Direct TV for motorhome

[josslund]

Can anyone tell me what to order from Direct TV so that I can take a receiver occasionally on vacation, and hook it up to a tripod and get service. Apparently, ordering the "Genie" won't do it as each invididual receiver must be connected to the GENIE

[edatlanta]

I have been using the heavy duty tripod system from TV4RV for almost 4 years. If you are very careful when setting this tripod system up you can have a signal immediately without any tweaking. Then you just have to make small changes to max the signal and you are done. It is that accurate if you are precise in setting it up.

[rvjames]

Gary at DIYRV wrote an extensive article on the ins and outs of RV satellite TV recently. He is very sharp with that stuff. Have a look at it may give you another perspective.

[Bill_Satellite]

I would have DirecTV add another receiver to your home setup. Any of their receivers will work. If you want to be able to take a DVR into the RV then be sure they set you up with an HR24 and if you don't want a DVR then have them install the H25 (tiny) receiver. This receiver does require the DirecTV SWM setup but you are going to want to use that with your tripod setup in any case to make the setup and installation the easiest. When you buy an antenna just be sure they provide a SWM3 LNB and the 21V power inserter.
I assume you know you could also simply move your Genie between the house and the RV is you don't want to pay for an additional receiver plus the additional monthly charges.
For the antenna/tripod setup a number of RVers use the equipment from this supplier (I have no connection to them). TV4RV

[aclay]

I am getting directv installed at the house with a Genie and mini-genies. Down the road, I want to buy an additional receiver that I can use at the house or in the RV. Should I order the receiver from DirecTV? I'm thinking that's the easiest thing, and just have them add it to my house, and I can take it with me on the road. I realize this can't be a mini-genie. Which receiver do I need? Follow on question, where is a good place to buy a dish & tripod to take to the RV? what models do I need to get HD, I want a receiver and a dish that get HD. I'm ok with manual aiming, I don't need the auto aiming system. I just want a simple oval dish & tripod kit.

[josslund]

Thank you, you have been a tremendous help.

[Bill_Satellite]

josslund wrote:

Bill.Satellite wrote:
If you want to keep working receivers at home and in the RV at the same time as you indicate you DO NOT want to setup any kind of an RV account (not sure there is such a thing either). Changing any programming while you travel will kill the Network programming at home. If you plan to travel extensively and want service in both places you may need to setup 2 separate accounts. Otherwise, one of you will need to use the OTA antenna for your Network programming if you travel too far from home.

Bill
Let me see if I can sum this all up. I can use the existing dish I have, IF I order if I order the HV24 (non DVR I believe). I want to be sure that I do not make any changes to programing while on the road if I don't want to interfere with my home programing (not a problem, as I just want it to be easy to move the receiver, no one will be using at home). If I go to far outside of my service area, I might lose local stations (I usually travel in S.W. US). Am I missing anything in this summary?

The H24 is not a DVR. The HR24 IS a DVR. You make the choice as either one will work but a DVR will require that you run 2 coax cables from the Dish to the receiver unless you get a different antenna/LNB combo.
If you don't care about what's happening at home, TAKE IT ALL! It's easy. It costs very little to change your current setup to a SWM setup and you can use the Genie at home along with the clients and then take the Genie in the RV (along with all of your favorite recorded programs). Who doesn't want to be able to watch and record 5 different channels simultaneously!?
The local Network programming is spot-beamed and generally available within 300-1000 miles of home depending upon the market and the size of the spot beam. If you drive out from under this beam you will get NO Network programming but you can always use your roof top (Batwing) TV antenna if you are within range of the local OTA TV broadcast.

[josslund]

Bill.Satellite wrote:
If you want to keep working receivers at home and in the RV at the same time as you indicate you DO NOT want to setup any kind of an RV account (not sure there is such a thing either). Changing any programming while you travel will kill the Network programming at home. If you plan to travel extensively and want service in both places you may need to setup 2 separate accounts. Otherwise, one of you will need to use the OTA antenna for your Network programming if you travel too far from home.

Bill
Let me see if I can sum this all up. I can use the existing dish I have, IF I order if I order the HV24 (non DVR I believe). I want to be sure that I do not make any changes to programing while on the road if I don't want to interfere with my home programing (not a problem, as I just want it to be easy to move the receiver, no one will be using at home). If I go to far outside of my service area, I might lose local stations (I usually travel in S.W. US). Am I missing anything in this summary?

[josslund]

Thank you for that information. I would appreciate any other input, as this is not what I've heard from other RV'ers who have gone from Ca. (where I'm located) to Florida, perhaps this is recent technology?

[Bill_Satellite]

If you want to keep working receivers at home and in the RV at the same time as you indicate you DO NOT want to setup any kind of an RV account (not sure there is such a thing either). Changing any programming while you travel will kill the Network programming at home. If you plan to travel extensively and want service in both places you may need to setup 2 separate accounts. Otherwise, one of you will need to use the OTA antenna for your Network programming if you travel too far from home.

[wa8yxm]

I can not tell you what to order, I will let others do that but I can tell you this.

MAKE SURE YOU GET AN RV ACCOUNT, not a home account... The reason...

Many get a home account and take a receiver with them in the RV, exactly as you plan to do, Drive a few hundred miles and suddenly the latest episode of SURVIVOR on network TV is not there.. In fact none of the big networks (ABC NBC, CBS and so on) are there. The reason is your Local Network television stations are "Spot beamed" and you drove out of the spot (Think of a spot light you drove out of the light and into the dark, it is not like a spot beam, it is a spot beam).

With an RV account, you qualify for "Distant Network Service" with DirecTV you get your choice of the NYC area or Los Angles area. network stations (or both)

And you can still carry the spare receiver into the house and use it there.

[Bill_Satellite]

The internet connection is not needed to maintain the Whole Home option.

[edatlanta]

I have a HR44 Genie as my main DVR and a HR24 in the bedroom. They are fed from a SWM splitter coming out of the SWM Power Inserter. They both work great and Whole Home works as well. I do have a home internet network also.

On a side note, I don't have internet active on the network when away from my home base. But I keep the router turned on so the Whole Home works as well as being able to print to my network printer. I use my smart phone as a hot spot when I need internet.

[Bill_Satellite]

Your current LNB will not work with a Genie or an H25 but it would work with the H24. However, you would have to run to independent coax cables from the antenna to the receiver. Get yourself the SWM3 LNB and power insterter and it will all work and it will all work easily.
How do you get one? Google DirecTV SWM3 LNB and you will find a zillion sources.

[josslund]

Any idea how I can pick up one of those? If I did not get HD, I assume that it would work