Satellite TV question

The Winegard Traveler can receive DirectTV HD channels it is a roof mount.
Traveler
If you want a ground mount then you are sort of stuck with manual setup tripod mount.

There is no dome style antenna that can receive the DirecTV HD programming but one of the household open style antenna (SL3, SL5, SWM3, SM5) that you manually point will work just fine.

I've heard people talk about DirecTV and HD, are there issues with getting HD channels on either Dish or DirecTV while using a "mobile dish". I would likely get the cheap, basic dish that has to be manually aimed if I go with DirecTV.

There are 3 answers to your question. Not all are YES, (No and perhaps)
First: NETWORK television (ABC, NBC, et-al) are spot beamed for most of the country, If you drive more than a couple hundred miles (Sometimes less) you will be "in the dark" as far as those stations are concerned.. There are ways around it but.. Frankly they are cheats.

There is one legal way around it (Posted at end of this post)

Next: The tailgator works well with a SINGLE DISHNETWORK receiver, specifically the VIP-211.. It will not work with DirecTV or other Dish receivers.

NO DOME works well with multiple Dishreceivers.. (THough you can have multiple domes)

DirecTV (non-hd) likely will not include network TV period, but it does work well with a dome, Both single and multipe receiver installs. Provided the dome is a "Dual" (Means 2 outputs, NOT two LNG's Two LNB's is a "Twin" and always a dual).

HOWEVER NO DOME will do DirecHDTV.

Dish type antennas, need to be aimed (Though you can get an automatic roof mount antenna, you park, level, press a button and assuming you are NOT parked under the evil signal eating tree, or in the "Shadow" of somethign, it locks on the birds and you get TV). Ground mount antennas you will have to aim yourself).


Dish type antennas work, period, you get the antenna that matches your service and they work.

NOTE: If you put a roof mount on be sure to install an A/B switch in the LNB lead and carry a tripod mount (Ground mount) as .. Well, see signal eating tree.

A-Rooftop A-bove, B-ground Block in Basement or a Bulkhead (Through wall) or in my case it's a ground Block on the Brake Bell crank Bracket (you get the idea) down B-elow.

Now: how to get network tv nationwide when traveling and not "Cheat".

You get an RV account, Install it in the RV, be sure to get your full compliment of 4 receivers.. Put 2 in the RV,, 2 in the house (you will need to buy a dish off E-bay or Craig's list and aim it yourself, ONE TIME, not that hard to do) This qualifies you for "Distant Network Service" (DNS) for a small fee, you get, depending on the service, Network stations in LA or NYC area or some other citeis and possibly more than one city.

BTPO1 wrote:
I use one of my spare boxes from Direct in the MH. Direct gave me an extra dish when I got service and 50' of cable. Purchased an extra 100' from the store for longer runs. The only drawback that I have noticed is that when we are in another time zone we must calculate that into what we watch.If we are on the east coast our time will show as pacific time. I don't want to call them and have my location changed to get the local programming. I have the antenna for that. I normally only takes me a few minutes to set it up on location using the sat setup on the box.

Just go to menu and settings and change your time zone. You do not need to call DTV. We have one box we take along with our rv, we take it on the plane from Colorado to Florida to use in our house in Florida. We have a permanent box in our boat in Florida . Our account is based out of our house in Colorado. All work fine.

BTPO1 wrote:
The only drawback that I have noticed is that when we are in another time zone we must calculate that into what we watch.If we are on the east coast our time will show as pacific time. I don't want to call them and have my location changed to get the local programming.

Sorry to jump off topic, but are you aware that you can change the time zone setting in the DTV receivers? Just go into Settings>Display>Time Zone (or clock) and adjust it as you travel. It won't change the time the program is broadcast but it will keep the time on your DTV box accurate.

To help you get started, you must visit www.tv4rv.com. They have everything you will need and support that no other can come close to.

Bruce

robsouth wrote:
That is what a large percentage of RV satellite users do, including me.

me too.
Time-Warner always whined about me taking my box camping. Something about being short of coax.. I dunno...

BB_TX wrote:
Since I have had Dish at home for many years, I bought an additional receiver for the RV thru dishformyrv.com and pay an extra $7/mo to add it to the home account. I prefer that to having to disconnect the home receiver, move it to the RV, hook it up, disconnect it when we get home, move it back to the house, and hook it all up again. The receiver is pretty cheap. Also bought a Tailgater.
With Dish when you travel outside your home programming area and can't receive local channels you can call Dish and tell them you are in the RV and you want to change your service address to where ever you are located at the time. They will reprogram you and within a few minutes you will receive local network channels from the nearest large city. Great for catching up on the news and local weather forecast and watching your favorite programs in real time.
And you can add a hard drive and turn the receiver into a DVR to record your programs.

This is what we do with direct tv and have an extra dish works great I thin we pay $5 a month for extra box and picked up the dish on craigslist.

I use one of my spare boxes from Direct in the MH. Direct gave me an extra dish when I got service and 50' of cable. Purchased an extra 100' from the store for longer runs. The only drawback that I have noticed is that when we are in another time zone we must calculate that into what we watch.If we are on the east coast our time will show as pacific time. I don't want to call them and have my location changed to get the local programming. I have the antenna for that. I normally only takes me a few minutes to set it up on location using the sat setup on the box.