TV Service

[Burwoods]

Simple question I am sure but...We purchased a 1999 Class A with a dish on top of it, and an antenna. Dish is Generic I am sure, so I called Bell Canada, as I am in Canada and was told that you have to have a dish to match the service you are using. So then why would manufacturers put a dish on top of a Motorhome. Can anyone clarify this for me. I would like to consider having Tv in the RV once we retire and are in it a great deal of the year.

[MrWizard]

It's a 1999, unless you see the original order and sales slip, . It could have been installed anytime after MFG

If you want Sat tv, you need to see about installing a new system , including new HD TV

[Bill_Satellite]

Burwoods wrote:
You can all shake your head at my inability to get this but...so I have a dish, and I have an antenna on the top of the Motorhome. I have tvs that are of an age I would think I will need to attach a digital tuner box to them. So I should be able to point and get OTA and FTA signals without added boxes, packages from anyone so on, depending if I am using the Dish or the Antenna. I am not overly concerned about HD quality at this time. So bare with me as I try to understand all this. Thanks Sally

I have been reading another post here that had about 6 pages to it, and I think it confused me more..lol

If you want satellite TV (FTA or not) you need a receiver and that receiver will be connected to the satellite dish (antenna).
The OTA TV signal will come from the Batwing type antenna and no additional equipment is required unless, as you suggest, your TV's are too old to receive the Digital TV signal. You can add a digital to analog converter (about $50 and Radio Shack sells the model I recommend) or for just a tiny bit more you can replace your current TV(s) with new digital TVs. The small ones that would fit your current hole are very cheap and easy to setup.

[Jagtech]

Burwoods wrote:

Burwoods wrote:
Simple question I am sure but...We purchased a 1999 Class A with a dish on top of it, and an antenna. Dish is Generic I am sure, so I called Bell Canada, as I am in Canada and was told that you have to have a dish to match the service you are using. So then why would manufacturers put a dish on top of a Motorhome. Can anyone clarify this for me. I would like to consider having Tv in the RV once we retire and are in it a great deal of the year.

Has anyone tried the Free to Air boxes you can purchase?

I use free-to-air quite sucessfully at home, and really enjoy it. But I need a 33" dish, so I doubt your roof-top dish will work very well.

[wa8yxm]

To answer your question: Subscription Satellite TV for many years used one frequency band So the same antenna that picked up DriecTV could pick up one of the DISHnetwork birds, and BellVu Express (Which actually uses Dish type antennas) and I can't recall the other Canadian provider. All you had to do was point it.

Today, we have HDTV, Now DirecHDTV here in the US uses TWO bands, one just for HD, and the old one everybody else uses (Starchoice that's the other one, I do not know much about them).

So that Generic Solo (Single or dual output but just one lens) Antenna was for DirecTV.. Or 1/2 of DISH (now 1/3 of DISH) or 1/2 of BellVu Express (Do not know if they have added a 3rd bird either).

The Script heads at the Sat provider actually know nothing about what you need.

But... Your antenna, if round, will pick up ONE satellite.. IE 92W (There is a good channel on that bird... Silver Screen). But it will not pick up ALL the programming.

With a bit of work, and a single receiver, you can use it though.. You just may need to re-point when you change channels.

I would recommend upgrade to the proper antenna though.

[Burwoods]

You can all shake your head at my inability to get this but...so I have a dish, and I have an antenna on the top of the Motorhome. I have tvs that are of an age I would think I will need to attach a digital tuner box to them. So I should be able to point and get OTA and FTA signals without added boxes, packages from anyone so on, depending if I am using the Dish or the Antenna. I am not overly concerned about HD quality at this time. So bare with me as I try to understand all this. Thanks Sally

I have been reading another post here that had about 6 pages to it, and I think it confused me more..lol

[Bill_Satellite]

Burwoods wrote:
Simple question I am sure but...We purchased a 1999 Class A with a dish on top of it, and an antenna. Dish is Generic I am sure, so I called Bell Canada, as I am in Canada and was told that you have to have a dish to match the service you are using. So then why would manufacturers put a dish on top of a Motorhome. Can anyone clarify this for me. I would like to consider having Tv in the RV once we retire and are in it a great deal of the year.

Your satellite antenna is capable of receiving Dish, DirecTV and Bell Expresss Vu (but not Shaw Direct). However, it can only be pointed to one satellite at a time so you have to pick which satellite you want to receive. The Bell service is no longer available in the US so you would only be able to receive programming while in Canada. Someone mis-stated that you would not be able get HD. As long as you are pointed at the satellite where the HD is coming from you will have no problem with the reception.

[2oldman]

Cutting cord on pay TV - Jan '14

[Burwoods]

Burwoods wrote:
Simple question I am sure but...We purchased a 1999 Class A with a dish on top of it, and an antenna. Dish is Generic I am sure, so I called Bell Canada, as I am in Canada and was told that you have to have a dish to match the service you are using. So then why would manufacturers put a dish on top of a Motorhome. Can anyone clarify this for me. I would like to consider having Tv in the RV once we retire and are in it a great deal of the year.

Has anyone tried the Free to Air boxes you can purchase?

[YC_1]

Yes, Direct or Dish specific. As for a mfgr installing either who knows how they make that decision. However, changing one out at a dealership would be a very simple job. Crank yours up and see if there is a name on the reflector.

[2oldman]

If it's been there since '99 it's not going to get HD.