Satalite dishes

First both domes and Dishes come in multiple models.. But here is the short form

The proper model DISH.. (The one that matches your service and receivers) WORKS, period, but only when parked, One Receiver, Two Receivers, 3,4,5,6,7,8 it works (NOTE a dual channel DVR is 2 receivers) It works, period, no questions ask provided the standard conditions are met.

Standard conditions: 1: NOT parked under (or in the shade of) the evil signal eating tree
2: Properly deployed, workign and set up and locked on.

3: No problems "Upstairs" (in space) or on the ground (Satellite service end) (NOTE: 3 is "NOT YOUR PROBLEM" since you do not own any of that hardware)

Domes.. Domes come in 2x2xN flavors

First 2: Stationary (No advantage over a dish) or In-Motion (Able to receive while you are going down the highway)

Second 2: Single or dual LNB... DUAL does not mean two lnb's like a Dish 500 Dish, (that is a twin) Dual means two outputs on a single LNB, one for odd transponders, one for even,, This is needed if you run multiple receivers. and I suggest you make sure you get a dual.

The N.. Some older domes can lock on one satellite, but if you need to change focus for any reason YOU have to commend it to happen (Push button(s))

Some can pick 2 different birds under receiver control

Some 3 (or more) also under receiver control.. MOST modern domes are like this.

NOTE: A Dome can only see one satellite at a time and that bird, as I recall is broadcating in the KU band (KA is also used) they can not see KA.


Now we get to services

Dish uses 3 satellites for both SD (2) and HD (all 3) in the KU band. A dome works very well with a SINGLE receiver.. You will not be happy with multiple receivers and a dome

Direc: uses KU band for SD and KA for HD if I recall correctly (may have that convused the two) So Domes can only get SD.. WHile it lasts.. Direct has announced they are discontinuing SD

My recommendation: If you do not need In-Motion.. A Dish type antenna. and a 2nd Dish on a tripod for cases of "Evil Signal Eating Tree" and an A/B switch in the LNB line.. A(bove) and B(elow) switch.. Get it.. These are cheap, 10 bucks or less generally.

dahkota wrote:

texasAUtiger wrote:

Thank you! This is very helpful information.

Do you have an opinion on roof mounting it vs just carrying it out while camping? I guess I'd be worried about securing it if left on the ground, so no one stole it.

We used the Pathway X2 for the first year we fulltimed. It was never stolen. Sometimes, if staying a while, we threw it up on the roof if there were no trees. Often, we just put it somewhere close to the RV and didn't worry about it. We only locked it to the RV once when we were in a sketchy campground for a night. But, you can't permanently mount an X2 to the roof.

Also keep in mind that the domes, including the X2, can only be used with a limited number of receivers. The multi-tuner DVR receivers like the 3 tuner and 16 tuner Dish Hoppers only work with larger multi-LNB dishes.

texasAUtiger wrote:

Thank you! This is very helpful information.

Do you have an opinion on roof mounting it vs just carrying it out while camping? I guess I'd be worried about securing it if left on the ground, so no one stole it.

We used the Pathway X2 for the first year we fulltimed. It was never stolen. Sometimes, if staying a while, we threw it up on the roof if there were no trees. Often, we just put it somewhere close to the RV and didn't worry about it. We only locked it to the RV once when we were in a sketchy campground for a night. But, you can't permanently mount an X2 to the roof.

dahkota wrote:

texasAUtiger wrote:

http://www.winegard.com/pathway/pathway-x2

Reading above, does this mean that if I am watching on a single tv with the pathway x2, on say, Dish, will I be able to access all channels on my Dish subscription WITHOUT the x2 having to switch between satellites?

If the answer to that is "no", and if I want to switch from channel x (on say the western arc satellite) to channel y (on say the eastern arc satellite), this will likely take several minutes (for the x2 to recalibrate and find the new satellite). If that's the case, this product is useless, IMO.

Am I understanding the x2 correctly?

We have also owned a Pathway X2. When changing to channels located on a different satellite, it will take about 30 seconds for the dish to move into position and lock onto the signal. Sometimes it takes longer, sometimes shorter. It never took several minutes unless we were under a lot of tree cover or there was a storm.

If I had to pick either a roof top dome or a pathway X2, having owned and used both, I would choose the pathway X2 hands down. The dish is larger and tuned in satellites quicker and with a stronger signal. We put our X2 right next to our dome and tested them against each other. The X2 always won. It was faster, had less rain fade, and was not nearly as loud.

On edit: Most channels are on one satellite. But some channels are on a different satellite. Changing satellites is dependent on what you watch.

Changing from western arc to eastern arc takes a bit longer - you have to reprogram the dish to look for the different arc. Typically, one would either tune in the eastern arc (3 satellites) or the western arc (3 satellites) not bounce between the different arcs.

Thank you! This is very helpful information.

Do you have an opinion on roof mounting it vs just carrying it out while camping? I guess I'd be worried about securing it if left on the ground, so no one stole it.

texasAUtiger wrote:

http://www.winegard.com/pathway/pathway-x2

Reading above, does this mean that if I am watching on a single tv with the pathway x2, on say, Dish, will I be able to access all channels on my Dish subscription WITHOUT the x2 having to switch between satellites?

If the answer to that is "no", and if I want to switch from channel x (on say the western arc satellite) to channel y (on say the eastern arc satellite), this will likely take several minutes (for the x2 to recalibrate and find the new satellite). If that's the case, this product is useless, IMO.

Am I understanding the x2 correctly?

We have also owned a Pathway X2. When changing to channels located on a different satellite, it will take about 30 seconds for the dish to move into position and lock onto the signal. Sometimes it takes longer, sometimes shorter. It never took several minutes unless we were under a lot of tree cover or there was a storm.

If I had to pick either a roof top dome or a pathway X2, having owned and used both, I would choose the pathway X2 hands down. The dish is larger and tuned in satellites quicker and with a stronger signal. We put our X2 right next to our dome and tested them against each other. The X2 always won. It was faster, had less rain fade, and was not nearly as loud.

On edit: Most channels are on one satellite. But some channels are on a different satellite. Changing satellites is dependent on what you watch.

Changing from western arc to eastern arc takes a bit longer - you have to reprogram the dish to look for the different arc. Typically, one would either tune in the eastern arc (3 satellites) or the western arc (3 satellites) not bounce between the different arcs.

I'm not set on Dish or Direct, its just that most of the parks we frequent have crappy cable and would like to have better access and would like a dependable signal.

dahkota wrote:
What Dutch said.
We had a dome and replaced it with a Trav'ler. The Trav'ler is a larger dish - we have had better luck getting reception through trees with the Trav'ler over the dome.
We have two receivers and both can access any of the satellites at any time. With the dome, the second receiver can only access whatever satellite the primary receiver tunes in. If the primary receiver changes to a different satellite, the secondary loses what ever they were watching.
With the Trav'ler, we can have a hopper and joey rather than just having the 211s. This allows us to DVR any show we want to watch later without having to worry about what satellite is tuned in.
With a Trav'ler there isn't a delay when changing channels on different satellites. This allows us to jump from one channel to another without pause. Of course, the Hopper allows us to view multiple channels at once - great when there are two sporting events on at once.

http://www.winegard.com/pathway/pathway-x2

Reading above, does this mean that if I am watching on a single tv with the pathway x2, on say, Dish, will I be able to access all channels on my Dish subscription WITHOUT the x2 having to switch between satellites?

If the answer to that is "no", and if I want to switch from channel x (on say the western arc satellite) to channel y (on say the eastern arc satellite), this will likely take several minutes (for the x2 to recalibrate and find the new satellite). If that's the case, this product is useless, IMO.

Am I understanding the x2 correctly?

If you are a Camping World member, they sometimes have it on sale for a couple hundred less than their Internet sales price. Also, Amazon will have it for a little less than CW's internet sales price and if you're a Prime member, no shipping costs.

Thanks, clear now, big dish for me as soon as I shop the differences.

In addition, it's reported that domes are more prone to losing signals if there is rain, snow or heavy dew.

When we purchased this coach, it came equipped with a dome. One of my conditions for purchase was that they replace the dome with a Trav'ler. With the push of one button, the Trav'ler will raise up, locate and lock on to all three of the DISH satellites within a couple of minutes.

Ron