Satellite Converter Box - Home/RV use

Stryker · 03-15-2010, 03:43 AM

Wondering if anyone has experience using a Directv satellite converter box from home while on the road?

Can I pick up a surplus dish and tripod for my travel trailer and then bring one of my converter boxes from home while I'm on the road?

Since the box is registered to me, it seems like I should be able to use it wherever I want. I'm just curious if anyone else has tried this.

Thanks!

MightyMike · 03-15-2010, 05:28 AM

Yup, that's what you do. You need the map to get the different zone #'s to put in, then you need to change the receiver for the zip code you're in. When I had problems getting mine to work, only hassle was DirecTv tech support isn't in on wwekends. Also need to know where to point the dish.

rockwood06 · 03-15-2010, 06:01 AM

I take my box from home as well, but I don't change the zip code. I like to know what is going on in my area while I am away as far as local channels with the news & weather.

NWJeeper · 03-15-2010, 09:51 AM

We do the same with our Dish Network receiver. Take it out of our bedroom and put it in the rig when we hit the road.

**Herk7769** · 03-17-2010, 03:58 PM

2010 update to this thread. Changing the zipcode no longer works.

No way to get loacl channels while on the road that I am aware of. ANYONE who has cracked this code, PLEASE let me know how to do it.

BENTE · 03-17-2010, 06:29 PM

don't know the zip code thing but i never get far enough away from my house for it to matter.

but i did ask a question about this some time ago. i had took my box from my bedroom and left it in the camper. well dtv sends out a pulse to recievers from time to time and if all of your boxes are not hooked up it will disable the box. you have to get it reset. i asked a pal of mine about it he told me all about it. mine works well and will continue to. if anyone has problems with their box being diabled send me a pm i will help you out

dano 2 · 03-17-2010, 07:11 PM

The zip code thing is to give the direction of the dish. If you travel long distances from home the local channels may be a problem. I've not traveled far enough to lose locals so far, but I'm sure that is the situation.

rockwood06 · 03-17-2010, 08:25 PM

I don't know how far one has to go out of ones zip code but I get my local channels 150 miles away and I am out of state. If the box is disabled you can reset the box your self, open the little door where the card is you will see a little black button all you have to do is press it in and then wait a little while as the system resets. If you still have a problem then you must call Direct TV, they have an 800 number for tech support, at this time they will reactivate your box while you are on the phone with them. The box that I keep in the camper has to be reactived ever Spring because I do not use this one in the house, it stays in the camper all Winter unplugged. When it is unplugged the box can not get It's up date from Direct TV and when Direct TV sees that that box can not recieve the up dates then the box is disabled. Now if the box is in use but not plug into a phone line then you are restricted from buying movies on screen. The phone line is how Direct TV bills you for the movies you watch, they pull the data from the box then send you the bill. When you plug the box into a phone line it takes 24 hours for them to pull all of the info after the 24 hour period then you can unplug the phone line from the box and buy movies, but you are limited to how many you can buy before you have to plug the box back into the phone line. They will let you know on screen when you have reached your limit.

NWJeeper · 03-17-2010, 08:31 PM

With Dish Network the local channels are broadcast on what they term a "spot beam" You will receive your local channels within about 150 to 200 miles of your home location on that beam, once you get too far from it you won't get them anymore.

Also, with Dish the zip code entry was only to tell you where to point the dish for signal. It has nothing to do with your programming. Newer receivers for Dish don't even have the zip code calculator in them anymore. I had to download a program for the computer which I used to put the local zip code into and it would tell me the azimuth and elevation for my dish.

When we bought our Georgetown however I installed an automatic Dish Trav'ler system. All I do now is push a button and it finds the birds itself.

MightyMike · 03-18-2010, 01:07 AM

Only had to do the zip code thing when I left PA and went to SC,-650 miles from home. There were different zones listed in the back of the book, but I don't remember if that was for the Vucube or the box. My wife & daughter in law always get a kick out of my son and I trying to figure this thing out- constatly get "searching for signal". That's now our family Tv joke!

piscesman · 03-18-2010, 11:19 AM

Re: DirecTV and mobile service. It now appears that DirecTV has a rather complicated way of monitoring mobile receiver use. They are getting sticky especially if you have MORE THAN ONE RECEIVER BOX attached to your account. If you take your home receiver with you, you may only get network channels (ABC, NBC, etc.) from your local stations. Apparently you can sign up for Distant Network Service (DNS) which will give you network feeds from either NYC or LA (based on your local time zone). If you have MORE THAN ONE RECEIVER, they will try to get you to open a second account. I am planning to take my single receiver with me this summer...making no changes or declarations to my account...will have to wait to see how it works. Go to DirecTV.com and search "mobile" for the latest info.

doctort44 · 03-18-2010, 02:32 PM

I'm on Direct TV. I take the receiver out of my bedroom with me all the time. How would they know that you didn't have it connected at home? It's only a receiving device, not a transmitter, and unless it's a DVR, it doesn't have to be connected to a phone line (that particular one is never on a phone line). If you leave it unconnected too long (days) it will not get it's periodic update signal and you will have to call and get it re-initialized. But as long as it's connected and receiving most of the time, it will just keep on doing what it does.

cfsoistman · 03-18-2010, 02:35 PM

I have a DirecTv Tivo Receiver in my motorhome and 2 HD DVRs in my house. Each one has the capabilities of recording any thing. I pay an additional $5.95 / month for the second unit in the house and the same for the one in the motorhome. The $5 /month for DVR service covers all three. I keep it all year because I use the one out in the motorhome for watching football. There's no second account just adding the motorhome as another room receiver. I get still get my local channels when we're within 150-170 miles of the stations. When we go to Myrtle Beach I don't receive my local TV. I just plug into the cable there and get the local stations in that area. I have to change the zip code so the dish will locate the satelites. Best part of having the DVR is we record a bunch of stuff and if there's a problem we have plenty to watch.

slpybeartx · 03-20-2010, 12:29 PM

We have a DirecTV DVR in our bedroom that we take with us on the road when we are camping.

It plugs into a VuQube 1000 model and both SatTV, DVR, and Local Channels work just fine.

If you spring some extra money for the VuQube 2000 you even get dual LNB and can record one show and watch another at the sametime.

piscesman · 04-08-2010, 05:27 PM

Here is a link to give you azimuth and bearing for almost any satellite...anywhere....even works for Canada!

http://www.dishpointer.com/

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