Does anyone use a satellite dish?

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

Thanks Chuck! Actually we have read that on this forum before but every time our friends try to do that exact thing over the last few years they have no luck and end up at 'our house' to watch their program. And they bring beer.. so I'm happy



I'll forward this to them once more. Thanks again.

DIRECTV did this for me, too - changed my installation address for me... but I had to give the exact address of our RV park.

[jkoenig24]

Just watch the billing. Dish has screwed over MANY RVers quoting one price and then hitting you with a higher bill than what you agreed to. I haven't tried Direct so, I can not speak from experience about them.

[Barney007]

Mr. Dan I would be interested in knowing more about the genie receivers working on the road.

[Hugeez]

Originally Posted by DAISY BOYKIN

I use DirecTV. I also use a 18"X20" standard definition dish on a tripod. It depends which system you use, Direct or Dish Network. I take a receiver that works on standard definition with me. takes about 20 mins to set up. Or you can get one of the auto antenna pods for your system.

X2 but usually takes me more than 20 mins. Need to get a satellite meter.

[tomrob1161]

I use a King Quest Auto dish with Direct TV. It comes with a very small wire between the receiver and power unit. I couldn't get a good signal, the dealer said they have had problems with that small wire, they made up a standard RG6 cable wire, now it works great. Talked to tech at King Controls, he said he has been trying to get them to change that wire for a long time.

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by Barney007

Mr. Dan I would be interested in knowing more about the genie receivers working on the road.

When DW and I leave the house, there's no one left to watch TV so we take the Main Genie receiver from the family room and its remote control. At the campground, I place this receiver near the big TV in the entertainment center. I also pull the mini-Genie controller box, remote control and TV out of our bedroom. They go in the bedroom of the trailer.
My trailer has two satellite connections in the outside storage. I couldn't get Sat1 to work but, after a heap of experimentation, I got the Sat2 connection to work. I assume it had something to do with a splitter in the Sat1 line.
I remove the coax that connects to the trailer's entertainment center TV and use that coax to send the satellite signal to the bedroom TV (more later*). I use a secondary coax in the entertainment center (assume it goes to the Sat2 connection outside) to hook to the power inserter and splitter (both came with the DIRECTV HD antenna) and to the Main Genie. I run an HDMI cable from this receiver to the big TV. I connect a coax from the splitter to the
original coax that normally comes from the antenna (mentioned at * above). This coax transfers the satellite signal to other coax outlets including the bedroom and the outside storage bay. I run a coax from the antenna booster wall-plate in the bedroom to the mini-Genie and run an HDMI cable from that mini-receiver to the bedroom TV.

Read my posts in this thread. Be careful of reading other posts (I'm not being exclusive here) but many other posts are referring to DISH Network, etc.
http://www.forestriverforums.com/forums/f68/direct-tv-71149.html
It took me about 4 days to get this working the 1st time. Several issues:
- I wasn't seeing the elevation index marks on the antenna correctly.
- It was about 25 miles to a store where I could buy good quality coax parts.
- The trailer's coax wiring was squirrelly.
- I'm old.
Let me know if you have more questions.

EDIT: None of this changes my bill 1¢.

[DSMURPHY]

After ten years of using a Kingdom on two different trailers, we opted for the Winegard Trav'ler. We have Direct at home and take our HD box with us and one genie for the BR. One push of a button and the dish finds 3 satellites. Three weeks ago we camped for 2 days under very large oaks that blocked the satellite. The campground had no cable. (City Park in Orlando) We dialed in local over the air digital channels for the news and caught up on several recorded shows on the HD box. The Trav'ler was pricey but now have the easy setup and HD.

[MilCop4523]

POLES AND HOLDERS SELLS A LADDER ATTACHMENT FOR LARRED CONNECTION

Poles and Holders :: Mounts :: Ladder Mount for Satellite Dish - Your place for Flag Poles, Flags and Mountings

GETS BETTER RECEPTION DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION OF THE PROVIDER'S satellites.

We use Sat finder 3D for the app.

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by MilCop4523

POLES AND HOLDERS SELLS A LADDER ATTACHMENT FOR LARRED CONNECTION

Poles and Holders :: Mounts :: Ladder Mount for Satellite Dish - Your place for Flag Poles, Flags and Mountings

GETS BETTER RECEPTION DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION OF THE PROVIDER'S satellites.

We use Sat finder 3D for the app.

Sorry. What is a "LARRED CONNECTION"?

[5picker]

Originally Posted by Mr. Dan

Sorry. What is a "LARRED CONNECTION"?

It's the kind of connection you get when you cross dyslexia with 'fat finger typing.'

LARRED = LADDER

[mayfieldh]

Mr. Dan, I didn't know you could use a Genie on the road. So are you saying as long as you take the MAIN box on the road you can use the Genie. If so, then upgrading to the Genie system was the reason I didn't want to upgrade my entire system at home.

[MilCop4523]

Originally Posted by Mr. Dan

Sorry. What is a "LARRED CONNECTION"?

auto correction failure

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by mayfieldh

Mr. Dan, I didn't know you could use a Genie on the road. So are you saying as long as you take the MAIN box on the road you can use the Genie. If so, then upgrading to the Genie system was the reason I didn't want to upgrade my entire system at home.

DIRECTV peddler told me I could so I do. Works great!
Yes, I take the Main box and a mini.

[Avan]

Originally Posted by W5CI

I have the Dish Network TailGater which I use with a dish Receiver taken from my home, this combo results in no Extra charges per month, when I return home I just plug the receiver back up here at home.

Which receiver do you take from home the Joey or the Hopper, I'm guessing it's the Hopper because the Joey depends on it.

Is this correct?

Thank You!

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by Avan

Which receiver do you take from home the Joey or the Hopper, I'm guessing it's the Hopper because the Joey depends on it. You would have to use a stationary dish like the one at your house.

Is this correct?

Thank You!

Tailgater does not work with the hopper system. Unfortunately. You can Google for the list of receivers that it does work with. You would have to use a stationary dish like the one at your house.

[OswegoLion]

Does anyone use the Winneguard G2 Direc TV dome satellite. It seems to get great ratings.

[blujay40]

Originally Posted by OswegoLion

Does anyone use the Winneguard G2 Direc TV dome satellite. It seems to get great ratings.

In case you are not aware, this portable "dome" dish (and ALL other DirecTV compatible "dome" dishes) only receive SD signals and can ONLY be used with non-SWM receivers, so a Genie or any newer DirecTV receiver will NOT work. I have also read that as of 2019, DirecTV/ATT will be phasing out SD all together so it may make that dish obsolete as well.

In any case, if you still wish to pursue this particular domed dish, or any of the other more portable dishes that auto lock, here is a link to give you an idea of the receiver models that would work with it.

DIRECTV MRV / SWM / DECA Receiver Compatibility Chart

Sadly, DirecTV has never been as "user friendly" as Dish has been when it comes to RV setups, and their subscriptions are in most cases, more expensive than Dish. That is why I believe that Dish users are more prevalent in RV's, at least from what I see around.

If you want to use newer DirecTV SWM receivers like most already have in their homes nowadays, there are ONLY two ways to do it in an RV setup. If you require one that will auto lock onto the satellites, the ONLY one that is SWM compatible is the roof mounted SWM compatible Winegard Traveler .

Winegard TRAV'LER Tech Specs

It will run you about 1200-1500 dollars and is permanently mounted on the roof of your RV, which also requires you to be in a spot where you have an unobstructed view of the southern sky wherever you park. I suppose you could try to construct some kind of ground based mount for it but I haven't heard or seen of anyone trying it, or if it would even work at all in that type of setup. It weighs a little over 50# so not something that can easily be toted around either.

Your only other choice is to use a tripod or some other type of home made mount that can use the home style Slimline dish with a SWM LNB. There are dozens of setups out there for sale for around 100-200 bucks. I suggest this site where the operators are very helpful in getting you what you need.

TV4RV: Satellite - Tripod - Slimline - Dish - DirectTV: satellite and Internet for RV - Recreational Vehicles - RVers - DishTV - Satellite Dish - FTA - Tripod

Going this route will also require you to bone up on the process of setting up the dish and aiming it manually. It isn't that hard and most that do it, get it down to 15 minutes or so after a few times.

HTH and good luck!

[Chuck.C]

Originally Posted by Mr. Dan

DIRECTV did this for me, too - changed my installation address for me... but I had to give the exact address of our RV park.

Actually, you can use any address that's in the general area, it's just to set you to the right "spot" for locals. They keep this on their history, so next time, if you go to another park in the area, you can tell them to use the same address.

Originally Posted by Hugeez

X2 but usually takes me more than 20 mins. Need to get a satellite meter.

Don't expect too much from the meter. Most of them don't know one satellite from another, and you may be homing in an the wrong one. I find it easier to make the prescribed settings and then have someone watch the signal strength on TV while I move the antenna around for the strongest signal, then cycle through the three satellites till all work well.

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by Chuck.C

Actually, you can use any address that's in the general area, it's just to set you to the right "spot" for locals. They keep this on their history, so next time, if you go to another park in the area, you can tell them to use the same address.

Don't expect too much from the meter. Most of them don't know one satellite from another, and you may be homing in an the wrong one. I find it easier to make the prescribed settings and then have someone watch the signal strength on TV while I move the antenna around for the strongest signal, then cycle through the three satellites till all work well.

Maybe I should have said I had to give an actual exact mailing address.

[Hugeez]

Originally Posted by Chuck.C

Actually, you can use any address that's in the general area, it's just to set you to the right "spot" for locals. They keep this on their history, so next time, if you go to another park in the area, you can tell them to use the same address.

Don't expect too much from the meter. Most of them don't know one satellite from another, and you may be homing in an the wrong one. I find it easier to make the prescribed settings and then have someone watch the signal strength on TV while I move the antenna around for the strongest signal, then cycle through the three satellites till all work well.

I agree that would work if you had a DW that would help. It's usually just her and I and she is usually too busy on her I phone to help out.