Ready to give up on DirectTV

[derh20]

we have DirectTV at home and decided to go with them for our MH. We choose a King Quest satellite dish. we travel a couple times per year, generally for a couple months each. Initially, it took us hours on the phone with DirectTV to get things working. We got it working for day or two and then it we get the 771 problem. we seem to get things working from time to time, but now we are at our whits end. Dealing with them is a nightmare. After hours on the phone, getting transferred several times, we gave up. QUESTION: Does anyone have better luck with customer service with Dish?

[CA_Traveler]

Thanks Bill. There is lots of vagueness in that article but interesting if basically correct.

[Bill_Satellite]

Glad you were able to listen to the folks here that your problem was not with DTV. Good luck getting your issues with the King Quest resolved. Let us know the final outcome.

[Bill_Satellite]

There is more than 1 DTV satellite located at 101 and under no circumstance will DirecTV give up the most prime piece of the US sky located at 101. So the future of 101 is assured. The question is what's going to be located there? It will belong to DTV (AT&T) but the rest is a bit fuzzy.

[derh20]

UPDATE: it looks like the problem we are having is with the King Quest, not DTV.

[CA_Traveler]

Note: SD shows can be broadcast on HD channels of course. But you will still have to have HD antennas and receivers.

[CA_Traveler]

This article clearly states that 101 will run out of fuel and DTV will become a SD (MPEG-2) free service which means SD and dome type dishes will no longer work in 2019. Interesting to read the comments on the article.

This list of current markets that support only HD local channels is interesting.

The article doesn't address how automatic dishes will work if at all without 101 but that is not a DTV concern. RF Mogul, Wineguard, etc have to resolve that issue. Presumably all of the DTV HD receivers will be OK.

Years ago I discovered that there were no SD local channels available in the Eugene, OR and coast areas, only HD. This area is not on the above list.

[Bill_Satellite]

While many mention SD will be shut down, no one is saying that programming will not be broadcast on the 101 satellite. If they continue to broadcast programming on the current 101 KA band satellite then DirecTV service of some kind will still be available with a dome style antenna. Only time will tell.

[jerseyjim]

Strange...the satellite(s)are in the same place...could be your equipment. I doubt if it has anything do do with DirecTV.
Good luck with DISH....

[jeffreyhnewby]

I've wrestled with the dish on a tripod for several years. When it's connected, it's a beautiful HD picture. But lately it's been hit and miss linking to the three DTV satellites. I bought the King Quest dome which does either DTV or Dish and finally got it to work with DTV by turning off the HD setting in the tuner. So after all that work, I was looking at a fuzzy SD picture. Made the call and booked Dish for the house and the RV which ultimately gives me better coverage (includes all local Los Angeles channels) and saves several hundred dollars a year.

[jrobe]

Most of these satellite domes are switchable (a few switches in the box) between DTV and DISH so it would be easy to switch from one provider to another if there was a change in service.

[RJsfishin]

The OP stated SD programming. Don't know why all the HD discussing.

I never have a problem w/ SD D-12 in the RV, on either the kingdome, or the dish on a tripod when trees bother. Just the basics, and simple as it gets.

I do sometimes have a problem getting the local (home) networks traded out for the campground area locals. This requires a call to DTV to get the temporary change out,.....problem mainly because of the ignorant people, most of which don't even know that you can do that. And some of the real stupid ones have even told me that FCC won't allow that. That's when you just hang up, and pray you'll get a civilized human on the 2nd call,....and sometimes it takes 3 calls !!

[SCVJeff]

derh20 wrote:
Bill.Satellite---who sells a DTV roof mounted antenna? Also, we are not concerned about HD. we are very concerned about ABC, NBC, CBS and have DNS services.

It was mentioned above, but to bring it to the front of this discussion: You ARE aware that DIRECTV has announced that they will start to shut down SD service in a very few years ? While there may be some SD left, they are saying it's likely only local stations, meaning if you are out of that service area, you will have nothing, and that will likely also be the value of your antenna as well.

This information is from several satellite forums as well as CNBC

[Chuck_thehammer]

fyi.. never contact customer service.. worthless

call DTV Technical support for anything but billing. same number.. more helpful.

but as already stated... antenna problem. not DTV issue.

[Bill_Satellite]

Winegard, KVH and King Dome sell a DTV dome style antenna for RV's. DTV does not sell any! All the dome style antennas will receive DTV SD programming only and the tripod mounted, home style, antennas will pick up SD and HD.
If you want a roof mounted antenna that will receive HD you have a choice of Winegard or RF Mogul.