Updating Satellite System

[moisheh]

I am planning on changing out our Kingdome for either the Winegard Traveller or the Motosat. The actual dish install will be the easy part. In our 08 Dynasty all the st electronic components are in a cabinet over the passenger chair. The sat recvr., DVD ,sat controller and inverter controls are all in that cabinet. In their infinite wisdom ( NOT) Monaco chose to install a black metal panel with cutouts for the DVD and sat rcvr. The Kingdome controller is a face plate design. The Motosat and Winegard are just like a small sat receiver, free standing. Too make matters worse it appears that Monaco installed that metal panel behind the cabinet face. I have not quite figured out how to remove that panel?? I was thinking that if I could get it out I could cut the top half off and the result would be a cabinet with shelves and I could install one of the new controllers . My question is: Has anyone else tackled this problem?? As it is if you have to get at the back of any of the electronics it is a big deal!!

[moisheh]

I am planning on changing out our Kingdome for either the Winegard Traveller or the Motosat. The actual dish install will be the easy part. In our 08 Dynasty all the st electronic components are in a cabinet over the passenger chair. The sat recvr., DVD ,sat controller and inverter controls are all in that cabinet. In their infinite wisdom ( NOT) Monaco chose to install a black metal panel with cutouts for the DVD and sat rcvr. The Kingdome controller is a face plate design. The Motosat and Winegard are just like a small sat receiver, free standing. Too make matters worse it appears that Monaco installed that metal panel behind the cabinet face. I have not quite figured out how to remove that panel?? I was thinking that if I could get it out I could cut the top half off and the result would be a cabinet with shelves and I could install one of the new controllers . My question is: Has anyone else tackled this problem?? As it is if you have to get at the back of any of the electronics it is a big deal!!

[moisheh]

Here is a pic of that cabinet.

[Corkey]

I can't answer your question about the panels, but a word of caution about the newer DirecTV HD receivers. They produce quit a bit of heat and the DVR version has a fan built in. Both require a lot of ventilation, so a panel mount would be questionable.

I'm having an open box (front to rear) made to match my cabinets for mounting the HD DVR. It will go directly under the current closed cabinet and house the HD DVR.

You may not be doing the HD version, but the Winegard Traveler has a 5 lnb HD version witch I have installed. So I wasn't sure which system your heading for.

It's a great system, .... just keep ventilation in mind when you do get to the point of configuring the sound and video system. Without good ventilation the receiver will frequently over heat and shut itself down. The fans frequently fall victim to the over-heat cycle and eventually fail.

I have no idea if any of this helps, ... But It seemed prudent to address the heat issue while your still in the design phase.

[MonacoMama]

moisheh...
At least it looks like a nice clean install when the "face plate" is covering up the "bowl of spaghetti" wires...but you are correct...very impractical.

I am like Corkey...I can't answer your question about the panel. I actually doubt if many folks with a new Dynasty has actually played around with it...maybe someone had Monaco do some work for them and can share what they saw Monaco do?? Anyone????

MM

[moisheh]

Thanks for the replies. Yes we want to have real HD. Our unit came with 2 HD receivers. I was looking at the bedroom unit and even thgough it was off you could fry eggs on top!! Corkey: How do you like the Trav'lr? Did you do your own install? I am definitely removing part of that panel.

[Route 66]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">They produce quit a bit of heat and the DVR version has a fan built in. Both require a lot of ventilation </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Indeed they do.

My DVR would shut down from overheating until I added cooling fans.

[Corkey]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">How do you like the Trav'lr? Did you do your own install? I am definitely removing part of that panel. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>No I didn't do my own. HD-DVR requires two dedicated video cables from the dish to the HD-DVR receiver. I just didn't feel keen on experimenting with my skill level on this one. No recourse if I encountered a problem on such a new system.

My personal opinion of the Traveller puts it at the very top of the list of sat dishes. No it's not move-n-view, as the dish is open, and quit large, allowing it to capture three Sat's and much more signal than smaller dishes. I've also managed to receive signals through some tree conditions, .... very impressive. Signals I couldn't lock on to with the standard dish.

It has three AC motors and takes a little longer to stow, .... so I would recommend leaving the inverter set to auto-switch if you pull shore power during the stow process. If not, .. then the dish could still be pointing straight up when shore power is pulled, .. you know the rest.

[Sixpack98]

Corkey,
Do you hear any wind noise when moving down the highway with the Traveler? It may be that the open frame (no dome) does not add to wind noise. I'm really leaning toward the Traveler in the next few months to gain the HD channels. You are correct about the heat generated by the newer HD Sat receivers. It turns the small overhead cabinet into a nice bread warmer. The cabinet is even hot with the door open and a fan(s) is a requirement.

mark

[Corkey]

No wind noise at all, ... but it could be because the dish is mounted mid-coach on mine. It's a BIG dish, and it was just too tight between the font CB antenna and the AC. Even at mid-coach I think I would hear wind noise if there is any, but don't.

The main reason I'm moving the receiver to an open compartment is because it will come on by itself if the battery switch is turned of then back on while the inverter is active. As soon as it see's power it will come on, and the cabinet door may be cosed when that happens. If the door is closed it's easy to NOT notice the receiver has powered itself on and will probably overheat. The heat also could effect the surround amp/receiver in the same compartment.

Sorry for being so long winded about the heat issue, ... but it caught me off guard and I would hate to see it happen to someone else.

[moisheh]

Corkey:

Does your unit have a cabinet with a metal panel that looks like the one I posted above? Who is making your open box for the rcvr.? Who did your install?

Thanks

[Corkey]

No, ... no metal panel. The electrical equipment is stacked on top of each other in the cabinet above the driver. But the cabinet isn't very well vented, ... it's all convection, no fans.

My dealer, Holiday Motorhomes, of Fife WA did the dish install and Infinity Custom Coach of Sumner WA is making and installing the box, including moving the receiver for me.

The sat dish install was condition of sale, so I don't have a price for it. The box price I'll find out when its done. It's not normal for me to do things this way, but the folks at Infinity Custom Coach just happen to be friends.

[rvtips]

I thought I read somewhere here that the fans work better/do more cooling if they??
Is it blow the hot air out or blow on the units ?

[Corkey]

The units have a built in fan. All that needed is to have to unit in an open environment, not in a closed cabinet where it will recirculate the hot air.

The setup below has worked perfect in some pretty hot weather, but never worked in the closed cabinet. It is open in the front and back, with black wire mesh on the back for appearance. There are NO additional fans, just the fan in the receiver. This is fine with me as there is no added complexity. In the cabinet it would overheat and shutdown even though interior temps were normal.