Dish TV Connections

Real simple if you can watch the same thing on all three, but if you want each to be different, its get a LOT more complicated. That needs a receiver for each TV.

Johno02 wrote:
Real simple if you can watch the same thing on all three, but if you want each to be different, its get a LOT more complicated. That needs a receiver for each TV.

I couldn't get it to work on my old MH. Dish said it wouldn't work with splitters so I ran a dedicated wire to only one of the tv's

you need an antenna and receiver that can support multiple indepedent tv's. we have a winegard trav'ler and a dish vip722k rcvr/dvr that feeds two sets. suggest you call Solid Signals at ?1 (877) 312-4547? for some straight answers.

Which receiver do you have?

Dutch_12078 wrote:
Which receiver do you have?

I have the VP211z

You absolutely can connect a VIP 211Z to multiple TVs. The 211Z has two outputs. First is the HDMI output which is high def. It also has a composite (Red/White for audio and yellow for video) which is standard definition. The way I have done this is to place the receiver near the most important (living room?) TV and connect with HDMI. Then get an RF Modulator that converts the red/white/yellow connection to coax. Once this signal is converted to coax it can be distributed to the other TVs via the camper's coax wiring, if available. Another method, which I have not tried, would be to utilize a wireless HDMI transmitter/receiver. There are units that have one transmitter (connected to the HDMI output on the receiver) and multiple receivers which can be attached to the TVs. Again, I have not tried this method. The transmitter/receivers can be expensive. Please note that in the methods above, all TV's must watch the same satellite channel. HOWEVER, I also connect the OTA antenna to the main TV coax input so this TV can watch OTA while others can watch sat signal. Sorry for the lengthy post.

Let me add that if you were to switch to the Wally receiver, you would have the same connection options, but also would have RF remote control, which means you could control your receiver from the remote TVs. I am looking at replacing my home system with Wally receivers for this exact reason.

One more thing. If you can find a VIP 211K receiver, it has a coax output. This would eliminate the need for the RF modulator. It has Infrared remote control, however.

lagary has your answers. Be aware that the vip211z (single tuner) and Tailgater (single LNB) can only "see" one satellite at a time. So even if you connect to multiple TVs, those TVs cannot watch different programs that are on different satellites at the same time. They would be limited to programs on the same satellite. There are other receivers and satellite antennas options available for multiple TVs.

Another problem often encountered with satellite is in the internal coax wiring of the RV, many times inferior or poorly installed. Some have resorted to adding a new coax input from the outside directly to the satellite receiver inside to bypass that internal coax wiring.

As far as Dish customer service, even their RV specialist have no way of knowing how every RV is wired and the multitude of ways to get around that.

I use a wireless HDMI extender for my outside TV. Not cheap but works.

You can buy HDMI splitters and run cable, too.