Satellite TV questions
I am trying to find out what my options are for satellite tv. Do I carry around a satellite dish in the storage compartment, and then set it up in a bucket or on a tripod at every campsite I go to? ...
Forum Discussion
If you have Direct at home - stay with Direct.
We don't have a physical home - being full-timers - so Direct doesn't want our business. We've been good Dish customers for several years. Dish makes it very easy to change our service address - and receive the local area channels.
My RV friends I have who use Direct also are able to change their locals.
One recommendation - get familiar with the Chat feature on the service site if possible - I've found text chat a much easier, more reliable way to 'talk' to service people.
Antenna - there are two type choices and two alignment choices
A three (3) LNB head is the best. It can see three satellites at the same time and does not have to change to different satellites if you change channels. Also if you want - you can have two different receivers/TVs watching two different channels on two different satellites at the same time. Or your DVR can record a second channel on a different satellite while you watch the primary channel live.
Most of us have a one (1) LNB head and only have the capability to 'see' one satellite at a time. We cannot watch two different channels unless they are on the same satellite, no record one program while watching a different one. We have one tuner receivers.
Alignment - manual or automatic
The 'cheapest' way is to get a manually aligned dish and a tripod. This works well for many people. It also causes many a great amount of frustration. I used one for about three weekend trips before I gave up.
I bought an automatic Winegard Carryout about 5 years ago - it requires a separate 12 volt power source and a separate coaxial cable. It has served us well. I've had to place it up to 200 feet from the trailer at times to get a signal. More modern automatic portable domes do not require a separate power cord.
I use a smartphone app to tell me where the satellites are located and to help me try to find an opening through trees, etc. Sometimes I put the antenna on a mount on the ladder at the rear, sometimes I put it on top of one of the AC's. Other times, it goes on a tripod places in a good reception point. Sometimes there is simply no way to get a signal.
You can get three LNB automatic antennas. They run $1,200 and up and should be permanently mounted on the rig. I've only seen them on Class A and higher end 5ers. Some of my friends who have those antennas, also carry a portable unit such as a Tailgater or such for places where the permanently mounted roof-top antenna is blocked by trees.
As far as content plans and costs - they are basically the same as the ones you have at home with Direct. RV plus home service only adds a few dollars to your bill each month.
We don't have a physical home - being full-timers - so Direct doesn't want our business. We've been good Dish customers for several years. Dish makes it very easy to change our service address - and receive the local area channels.
My RV friends I have who use Direct also are able to change their locals.
One recommendation - get familiar with the Chat feature on the service site if possible - I've found text chat a much easier, more reliable way to 'talk' to service people.
Antenna - there are two type choices and two alignment choices
A three (3) LNB head is the best. It can see three satellites at the same time and does not have to change to different satellites if you change channels. Also if you want - you can have two different receivers/TVs watching two different channels on two different satellites at the same time. Or your DVR can record a second channel on a different satellite while you watch the primary channel live.
Most of us have a one (1) LNB head and only have the capability to 'see' one satellite at a time. We cannot watch two different channels unless they are on the same satellite, no record one program while watching a different one. We have one tuner receivers.
Alignment - manual or automatic
The 'cheapest' way is to get a manually aligned dish and a tripod. This works well for many people. It also causes many a great amount of frustration. I used one for about three weekend trips before I gave up.
I bought an automatic Winegard Carryout about 5 years ago - it requires a separate 12 volt power source and a separate coaxial cable. It has served us well. I've had to place it up to 200 feet from the trailer at times to get a signal. More modern automatic portable domes do not require a separate power cord.
I use a smartphone app to tell me where the satellites are located and to help me try to find an opening through trees, etc. Sometimes I put the antenna on a mount on the ladder at the rear, sometimes I put it on top of one of the AC's. Other times, it goes on a tripod places in a good reception point. Sometimes there is simply no way to get a signal.
You can get three LNB automatic antennas. They run $1,200 and up and should be permanently mounted on the rig. I've only seen them on Class A and higher end 5ers. Some of my friends who have those antennas, also carry a portable unit such as a Tailgater or such for places where the permanently mounted roof-top antenna is blocked by trees.
As far as content plans and costs - they are basically the same as the ones you have at home with Direct. RV plus home service only adds a few dollars to your bill each month.
