Community Forums

Mike&Chris · 03-04-2016, 06:36 PM

Could someone please explain the big difference between the stock satellite from Integra and the traveler upgrade in real use terms.

Thank you.

V3600 · 03-04-2016, 06:49 PM

Travler is the only roof-top antennae to offer Directv HD. We love ours.

fla tom · 03-04-2016, 07:39 PM

We have both and like having both. The travler gets hd directv and holds a signal stronger. The dome gets a signal in motion.also when parked one cant get a signal (trees etc)often the other can(ome is toward the rear of the coach the other toward the front) thats why we like having both Entegra wires for both. If I only could have one I would choose the travler.

MRUSA14 · 03-05-2016, 06:04 AM

Dome is subject to moisture and rain fade. Far fewer signal droppages with Traveler. Dome cannot do HD with DirecTv.

rvbusguy · 03-05-2016, 07:57 AM

Agree with all above. We have both because the dome sat allows me to watch TV going down the road. The HD travler dish is for parked only.

Mike&Chris · 03-05-2016, 08:02 AM

What is involved in switching between the in motion (dome) and the travelers?

Gary.Jones · 03-05-2016, 08:38 AM

I think you mean what is the difference in having one installed versus the other. The coach is wired for both. The Trav'ler is about a $2,000 upgrade if you have someone do it after-market. The Trav'ler, in my opinion, is the only way to go.... The dome is not high definition for DirecTV and you have four high definition TVs in your coach and will not get High Definition when you have the dome. Doesn't make much sense to me.....!!! Others have described important differences earlier and those are accurate. The main issue for me was 1.) I don't watch TV while we are driving and neither does the DW. She is calculating where we are going next, programming her own GPS, looking at possible rest-stops etc.watches signs and lane changes (she is truely a co-pilot) and 2.) I want to hear what the coach is doing as we travel. So, we have no interest in an in-motion TV. But when we are stopped, we have a Genie in the salon and mini-Genie in the bedroom and we want our picture to be high definition. In addition, although it costs more, if you decide on the Trav'ler, bite the bullet and start your service with DirecTV as a mobile account, not as a stationary account (this is an important distinction) and pay the extra $15 per month for DNS service (only available as a mobile account). There are several long threads on here dealing with the frustrations of dealing with Direct or Dish and changing local channels from city to city as you travel..... frankly, it is an issue that will in all likelihood drive you NUTS if you don't set it up as a mobile user and get the DNS service (you get all Networks (ABC, CBS, etc etc) originating from either New York City (east coast feed) or Los Angeles (west coast feed) all the time. Therefore if you want to watch a network TV program, it is always there and you can set the DVR and forget it and it will always record it. Go look at those threads using the search function and familiarize yourself with the problems and options. I just recently bit the bullet and did the DNS business and I am a much happier owner and the convenience is well worth the $15 bucks a month.

Gary

450Donn · 03-05-2016, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mhud

What is involved in switching between the in motion (dome) and the travelers?

Not much really. Pull the dome off the roof, remove any mounting hardware. Patch the existing holes. Locate the Travler mounting plate per the instructions making sure there is sufficient room for the dish. Secure mounting plate. Mount the dish assembly. Feed the control wire from the port on Travler to control box. Connect the coax. Go thru setup procedure. Done

MRUSA14 · 03-05-2016, 10:17 AM

Gary.Jones is correct. My experience is the same as his. In my opinion DNS is the only way to go. You cannot get DNS unless you have a mobile account.

lincoln20 · 03-05-2016, 10:31 AM

Do all Entegras come with the standard satellite? I haven't tried hooking up mine yet so I'm curious about that. Before I upgrade to the traveler, and that sounds like the direction that I'd like to go, can I just hook up my home DirecTV box and have it work on this existing satellite?

Sounds like the traveler and mobile account is the way to go...just asking in the meantime.

If I have DirecTV at home, & I do the Mobile account is it just $15 a month? Or as a completely separate account that I have to pay for + $15?

MRUSA14 · 03-05-2016, 10:57 AM

The in-motion dome antenna is standard on all Entegras. The Travlr is an optional upgrade.

If you use your home account, you can add another receiver for only $7/mo but you cannot get DNS. If you set up a new mobile account, you pay again for everything you are paying at home PLUS the $15 DNS fee.

Some people have established the mobile account in their RV and gotten an extra receiver on that account to use in their home. But if DirecTV knows this is what you are doing you will likely lose the DNS, as Federal law only allows DNS in mobile uses, not in homes (with a very few limited exceptions for areas with no OTA coverage).

Gary.Jones · 03-05-2016, 11:54 AM

Mark is absolutely correct.

I had DISH at home and had no interest in changing that account. If you try to get an extra receiver to your home account, then you will have a "residential account" for both. No DNS. What that means for those of you who are just getting into this is this.... You will get all satellite channels except satellite network channels (NBC, FOX, CBS etc) anywhere you can "see" a satellite. However, once you move more than ~300 miles from your home location, you will move outside of the "Spot-beam" and you will no longer get any of the network channels. To get them, you must use the small local antenna on the roof and you may get them, or you may get nothing but Spanish or Vietnamese language or home shopping channels) on digital local TV...... and maybe no network channels.

To get local channels in a new location 500 miles away from your home location, you have to call Direct or Dish and tell them you have changed your service location (like you moved your house). That works sometimes. The first three or four times you change your house location, that probably is going to work, but at some point, the customer service people tell you that they are not going to do it anymore because you have a stationary account and you can't change the local area all the time. It is a matter of who Direct or Dish has to pay the local station for you watching their channels. After a while, they just won't do it, and the FCC says they are not permitted to do it. I have had 3-hour shouting matches (yes-3 hours) with the sat people to try to see a single network show...... my heart and head simply cannot handle the frustration of dealing with these restrictions. So, DNS is the answer..... you always have network channels as long as you see any channels. We rarely want to watch our programs in real time..... we DVR them all and watch them when we are in the coach. Only Direct offers DNS so if you want high definition and DNS, you have to go with Direct.

Now, you can put Dish on hold while you travel and then put Direct on hold when you get home (Max of two times a year), so you don't have to pay for both all the time.

I am told DISH's dome does get High Definition and I am told you can talk Entegra sometimes to put on Dish but some say no, and in any case, Direct is default.

I bought the Anthem and wanted high definition so insisted that they change the dome to the Trav'ler. You can do both on the same coach, but then you have a big delay in switching from one antenna to another.

Gary

Gary.Jones · 03-05-2016, 12:00 PM

One more thing.

It depends on how you use your coach.

We use our coach to see parts of the country we have never seen before or want to see again. Consequently, we rarely stay anywhere more than a week at this point. So............. if we want to see networks, then we are in a constant fight to get to see them.

If you use your coach to travel from home to your "owned lot" in another location and then sit there for 3 or 5 months in the winter before driving back home, then the issue of DNS is probably irrelevant because in 2 or 3 address changes per year, you are covered. It's a function of how you use your coach.

Gary