Community Forums

phillipsgj3 · 05-29-2013, 11:21 PM

Our RV has a TracVision S2 antenna. What is the best satellite means to get for going cross-country? Dish? Direct TV? hulu.com? Verizon? ???

K7JV · 05-30-2013, 06:07 AM

There probably isn't a "best", for much of anything. Best is too much of a personal matter. I'll offer some thoughts, though. First, we use Dish for our primary television input. We use Verizon for our cellular and our internet.

Dish: We also have Dish at home, so it is just a matter of an additional receiver, or two, and we get the same programming. We do have to call them for a "hit", if we leave the coach in storage for much over three or four weeks. But it's not an ordeal.

Direct TV: They didn't used to be very "RV friendly". If you are already a DirectTV customer, you might check with them, to see how the handle their RV customers.

Hulu.com: Your posting is the first I've ever heard of them.

Verizon: We use their Mifi modem/router for our Internet, and we use our normal cellular phones. Their coverage is really quite good, and likely the best of the breed. Their 4G is growing, rapidly. The Mifi works quite well. We pay for a 5 GB plan. We both use the Internet, and find that a normal month usually requires between 7 GB and 8 GB, on a normal basis. And we never stream TV shows, or music. And it's about $10 per GB, as we go over the 5 GB allotment.

All in all, what we've done seems to be the best fit for us. It's not cheap, but it is generally pretty reliable.

Good luck, and enjoy!

bridluz · 05-30-2013, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phillipsgj3

Our RV has a TracVision S2 antenna. What is the best satellite means to get for going cross-country? Dish? Direct TV? hulu.com? Verizon? ???

We use Direct TV and have had no issues. I actually just take the box from my office TV and connect it to my RV connections and it starts right up. Brian

MSHappyCampers · 05-30-2013, 09:32 AM

When we bought our MH last year it had the TracVision S2 dome on it. It went bad about a month later and it was going to cost around $500 to get it repaired. We replaced it with a TracVision R5 that fit the same base, saving me a TON of work! The R5 gives us in-motion TV which we use to record programs while driving.

Unless it was changed, the S2 came from the factory set up for DirectTV. If you want to use Dish it can be changed easily. We just took an old Direct TV receiver from the house and put in the MH.

We use the Verizon MiFi for internet access. Kind of pricey, about $50 per month, but it works well.

Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!

Dutch Star Don · 05-30-2013, 09:57 AM

You need to do some investigation and make a decision. As Joe said, you need to see what your TracVision is set up for, Dish or DirecTv. The majority of them are setup for DirecTV. Most sat DOMES can only get digital TV. If you want HD TV like in most homes, you'll need to change the satellite to an open face model like the Winegard and it can only be used when stationary. I believe there are a couple of dome types that can get HD, but they're slow in changing channels because they have to reposition to do so.

I've had Dish at work and DirecTv in our home. My preference is DirecTv, for me they have a better channel lineup and it seems like Dish is always on the verge of going out of business. DirecTv also has their satellites higher in the sky, which means theirs are easier to see and lock onto from anywhere in the country.

If you have any family or friends who have DirecTv, you both get $10.00 off your bill for ten months if you give DirecTv their account number when you sign up. Lastly, some people have family members who have DirecTv and just pay the family member for the cost of an extra box $5-$10 a month and never buy the programming. Some say DirecTv doesn't have a problem with this, but it might be construed as theft of service.

Lincolnboy2 · 05-30-2013, 12:26 PM

Wow, Don, I just signed up for DirectTV in the MH. I should have given them your account number!

They are coming out to install it Sunday with an upgrade to my roof mounted dish as well. They told me they are the only service that comes out and installs on RV's. If it works out, I'll have DTV with an upgraded antenna for a 2 year contract. Still cheaper than what I would have spent....

Lee0920 · 05-31-2013, 07:46 AM

I set up a appointment for Directv to install 2 boxes in the Beaver, when the tech showed up they would not install in a MH, told them to stick their account and crap service and went to Camping World and bought two Dish boxes went back installed them myself. Got them on the phone and in ten minutes we were up and running. Haven't had a issue since works great.

Lincolnboy2 · 05-31-2013, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rebootsemi

I set up a appointment for Directv to install 2 boxes in the Beaver, when the tech showed up they would not install in a MH, told them to stick their account and crap service and went to Camping World and bought two Dish boxes went back installed them myself. Got them on the phone and in ten minutes we were up and running. Haven't had a issue since works great.

I hope that is not what's gonna happen to me Sunday afternoon with DTV. They repeated over and over they knew it was on MH and that DTV is the only sateliite provider that installs on a MH, will see......

I'll keep you posted. If it doesnt work out, I'll have to go to CW for sure.

Triker56 · 05-31-2013, 08:35 AM

Quote:

went to Camping World and bought two Dish boxes went back installed them myself.

You could have done that with two DirecTV boxes also.

Dutch Star Don · 06-01-2013, 12:11 AM

The only installation a DIrecTV box needs is to turn it on and set the satellite configuration, oval, round etc. DirecTV will walk you through the setup on the phone.

Lee0920 · 06-01-2013, 07:40 AM

I could not find a place where I could actually purchase DTV boxes in the Phoenix area. Also another point to ponder is with Dish you can start and stop the service at any time.
Directv also assured me when I had them on the phone that they would install in a MH,,,wayyyyyyyyyyyy different story when the tech showed up.
I've had DTV at the Or house for years and their service was pretty good but for now I'll stay with the Dish for the Patriot.

hardy1000 · 06-01-2013, 01:25 PM

Our Tracvision stoped working last year and I replaced it with the Wingard SK3005 and now we get HD. We have Direct TV and have a DVR in the front and a HD reciever in the bedroom. Used to have Dish now have had Direct for 8 years no problems.

Lincolnboy2 · 06-03-2013, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lincolnboy2

I hope that is not what's gonna happen to me Sunday afternoon with DTV. They repeated over and over they knew it was on MH and that DTV is the only sateliite provider that installs on a MH, will see......

I'll keep you posted. If it doesnt work out, I'll have to go to CW for sure.

As predicted, DTV installer called Sunday late morning and stated they 'do not install on RV's' DTV responded to me about making it clear it was a moveable RV on the order that they messed up and gave me their 'RV' department phone number, which is Winegard. DTV did cancel the order, apologized, and refunded my money.

Will call Winegard now and keep y'all posted.

Lee0920 · 06-05-2013, 09:43 PM

Just go down a get a couple of Dish boxes and tell Directv to stick it. Your winegard is pretty easy to setup for either provider. On mine I have to set the DIP switches for Dish and away we went.