DISH Releases the Super Joey

katysdad wrote:
Bill & Techwriter, thanks for info from someone using the same or very smilar equipment. It helps having some info from someone with hands on experience.

In an RV I think a very probable AV equipment (including hard drives) "killer" is

heat

.

Many times RV DISH/DirecTV equipment is placed in unventilated or lightly ventilated cabinets behind closed doors that are either solid wood or wood/glass. Also, some of these cabinets are located near the ceiling of the RV's windshield -- a possible intense source of heat.

To reduce heat in my RV AV system, I removed my AV cabinet door and replaced it with vented grills:



I also added fans from www.coolerguys.com in the back of the cabinet. They also sell fans that are USB powered so you can plug them directly into a lot of AV equipment. (I don't work for them.)

Bill & Techwriter, thanks for info from someone using the same or very smilar equipment. It helps having some info from someone with hands on experience.

katysdad wrote:
Thanks Bill, the Hopper was the one primarily mentioned and I'm sure he meant while being operating in a moving vehicle since they don't sustain damage when in shipment from manufacturer to end user.

I've had a Hopper in my RV since 2012 and no problems with its hard drive. Others I know have the same experience with their RV Hoppers.

Dish has no idea what-so-ever how a Hopper would perform in a moving vehicle since they have never tested one in this environment. Dish does what Dish does based upon the fact that the hardware will be installed in a home. So, if you want to install one in an RV, they say you cannot do this. The reality is that lots of RVer have Hoppers and Joeys in lots of RVs. How do you argue with that?
Now, only you can decide what's right for you. My Genie is the only true comparison that I can speak to directly. It has a 1TB hard drive and it's been working without issue in my coach for over a year. Others have reported that they have Hopper/Joey setups in their coach for even longer but I do not know if they move as much as we do. I have over 12,000 miles on our coach since I installed my Genie.
Please don't confuse any information I post as my being concerned what you do. Do what you feel good about. If you don't think it's a good idea to install a Hopper in your RV, please DO NOT DO IT.

Thanks Bill, the Hopper was the one primarily mentioned and I'm sure he meant while being operating in a moving vehicle since they don't sustain damage when in shipment from manufacturer to end user.

Bill.Satellite wrote:

TechWriter wrote:

Bill.Satellite wrote:
The wiring for an RV does not need to be that complicated and the installation of a Hopper and a Super Joey would only require the 2 cables running to the 2 units come through the roof.

One of those cables would have to be rated at 3 GHz. Otherwise, it won't work.

This may or may not be true. Unless someone tries it which these short runs of cable that we use in RV's I will not be convinced that most good quality RG6 coax would not work.

You may be right, but that's what DISH recommends for a Super Joey installation.

It's worth a try, but have Plan B ready -- especially if you plan on using a portable tripod.

TechWriter wrote:

Bill.Satellite wrote:
The wiring for an RV does not need to be that complicated and the installation of a Hopper and a Super Joey would only require the 2 cables running to the 2 units come through the roof.

One of those cables would have to be rated at 3 GHz. Otherwise, it won't work.

This may or may not be true. Unless someone tries it which these short runs of cable that we use in RV's I will not be convinced that most good quality RG6 coax would not work.

katysdad wrote:
Bill, correct me if I misunderstood, but was told from satellite equipment rep that using a device with a DVR in it in a motor home that road vibrations would destroy the hard drive. What's your take on this?

First...Use at your own risk.
For me, I have had a DirecTV DVR of some kind in my coach for about 10 years. I have had to replace one once and I think it was issues related to the hard drive but it was easier to pick up a new one for $99 than pursue a repair.
I now have the Genie and it's been running 24/7 for over a year without issue.
With all of that said, the Hopper has a 2 TB hard drive and caution should be exercised when the vehicle is traveling. I recommend the unit be powered off so the hard drive can park itself when the vehicle is moving. If the Hopper is not connected to an inverter, it will power itself down anyway.

katysdad wrote:
Bill, correct me if I misunderstood, but was told from satellite equipment rep that using a device with a DVR in it in a motor home that road vibrations would destroy the hard drive. What's your take on this?

We have used a Dish 622 DVR receiver for the past couple of years with no problems. I don't know why a DVR would be any more fragile than any computer type hard drive.

Bill.Satellite wrote:
The wiring for an RV does not need to be that complicated and the installation of a Hopper and a Super Joey would only require the 2 cables running to the 2 units come through the roof.

One of those cables would have to be rated at 3 GHz. Otherwise, it won't work.