HD tv reception

[Joel & Mary]

OK, this is just a nicety...not major problem. We have new 2006 40' Alpine MDTS, Kingdome, LG HD TV, and RCA/Direct TV HD access.

Spent three hours working with Direct TV techs via phone on why we are not receiving hd. Have three different opinions from Direct TV. Anyone know if we need an additional converter with the new Kingdome Automatic Satellite Dish? Or, is it necessary to switch between satellite, and if so, HOW?

We too are new to Alpine and diesel having been 36' Fleetwood travelers for 7 years. We are currently at Outdoor Resorts in Las Vegas beginning a 2 1/2 month trip across country.

Hi to everyone...we hope to meet and greet at future rallies when we return to Lake Forest in sou CA.

[Joel & Mary]

OK, this is just a nicety...not major problem. We have new 2006 40' Alpine MDTS, Kingdome, LG HD TV, and RCA/Direct TV HD access.

Spent three hours working with Direct TV techs via phone on why we are not receiving hd. Have three different opinions from Direct TV. Anyone know if we need an additional converter with the new Kingdome Automatic Satellite Dish? Or, is it necessary to switch between satellite, and if so, HOW?

We too are new to Alpine and diesel having been 36' Fleetwood travelers for 7 years. We are currently at Outdoor Resorts in Las Vegas beginning a 2 1/2 month trip across country.

Hi to everyone...we hope to meet and greet at future rallies when we return to Lake Forest in sou CA.

[Dale777]

Joel & Mary,

I had a similar problem in late May 2006 when I picked up my coach from the factory. When I ordered my coach I specified that I wanted the King-Dome, DirecTV receiver and TV that would let me get HD reception. The King-Dome installed was the stationary, automatic low profile (black) 9702-LP-B. After trying this with HD, I found out that it would not work.

After much confusion amongst the WRV Service technicians about what was really required, I finally talked to someone knowledgeable at the WRV service center, Phil Mattoon. Phil Mattoon told me that I had to have the Trac-King in-motion, low-profile 9762-LP-B, instead, plus a converter box (#9747 HDTV converter kit) that automatically switches between satellites 101 and 110, as needed. Most HD programming is on 110, yet most non-HD programming is on 101. Some programming is also on 119.

This combination works for HD and non-HD, and it will automatically switch between satellites (101 and 110 or 101 and 119), as required. I had the 9762-LP-B and the 9747 installed on my coach, and I can confirm that it works for HD from DirecTV.

If you already have this HDTV converter kit and the in-motion satellite dish, then you likely have some other problem related to the DirecTV setup or wiring in your coach.

Check this link for King-Dome info on this subject: King-Dome HDTV converter info

Once you are at the link click on:
1. Manuals
2. Accessories
3. HDTV Converter (9747)

This will give you a PDF that explains all the requirements in detail.

PS: This whole HD satellite broadcast area is in a state of flux, so for the future hardware requirements might be much different. For example, DirecTV is planning to have at least 5 satellites for Ka/Ku band broadcasting, so at the moment any domed satellite antenna solution is questionable for the future. Also, there is another possible solution which is the open-faced MotoSat antenna which skews to get all three current satellites (101, 110, and 119) at the same time. Daddy Louie is the expert on this solution.

[dgerstel]

Joel & Mary,

There is also a new dome out that is not the "in-motion" kind but will take the HD converter for satellite 110, it is the 9704. It comes in the normal configurations. The HD converter is only needed to get satellite 110, which is where most of the HD stations are, as Dale Doudy said. It will automatically switch between 101 and 110 or 101 and 119 as needed, to change the pair it switches between there is a switch that you just push. I have this dome installed and have found that the switching between satellites is quite fast.

Dale

[OldForester]

Joel and Mary,

I have exactly the same setup as you on our 2006 MDDS, and also couldn't get HD reception. The basic problem is the Kingdome dish has only 1 LNB and it needs 3 LNBs to be fully functional on HD, so the newer dishes like Dale said handle that issue as well as switch between satellites easily.

In addition to the Motosat option listed, if you are thinking about satellite internet, which I have, you can get what's called a "bird on a wire" on the Motosat internet satellite dish which I have been told by my installer will pick up HD, since it can have 3LNBs on it. I don't know for sure if that's true, just what my internet installer told me. I think you still need the converter box.

One of the advantages of having the Motosat option in addition to both satellite internet and TV on the same dish is that rain doesn't bother the reception like it can on the dome. One of the disadvantages is that in really heavy winds (60 mph) the satellite internet dish has to be down. It also takes longer for the satellite internet to lock on to the satellite than it does for the TV dome. I elected to not install the "Bird" because I wanted fast lock-up on the TV satellite, since I don't always raise my internet satellite (like during lunch at a rest stop, when I might watch TV but usually don't take the time to mess with internet).

But, if you were doing satellite internet by Hughes/Motosat, it's a relatively cheap option to add the "Bird on a Wire" during installation, and might be worth checking in to to make sure it would work on HD.

[Ted III]

I cannot in my wildest dreams imagine why the manufacturer of the product that you purchased in the neighberhood of 300,00.00 or more can not correct this problem. It would seem to me that if you are not close enough to them to be convenient they should have someone on an airplane to straighten this situation out. It seems this manufacturer can just walk away from problems and just leave us to figure them out on our own. That is entirely wrong and should not legally be permitted.

[Rick Coleman]

I have an '05 36MDDS that I bought new slightly less than a year ago. It came equipped the same as yours...Kingdome, LG, RCA Direct TV receiver. I have been thinking seriously of adding Direct TV, but this thread makes me think I will have to change domes. Am I correct?

[dgerstel]

Rick,

Directv will work fine with the standard dome, you will just not get most of the HD channels, which are not that many at this moment. Directv is adding 2 more satellites for even more HD channels. I don't think any of the antennas out now will be able to receive these new satellites, they require different LNBs. The dish for the new system (5 satellites) I have at home is much larger and has 5 LNBs, this will be hard to implement on a dome. If you want satellite TV go for it now and wait for the new satellite situation and new antennas required to come out, then change antennas.

Dale

[OldForester]

Rick,

Dgerstel is correct. We have Direct TV and we are satisfied enough with the reception through the Kingdome that we're not going to all the trouble to get HD. We have HD at home on a 62" screen and we know what it looks like when we're on HD and not. We just don't think that it will make a significant enough difference on our LG monitor on our '06 to go to the trouble.

I think you will like the way Direct TV works through your Kingdome, once you get used to it.

[jerry davis]

I have a Tracstar system on my MH with Directv HD service. According to Directv, almost all programming is through sat 101 and 119. Only programs such as HBO and Showtime are on 110. I get excellent HD with the antenna set on 101-119.

[dgerstel]

Only HBO HD and Showtime HD are on 110 the other premium channels can be received with the standard dome.

Dale

[Dale777]

At this link you can get a list of DirecTV channels by channel number:
List of DirecTV channels

These are the HD channels:
70 HBO HDTV Broadcasts in high definition. (110?W)
71 Showtime HD Broadcasts in high definition. (110?W)
72 ESPN2HD Broadcasts in high definition. (119?W)
73 ESPNHD Broadcasts in high definition. (110?W)
74 Universal HD Broadcasts in high definition. (110?W)
75 TNT HD Broadcasts in high definition. (110?W)
76 Discovery HD Theater Broadcasts in high definition.
77 HDNet Movies Broadcasts in high definition. (110?W)
78 HDNet Movies Broadcasts in high definition. (110?W)
79 HDNet Broadcasts in high definition. (119?W)
80 CBS East HD WCBS-TV New York City; broadcasts in high definition.
81 CBS West HD KCBS-TV Los Angeles; broadcasts in high definition.
82 NBC East HD WNBC New York City; broadcasts in high definition.
83 NBC West HD KNBC Los Angeles; broadcasts in high definition. (119?W)
86 ABC East HD WABC-TV New York; broadcasts in high definition. (119?W)
87 ABC West HD KABC-TV Los Angeles; broadcasts in high definition. (119?W)
88 Fox East HD WNYW New York; broadcasts in high definition. (119?W)
89 Fox West HD KTTV Los Angeles; broadcasts in high definition. (119?W)
93 DTV Broadcasts in high definition. (119?W) To Be announced
94 YES HD Broadcasts in high definition. (119?W)
95 MLB Extra Innings in HD
NHL Center Ice HD Broadcasts in high definition. (110?W)
98 HD Special Events Broadcasts in high definition. (110?W)
99 HD Pay-per-view Broadcasts in high definition. (110?W)

[dgerstel]

Dale,

That is a great resource, I haven't been able to find which channel was on what satellite with out just experimenting, the list makes picking the right pair easier.

Thanks
Dale

[dgerstel]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by dgerstel:
Joel & Mary,

There is also a new dome out that is not the "in-motion" kind but will take the HD converter for satellite 110, it is the 9704. It comes in the normal configurations. The HD converter is only needed to get satellite 110, which is where most of the HD stations are, as Dale Doudy said. It will automatically switch between 101 and 110 or 101 and 119 as needed, to change the pair it switches between there is a switch that you just push. I have this dome installed and have found that the switching between satellites is quite fast.

Dale </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

What I failed to mention to anyone that might install the 9704 antenna, is that you must connect its power lead to a clean power source not the same place as the stock antenna.

Dale