Updating Old Directv equipment

[snickster]

I've been dealing with some heavy duty health issues for the last 8-9 years and am way behind the 8 ball on the latest and best Directv setup for home/Motorhome.

Presently I have 10 year old equipment (non HD)
I just take a receiver with me in the MH when we travel.

I would like to get HD and have a new DVR and still be able to take a receiver with me when we travel. I currently have none of the multiswitch setups at home or in the RV.

Looks like I should stay with Direct over Dish because I watch a lot of college football.

Any advice would be appreciated on what would be the best multi-room setup for home and the motorhome ?
Thanks !

[mikestock]

My setup at home has a SWM LNB I'm not personally familiar with. There are 3 wires running from the SWM to a large box outside and from there to my different tv locations. My PI is 28 volts as opposed to the 21 volt used in the single wire setup I use in the RV. My Genie grabbed up 5 lines when installed a couple of months ago requiring this elaborate setup.

[wa8yxm]

First let me ask if you have a DOME or a DISH type antenna..

If you have a DOME, do not make any changes, Domes are not compatible with DirecHDTV (They are, sort of, with dish but there is a problem there too)

If you have a dish type antenna.... You can switch to DirecHDTV, but you will need a new dish.. Set up of this new dish is the same as a Dishnetwork Dish only you point at different birds. (Satellites) but the procedure is the same.

I also recommend getting an RV account so you qualify for Distant Network Service.. If you want to use the "Spare" Reciever(s) in you home... Well. I have no problem with that (Though direct might) but I'm not Direc.

[Pirate1]

Bill.Satellite wrote:
A single LNB antenna will not get you any HD so I am guessing you really have an SL3 LNB which has one oval shaped housing but actually contains 3 LNB's so you can receive SD and HD programming from 99, 101 and 103.
If it's a SWM LNB then there would be only one coax coming from the antenna so it sounds like you have a legacy LNB likely connected to a SWM16 allowing for your current setup. While this is possible in an RV, it's not a common setup and should not be considered as an expected option.

Yep, that's what I have. How many tuners will that support?

[Bill_Satellite]

A single LNB antenna will not get you any HD so I am guessing you really have an SL3 LNB which has one oval shaped housing but actually contains 3 LNB's so you can receive SD and HD programming from 99, 101 and 103.
If it's a SWM LNB then there would be only one coax coming from the antenna so it sounds like you have a legacy LNB likely connected to a SWM16 allowing for your current setup. While this is possible in an RV, it's not a common setup and should not be considered as an expected option.

[Pirate1]

I'm not sure what I have at home. Single LNB. I think 3 wires from the dish to the big grey thing in the basement. Har har. I think I can actually get more receivers from the system as they left a green splitter that was used at one point but is unused now. So technically, I believe I can handle both a 34 and 44 and the 2 24's and a non dvr receiver. Now, can I get both I wonder?


In the RV, I have a new Winegard sk0003(?) for HD Direct.

[Bill_Satellite]

Are you using a different setup somewhere? The SWM8 hardware will only handle 8 tuners and the standard DirecTV SWM LNB will also only handle 8 as well. What's your setup?

[Pirate1]

I guess I am at 9 tuners now as I have a 34 and two 24's.

[Bill_Satellite]

I believe you cannot activate 2 on the same account since the standard home antenna would not support 2 Genie receivers (too many tuners, 10 total). You can do a standard DVR and a Genie as described above but I think you would have to have 2 separate accounts to use 2 Genies. I am not an authority on this so don't take that as gospel. You might just try calling and calling again and see if someone will let you buy another Genie from a separate source and add it to your account.

[Pirate1]

And how does one get D to allow two genie divices on one account? I want to upgrade my 34 to the newer 44(?) so I can keep the 34 loaded with shows in a spare room at home and then take in the RV camping. I read D will not activate two devices.

[mikestock]

Bill.Satellite wrote:
The best setup for DirecTV is the Genie / client option.

Based on one of your earlier posts I decided to go with a Genie/2nd DVR setup for the RV. I don't know if the initial cost would be different but the monthly is the same. That way I would still have service if the Genie had a problem.

[sh410]

I can't find or think of 6 shows that I would record at the same time.:(

[John_Wayne]

I upgraded the house with the Genie and keep the old box (10.00 MO.) for the MH (no HD). They didn't want to upgrade me with the new box said it was for new customers. So I told them I would just drop the service with Directv and start as a new customer, told me couldn't do that as I'd have to wait a year to be a new customer. Told them no problem would drop Directv and go to Dish. Transferred me to another rep. and got the new box and service can record up to 6 shows at the same time.

[Bill_Satellite]

The best setup for DirecTV is the Genie / client option. Free upgrade with new 2 year contract. You will need to antenna hardware for your RV as the Genie requires a SWM antenna or SWM8 add-on to your current antenna. You are going to have to upgrade your RV antenna hardware anyway if you want to receive HD, you just to ensure you buy the compatible equipment.
It's important to note that ANY update to DirecTV HD will require new antenna hardware in your RV whether you get a Genie or an older DVR. No dome can receive the DirecTV HD programming and the older 1 and 3 LNB setups cannot either.