Dish or Directv - Best satellite to purchase

Most of the customer service reps can't see outside of the box. RVs just confuse the heck out of them.

DirecTV (and Dish) simply have NO WAY AT ALL to know where your receiver is located unless you tell them or connect the receiver to the internet or a phone line connection. That's the fact, Jack. That is also a fact that is indisputable if you understand what a one-way satellite connection involves.
It is also true that there is no rule against using your receiver at home and then moving it to your RV or vacation home as long as it travels with the owner of the account. Some RVers use a "spare" receiver from an account owned by their son or daughter. This is illegal and considered to be "theft of services" as it is no different than you buy 2 receivers and giving 1 to your neighbor.

I had DTV for fifteen years using it in both home and rv.

I think their training needs improving and/or their rules are fuzzy.

Some agents didn't seem to care I was using it in both, some didnt believe I could align my own dish, another tried to change my account type from residential to rv. Another said I had to have two separate accounts.

When I had DNS, they changed my account to rv.

DISH (to me) is way more rv friendly.

lonewolf80 wrote:
My experience goes back perhaps four years. Certainly before AT&T took them over. No, Direct did not know my location on the road with the home receiver, but they did know my amount of usage. On one of the "call customer service" prompts on the TV screen, which when these appeared the box would not work, or, was locked out by Direct I told them the box was in my camper in the driveway. That's when the told me that that was not allowed under our agreement. If anyone doubts their customer service, again before AT&T at least, just Google it. Those that have enjoyed their product and service, well good for you. My opinion doesn't change.

It seems odd that DTV would offer DNS to RV'ers if they don't allow their equipment to be used in an RV.

My experience goes back perhaps four years. Certainly before AT&T took them over. No, Direct did not know my location on the road with the home receiver, but they did know my amount of usage. On one of the "call customer service" prompts on the TV screen, which when these appeared the box would not work, or, was locked out by Direct I told them the box was in my camper in the driveway. That's when the told me that that was not allowed under our agreement. If anyone doubts their customer service, again before AT&T at least, just Google it. Those that have enjoyed their product and service, well good for you. My opinion doesn't change.

We upgraded our house to the Hopper 3 with 8 TVs and Dish still let us add a MH receiver for $7/month which I can suspend over the winter if I want.

I had to get the ViP211z because the new Wally is having issues operating unless it can get all 3 satellites. I'll get the Wally as soon as that issue gets resolved.

We used to have a Hopper and 2 Joeys in our 5th wheel on a separate Dish account we would suspend over the winter, but we didn't need it for the MH because of the 4X4 matrix system factory installed.

I agree that directv is great for RVer's. It works for them because we do not suspend service and we get to take all of our favorite channels with us. Their are a few technical things. Your home equpment must be matched by your RV. For instance, if you have a SWM-single wire multi-switch you must have it in both places. I strongly recommend it along with the Genie system. I have also learned that the required power inserter is now contained in the Genie HR-54. If you already have the power inserter in your home or RV you do not have to remove it as the HR-54 automatically disables its own. The Genie is very efficient and allows for the extensions that are very small in size so fit in cabinets and tight spaces. Invest well to start. It will make you happy in the long run.

Something tells me there is more to the above story then we have been presented. As has been pointed out, DirecTV has no issue with taking a receiver from your house into your RV. I just recently has to replace an old clunker receiver in my coach that kicked the bucket, Was owned by me for well over 10 years. Called them and they brought out a new one for me in the RV right at the RV park. (a free upgrade - no cost) They did point out that the installer would not do any installation work in an RV like they do at your house if needed. No problem with that.

Changing locations to get local channels is a piece of cake. The process has greatly improved in one area since AT&T bought them. They answer almost right away now instead of the sometimes VERY long waits on hold before. However the down side is that you end up talking to someone with English as a second language. Not sure which is preferable.

Neither DirecTV or Dish Network have ANY way at all of knowing where your receiver is located. It is a one-way communication system unless you happen to plug your receiver into a phone line or internet connection when at home. Even in that case the only thing they could know if that the receiver either is or is not connected to the home Network. DirecTV has no problem at all with you using your own receiver in your own RV. There are thousands of RVer doing this on a daily basis. Many even call DirecTV and have their service address changed when they move to a new location so they can receive the local Network programming where they are camping. If you have folks at home and you are using the receiver on the road you will not be able to do this but if you don't care what's happening at home while you are away it's a pretty simple process.

On my previous rig I had the auto sat dish on the roof. I had Direct at home and like many have stated I took the receiver out of the spare bedroom to use in the RV over the camping months. My second year in doing this I started to get prompts on the tv screen to call customer service. It seems that some how or another DirectTV knew I was using the receiver in my RV. They said it was not allowed, I tried to argue that as long as I was paying a monthly rental on the box I should be able to use it how ever I wished. I dropped their service shortly after. I found their customer service/support with the RV issue along with other problems I encountered during my subscription with them to be just about the worst company I have ever dealt with, right up to trying to stop doing business with them. I finally told them they can do what they wanted but don't expect me to pay another nickel. The next day they called me to inform me a box would be FEDEX'ed to me to return their receivers. Still have their crappy dish on my sticks and bricks. I would not recommend them to my worst enemy.