Satellite TV or Cable

[Bellpr]

As we start to look to be traveling more and longer trips, we are wondering if we should invest in the Satellite TV for the RV. We already have Direct TV at home and would be easy to bring the receivers with us. Just would need a portable satellite. Seen some on amazon for ~$200. So do I buy one or not? If we did not already have Satellite TV, I'm guessing it would be more expensive. If we decide to drop the Satellite TV, then we are stuck with Cable TV. I assume most campsites have Cable. Satellite TV would just be practical when cable is not available.

[RRinNFla]

One other point about campground cable. Without the cable box, you will only get analog standard definition (SD) channels. As I understand it, the cable boxes are unique to each CATV provider, so, unlike satellite, you can't take your cable box with you.

[valhalla360]

Most campgrounds don't have cable. The ones that do usually have very limited selection of channels.

Once you learn how, it's pretty easy to set up a dish manually. It rarely takes me more than 5 min.

Yes, you do need a clear view of the southern sky but the backwoods type campgrounds are the least likely to have cable anyway.

[donn0128]

Winegard Travler about 1600 dollars installed. Limited use if you park in trees. Good ground antenna and tripod about 150 dollars useable almost amywhere with 100 feet of coax. Many of us have both. I do and end up using my ground based dish probably 80% of the time due to trees. My Travler is automatic, but with the right tools, my ground antenna sets up in minutes.
BTW we have the wireless Genie system for home use and all I do is take one slave, the video bridge and my Genie with it. I have duplicate remote controls for the TVs in my RV. Takes some time to get the cabling correct to use either antenna, but it was worth the effort to me.

[BB_TX]

Most private RV parks do have cable to some extent. Most public campgrounds do not. So it makes a lot of difference on where you normally stay.

We have Dish at home and the month to month Dish plan in the RV. But often as not we use the RV park cable rather than setting up the satellite, especially if only staying a day or two. With a portable satellite antenna and 50' cable you can usually find an opening thru the trees even in fairly heavily wooded campsites.

[azjeffh]

Bellpr wrote:


can you give me an example of an Automatic dish so I know what I'm looking for? thanks.

Some portable options Here

[taken]

The only problem with using satellite is if you usually camp in wooded campgrounds. Most places we camp in the northeast have no view of the sky from a lot of their sites.

[rhagfo]

Well we have cable at home so invested in a Tailgater and Dish service. We get both HD and standard reception. The tailgater is auto align, I typicality place on roof of 5er, out of the way and less likely to be messed with.

[RustyJC]

Bellpr wrote:

KCerling wrote:
Most campgrounds do not have cable. If you go Direct TV get an automatic dish, much more enjoyable. But it is fun to watch people trying to manually adjust their dish.

can you give me an example of an Automatic dish so I know what I'm looking for? thanks.

See my post above - the Winegard Traveler SK-SWM3 for a roof mounted automatic HD DirecTV dish.

Rusty

[Bellpr]

KCerling wrote:
Most campgrounds do not have cable. If you go Direct TV get an automatic dish, much more enjoyable. But it is fun to watch people trying to manually adjust their dish.

can you give me an example of an Automatic dish so I know what I'm looking for? thanks.

[RustyJC]

Bellpr wrote:
If we decide to drop the Satellite TV, then we are stuck with Cable TV. I assume most campsites have Cable.

That might be a bad assumption. Probably significantly less than 50%, based on our travels.

A portable DirecTV dish and tripod shouldn't be hard to come by. I gave ours away when my wife bought me a VuQube 1000 dish for my birthday a few years ago. With the receiver from your house, you should be all set if your 5th wheel is pre-wired for satellite (and most are these days).

Be aware, though, that with DirecTV you're going to be relegated to SD (standard definition) service unless you're willing to set up a Slimline portable dish or use a HD roofmount dish such as the Winegard Traveler SK-SWM3.

Rusty

[Jim-Linda]

Do not assume most sites have cable, the opposite is the case. Cheapest is what you mentioned, take receiver, depends on if you want/need SD or HD for the dish.

[KCerling]

Most campgrounds do not have cable. If you go Direct TV get an automatic dish, much more enjoyable. But it is fun to watch people trying to manually adjust their dish.