DTV-Standard Def

An antenna does not know any difference from standard def to high def. If it works today, it will keep working.

theoldwizard1 wrote:
An antenna does not know any difference from standard def to high def..

King Quest is a dish antenna. They do know the difference.

Afaik there's no small automatic dish for DTV HD. You'll need an HD one, or a portable dish and tripod. Do it now and avoid the rush. HD is so much nicer to watch.

Now might be the time to switch to Dish. As a long time Direct customer I can tell you service has deteriotated since ATT buy out. I suspect it will only get worse. The Genie2 has horrible software issues, and the Genie1 is not fsr behind. Scheduled fix is at least 4 months away according to Directv. As far as your antenna? You will need to check your owners manual or call the mfg to see if it could be changed to Dish if you choose to go that way.

donn0128 wrote:
As a long time Direct customer I can tell you service has deteriotated since ATT buy out.

I have noticed no difference.

Standard definition ‘SDTV” from DTV will come to an end. Not sure when. I have it in my house and just take a receiver from the house. Direct told me about 2 years ago they did not have standard receivers anymore and if I wanted one would have to find one fron a contractor or other source. I bought one from a furniture store who installed direct. A friend changed over to high definition. He bought a new traveler antenna, near $2000, and had a contractor install the rest of the equipment in his motor home and his house. Do not know his total cost but it was big. I may give up sat TV in the motor home as I am not going to spend high $’s for the few months s year we are in the coach.

imgoin4it wrote:
friend changed over to high definition. He bought a new traveler antenna, near $2000, and had a contractor install the rest of the equipment in his motor home and his house..

Ah, the old 'friend' hack. Knows how to do that, but spends 2 grand on the rest??

$2000 is nuts. For about $150 and a bit of effort, you can manually set up a tripod and dish in just a few minutes. It won't be easy at first, but you can learn.

Not only did he buy the antenna, he kept the original in motion satilitte dome so he can listen to the music channels off the satilitte while he’s going down the highway.. different strokes for different folks I guess.

2oldman wrote:

theoldwizard1 wrote:
An antenna does not know any difference from standard def to high def..

King Quest is a dish antenna. They do know the difference.

Oh, satellite TV.

Antennas are analog devices "tuned" to receive an analog signal. Some where after the signal is received and "detected", then the SD vs HD cone into play.

If the signal is coming in on the same frequency "band" the reflector (dish) part of the antenna does not care. The "feed horn" (the thing sticking out front) may care if it is doing any conversion inside.


Short answer, you will likely need a whole new system. Depending on where you camp and what kind of access you have to the Internet, including cell phone/wifi hotspot, then a streaming service like YouTube TV, Philo or DIrecTV Now (no real connection to DirecTV other than they are both own by AT&T) may be a good and much cheaper alternative.

DTV uses KA band satellite transponders for most of the HD channels, with the SD channels transmitted from KU band transponders. No one knows at this point, whether DTV will begin using the KU band equipment to send more HD programming. KA frequencies require a completely different LNB than KU. DISH transmits both SD and HD programming using the KU band, so the same LNB can be used for both, requiring only a receiver change if you have an older SD only receiver and DISH ever decides to drop SD.

derh20 wrote:
I read on a post that DTV is going to be dropping standard def. We have a King Quest antena which only support standard def. Does anyone know anything about this as I would need to change antenas if true?

Some clarification through the muddled answers. The answer is currently unknown, but if you are using a dome with the DTV service there is a real possibility that your dome will no longer be able to receive the full spectrum of DTV programming when the SD services end. First, "when" is the big question but DTV has reported ending the service in 2019 but it has been rumored for years. The real question is if they do end SD what "exactly" will they be broadcasting from the 1 KU band satellite at 101 that the dome antennas can receive. Unfortunately, there is not even a rumor as to what this will be.
If you already have the equipment and you are already a DTV customer I would not sweat if for now as it could be over a year away before anything happens. When it does, it will only take you a few days to get setup with the new equipment or change your service provider to DISH. In the meantime, relax and enjoy your camping!