Dome or Dish Receiver

lanerd wrote:
Crank up dish? Boy...that's really old school.

Your best bet by far would be to install a Winegard Trav'ler automatic dish antenna. Domes are limited to SD if you have Direct but will get HD with DISH. Domes are also much more susceptible to moisture on the outside of the dome...rain/show will shut it down and I've even heard that heavy dew can also. Domes typically will only lock on to one satellite at a time and if you switch channels that is transmitted on another satellite, there will be a small hesitation in the signal.

With the Trav'ler, one push of a button and the dish will raise from it's stored position, find all and lock on to the required satellites and no hesitation between channels.

You should already have a crank up OTA batwing antenna and they work just fine once you get it pointed in the right direction and are not too far away from the transmitting tv station. You will also have connections outside for cable or external (portable) dish antenna.

We use DISH at home and just remove the receiver from there and install into the mh. If we travel outside of the "local" tv area, I contact DISH (via their website) and change my service address.

Hope this helps

Ron

Done that with the Dome and switch to Travelers, best thing we ever did.

Horizon170 wrote:
I have a tripod -------will this work with my VIP612DVR receivers? It will be ground mounted, not on the RV.
Thanks,
Marvin
http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=dish1000.4

Yes, that is an EA antenna. You will need a good tripod or similar mount and that antenna might need some additional hardware to adapt it to the mount you plan to use.
As an aside, you can (could) use the WA satellite if you needed to do so if you plan to travel. That's why others mention WA. Once you are outside your home market it's just as likely that the Network programming will be on the WA satellite as it is that they will be on the EA. You cannot pick up any Network programming once you leave your home market spot beam no matter what antenna you have.

Sat Antennas 100.5 (Only half of 101)
Domes, can receive ONE sat at a time and that only in one band, i think KU (might be KA but I think KU)
DirecTV uses that band and the Bird (Sat) at 101W for SD transmissions.
DirecHDTV uses two more (99 and 103) in the OTHER band for HD transmissions, so no HD with a dome

Dish uses six birds, 3 on the e3ast and 3 on the west, for SD and HD mixed (All in the same band, the one Domes get So a Dome works well with a SINGLE CHANNEL receiver, but if you wish to watch or record more than one show at a time, Not so good.

Dish antennas are sold to match the receiver.. So no mattery which service you have, No matter if you have one receiver, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 8 or more (Receivers or record channels, either one) they work, period, they work, once locked on

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Domes: Some work goign down the road so you can record your favorite daytime drama/game/talk shows while driving for viewing once parked.

Dish type antennas you must be PARKED to use them

My recommendation: Unless you need IN-Motion (also good for sat radio) go with a DISH. But an automatic one PLUS a second "Ground mount" for when you are parked under the evil signal eating tree.

Thank you Bill and WA8.
Marvin

Just FYI, dome antennas can only receive the KU band broadcasts. DirecTV's HD programming comes from 99 and 103 which is broadcast on the KA band. DirecTV 101 is KU band and all 6 of the Dish satellites broadcast on the KU band allowing SD and HD reception with Dish and a dome. Domes only have 1 LNB so they can only "see" one satellite at a time and switch between satellites as you change channels.
2nd FYI, not all domes can receive programing while driving. There are stationary and in-motion antennas. The in-motion versions are substantially more expensive.