I regret purchasing a Winegard Trav'ler for Dish Network

[ljr]

I suspect most Dish subscribers considering something like a Winegard Trav’ler already know that Dish has two “arcs” of three orbital locations each. Local, broadcast network (ABC, NBC, CBS & Fox) channels in the eastern half of the US are gradually moving to the Eastern Arc. The Trav’ler can receive each of those three satellites but only one at a time. You need two to get all channels, SD and HD, and all of the features of the Hopper if you have one. I believe the third is for non-English programming.

/rant on

If you are a Dish subscriber traveling in the Eastern half of the US that cares about the broadcast networks in HD (in a few markets SD too), the Hopper Primetime and commercial skip features and/or local channels in HD (in a few markets SD too) via satellite; then you should think twice about a Trav'ler (SK-1000). If any of the above applies to you the hassle of a Dish 1000.2 or 1000.4 on a portable tripod may be worth it. You can get a good portable setup, plus a decent meter for aiming, at a fraction of the price.

I put off getting a Trav'ler for over a year hoping Winegard would announce some plan for future Eastern Arc support but finally got it anyway. I figured they would be forced to address the issue eventually. I’ve asked the question several times since but the responses don’t make it seem like they even realize the product is gradually becoming obsolete. I’m at the point where I think I regret my Trav’ler purchase. I spent a lot of $ just to find myself, over a year later, still hauling a portable setup around too.

rant off/

Have any other Dish Network Trav’ler owners asked them about the Eastern Arc? If enough did perhaps they’d start thinking about doing something.

[Bill_Satellite]

Dish is moving all programming to 61.5 and 72.7 only.

[ljr]

TechWriter wrote:

az99 wrote:

There is nothing on 77 unless you speak spanish.

Some local stations use 77.

Are those stragglers that haven't moved off yet or the beginning of a trend?

[az99]

TechWriter wrote:

az99 wrote:

There is nothing on 77 unless you speak spanish.

Some local stations use 77.

Most are just SD dups of 61.5.
My point was that if doing the Rube Goldberg setup of the unit to try to trick it into EA, 77 was not important if 61.5 and 72.7 could be received.

[TechWriter]

az99 wrote:

There is nothing on 77 unless you speak spanish.

Some local stations use 77.

[Chris_Bryant]

ljr wrote:

paulcardoza wrote:
Hmmmmmm........ I don't see where Winegard misled anyone. You bought the unit, knowing it didn't work. Sort of a strange move, given the price.

Anyway, all the wild ideas of how to make it work, seem more cumbersome than simply getting a 1000.4 dish on a tripod. Or a VuQube Flex VQ2100 that can be programmed for most any service and both Dish arcs.........

ljr wrote:

This seems like a classic case of "We've got your money now get lost.".

You are correct. I purchased an inferior product from an unresponsive company on the poor assumption that they would keep up with changing technology.

No, you made an assumption that was not correct. Winegard clearly said it would not work, and that it *may* work in the future. The product itself does exactly what it was sold to do- you just want it to do more, and are throwing a temper tantrum when they don't do what YOU want.

[paulcardoza]

Or, put more simply...... You made a poor decision.

ljr wrote:


You are correct. I purchased an inferior product from an unresponsive company on the poor assumption that they would keep up with changing technology.

Thanks for your contribution.

[ljr]

paulcardoza wrote:
Hmmmmmm........ I don't see where Winegard misled anyone. You bought the unit, knowing it didn't work. Sort of a strange move, given the price.

Anyway, all the wild ideas of how to make it work, seem more cumbersome than simply getting a 1000.4 dish on a tripod. Or a VuQube Flex VQ2100 that can be programmed for most any service and both Dish arcs.........

ljr wrote:

This seems like a classic case of "We've got your money now get lost.".

You are correct. I purchased an inferior product from an unresponsive company on the poor assumption that they would keep up with changing technology.

Thanks for your contribution.

[CA_Traveler]

Thanks as I appreciate the information even though I have DTV. Looked up the Dish birds and 110 is Tucson, AZ longitude and 129 is way out in the Pacific and as a reference Juneau, AK is 134 degrees. Those birds would be low on the horizon from the east coast.

[Bobbo]

Both the King Flex and the King Quest w/optional King Quest Controller can get Dish HD and SD from satellites 110, 119 and 129, or from satellites 61.5, 110 and 129. I don't know which "arc" those satellites are on.

[Dutch_12078]

az99 wrote:

There is nothing on 77 unless you speak spanish.

When we were parked in Kingsland, GA, tree cover only allowed our 1000.4 dish to hit the 72.7 and 77 sats. The Jacksonville, FL locals came in just fine on 77 in SD. In English...

[paulcardoza]

Maybe it's out of production, but they are still for sale many places online, including Amazon and AdventureRV

Bobbo wrote:
The Vuqube Flex is no longer made. You now have to get the King Quest. It is Directv SD only. If you want it to work with Dish Network, you also have to buy their optional King Quest Controller.

Their website lists prices of $549 and $99 respectively, but you may be able to get them cheaper online.

I hate that as I own a Vuqube Flex and love it. That was the name before they renamed it the King Flex.

[Bobbo]

The Vuqube Flex is no longer made. You now have to get the King Quest. It is Directv SD only. If you want it to work with Dish Network, you also have to buy their optional King Quest Controller.

Their website lists prices of $549 and $99 respectively, but you may be able to get them cheaper online.

I hate that as I own a Vuqube Flex and love it. That was the name before they renamed it the King Flex.

[paulcardoza]

Hmmmmmm........ I don't see where Winegard misled anyone. You bought the unit, knowing it didn't work. Sort of a strange move, given the price.

Anyway, all the wild ideas of how to make it work, seem more cumbersome than simply getting a 1000.4 dish on a tripod. Or a VuQube Flex VQ2100 that can be programmed for most any service and both Dish arcs.........

ljr wrote:

This seems like a classic case of "We've got your money now get lost.".

[ljr]

az99 wrote:
So how did you do that to get both sats? What is your setup? Hopper?

There is nothing on 77 unless you speak spanish.

That seems to be hit and miss. I've tried many times and always failed. Some have posted that they can't get 72 at all, even by itself.

Without the software to set the skew I think you just have to be lucky. I've explored many tricks and kludges. I don't mind climbing up on the roof and messing with the LNB setup but the bottom line is that we are screwed unless Winegard steps up and sells aiming software for EA. Even a manual skew adjustment would be a huge improvement but they seem utterly disinterested in the whole issue.

This seems like a classic case of "We've got your money now get lost.".