Rv satellite

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

Next thing that I see possibly improperly stated.

I don't call anyone to get local channels. I get local channels with my remote. I use the tv remote, the one that came with it.......and I go to "Source" and select "TV". No problem, no calls, no switching, nothing.

Not incorrectly stated, just a different method. You use your rigs antenna to pull in OTA channels right? Works great when they are available, but most places we stay, they aren't. So we call dish, tell them the zip of our location, and we get the major networks for that area. Easy.

[BandJCarm]

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

Not incorrectly stated, just a different method. You use your rigs antenna to pull in OTA channels right? Works great when they are available, but most places we stay, they aren't. So we call dish, tell them the zip of our location, and we get the major networks for that area.

Again, that works and I get what you are saying. I just think some folks believe they HAVE to do your method to get locals. One state park we go to doesn't get any reception, so your method would be required. But mine is a lot easier WHEN it works.

[BandJCarm]

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

You're on

Site next to me is open....................

[BandJCarm]

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

The ones you are describing, the RV is portable, the dish is fixed on the roof

And I always hear folks say it only takes mere minutes to aim a manual dish, but I've never seen it demonstrated in real life. I do enjoy watching folks take hours aiming them, while I am watching my TV. And then they repeat the next day.

The wingard automatic HD Dish on the roof takes one button to aim. NO trees, yes.

And here we are, in a MOTORHOME thread, trying to say how expensive and hard it might be to have that Travl'R.........and 90% of the motorhomes I see have them. Maybe we shoulda moved this elsewhere. I never look at the subthread.......just the "recent discussions".

Besides, most of the posts these days are BY the MH folks!

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

Site next to me is open....................

That's funny, the area (not really a site) next to me is wide open. City of Rocks State Park, Faywood NM

[debit]

We just bought the Dish portable "Tailgater" dish, $299, when we switched from cable to Dish TV. We will take an extra receiver ($7 a month) from the house and use it in the RV. The installer said he places his dish on the ground, near his RV, and runs a "flat" line in an open window to the receiver in the RV. The receiver does take up to 5 minutes to access the three signals.
....................
Ram 2500 diesel, 6 speed manual/ FR Surveyor251rks

[formerFR]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

...

And yes, Direct DOES have an Automatic Portable HD Dish. I'm looking out the window at dozens of them, on roofs of RV's.

no, what you're looking at is dozens of FIXED antennas, not portable... ask the owner if they ever take them down or move them around. Yes, they are 'automatic', but not 'portable'... like the Tailgater or Pathway single LNB type.


My concern is that folks often ask this forum a rather 'open' question, and we all get very detailed very quickly, though I'm sure we all mean well. It's just that someone new to the 'RV Satellite' question can easily be overwhelmed, even though there are really only two companies to 'choose' from. It's not a question of 'who's system and channels are best', but maybe more from the perspective of 'which is the simplest and easiest to deal with when starting from scratch'.
My feedback relates to only DISH, the company, and my experiences with them from a 'newby's' standpoint only 3 or so years ago when my first satellite experience was in our RV. I simply called dish and told them I wanted a portable antenna on a tripod and three receivers(and HD channels, of course). They sent out an independent crew, mounted the antenna(1000.2 western arc open-faced) on a portable tripod, ran 3 coax cables into the coach, and connected them to the three receivers(VIP211k). Within an hour I had three tvs with HD programming, all the equipment I needed, and if memory serves correct, a simple $99 installation charge. I chose the 125 channel package to start with, as is required when the order is first placed. This also took place at the RV park where we were staying for a while.
We traveled extensively with this setup, with me 'zoning' in the antenna wherever we stopped, which was a learning curve, but successfully watching as much tv as we wanted, almost wherever we went.

After about 8 months, I began to think that a small portable Antenna would be a good option whenever we were simply stopped for an 'overnight', especially in a parking lot or similar place while traveling. A large home-like antenna on a tripod next to your RV is a little obvious. A small portable unit sitting on the roof, not so much.

Since we were already with DISH's service, it only made sense to look at their small, easily deployed, light-weight, and HD compatible portables. There are several makers of these units, including some 'branded' by DISH themselves, but the KingTailgater2 came to the top of the heap, and was new on the market, built to replace the original named 'cube' design. It's light weight, two coax output, and ability to be 'mounted', along with the relative low price compared to other models helped me easily make up my mind.

What I found was this, at least as compared to my 3 LNB antenna that will drive 3 receivers/tv all on different channels/satellites:

- the portable unit is easy to use - it automatically finds the satellites for you
- it is light weight, so moving it around is not difficult
- it does not have to be exactly 'level', allowing it to sit almost anywhere without a need for a tripod or anything else to level it
- it provides all the same HD channels
- it has two coax outputs, for a Main receiver/tv, for all satellites and channels, and a Secondary receiver/tv, for channels on a single satellite*, so only 'two' tvs can watch independent channels at the same time
- it can be mounted, or temporarily mounted, to ride on the roof, like ours, or to be later moved somewhere else on the roof, or down onto the ground, if needed, easily.
- it does not require any additional power source, the coax cable to the receiver drives the movement of the antenna, when required to move to one of the other satellites
- it takes a fraction of a second or so to 'move' to another satellite
- you don't 'have' to leave the coach to watch satellite tv - easy!

King is also great - when our unit developed an issue, they sent us an RMA return label, I packaged it up, dropped it off at UPS, and after they received it in a few days, I received an email confirmation. They also sent me one when it was ready to return, and it was delivered back to me in a few days, working like new. I believe it's a 24 month warranty.

I still use my KingTailgater2 mounted at the rear of the roof of the RV, and have now mounted my 'old' 1000.2 open-faced antenna at the edge of the roof of our NC cabin... getting all channels on three TVs. I take a receiver with me to the RV when we travel, and it works just the same for our one bedroom tv we need it for - DISH doesn't care WHERE I use it!


Now, does DirecTV and their equipment work just as well. Yes, though the one drawback is the lack of HD channels for their portable automatic antennas. Why that is, I don't know, but if you like HD, like we do, it may not be your best option.

[colourful64]

I guess I should have been more specific... we travel and only stay in one place for less than 3 days...and not interested in the sports , and definitely ok with not having HD... so which provides the basics but is easy to set up and break down

[rracer5]

Here!! Now lets see those raised eyebrows!

[bubbles]

And then there's storage space.

[rracer5]

Originally Posted by bubbles

And then there's storage space.

Hahh....good one!

Nah....the picnic table was on wheels. Just hooked it to the rear bumper....

Actually, when it folds down, I used to lay it in the bed of the truck between the hitch & tailgate. It's now mounted on the RV where it belongs.


Another thing.....I liked DirecTv because when I called, I understood the person I was speaking to. Even after AT&T bought them in 2015 all was good when I needed to talk to them. Time would tell and sure enough, my last call to them was met with "a language accent of unknown origin" but, she understood and my request/issue was taken care of.

[bubbles]

Originally Posted by rracer5

Hahh....good one!

Nah....the picnic table was on wheels. Just hooked it to the rear bumper....

Actually, when it folds down, I used to lay it in the bed of the truck between the hitch & tailgate. It's now mounted on the RV where it belongs.


Another thing.....I liked DirecTv because when I called, I understood the person I was speaking to. Even after AT&T bought them in 2015 all was good when I needed to talk to them. Time would tell and sure enough, my last call to them was met with "a language accent of unknown origin" but, she understood and my request/issue was taken care of.

I understand your storage space but this is a motorhome thread and if it's mounted to the coach where's the portability? Lots of trade offs.

[rracer5]

Originally Posted by rracer5

Hahh....good one!

Nah....the picnic table was on wheels. Just hooked it to the rear bumper....

Actually, when it folds down, I used to lay it in the bed of the truck between the hitch & tailgate. It's now mounted on the RV where it belongs.


Another thing.....I liked DirecTv because when I called, I understood the person I was speaking to. Even after AT&T bought them in 2015 all was good when I needed to talk to them. Time would tell and sure enough, my last call to them was met with "a language accent of unknown origin" but, she understood and my request/issue was taken care of.

Originally Posted by bubbles

I understand your storage space but this is a motorhome thread and if it's mounted to the coach where's the portability? Lots of trade offs.

I knew someone was going to ask "where I put it" so......

Yes, it was good for moving around before I mounted it. Now I'm at the mercy of the CG/RV park staff to give me a clear site. Or, drag out the manual/tripod mounted equipment.

[technomadness]

I’m planning to full time and I’ve been looking at how I’m living now to make accommodations— one thing is I have no cable TV, I get all my TV from Hulu, Netflix and Prime over the internet. Gonna be hard to have that kind of connectivity on the road.

Before IPTV I was a big fan of time shifting.

I know satellite receivers can have DVRs, is it possible to get an in-motion DISH, and receiver and thus DVR shows while going down the road?

[donniedu]

Originally Posted by technomadness

I’m planning to full time and I’ve been looking at how I’m living now to make accommodations— one thing is I have no cable TV, I get all my TV from Hulu, Netflix and Prime over the internet. Gonna be hard to have that kind of connectivity on the road.

Before IPTV I was a big fan of time shifting.

I know satellite receivers can have DVRs, is it possible to get an in-motion DISH, and receiver and thus DVR shows while going down the road?

If you had ATT as your cell provider they have all sorts of deals on Directv. But for you I would switch to Dish network and then get one of the automatic domes of your choice. You would have to check and verify if a Hopper and a Joey or two would work with the auto domes. But that would be a good choice for you at a semi decent price.

[itat]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

Maybe I misunderstand you, but I have Direct, and I have a portable dish, and I have HD on every channel that broadcasts it. Mine is not automatic, maybe that's what you meant. But it's close.......takes maybe 2 minutes to set up and get a signal.

The trick is to stay with what you have at home, if possible.

I'm not pushing either one. Just saying that HD is very possible with portable dish with Direct.

Do you have a picture of your setup? I’d be interested in learning how to setup a portable, open dish on a tripod on uneven ground in under 2 minutes! I definitely can’t do it that quickly.

[donniedu]

Actually its quite simple. Buy an Align A Site, mount it to your dish and go. Once it is correctly setup all you need is the elevation, angle, and azmith. Set your Align A Site mount it to the mount and look. Once you have it set, turn on your receiver and fine tune to get peak signal.

[itat]

I’m using a tripod like this.

It’s hard to get it perfectly plumb when setting it up on uneven ground. Then I have to mount the dish on the tripod, and then get it pointing at the satellite. I’m looking for an inexpensive way to make the whole process easier, starting with the tripod setup.

There’s no way I’m going to pay US$649 for a portable automatic dish. (See my post #8 earlier in this thread.)

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by itat

I’m using a tripod like this.
Attachment 162069
It’s hard to get it perfectly plumb when setting it up on uneven ground. Then I have to mount the dish on the tripod, and then get it pointing at the satellite. I’m looking for an inexpensive way to make the whole process easier, starting with the tripod setup.

There’s no way I’m going to pay US$649 for a portable automatic dish. (See my post #8 earlier in this thread.)

Then it looks like you just need to practice and use a sat finder app. With your system, you can't make it much easier.....

[itat]

For my equipment, half the battle is getting the tripod plumbed on uneven ground. If anybody has any ideas on how to fab up a platform with 3 leveling screws that I can sit the tripod on, I’m open to suggestions.

I refuse to pay $200 - $300 for a fancy tripod.

I do use a couple sat finder apps and a compass to get me pointed in the right direction and we don’t travel very far so the elevation really doesn’t need to be adjusted much if at all.