2020 New Aire Satellite Options

[Akdare]

I’m deciding on the satellite option for my New Aire...

It doesn’t matter Dish or Directv as I have neither at the house (Frontier FiOS). I need a pay-as-you-go plan, as we don’t full time.

I’m leaning towards a dome antenna, so one less thing to put away when I leave a site. I do know that I can only get SD with Directv on a dome antenna, so that leaves Dish. (Don’t care about the sports stuff that’s only on Directv).

So, my options from Newmar on the build sheet are:

Winegard Automatic Dome Satellite Dish or
Winegard In Motion Dome Satellite Dish

I know I will need to get a receiver for the satellite for inside the coach. It’s my understanding that the main televator TV and exterior TV are linked together, and that a separate receiver will be needed for the bedroom. Is that correct? So 2X the monthly charge?

I have seen on the specials thread that some of you have requested cabling to connect the bedroom TV to the other two, so all TV’s can use one receiver. If so, what cabling should be requested, Cat6 or HDMI?

Thanks in advance for your advice...

[450Donn]

Remember you will need a clear view of the southern sky for any roof mounted antenna. You will be far better off with a automatic portable dome. Cheaper too. Dish is your only pay as you go choice. Direct does not offer anything similar.

[RHoop]

I don't think you pay another monthly charge for the bedroom TV, but you do have to buy or rent another box.

[Ann n Gene]

On my New Aire you can use one box for all TVs but they all have to watch the same channel when on Dish.

[Stuart W]

Originally Posted by Akdare

I’m deciding on the satellite option for my New Aire...



It doesn’t matter Dish or Directv as I have neither at the house (Frontier FiOS). I need a pay-as-you-go plan, as we don’t full time.



I’m leaning towards a dome antenna, so one less thing to put away when I leave a site. I do know that I can only get SD with Directv on a dome antenna, so that leaves Dish. (Don’t care about the sports stuff that’s only on Directv).



So, my options from Newmar on the build sheet are:



Winegard Automatic Dome Satellite Dish or

Winegard In Motion Dome Satellite Dish



I know I will need to get a receiver for the satellite for inside the coach. It’s my understanding that the main televator TV and exterior TV are linked together, and that a separate receiver will be needed for the bedroom. Is that correct? So 2X the monthly charge?



I have seen on the specials thread that some of you have requested cabling to connect the bedroom TV to the other two, so all TV’s can use one receiver. If so, what cabling should be requested, Cat6 or HDMI?



Thanks in advance for your advice...

Direct TV only provides High Def with an open faced dish
Pay as you go and HD from a dome..........only choice is Dish

[Dutch Star Don]

One last consideration. If you go with a Winegard open face automatic satellite, the DirecTV model can be converted to DISH, but the Dish model can't be converted to DirecTV.

[deaton]

I understand your thoughts on not wanting an open face antenna, (one less thing to put away), but that’s just a button push.

Having owned both in-motion and three Winegard dish units, I can assure you the performance of the open face dish units is superior and they will pull in a signal that eludes a dome unit. I would recommend Dish with a Racal Mogul open face Dish. You can’t get this direct from Newmar, but there are installation vendors at every major RV show. The RM unit provides support for a Dish Hopper DVR which gives you 16 channel record capability.

I happen to have some current Newmar build sheets on hand and it appears that Newmar pricing on all the antenna options is high compared to what you would pay a qualified RV installer.

450Donn is correct that a portable dome gives you more flexibility to insure a clear view of the sats, but if you are concerned about another camp chore, there it is.

The monthly charge for a Dish Joey (the second unit for the second TV) is about $7. The Hopper will handle your primary TV and runs $12 to $15. You really don’t need that extra box if you and the DW usually watch the same stuff.

Be sure you get RF remotes since they don’t need to be pointed at the TV to work. So if you are watching your outside TV, you can operate the box right through the wall.

I had Direct for many years before switching to Dish. I have found Dish to be far more RV friendly. They both work well. Direct was better for RV’ers before AT&T took over. Just MHO.

[Dutch Star Don]

Originally Posted by deaton

I understand your thoughts on not wanting an open face antenna, (one less thing to put away), but that’s just a button push.

Having owned both in-motion and three Winegard dish units, I can assure you the performance of the open face dish units is superior and they will pull in a signal that eludes a dome unit. I would recommend Dish with a Racal Mogul open face Dish. You can’t get this direct from Newmar, but there are installation vendors at every major RV show. The RM unit provides support for a Dish Hopper DVR which gives you 16 channel record capability.

I happen to have some current Newmar build sheets on hand and it appears that Newmar pricing on all the antenna options is high compared to what you would pay a qualified RV installer.

450Donn is correct that a portable dome gives you more flexibility to insure a clear view of the sats, but if you are concerned about another camp chore, there it is.

The monthly charge for a Dish Joey (the second unit for the second TV) is about $7. The Hopper will handle your primary TV and runs $12 to $15. You really don’t need that extra box if you and the DW usually watch the same stuff.

Be sure you get RF remotes since they don’t need to be pointed at the TV to work. So if you are watching your outside TV, you can operate the box right through the wall.

I had Direct for many years before switching to Dish. I have found Dish to be far more RV friendly. They both work well. Direct was better for RV’ers before AT&T took over. Just MHO.

I think this is a great post. How much simpler do you want....push a button!

I will disagree with one point though. I've installed three satellites, two on my coaches and one on a friend's coach. The price Newmar charges for the satellite is not that far off base. Keep in mind, when they install it, the wiring is run during the build, sat installed and it falls under the one year Newmar warranty (repair labor) since it came with the coach.

I can install a sat in a few minutes on the roof, but it takes hours of planning, drilling and running cables to the receiver. If you want that receiver to be in a slide, you've now doubled the work to feed a cable into a slide. Typically, the free prewire from the factory does not include the power/control cable that comes with the satellite you buy. As a relatively cheap guy, I found the factory price well worth my time and effort. Even if you get free install with a satellite purchase, the installer is there to make money, which means a quick installation with little regard to routing the cables nicely.

[deaton]

I can’t disagree with Don that the quality of the install is important. My first Winegard was a very poor install, but my last two have been good, and that may be because I have a good local guy. I’m nowhere near the DIY-er that Don is. That said, the prices Charged by Newmar may not be so bad.

However, Newmar won’t sell you a Racal Mogul, and I really think that is the best alternative for Dish, since it will directly support the Hopper III, while Winegard requires adapters.

If you go to a RV show and see the RM and the Winegard side by side, particularly a cut-away, you will see the RM is much more robust. The unit costs a bit more, but it has a faster SAT acquisition time and can be field repaired whereas most Winegard repairs require the Dish be removed and sent back to WG.

No, I have not bought a RM unit yet, but it will likely be my next Dish. I did own an ancestor of the RM back it the day, that was a Moto-Sat.