Direct TV Satellite Dish Choice

Yes they are, you must find three satellites for HD. It was hard enough at times getting one satellite on a portable dish let alone three. I've seen a few people using a portable but they appeared to not be moving for a while. I prefer pushing a single button for my rooftop mounted Winegard Travler HD antenna. It was pricey but worth every penny.

there are NO potable HD satellite dishes for Direct Tv.

Only one is the tripod mount, which is easy once you do it a dew times

This is what I use and it has stopped a lot of issues setting it up.

http://www.tv4rv.com/sunshop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=13

I use a Slimline 3 dish. I like HD signal....

It takes about 3 minutes to get the mast plumb, bracket level and about another 1 - 3 minutes to get the signal in the 85+. I use my iPhone on the left side of the bracket and then just adjust up and down.

If you get any signal at any point, It's easy to tune in.

Whether it's Directv or Dish Network I always replicate the set-up with the same satellite antenna mounted on our home, usually purchase them online from Ebay for around $50 brand new. For years I just used a home made stand I put together from ideas on this forum, worked fine but for HD it is critical to have mast plumb before mounting satellite antenna.

To simplify the process we picked up a Winegard tripod (Camping World) with adjustable legs and compass imbedded in the tripod mast, much easier to plumb than my home made satellite stand taking just a couple of minutes to set-up. I have set-up satellite antennas for both satellite providers since the advent of Directv, after doing it a few times it has become second nature.

I also heard HD was difficult to attain, to tell the truth it is really the same process as SD satellite acquisition. The only difference is the added tilt parameter, azimuth and elevation are still set as if acquiring only SD satellite. With plumb mast and tilt set as indicated by receiver, lock in center satellite and the outlying satellites should come right in.

I think where many have problems is that they start from ground zero every time, I have traveled up to 800 miles and have only had to do miniscule adjustments to lock in satellites. Unless you have traversed half the country any adjustments made to your satellite pointing parameters will be minor. I always set-up new satellite antenna at home first to ensure functionality.

After getting your new equipment practice at home, once properly set-up it will take very little to lock it in at the campsite. I leave tilt and elevation set and when we get to our destination I use a compass after plumbing my mast to attain azimuth. Tweak elevation and/or azimuth to peak center satellite, tweak tilt only if outlying satellites are not locked in. Good luck!!!

gatorcq wrote:
there are NO potable HD satellite dishes for Direct Tv.

Only one is the tripod mount, which is easy once you do it a dew times

A tripod mount IS a portable HD satellite dish. There are no domes that are HD but a tripod is quite portable.

TECMike wrote:
What is the best and easiest Direct TV portable HD dish and tripod?

We have been using a non HD 18" portable dish & tripod for years. But now would like to step up to HD but hear they are hard to get tuned in. Thanks in advance.

"The best" is pretty easy as there is only 1 option for DirecTV HD and that is a full sized home style antenna. No, they are not much more difficult to setup than your 18" antenna as all 3 satellites are side by side. You just have to adjust the dish skew to the proper angle and when you find 101 the other 2 should already be there. The TV4RV is a very good setup and having a sturdy mount makes everything much easier. I also recommend the Dish Pointer app by Augmented Reality for your phone so you can actually "see" the satellites in the sky before you begin the setup.

I was a Directv customer for years and used the surveyor type tripod and full size Slimline dish. Easy enough to set up using Dishpointer AR app on a Smartphone.

OR you could switch to DISH like I did then you can get a Winegard Pathway X2 carry out auto dome which gets you HD.

About $400 and worth every penny.

DISH is more RV friendly than DTV was at least for me.

The sat box recognizes the carryout dome and asks you where you are and which arc you want to seek (East or West; another advantage over Directv.

TECMike wrote:
..HD but hear they are hard to get tuned in.

Yeah, the first dozen times it will be more difficult. Your best bet is to get a good tripod as shown previously and learn how to not only get it level but keep it level. That long length of chain they supply with it is there for a reason.