Direct TV for motorhome

[josslund]

Could someone give me a step by step procedure to get Direct TV to my motorhome. I'd like to move my home service to direct TV, and then take the receiver with me in the motorhome- my plan is to get a dome motorhome receiver. I do not currently have Direct TV, and am confused about the whole house receivers that are offered. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Fredzo]

I have an H23 that lives in the MoHo. It is listed on my account as being in the MoHo. Due to the location of my property (against a mountain, north of Los Angeles), we have DNS at home. We have 6 receivers. Five in the house and one in the MoHo.

Depending on how long we are going to stay at a given location, I either use the crank-up Winegard on the roof or the Slimline 3-LNB dish on a tripod, purchased from TV4RV.

[jhilley]

Carl n Susan wrote:
The OP *DOESN'T* have DirecTV (DTV) today. JHilley is recommending installing DTV in the house and then taking a receiver with them in the motorhome. Then the OP will be back to complain they don't receive local channels once they leave their local spot beam.

My approach is to install DTV in the motorhome first. Then move some receivers from the motorhome to the house. The RV account is eligible for DNS so the OP will always have network stations (on the motorhome and home receivers) regardless of where they are.

The issue of a dome antenna vs a Traveler is really a question of wanting HD service or not.

Legally, DTV wants you to have two accounts - one for the home and another for the RV. Taking a receiver from the home with you in the motorhome is not supported.

While moving a receiver from the house may not be supported, it is condoned. Using a RV receiver with DNS in a house is illegal and what got Dish into trouble with the FCC. You would also have to install and wire the dish on the house yourself and it would not be supported. In almost all areas you can get off the air HD local stations and not need DNS.

[wa8yxm]

Well. with a DOME you won't get HD on DirecTV, no dome can do DirecHDTV.. Just so you know.. and where as I am not sure about Direc, Dish moved all their network (ABC,CBS and so on) to HD.

Now, you put your dome on the roof and run the cables (May already be there)

put in an "A/B" type switch box where you plan on putting the receiver (A goes to the Roof up Above and B to a ground block or blukhead connector down Below, Mine is on the Brake Bell crank Bracket... See how that works)

This is for hooking up a dish mounted on a tripod when you are parked, epically if under the evil signal eating tree as I am just now.

Call Direc. tell them you have a motor home, get transfered to KVH (i think)

Call again, same thing.

Call again and tell 'em if they transfer you to KVH one more time you are calling DISH.

From there.. it is easy.

[Carl_n_Susan]

The OP *DOESN'T* have DirecTV (DTV) today. JHilley is recommending installing DTV in the house and then taking a receiver with them in the motorhome. Then the OP will be back to complain they don't receive local channels once they leave their local spot beam.

My approach is to install DTV in the motorhome first. Then move some receivers from the motorhome to the house. The RV account is eligible for DNS so the OP will always have network stations (on the motorhome and home receivers) regardless of where they are.

The issue of a dome antenna vs a Traveler is really a question of wanting HD service or not.

Legally, DTV wants you to have two accounts - one for the home and another for the RV. Taking a receiver from the home with you in the motorhome is not supported.

[jhilley]

josslund wrote:
JnHilley,
How are you suggesting I do it. I've had a number of people tell me to sign up with a service, and then just bring the recieiver in the motorhome. I'm just questioning whether in fact that works.

Yes, just sign up with DirecTV. The install in the house will be free and you can get some ones account number as a referral and get $100 off, $10/mo for 10 months. The referral account also gets $100 over 10 months. Just get the number of receivers you want for the house and use one or two in the motor home. They are simple to move back and forth. You have to sign a two year contract, but installation will be free and you will get promotional Premium Channels for 3 months. You can hook more than one TV to a receiver using your current house cable.

PM if you have any questions and I will give you my phone number.

[Bill_Satellite]

If you are already a DirecTV customer then you already have the receiver you need to use in your RV. Only if you want to get separate equipment for your RV would you need to buy a new receiver.

[josslund]

JnHilley,
How are you suggesting I do it. I've had a number of people tell me to sign up with a service, and then just bring the recieiver in the motorhome. I'm just questioning whether in fact that works.

[jhilley]

Carl n Susan wrote:
A better plan is to establish a RV Account for your motorhome with DirecTV. Have them install a SWM based HD DVR (Genie preferred) in the Living Area, and H25 receivers in the bedroom, kitchen, and outside location. Order the Distant Network Station (DNS) option for all the receivers. DirecTV will install a HD antenna on the ground (if you park at home, they may mount it on the house). Having the DNS option allows you to receive the network stations (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CW, & PBS) anywhere you go in the USA. Once everything is installed and working install a SWM capable Weingard Traveler antenna on the roof of the motorhome. This will drive the receivers when you are on the road.

Now that you have HD reception fully functional in the RV, you can take some of the receivers into the house, hook them to the external antenna, and have DirecTV in your home too.

The OP wants DirecTV in the house also. He also mentioned that he wanted to use a dome antenna. If he went as you suggest he would need two accounts, one for the house and one for the motor home. The Winegard Travler would cost up to 3 times that of the dome. With two accounts including DNS, HD and DVR, he would be looking at around $250/mo or more. He would be looking at around $2,000 for the dish plus extra Ethernet wiring in the motor home.
I am pretty sure the Whole-Home feature requires special cabling between the Genie and the remote receivers and there is no easy way to do that in a RV. That is why you will need the H25 receivers in the non-Living Room locations. The number of receivers you need is obviously dependent on how many TVs you want to service in the RV and/or the house.

[josslund]

Carl, thank you again, this is what I was looking for. A couple of questions, what is "swm". Does DNS, mean you cannot receive local stations? As to "outside locations" are you suggesting that be the motorhome on a "permanent" install? Or, like an outside patio or shed? Did you actually get Direct TV to install in your motorhome?

[Carl_n_Susan]

A better plan is to establish a RV Account for your motorhome with DirecTV. Have them install a SWM based HD DVR (Genie preferred) in the Living Area, and H25 receivers in the bedroom, kitchen, and outside location. Order the Distant Network Station (DNS) option for all the receivers. DirecTV will install a HD antenna on the ground (if you park at home, they may mount it on the house). Having the DNS option allows you to receive the network stations (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CW, & PBS) anywhere you go in the USA. Once everything is installed and working install a SWM capable Weingard Traveler antenna on the roof of the motorhome. This will drive the receivers when you are on the road.

Now that you have HD reception fully functional in the RV, you can take some of the receivers into the house, hook them to the external antenna, and have DirecTV in your home too.

I am pretty sure the Whole-Home feature requires special cabling between the Genie and the remote receivers and there is no easy way to do that in a RV. That is why you will need the H25 receivers in the non-Living Room locations. The number of receivers you need is obviously dependent on how many TVs you want to service in the RV and/or the house.

[josslund]

Thank you for a really specific response. Are you on Dish, or Direct?

[jhilley]

Get a D12-100 receiver or if you want a DVR get the R15-300. Ask for an RF remote and you will be able to change channels from the bedroom also. I have one of each in our motor home. I have a folding Winegard antenna and a Carryout dome. When we are parked for an extended period of time I use the folding dish for the D12-100 and connect the R15-300 to the Carryout. That way we can watch two diffent channels and record a third. I have the D12-100 in the front entertainment center connected to the Video Switch for whole motor home use. I have the R15-300 in the bedroom and connect it only to the Carryout. For quick over night setups I can use the Carryout with one connection to each and switch the D12-100 between the Carryout and folding dish with a coax A/B switch.

[2oldman]

old guy wrote:
my son was an installer and he told me to just use a reg receiver not an HD, seems HD dishes are hard to get a good signal with.

Only for the first 10 times you try. 🙂

[Klueck]

old guy wrote:
my son was an installer and he told me to just use a reg receiver not an HD, seems HD dishes are hard to get a good signal with.

I have heard that too.