Community Forums

tom chelbana · 08-14-2013, 03:50 PM

We have a 04 Essex with a KVH L-3 satellite with Direct TV receiver which we have had in the coach since 04 and has worked great and we don't watch a lot of TV. We are hearing that this system will not work after the end of the year because Direct TV is no long going to support these older units when the change the position of their satellites in the beginning of 2014. Called KVH and another mobile RV satellite installer and both didn't know what will happen with Direct TV service with the old KVH system. Would be interested in other Newmar owners information on this. Thanks Tom

pagosajoe · 08-14-2013, 03:59 PM

Your satellite dish should not change the ability to receive the Direct TV signal. Direct TV doesn't make the dish, just the receiver. The receiver may not be supported officially by Direct TV, but it should still work until a catastrophic failure may cause it to stop functioning. Manufacturers normally support a product for a 10 year life time.

I'm just guessing that Direct TV won't be moving their satellites to a new orbit, since that would cause problems for every customer they have. If I may ask, where did you hear that would happen?

One my of jobs in the USAF was as a space surveillance officer - changing orbits causes lots of problems for ground stations. Direct TV may replace a satellite with another one, but they would move the old one out of that location and move the new one into it.

But I've been wrong before - just ask my wife.

tom chelbana · 08-15-2013, 07:02 PM

The information on Direct TV and KVH have changes in 2014 was from either rv.net or FMCA forum with in the last 2 weeks. I called KVH and they were aware of the change with Direct TV service and older KVH units and may have problems with service after the 1 st of the year but said that because our unit was an in motion system they thought it would be OK but the non motion units would have a problem. Have not called Direct TV but when I have I have had a lot of problems getting info because it's a RV set up.

palehorse89 · 08-16-2013, 03:44 AM

Here is a thread http://www.irv2.com/forums/f53/how-l...rk-166826.html I posted about this subject. I also have a KVH trac vision dome and the only thing that is really changing is the satellite for thier local channels is what I was told. Our older domes should be ok, I am hoping.

jdr159 · 08-16-2013, 07:00 PM

This may or may not help. I worked with a few different Direct tv tech's about their HD receiver compatibility and our KVH dish. Turns out, our dish will NOT receive the HD channels, which is the default position for all their new receivers (I ended up with all new receivers because of a life change). From all these conversations, I found out that we CAN continue to use these new receivers to receive the standard definition, which our KVH dish will pick up.

To do this is 'easy' once you know the steps. Essentially you go through the menus to change the receiver from HD to std def. I'm not at home to explain the process, but any tech should be able to explain once you tell them HD to STD DEF.

Hope this helps.