Community Forums

JDT · 10-18-2010, 05:10 PM

Getting closer to pulling the trigger on a Winegard Trav'ler. Our recent 3000 mile trip, mostly without tv during football season, got me a step closer.

I don't want to start a debate over which is best, DirecTV or DISH. I've had both and they both have been acceptable. We have had DirecTV for several years now. I would like the HD but the HD dish for DirecTV is $260 higher than the DISH set up. Simple math tells me I just need to switch to DISH and save the money. The monthly cost would be close to the same as we now have with DirecTV.

Is there anything I don't know, specifically, does DISH let you use a box from home without any hassles? Are there any changes down the road that would make the Winegard obsolete that anyone knows about? I know DTV has changed their dishes 2 or 3 times since we started with them.

tomgagne · 10-18-2010, 06:27 PM

I believe directv is the only one with the NFL package.

kjburns · 10-18-2010, 06:40 PM

We have a dedicated receiver for the RV with Dish, with no hassles. I don't know of any upcoming changes. For Dish, I would recommend a receiver like the 722 DVR that has dual tuners and remote controls, and can run two TVs (1 HD, 1 SD). It works great with the Winegard Trav'ler - one coax to the receiver and you're set. I had DirecTV and I'm pretty sure their DVR receivers need 2 cables to the receiver.

DirecTV is the only one with the NFL package. If you subscribe to it, keep DirecTV.

Snowman 1 · 10-18-2010, 09:08 PM

Stay with DirecTV if that's what you have at the house. Pay the extra 5 bucks a month for a receiver in the coach or buy one outright. If you decide to lease one tell DirecTV it's for a guest room. This keeps things simpler.

gto19 · 10-18-2010, 09:40 PM

I have dish and it's good . They don't have abc and they just dropped fx and national geographic. But I buy abc for I think 36 bucks a year from there sister company . I also use dish in my house and yes I do use the receiver from my bedroom in the motorhome .it's also hd in my motorhome using the winegard in motion satellite

JDT · 10-18-2010, 09:57 PM

Never mind. As stated above and I found out elsewhere, DISH has quit National Geographic Channel and some of the FOX stations, including FSN Southwest, which carries many of the Big 12 games, including my favorite, the Sooners. I'm staying with DTV. Gotta have my football and basketball, and the Dog Whisperer.

I didn't ask earlier, but I also looked at the Winegard Carryout. I know I can't get HD with DTV on it, but it looks more flexible if something is blocking the signal. The ladder mount would make it theft proof since the bottom half of my ladder comes off. Something else to consider. Any opinions?

kjburns · 10-18-2010, 10:38 PM

If you still want HD, consider a tripod and dish. The price is right and you'll have everything you have at home. I have a Trav'ler, but carry a dish and tripod for "emergencies"

JeepTJ5 · 10-18-2010, 10:41 PM

Jim:

I have the Carryout and I like it. The main reason that I got that unit is so when I park at a CG I don't have to try to put the rig where a roof mounted antenna can see the proper part of the sky. (Of course, the first CG I went after I got it, I could not find any place where I could get a signal...Murphy's law) If you are a DTV customer, then be resigned to never have HD in the motorhome with that antenna. (It does not have the right band LNB for DTV-HD) If that's not a problem, then the other features of the antenna are great. I built a mount that secures it to the ladder, and when I'm dry camping during the winter in Arizona, I can drive (slowly) to the dump and water station without having to remove and stow the antenna. I don't leave it up for highway speed driving, tho... [It's not that the antenna couldn't take it, my mount isn't strong enough]

Good Luck,

Don

wa8yxm · 10-19-2010, 09:43 AM

Regarding using "A box from home in your RV"

What the Sat provider does not know they won't hassle you over.

However, and what I am about to say applies to both DISH and DirecTV in part, I'll tell you when it diverges.

For the most part all the NETWORK (ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, and so on) stations are spot beamed.. What is a spot beam you ask? Think of a stage, on the stage floor is painted a large map of the United States, Standing on the spot that corresponds to the roof of your house is the star of the show, singing his solo, He is standing in the spot beam (Spotlight). Now if you are parked near him,, YOu too are in the light and can thus watch Network TV, but if you are parked say 3 states over.. You are in the dark (no network TV) (Actually it's closer to 100-300 miles)

Well, he finishes his song and the floodlights come back up,, They light up the entire map (The ConUS map) but they (For the most part) do not carry Network TV (Well not NBC,ABC, et-al)

So what you have to do is subscribe to DISTANT NETWORK SERVICE.. This is a flood light transmission of NBC, ABC, and all the other 3-letter works save PBS.

(Divergence time)
Dish can not sell it to you.. You have to contact All American Communications Direct LLC.. Dish will give you their number

DirecTV can sell it. FOR AN RV

(Back together time)

BUT... if you have local network stations at home NOBODY can sell you DNS for your home account.

HOW to get around this.. BACK UP,,, Yes, BACK UP, Reverse your thinking

Do not get Sat tv for your home and use the spare in the RV

Get sat TV for your RV and use the spare in your home.

RickO · 10-19-2010, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjburns

I would recommend a receiver like the 722 DVR that has dual tuners and remote controls, and can run two TVs (1 HD, 1 SD). It works great with the Winegard Trav'ler - one coax to the receiver and you're set. I had DirecTV and I'm pretty sure their DVR receivers need 2 cables to the receiver. DirecTV is the only one with the NFL package. If you subscribe to it, keep DirecTV.

I didn't know Dish could feed a dual tuner DVR from a single coax. Hmmmm....

For us full timers, is it possible to subscribe to premium services like the NFL package if our receivers are NEVER connected to a phone line?

rick

cb5300 · 10-19-2010, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDT

The ladder mount would make it theft proof since the bottom half of my ladder comes off. Something else to consider. Any opinions?

JDT, nothing is theft proof...On my rig the bottom half of the ladder also comes off, however I can't tell you how many times my 22 yr son just jumps up and grabs hold of the ladder and pulls himself up...then makes like a monkey and climbs up to the roof of the coach.....

kjburns · 10-19-2010, 11:28 AM

You don't need to be connected to a phone line to subscribe to premium services, BUT if you want the NFL package, you'll need to use DirecTV. They're the only service that has it.

Premium services can be handled online. If you have a wireless router and aircard, you could hook up to the receiver and order PPV. Dish can use a network to do ordering with the remote. DirecTV might be able to do that too. I haven't had DirecTV in a while, so I don't know.

RickO · 10-19-2010, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjburns

You don't need to be connected to a phone line to subscribe to premium services, BUT if you want the NFL package, you'll need to use DirecTV. They're the only service that has it.

Premium services can be handled online. If you have a wireless router and aircard, you could hook up to the receiver and order PPV. Dish can use a network to do ordering with the remote. DirecTV might be able to do that too. I haven't had DirecTV in a while, so I don't know.

Thanks kj... I was under the impression that a phone line was required for NFL/NBA packages so this is good news. We do have a cradlepoint router connected to our Verizon USB air card. I assume you're talking about connecting the DVR to the wireless network... turns out that doesn't work very well with an air card connection. We tried for quite a while and the concensus seemed to be that one needs a "real" internet connection... at least to access Video on Demand. We can order PPV on line via our laptops.

Thanks again,

Rick

JDT · 10-19-2010, 03:19 PM

Re the comment to use a tripod and a dish. I've done this a number of times but each and every time it sorely tests my Christianity. Even though I have one of the squealing little boxes I still have a hard time. Finally just gave that up.

My only concern with the Trav'ler is trees. Many of the campgrounds we use regularly will be a problem. We only have one or two short trips left for this year so I think I'm going to think it through very carefully before doing anything. Thanks for the advice.