terms and what you get with the Pay As You Go. For instance, do they rent the receiver or can it be bought out-right. Does the receiver have a built-in DVR?

Depending upon how long you stay out each trip and how often you change CG locations, I'd recommend against the tripod. I did it for years in my semi truck, and while I got pretty good at aligning it, my auto align (Winegard Carryout) is a dream.

I only wish I'd bit the bullet and got the Travler but at almost double the price I didn't think it was worth it. Now I know different; MUCH less rain fade on the Travler and able to watch different channels from different "birds" at the same time.

Either way, it is WONDERFUL to make a quick overnight stop (like at Wally World, EG) and by the time the slides are out and jacks are down, it's already acquired the signal and I'm watching television.

Boowho??

boowho · 03-28-2014, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I-RV

With regards to non-rooftop antennas, Winegard has portable automatic and tripod antennas. Besides the factors of price and automation, is there much difference in performance between the two categories?

I am looking at the Winegard TR-6100 because it does Dish HD and still puzzled over the portable automatics. I have noted that the TR-6100 has three receivers and the portables have two, but still can do HD. What is the advantage of the three receivers vs the two receive models?

Winegard offers the Dish VIP 211z receiver, so does the Receiver have to have the same internal number of Receivers as the antenna does?

2012 Berkshire 390BH

Confused..... Did you mean LNB's instead of receivers? I've never seen an antenna with receivers built in.

One caveat..... The some (or maybe all) of the Winegard units will do HD, but ONLY from Dish, NOT DirectTV.

Boowho??

I-RV · 03-29-2014, 06:47 AM

Boohoo
I was only using the terminology that Winegard uses to describe their antennas. I believe they mean how many receivers that the antenna will accommodate and yes you are right on how many LNBs.

ironj · 03-29-2014, 08:41 AM

Dish uses three sats to broadcast so if u wanted all channels at once on 2 rec u need 3. A manual dish like the 500pro has 3 lbns AND outputs to plug in 3 recievers directly on the sat.....I guess technically a sat could function with one lbn...it would just have to reposition any/every time you changed channels to the various other sat channels

sent from fat fingers via a space dish thing with no regard to grammer.

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