getting hd tv in woods

[allbrandauto]

when camping in woods sometimes cant get reception from dish do to trees has anyone used a mobile hot spot to get wifi and using a sling box or another form to get tv

[dan-nickie]

Effy wrote:

dan-nickie wrote:
To answer your question about using the Sling Box:

Yes, we use our mobile hotspot and the Sling adapter to watch satellite TV sometimes...

But I have unlimited data plan.

Who offers unlimited data?

No 'new' plans that I know of.
I have had this plan for many years and was grandfathered.
If I were to change anything I would lose the unlimited plan.

[Effy]

dan-nickie wrote:
To answer your question about using the Sling Box:

Yes, we use our mobile hotspot and the Sling adapter to watch satellite TV sometimes...

But I have unlimited data plan.

Who offers unlimited data?

[sky_free]

We use a Slingbox and Verizon 4G hotspot all the time, but not in HD -- just 480P. You need a good 3G or 4G cell signal with at least 3 bars to even get a smooth non-pixellated picture. The signal strength is more important than the availability of 4G. That strength of signal is rare in the woods, so we usually do without TV when camping where we can't get a sat signal. We use the Slingbox mostly when we want to watch our home recorded DVR shows when staying in hotels and also so my DW can watch football games when we are on the road driving (she is the football fan -- go figure). 2-3 hours of watching usually uses about 1GB of data. Bottom line is that yes -- it's doable but it will depend on where you camp.

[kjburns]

I use something similar to Slingbox called Vulkano. With a decent 4G cell connection, it works great. It's not so great with a 3G connection, but does work. I have a 6GB data plan and don't stream that often so I have not had a problem with using too much data.

[bigred1cav]

OK, then in simple terms the Sling grabs something from my Direct TV in my home and in some mysterious manner permits me to watch those programs live or recorded wherever I am?

Thank you

dan-nickie wrote:
In all due respect folks, if you do not use a Sling Box or know how it works, you should not be answering as that is mainly what he asked about.
The spot beams etc. do not apply.
You can watch anything that you have on your home DISH service as well as your recorded DVR shows from your computer, mobile device or maybe your TV.

[bigred1cav]

We have Direct TV sat service with local channels in our home.

We live and travel mostly in eastern US. Our Direct TV does not receive the Big Three networks outside our local service area.

Over the air broadcasts of local channels in the area we are camped seem to be beyond my tech capacity to make the antenna wind up and work due to Direct TV being installed. Also what is the range of local TV? It has been so long since we used an antennae all I remember is fuzzy vision from channels more than 30 miles distant?

normal over the air broadcast of the national networks - ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and PBS - not from a satellite provider. Although Direct TV makes these available if I change the service area, that would prevent those staying home to watch tv.

PawPaw_n_Gram wrote:
Several questions - so here goes

bigred1cav wrote:
Say I'm in the woods of NC and would want to watch the 6pm news of my home local channels. Is that a possibility of these services?

No. Your home local channels are from what is called a spot beam. Think of shining a tight flashlight beam on a globe. Once you get outside that area - about 400-500 miles across - those channels are not sent to other regions.

The coverage areas tend to be smaller in the highly populated east coast region and large in the thinly populated west mountain/ desert regions.

bigred1cav wrote:
Tell me all the good bad and ugly of the National

From the post earlier in the thread - he is talking about normal over the air broadcast of the national networks - ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and PBS - not from a satellite provider.

I don't have Slingbox - so I will leave that to someone else.

One question - do you have Direct TV or Dish?

That is important to how folks can help you.

[dan-nickie]

In all due respect folks, if you do not use a Sling Box or know how it works, you should not be answering as that is mainly what he asked about.
The spot beams etc. do not apply.
You can watch anything that you have on your home DISH service as well as your recorded DVR shows from your computer, mobile device or maybe your TV.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

Several questions - so here goes

bigred1cav wrote:
Say I'm in the woods of NC and would want to watch the 6pm news of my home local channels. Is that a possibility of these services?

No. Your home local channels are from what is called a spot beam. Think of shining a tight flashlight beam on a globe. Once you get outside that area - about 400-500 miles across - those channels are not sent to other regions.

The coverage areas tend to be smaller in the highly populated east coast region and large in the thinly populated west mountain/ desert regions.

bigred1cav wrote:
Tell me all the good bad and ugly of the National

From the post earlier in the thread - he is talking about normal over the air broadcast of the national networks - ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and PBS - not from a satellite provider.

I don't have Slingbox - so I will leave that to someone else.

One question - do you have Direct TV or Dish?

That is important to how folks can help you.

[bigred1cav]

You've got my interest. Our rooftop sat will not as previously stated receive under trees. It also will not receive local channels as it is an extension of our home system.

Tell me all the good bad and ugly of the National and SLingbox? Say I'm in the woods of NC and would want to watch the 6pm news of my home local channels. Is that a possibility of these services? How do these services deal with scrambled programs? Please tell me all and in plain language please. I do not understand nor do I wish to learn the jargon or complexities of the systems. I am interested in what I get to watch and how?

Thank you

[SCVJeff]

To answer the HD question.. While you MAY get a 16x9 picture off of your Slingbox, Hulu, etc., it is highly doubtful you will ever see anything close to 1080 HD. SD yes, HD, No.

As mentioned, try a portable satellite antenna, or see what you can see on the off air antenna on the roof.

[ford_truck_guy]

dan-nickie wrote:
To answer your question about using the Sling Box:

Yes, we use our mobile hotspot and the Sling adapter to watch satellite TV sometimes...

But I have unlimited data plan.

We too use Slingbox as it works great.... It is the data that will cost you in the long run ...Like stated above , it's better to have an unlimited plan

Joe

[BobandShaz]

What about putting the dish on the roof? I would use that time and go fishing

[msmith1199]

Go camping in the high desert. Not as many trees there.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

donn0128 wrote:
Why not simply purchase a portable dish and enough coax cable to connect your satellite equipment?

I've got about 250 feet - and sometimes that isn't enough to get a clear signal. At some CG it is simply not possible to get a satellite signal unless you can put an antenna higher than the trees.

RoyB wrote:
We always carry a bunch DVD movies just for these times haha...

I'm not a big fan of watching TV series - but have found that DVD sets of a good series are great for a week or two at a location without live or satellite TV. Without other distractions, we can really watch the series and catch stuff we miss otherwise.