Dish or Direct TV

IMHO the only compelling reason to get DirecTV would be to get the NFL Sunday Ticket.

I asked a Winegard rep at an RV show when they would be coming out with a portable antenna for DirecTV. His answer was an emphatic "never".

In order to get internet, you would have to add a service provider like Hughes Net, which would mean an add-on receiver to your dish.

Here is a great web site for information about satellite set up.

Rancher Will wrote:
I am probably the lone dissenter here. My wife and I have had Comcast, Direct TV and Dish TV over many years. We now own our 6th RV, a Montana 5th Wheel. This is the second RV hat we own that does not have, and never will have any TV satellite receiver or cable hookup. We do use our two TV's in the RV for watching movies, various programs of interest and business, recorded programs, etc.

Almost 11 years ago we cancelled our TV contracts in our two homes and the RV. We both got so fed up with no honest news broadcasters, garbage programming, forced to pay for dozens of channels that we never watched in order to get any service, etc., that we decided to cancel it all. We have never been sorry.

More power to you.

The OP was asking about DISH or Directv, not whether to have sat or cable or nothing.

We enjoy sports so have to use sat to get SEC network, etc.
I wish we could order ala carte and not have to pay for all the channels we don't want watch but right now we cant.

I am probably the lone dissenter here. My wife and I have had Comcast, Direct TV and Dish TV over many years. We now own our 6th RV, a Montana 5th Wheel. This is the second RV hat we own that does not have, and never will have any TV satellite receiver or cable hookup. We do use our two TV's in the RV for watching movies, various programs of interest and business, recorded programs, etc.

Almost 11 years ago we cancelled our TV contracts in our two homes and the RV. We both got so fed up with no honest news broadcasters, garbage programming, forced to pay for dozens of channels that we never watched in order to get any service, etc., that we decided to cancel it all. We have never been sorry.

Well, I took all the advice and sent back the King bundle and ordered the Winegard Pathway X2 bundle.

Oh, almost forgot the single most important difference between DISH and Direc....

Some folks seem to like Sports. and DirecTV has great Sports packages or so I am told.. I'm more into Science, and NASA.. Is on 119W, that's Dish Network. There are also pricing differnecs and a few other related differneces.

What do I use... My Winegard Batwing for the most part.

I recently got in trouble for saying "They are all cooks" meaning Sat and Cable TV providers.. WHY, because they all try to UP-Sell you, a form of bait and switch, and they all mislead you as well... But that's a long story and told elsewhere. I don't wish to go over it again.

So, Sat-101
DirecTV is suspending or elimination SD transmissions.. going all HD, and rumor has it ending even HD in a few years but I have to question that rumor..

DISH, has no such plans far as I know.. They also have the pay as you go plan.

DirecTV can sell you "Distant Network Service" This is great for RVers because you can pick from either east or west coast NETWORK (ABC, NBC, CBS, and so on) Stations and no matter where you are, NY, LA (the two citeis) Kansas, Ohama, Dallas, Darian (Where I am near) You get network TV.. Dish is injoined on that and can not so you have to call 'em up and give 'em your new zip code when you park. if you move too far.

Now, there are 5 types of antennas. ALL ANTENNAS need a clear view of the satellite arc.. All types.

"Dish Types" either roof mount or ground mount (manual) These antennas are matched to your receiver and they work, Period, one or two receivers or a dual/multi channel DVR they work, Period (Type 1 and 2)

DOME type antennas come in 3 types.. Rooftop Stationary, Rooftop "In-Motion" and portable (That's the other 3 types)

Domes typically can see ONE sat at a time, and no dome currently made can do DirecHDTV.

Dishnetwork uses 3 satellites so a Dome works great with a SINGLE receiver like a VIP 211 series.. But if you have two or more, or a dual/multi channel DVR. you will run into conflicts. Better to use a dish.

Now the Rooftop v/s ground (I recommend one of each)>

If you are parked under the evil signal eating tree, Rooftop no work. Period. But a ground mount with enough RG-6 just might clear the tree.,

I agree being able to get both arcs is a big advantage. Also the bigger dish the Pathway has gets a better signal in rain.

berreez wrote:

Big Katuna wrote:
I don't think the Tailgater gets the eastern arc, western only.

I think you're right.

I'll be spending most my time in the west anyway.

On one of the sites we had in AZ a few years ago, we couldn't get a shot at the western arc unless we put our dish on the next site. Hitting the eastern arc sats was easy. We've also been in east coast locations where the opposite was the case of course. Having both arcs available just makes it a lot easier to ensure you'll have service almost everywhere. To date, we have not been on a site anywhere that we couldn't get sat service from one arc or the other. Sometimes, just the difference in elevation settings between the two arcs makes all the difference on a heavily treed site. At one of our central Florida winter stops for example, the western arc's lowest bird (129) is at 29 degrees elevation, but the eastern arc's lowest bird (61.5) is at 50 degrees elevation. You don't need a very large clear space to get above the tree line at 50 degrees... :)

We have Direct and just take a receiver out of the house for the camping season.

The western arc reaches east, the sats are just lower on the horizon. We have used our Tailgater all over the country and in Eastport, ME. Can't get more east than that, although we couldn't pick up sat 129 there as it was actually below the horizon.