We plan on using our RV a lot for college football tailgating coming up. We have cable at home and are completely Satellite TV illiterate. I'm looking at just doing the pay as you go option.My question is that can I purchase a used Satellite and receiver and be able to get it connected? Just trying to look at cost saving options to avoid spending an arm and leg on set up threw the satellite company.If I can purchase used equipment and it work, is there anything in particular that I need to be looking for?Thanks in advanced

if you buy used sat equipment (or any other) check with dish/direct on the account. if the previous owner owed a bunch,, you are stuck with it.IIRC walmart had a portable setup dish and receiver for under $500bumpy

It is the account card that goes into the receiver that allows you to receive content over the antenna. Go to the Dish or Direct TV internet sites and see what an account will cost. In the past they would let you suspend an account for a set number of days if you were not using the system but I do not think you can "pay as you go". They want a yearly contract or a month to month account.

Get a Winegard Pathway X2 carryout auto seek sat dome ($400) and a Wally receiver ($80) and you can get DISH to go, no contract buy a month at a time. No learning curve works great, HD. You cant get Directv HD with a carryout.

Cocky_Camper wrote:If I can purchase used equipment and it work, is there anything in particular that I need to be looking for?If Directv, a new access card.If HD and Direct, a Slimline dish, and plenty of practice setting it up.

If you've never played around with satellites before then it will be tough to figure out. Find a use or new portable self setting satellite dish. Wingard. Tailgator, etc. Then you need a receiver for it. The 211K is the norm but there's also a new one called the Wally. It has more features. It will cost around $35.00 IIRC a month since you don't have Dish already. With the portables all you do is set it on the ground, table or the roof of the RV. It needs to be pointed towards the satellites to start. Then you follow the tv on screen menu. Once you do it a few times it's really simple.I prefer Dish because I can get an HD picture with the portables. If you go the manual setup route with DirecTv you will have to learn how to point the dish. Not impossible but definitely harder. I don't know what DTV will charge for service if you don't have DTV at home. Dish caters to RV'rs so it easy to communicate with them.

Satellite TV for dummies! | Good Sam Community

14 Replies

2oldman
Explorer II
Sep 06, 2017
Cocky_Camper wrote:
If I can purchase used equipment and it work, is there anything in particular that I need to be looking for?
If Directv, a new access card.

If HD and Direct, a Slimline dish, and plenty of practice setting it up.
Big_Katuna
Explorer II
Sep 06, 2017
Get a Winegard Pathway X2 carryout auto seek sat dome ($400) and a Wally receiver ($80) and you can get DISH to go, no contract buy a month at a time. No learning curve works great, HD.

You cant get Directv HD with a carryout.
NMDriver
Explorer
Sep 06, 2017
It is the account card that goes into the receiver that allows you to receive content over the antenna. Go to the Dish or Direct TV internet sites and see what an account will cost.

In the past they would let you suspend an account for a set number of days if you were not using the system but I do not think you can "pay as you go". They want a yearly contract or a month to month account.
Bumpyroad
Explorer
Sep 06, 2017
if you buy used sat equipment (or any other) check with dish/direct on the account. if the previous owner owed a bunch,, you are stuck with it.
IIRC walmart had a portable setup dish and receiver for under $500
bumpy

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Satellite TV for dummies!

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