Satellite device options - Directv?

[BlackJeep22]

Good morning. We just bought our first RV yesterday, The motorhome is "satellite ready" but doesn't have a dish or dome.
We have DIRECTV at home and have a mini receiver that could easily go with us.
-In your opinion, what is better, dish or dome?
-Who is better to install the unit, dealer or DIRECTV tech?
-Would you expect one to be cheaper than the other?
Thanks in advance.

[Bill_Satellite]

CA Traveler wrote:
Bill,

Solid Signal has a post speculating that DTV will drop SD in 2019.

Right! What they did NOT say is whether that means the KU band being broadcast on 101 is going away. HD could easily be broadcast from that satellite which would then have no effect what-so-ever on the dome style antennas but allow the reception of at least some of the DTV HD programming. Dish broadcast all of their HD on the KU band so if DirecTV does not want to spend another billion dollars for a new satellite they will simply change was programming is broadcast for there. The 101 orbital slot is likely the most perfect slot available for the US, Canada and Mexico so I can't see DTV ever giving it up.

[CA_Traveler]

BlackJeep22 wrote:
This is a brand new Coachman. It has a jack fitting on the exterior wall and also at each location for all 3 TVs. You would think that they would all be hooked together and you would just Connect the mobile dish to the exterior jack, then Connect the receiver to any of the 3 locations.

Nope as additional equipment is required for multiple receivers.

With DTV for example a multi switch for 1-2 channel receivers and a SWM splitter for SWM receivers. 2 channel receivers also require 2 coax cables.

I suspect that in the day with a single coax SD dish there was some value to a outside sat connection. Today it seems to be more of a sales pitch. Best to sell you the rig as sat ready then to lose the sale.

[CA_Traveler]

In some areas DTV does not broadcast SD locals, HD only. So everyone in those areas has a HD dish and receiver. I've wondered if there are account restrictions that limit some to viewing SD only on their HD receiver in those areas.

This makes me wonder if going forward DTV will indeed drop SD on a larger scale.

[BlackJeep22]

wa8yxm wrote:


IN all cases.. Make sure there is a dedicated RG-66 (Get quality cable) line from where the receiver will "live" to a connection point for that ground mount... Often the "Sat Ready" is only for a roof mount.

This is a brand new Coachman. It has a jack fitting on the exterior wall and also at each location for all 3 TVs. You would think that they would all be hooked together and you would just Connect the mobile dish to the exterior jack, then Connect the receiver to any of the 3 locations.

[CA_Traveler]

Bill,

Solid Signal has a post speculating that DTV will drop SD in 2019.

[Bill_Satellite]

Everyone is making the leap that the end of HD also means the end of the 101 satellite and the KU band broadcast. I have not read anywhere that this would be the case. HD can and is broadcast on the KU band so only if DirecTV is eliminating the 101 satellite and KU broadcast would the domes becomes unusable. DirecTV has been broadcasting from the 101 orbital location "forever" and I can't imagine them giving it up.

[wa8yxm]

Multiple answers:

IF you are going to go with a ground mount (Tripod) which has both advantages and disadvantages... DIRECTV all the way

The Reciever DirecTV (no choice)

A Roof mount DISH type antenna.. Dealer

NOTE: Domes work for DirecTV, but not DirecHDTV for the next couple years but Direc has advised they are ending SC (The only thing Domes work with) in 2009.

Some shows are already HD only.

IN all cases.. Make sure there is a dedicated RG-66 (Get quality cable) line from where the receiver will "live" to a connection point for that ground mount... Often the "Sat Ready" is only for a roof mount.

[CA_Traveler]

Just make a list of the changes required for each dish.

I had 4 different setups for the HR24: home slimline, dome and 18" round dish. Later the dome was replaced with a SWM dish.

Also there were changes for the 2 different TV's.

Plus for awhile I was switching the receiver between a IR and RF remote.

[BlackJeep22]

Bill.Satellite wrote:
You cannot use your mini-Genie by itself. You must bring the Genie as the one and only satellite receiver in the coach and then you can pair a mini-Genie to that for a 2nd TV if you like.

That makes perfect sense. I don't know what I was thinking. Thanks for clearing that up.

[Bill_Satellite]

You cannot use your mini-Genie by itself. You must bring the Genie as the one and only satellite receiver in the coach and then you can pair a mini-Genie to that for a 2nd TV if you like.
The Genie will also NOT work with the dome without modifications but will work just fine with a SWM antenna mounted on a tripod. Be sure the antenna you buy has the SWM3 LNB or that will not work either.

[BlackJeep22]

An earlier poster said he picked up an identical dish on-line for $50,then attached it to a tripod. That's what I'm planning to do. My receiver is a new model mini-genie, and I'll check the compatibility before buying a dish.

[Big_Katuna]

It's called setup.

You go into the setup menu and tell the sat box what type antenna is connected.

I always use the same type in the RV as the house so you never have to change the setup.

[Coach-man]

You state you have a receiver at home that you could bring along. You could bring it along depending on what antenna you have. When you run the set up the receiver is looking for a particular antenna, usually the antennas for RV's will not work with receivers from home. Perhaps some body more knowledgeable would know how to lie to the receiver, but I could not get my home receiver to work with the antenna on the RV. I tried using a portable antenna, with the portable the theory is given enough cable you can move it around to avoid any obstacles. I just could not get it to work. I have heard DISH gives you better options, HD etc. when camping, however we had a package deal at home that gave us internet, TV and phone with Direct. I got a roof mounted antenna and have had no problems getting all the channels I want. It finds the sattilite all by itself and boom I have TV.

[BlackJeep22]

Thanks again everyone. I think I'll go with a portable & tripod for now.