What Satellite Provider to go with?

[bbcutright]

We love our Dish at home, but at some point expect rate hikes. They offer a 3 year no hike guarantee now to new customers.
Satellite dish for camping can run close to $500 including the receiver you need but only $7 a month for service and can turn on and off only when you need it if you have home service. Go with the I think pathfinder x2 so you have two satellites you can point to depending on location.

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by RSchleder

Dish with proper sat.dish = HD
Directv with any sat. dish = SD

Pretty easy choice, if you must have HD, go with DISH, if SD works for you, go with DIRECTV!

Sorry, but this is simply not true. I use a DIRECTV HD antenna and get HD programming with the HD receivers I use with my HD antenna at home.

[BandJCarm]

If RSchedler had said any AUTOMATIC dish with Direct is SD only, that would be almost true.........except for the Travel'r. But I have a Slimline LNB5 DirecTV oval dish, and an HR24 receiver. They do get HD signals in the camper just fine, WHENEVER I FIGURE OUT HOW TO POINT THE DISH PROPERLY.

I have Dishpointer Pro app on my smartphone. It helps point in general direction. Finding exact satellites is a chore, at least for me. I guess it's a 'learned art'.......but I can't seem to learn it.

I'd pay two dollars for a good hands-on training class on how to do it. I've investigated $400 Satellite Finding Meters, but that's a lot of change. I've investigated a Travl'r automatic dish, but I need it to be portable!

If I had DISH service at home, that's what I'd use in the camper. I don't, and I'm not switching from DirecTV to DISH just for the camper. And the Dish "Pay as you go" feature did not work for me, on THREE separate tries. They simply cancelled me and said I owed several months back fees, all 3 times! NO more.

So, I keep DirecTV, keep my LNB5 Slimline, and will somehow, someday, with sufficient help, learn to point it in less than 4 hours!

[helferdm]

We like Direct because of their RV option, which Dish doesn't offer. Specifically, network feeds from both coasts and free account "freezing" when not in use. Dish says we're to call wherever we happen to be and they'll change our package to include the locals available at that zip code. One disadvantage to Direct: we've a Winegard automatic antenna which is not HD-capable and do not think it worth the money to upgrade. Many Dish channels are HD. As someone noted earlier, portable Dish antennae are much less expensive. For the channel package we like, Direct is about $20/cheaper. BTW, we use Dish at home and Direct in the moho - Direct cannot access the necessary satellites at the house due to tree cover.

[KingFisher]

Originally Posted by bbcutright

We love our Dish at home, but at some point expect rate hikes. They offer a 3 year no hike guarantee now to new customers.
Satellite dish for camping can run close to $500 including the receiver you need but only $7 a month for service and can turn on and off only when you need it if you have home service. Go with the I think pathfinder x2 so you have two satellites you can point to depending on location.

Something I've always wondered, is your service at home still active when you're using your service in your camper?

Let's say I'm gone in the camper and using the satellite for $7 a month, and my wife stays home, can she still view dish tv?

[Middleburg Redneck]

I use DirecTV. I have the Wineguard Travl'r HD dish set up for 2 TVs mounted on the roof of my RV. When I get to the site the first thing I do is power up the antenna and let it find the sats. I do pay extra for the national feeds. I like this in the fall for football. When I am not in my RV I just suspend the service. Depending on the set up DirecTV can be a whole lot more expensive than Dish if you want HD. My antenna with professional install cost about $3000.00. I travel a whole lot for work so with the per diem I receive, going this route was a no brainer for me. Also, I can be in limbo for two to three weeks between jobs so being able to watch what I want when I want no matter where I am in the country is a nice benefit. I have used DirecTV at home for a very long time and have been very pleased with the customer service and quality of programming. I like all the sports packages that they have and love NFL Sunday Ticket. I have viewed Dish at friend's houses and have not been as impressed with the picture quality. Sure, it is a personal preference for me - I just prefer DirecTV.

Dish is the much easier and cheaper option if you want HD. Using a portable antenna means you don't have to worry about trees or other obstructions. You take it outside, turn it on, and let it do it's thing while you set up your site. Just buy a long cable tether so you can lock it to your RV to keep the very, very, occasional less than stellar RVer from "borrowing" it for a while. If you are just looking for something to watch when the weather is bad or to catch the news or ESPN in the morning and at night then I suggest Dish.

[TxLightkeeper]

Originally Posted by KingFisher

Something I've always wondered, is your service at home still active when you're using your service in your camper?

Let's say I'm gone in the camper and using the satellite for $7 a month, and my wife stays home, can she still view dish tv?

Yes, there is no effect to your home service while you are camping, the $7 is a receiver fee that allows you access to your programing package, no matter where you are viewing it from. Same as viewing different receivers at home.

[slide5r4fun]

Originally Posted by Mr. Dan

Sorry, but this is simply not true. I use a DIRECTV HD antenna and get HD programming with the HD receivers I use with my HD antenna at home.

X2

[BandJCarm]

Originally Posted by Middleburg Redneck

I use DirecTV. I have the Wineguard Travl'r HD dish set up for 2 TVs mounted on the roof of my RV. When I get to the site the first thing I do is power up the antenna and let it find the sats. I do pay extra for the national feeds. I like this in the fall for football. When I am not in my RV I just suspend the service. Depending on the set up DirecTV can be a whole lot more expensive than Dish if you want HD. My antenna with professional install cost about $3000.00. I travel a whole lot for work so with the per diem I receive, going this route was a no brainer for me. Also, I can be in limbo for two to three weeks between jobs so being able to watch what I want when I want no matter where I am in the country is a nice benefit. I have used DirecTV at home for a very long time and have been very pleased with the customer service and quality of programming. I like all the sports packages that they have and love NFL Sunday Ticket. I have viewed Dish at friend's houses and have not been as impressed with the picture quality. Sure, it is a personal preference for me - I just prefer DirecTV.

Dish is the much easier and cheaper option if you want HD. Using a portable antenna means you don't have to worry about trees or other obstructions. You take it outside, turn it on, and let it do it's thing while you set up your site. Just buy a long cable tether so you can lock it to your RV to keep the very, very, occasional less than stellar RVer from "borrowing" it for a while. If you are just looking for something to watch when the weather is bad or to catch the news or ESPN in the morning and at night then I suggest Dish.

Well, DISH is not a cheaper option when you have DirecTV at home and taking a receiver from home is basically free......versus setting up a separate DISH account solely for the RV for $90 a month (which is what mine cost me), only to find that they cancel your account every single time you try to suspend it. That wasn't cheaper.........it was high dollar just to get an automatic physical dish.

I will just have to learn how to point the DirecTV dish and get by cheap.

[spock123]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

If RSchedler had said any AUTOMATIC dish with Direct is SD only, that would be almost true.........except for the Travel'r. But I have a Slimline LNB5 DirecTV oval dish, and an HR24 receiver. They do get HD signals in the camper just fine, WHENEVER I FIGURE OUT HOW TO POINT THE DISH PROPERLY.

I have Dishpointer Pro app on my smartphone. It helps point in general direction. Finding exact satellites is a chore, at least for me. I guess it's a 'learned art'.......but I can't seem to learn it.

I'd pay two dollars for a good hands-on training class on how to do it. I've investigated $400 Satellite Finding Meters, but that's a lot of change. I've investigated a Travl'r automatic dish, but I need it to be portable!

If I had DISH service at home, that's what I'd use in the camper. I don't, and I'm not switching from DirecTV to DISH just for the camper. And the Dish "Pay as you go" feature did not work for me, on THREE separate tries. They simply cancelled me and said I owed several months back fees, all 3 times! NO more.

So, I keep DirecTV, keep my LNB5 Slimline, and will somehow, someday, with sufficient help, learn to point it in less than 4 hours!

What I do with Directv is turn the receiver on, then I set up the antenna. I go into the menu on the receiver and find out where you set the zip code, once I set the zip code where I'm at, it gives me the information I need. It tells me the tilt, elevation and azimuth. I set the tilt and elevation, then I call my wife on my phone and we put the phones on speaker. I also use my phone to get the azimuth and then it's just a matter of listening for the beats. From getting the antenna out to getting a signal and getting me a beer takes no more than thirty minutes. The more you set up the antenna the better you get. The only thing I don't like about Direc is the price


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[Ford Idaho]

Can you get pay as you go without home service?

[lbrjet]

Mr Dan, my previous post was directed to the OP since he/she appeared disgusted with ATT.

To the prior poster, yes you can use Dish Pay as you Go without home service. I just use my Tailgater when we are traveling 3 months a year. My package runs $70 a month.


2010 F250 5.4L 3.73
2011 Flagstaff 831FKBSS
Equal-i-zer 4pt 12K

[BandJCarm]

Originally Posted by Ford Idaho

Can you get pay as you go without home service?

Again............DISH says you can, and apparently some folks have no issue with doing just that. But I've tried on three separate occasions to get it, and every single time I would pay for one month, then next month I'd not go camping, and not use it. They'd send a bill for an overdue month. I'd call and say "HEY! I'm an RV account, pay as you go". They would either A) close my account, totally, including my online account access or B) tell me to pay up two months worth of back billed amount and they'd turn it back on.

All that, and I'm talking to India every time to boot! "Thank for you to give service to us so that gleanings of happiness can abound for your DISH account, and I apologize for any inconvenience. Please to be leaving your call to discuss this at this time. Goodbye". Or something similar!

Yes, I know........not what others have experienced. But after 3 times of same thing I ditched 'em. And, I was paying DirecTV almost two big bills, and DISH wanted $90 for the basic account plus Regional Sports so I could watch Cardinals (the reason to have a TV!!!)........... and $90 for an account that was cancelled every other month was not worth it. I sold the stuff and am going to learn to do DirecTV and pay nothing.........

P.S.
See, the guy above posted while I was......and he has no problem with making Dish understand pay as you go. So, the problem is clearly ME! Still, ME is not happy with it! I did just what he did the first time, and the next time I tried to activate it, they wanted several months back payments first!

[spock123]

I use the receiver from home, I'm under contract from Direc so use it. I can't pick up the local channels, I use the campers antenna for that. DW loves Satellite tv


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[spock123]

When I used Dish I used my Tailgater, no problem with ever getting a signal


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[lbrjet]

If you are going to use Dish every other month the easiest thing to do is to suspend your account then reactivate when ready. Their billing system does leave a lot to be desired. They will bill you for the next two months after your month ends then the bills go away. I have restarted my account 4 times now without issue.


2010 F250 5.4L 3.73
2011 Flagstaff 831FKBSS
Equal-i-zer 4pt 12K

[BandJCarm]

Originally Posted by lbrjet

If you are going to use Dish every other month the easiest thing to do is to suspend your account then reactivate when ready. Their billing system does leave a lot to be desired. They will be you for the next two months after your month ends then the bills go away. I have restarted my account 4 times now without issue.


2010 F250 5.4L 3.73
2011 Flagstaff 831FKBSS
Equal-i-zer 4pt 12K

Yes sir, I appreciate your trying to help me! I do.

I did try and suspend the account.......but that action (suspending), per DISH, can only be for 6 months at a time, max. When I did it, I was done camping in August and wasn't going to go back till April. They said "Nope, you can't just suspend, sorry". There was also some max number of times you could suspend in one year.......honestly I forget what that number was.

[Ford Idaho]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

Again............DISH says you can, and apparently some folks have no issue with doing just that. But I've tried on three separate occasions to get it, and every single time I would pay for one month, then next month I'd not go camping, and not use it. They'd send a bill for an overdue month. I'd call and say "HEY! I'm an RV account, pay as you go". They would either A) close my account, totally, including my online account access or B) tell me to pay up two months worth of back billed amount and they'd turn it back on.

All that, and I'm talking to India every time to boot! "Thank for you to give service to us so that gleanings of happiness can abound for your DISH account, and I apologize for any inconvenience. Please to be leaving your call to discuss this at this time. Goodbye". Or something similar!

Yes, I know........not what others have experienced. But after 3 times of same thing I ditched 'em. And, I was paying DirecTV almost two big bills, and DISH wanted $90 for the basic account plus Regional Sports so I could watch Cardinals (the reason to have a TV!!!)........... and $90 for an account that was cancelled every other month was not worth it. I sold the stuff and am going to learn to do DirecTV and pay nothing.........

P.S.
See, the guy above posted while I was......and he has no problem with making Dish understand pay as you go. So, the problem is clearly ME! Still, ME is not happy with it! I did just what he did the first time, and the next time I tried to activate it, they wanted several months back payments first!

I can live without the television but the other one of us will not under any conditions do without.



Way more money than I wanna pay out......

[BandJCarm]

And I apologize to all interested parties to this, for dominating the complaints here. I just have had such poor luck getting satellite service that it's a major frustration item for me when camping. But I didn't mean to cause all the 'eye rolling' that I'm sure is going on. I won't bring it up again.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

[89tta500]

We use directv. Started in our class a. Bought a home dish and stand on craigslist cheap. Used one of our home receivers and worked great. When we moved to our new 5th wheel we were able to use our genie and got upgraded to two wireless genie clients. They are great for rv's as we can move the tv to any of our patios without wiring. Only need one cable to main genie and can run i believe at least four wireless clients. We can record 5 shows and watch 1. As stated earlier the dish is pretty easy to set up with some practice. As far as local channels we call directv when we get settled and change the zipcode. All channels are hd that are available just like home.