HELP - Please - new to Satellite TV

Moved from Forum Technical Support

Moderator:
That is fine with me - I'm not sure I understand the difference between Technology Corner and Technology Support!
Either way, it's OK!!

Hi.. we've been using dish network for many years both in the RV and our home. Dish offers a pay as you go service as well as HD.
Clicky
Many areas we travel to don't have cable or over-the-air television. So we always carry our dish receiver. Unfortunately internet service is usually either campground WIFI or your own hotspot from one of the Cell providers.
Worth it??? to us, you bet.

Dave

ccxnola wrote:
Moderator:
That is fine with me - I'm not sure I understand the difference between Technology Corner and Technology Support!
Either way, it's OK!!

Technology corner...things technical like cell phone useage, computer usage, satellite usage, etc.

Forum Technical Support...If you have questions about the forum and are having trouble with some aspect of the forums..can't post pictures, can't see pictures others post, postings not showing up, how to edit posts, etc.

I guess I would ask what you use for TV when not in the RV. If you use cable, then I would drop that and go to one of the satellite providers. This will make your sat. service in the rig more economical. As far as internet in the boonies, then you will have to bite the bullet and pay for cell phone internet service. Lots of advice on the forums for both services. Good luck.

ccxnola wrote:
Where do I start?? I know I only want to pay when I use it and there will be times when I'll go several months not in the MoHo.

This limits you to Dish Network. Directv does not allow that kind of on/off service.

ccxnola wrote:
BUT... when we are are away from the big cities, is a satellite service really worth it?? I would appreciate your opinions if you currently use such a service.

It depends on how much you like to watch televesion. We rarely turn on the television when camping, unless locked into the camper due to bad weather. We have satellite at our S&B house, so we carry an antenna and receiver, just in case, but would not subscribe just for the RV.

Thanks for the responses and opinions. We have not needed it for the past 15 years, so I think we can continue to get along without it!

personally I feel that Sat TV is overpriced but that said there are 4 types of parks (plus combinations)

1: Good Over the air TV parks. MOST of the places I park fit that bill
2: Mediocare OTA parks (two places including where I am now)
3: What's OTA television (Been there IN fact if I still had the BASIC batwing I'd be there now More on that later)
4: Cable provided (Fee or Free) (Also there now free).

The upgrades to batwing: Added wingman, improved, Added Sensar Pro BIG Improvement.. Result is ONE station comes in better OTA than cable most of the time here.. Only one.. Rest are better on cable (5 transmitters total about 12 "Channels")

Sat TV: First thing is to select a provider There are two in the US DishNetwork and DirecTV/HDTV (Same provider different levels)

Then you need to decide 1 or 2 (or more) receivers, DVR? and such also what package.. In my case Dish offeres a channel I seriously want (Direc does not have) Others prefer Direc packages.. This is the primary cause for decisionh.

Also Dish has a "Pay as you go Pay when you want it" service where you buy a nonth at a timne and can even suspend it and use a week or two this month and the rest next month.

now we need to pick an antenna or antennas.
DISH
Domes work GREAT with a SINGLE receiver,, If you have two receivers you need two domes.. More you need 3... At least for the classic Western arc (I won't explain that) That gets kind of expensive.

DIREC: Domes work for SD only... They will not work for HD

A Dish type antenna (proper one for the service you have WORKS, (if proprly set up) PERIOD.. However ONLY when parked (Domes can be in motion or stationary).

And you have to set them up.. 1 or more receivers HD or SD, they work, period.

NETWORK stations (ABC CBS Faux Et-al) are SPOT beamed.. Consider a theater, The star is singing his solo, They have spotlights on him.. The rest of the stag is dark and actually undergoing a change of props (Been there (Changing props all dressed in black).

Well the star is your house. Spot beam covers it but if you drive out to where the stage hands are you wont be getting locals..

DISH will re-set your "Local channels" so you get whatever spot you are in.. DIREC will sell you DNS (NYC area or LA channels) for a small additional fee.

Hope this covers it.

Sat TV is very doable and can be affordable. There are part time plans if you don't use the service year round or you can have the service installed in your home and then take a receiver on the road when you travel. You then just need to add a portable satellite antenna to your RV equipment.
Internet via Satellite is really no longer a viable option due to its high cost and very slow speeds. Internet service is best provided by your own cellular device (if you have a smart phone it can provide a hotspot for your computer) or the campground or local businesses providing WiFi connections.