Converting a Traveler from Dish to Direct

[bluwtr49]

Ever since Dish introduced their new interface I've been so annoyed that I have been considering switching to Direct. The biggest problem with making a change is that Winguard will no longer sell the conversion components.

As I got to thinking it doesn't seem like it's an unreasonable DIY to tackle but I'm not sure what is unique about the two versions. Changing the reflector and LNB's should be simple and I've already to 3 coax cables going into the coach. I'm sure the brain box would need to be changed and might be the toughest to find.

Is there anything else that would need to be addressed or am I paddling up river.

Thanks for any thoughts.

[Dutch_12078]

TechWriter wrote:

Dutch_12078 wrote:
We've been using two Hopper's w/Sling for over two years now, and currently have no intentions of upgrading to the Hopper3.

I have a Hopper 3 in the RV with no intention of going back to the previous Hoppers, and a conventional Winegard DISH Travler can be upgraded to Hopper 3 compliant dish.

A 16-tuner H3 = more than five 3-tuner older Hoppers.

When Dish makes the DPH42 switch available and allows more than one H3 on an account, I'll likely upgrade. We usually leave one HWS at our Adirondack cottage with the other one installed in the motorhome. We use the cottage HWS to record programming we would miss while underway for later viewing with the DishAnywhere app as well recording any programming that exceeds our local HWS's 4 tuner capacity. The DPH42 will also give us the ability to use our existing 1000.4 dishes and LNBF setups without needing the hybrid LNBF's that only fit the 1000.2 dish. The DPH42 will also mean folks with a Trav'ler won't need any mods to use it with an H3 beyond adding the switch.

[TechWriter]

Dutch_12078 wrote:
We've been using two Hopper's w/Sling for over two years now, and currently have no intentions of upgrading to the Hopper3.

I have a Hopper 3 in the RV with no intention of going back to the previous Hoppers, and a conventional Winegard DISH Travler can be upgraded to Hopper 3 compliant dish.

A 16-tuner H3 = more than five 3-tuner older Hoppers.

[Dutch_12078]

We've been using two Hopper's w/Sling for over two years now, and currently have no intentions of upgrading to the Hopper3. The combined 6 tuners (8 with OTA) are more than enough for our DVR needs. I'm also waiting for Dish to release the new DPH42 switch that will let the Hopper 3 use our existing 1000.4 dish and LNBF's, as well as allowing more than one H3 on an account or hopefully allow an H3 and an HWS on the same account.

[We_Cant_Wait]

Been using our Hopper for 9 months now and do not see any of the issues that
Bluwtr49 talks about. Yes all my recordings of the same program are put in one block (he calls it a bullets). All I have to do is click on the block and it shows all the recordings and they are listed in the order recorded, oldest one first newest one at the bottom of the list, no issues here.

[Passin_Thru]

We looked a Hopper and decided it wasn't worth all the hassle. Went with a Tailgaiter and pretty happy but it requires a home box which can be installed in a MH anyway. My only gripe with Dish is right now if I turn it on I have 900 chanels, 860 are unwatchable **** with 3 minutes of show 5 minutes of ads and on and on so we record everything then skip over the ads.

[bluwtr49]

Bill.Satellite wrote:
You cannot change a Winegard Trav'ler for Dish (SK-1000) to DirecTV and receive any of the DirecTV HD programming. Unfortunately, the DirecTV/LNB setup is too heavy for the motor in the SK-1000 to lift. You can install the old DirecTV antenna with the old triple LNB but that setup will only get you the 101 satellite (plus 110 and 119 but there is nothing there) and all of the HD programming is on 99 and 103 which are not accessible with this setup.
You CAN change a DirecTV Trav'ler to Dish but you cannot go the opposite direction. Sorry!

Thanks, I appreciate the info....did not know this.

As to my dissatisfaction with the new UI, It got sprung on me as a completer surprise when I had to replace the Hopper in the house and it came with the new interface. Spent a fair amount of time trying to figure it out and slowly realized that i had lost a fair amount of functionality. Than I spent a lot of time with the Dish tech people trying get it to work with our viewing patterns. Although there were very helpful and even sent a tech out twice to try to help, so I have not complaints on that score. I was reassured that they are elevating all the complaints and working hard on resolving some of the most serious issues.

I figured, OK, the Hopper in the MH would still be fine so it won't affect us while traveling for the summer. Surprise, surprise, when I pulled the MY out of the garage and fired up the sat system it downloaded the new UI so back to square one.

My two biggest complaints is that the search function is really poor in that the search and record function has been totally deleted. Than the recorded programs are now all grouped in bullets but you can not sort them in order of recorded date which make is impossible to find the oldest recording which is how we watch programs.

Just as an icing on the cake, I have lost the auto hop capability and Dish has no idea why.

So, with all that in mind I started to consider voting with my checkbook but the sat system on the MH makes that tough which is what prompted the question of converting it to Direct.

Anyway, sorry for the rant and your responses were all appreciated.

[dkreuzen]

I'll bet it's not just the new interface it's the new 52.0 remote that comes with the newer receivers he doesn't like. I really do not like it either but I am dealing with it.

[Bumpyroad]

new interface??????????
my problem with a new interface is at my S&B with Xfinity. it sucks
just remembered that my 211 receiver does have a different interface, the other receiver can select movies by rating, the 211 just shows all movies. a PITA yes, but to make me switch services, nope.
bumpy

[crasster]

Dish is fun and all, but I'm starting to find that streaming over data is not bad either. Especially if you just want some movies and such. News comes over the air usually anyway. I know we each have our wants, but that works for me.

[rk911]

bullydogs1 wrote:
x4????

You don't have to have the Hopper...I do very well with my 211K with a drive attached for a DVR...while I would like to do some more recording....I don't sweat it and that's not the reason I'm out with the motorhome anyway...with so many online options like HULU...I get what my wife needs and then I am happy watching a game outside while sitting with the babies...I know the HOPPER is a bit more complicated but I won't pay extra for it...although dish did make a modification that some of the older units will no longer find the satellites.

we have Dish's ViP 422k dual sat receiver/DVR being fed by our roof mounted Winegard Trav'ler. we get sats 110/119/129, HD and SD and locals in whatever area we're in. in dual mode we can record two programs (one on each TV) and watch a 3rd recording. don't recall the capacity but it's a ton of space...more than we'd ever use or need. if you have the Hopper and that's the issue it's a lot easier (and less $$) to switch out the receiver.

[Dutch_12078]

I imagine Dick is referring to the Carbon UI introduced on the Hopper 3 receivers, and available for upgrading on previous Hopper models. There have been a lot of complaints about Carbon on the various Dish support forums, enough to discourage me from upgrading my two Hopper w/Sling's anyway.

[bullydogs1]

x4????

You don't have to have the Hopper...I do very well with my 211K with a drive attached for a DVR...while I would like to do some more recording....I don't sweat it and that's not the reason I'm out with the motorhome anyway...with so many online options like HULU...I get what my wife needs and then I am happy watching a game outside while sitting with the babies...I know the HOPPER is a bit more complicated but I won't pay extra for it...although dish did make a modification that some of the older units will no longer find the satellites.

[msturtz]

We have had Dish for years and don't have an issue with the UI,

[rk911]

vegasfoodguy wrote:

We Cant Wait wrote:
What NEW interface issues are you talking about??? We've had Dish for 20+ years in the S&B, and 5 years in the RV with no issues.

X2 ????

X3 ????? as well