Direct TV/Dish advice

[mjeffrey]

Originally Posted by MSHappyCampers

The $94 was for the 24 month contract period. I think it was going to $117 after that.


I have the KVH R5SL dish on the MH. I looked at the manual and it said that it was compatible with the Dish 211 and 311 receivers, whatever those are!

Dish Pay as You Go, monthly service, works great. You will have to reprogram your KVH for Dish, but there are experts out there that can. Dish has a cheaper channel packages than the popular ones listed.

A VIP 211k received will work and you can pick one up for $50 on the internet. This receiver runs very hot, so you will need ventilation. VIP 211z or Wally are smaller and cooler and I think they will work.

K model includes over the air receiver so you can integrate locals into the channel guide seamlessly. Z model and Wally need adapter.

You can add an external hard disk, and for a one time fee, turn the receiver into a DVR.

I believe HD is free if you go paperless and online billing.

[BillJinOR]

With the antenna you have on the RV you need a 211 style receiver or a Wally , the hopper and Joey receivers from home will not work on
it .
you can certainly have home service which everyone forgets you want , with the hopper but you can’t use it in the RV with the antenna you have you will still need the Wally on the account ( 7.00) a month . Some csr won’t put a Wally on a home account with a hopper but it certainly can be done if you find the right csr
If your RV antenna works as you say you’ll just add extra 7.00 a month for the Wally you can then disconnect it for the winter if you wish and add it in the fall
The hopper / joey receivers care great for the house but to use in a RV need a traveler with the setup mentioned to wire them properly ..
Get them to set up the home free tuners provided with contract then buy a single tuner Wally or 211 and add to the account ... done

[txcpl]

We checked into the costs of both Dish and Direct TV a couple of months ago. There's not much difference unless you are interested in the specialized sports packages. We stayed with Dish because of the $7/ month RV charge which is easily turned on and off. Neither has a customer longevity plan, just teaser rates for newbies for a year. Rates also depend upon the geographic location of your domicile.
Good Luck

[MSHappyCampers]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I forgot to mention that we do require a DVR receiver. We record almost everything we watch so we can speed through the commercials!

[TechWriter]

Originally Posted by MSHappyCampers

Thanks for the advice everyone! I forgot to mention that we do require a DVR receiver. We record almost everything we watch so we can speed through the commercials!

Then you should stick with DirectTV. Using a Wally or a 211 receiver as a DVR will be very disappointing.

For a decent DISH DVR, you really need a Hopper and your current dome won't work with a Hopper. To use a Hopper in an RV, you need a Winegard Travler (about $1200) or set up a portable dish each time you camp -- and a DISH portable will be much more difficult to aim that that single LNB DirectTV dish you're used to.

[MSHappyCampers]

Originally Posted by TechWriter

Then you should stick with DirectTV. Using a Wally or a 211 receiver as a DVR will be very disappointing.

For a decent DISH DVR, you really need a Hopper and your current dome won't work with a Hopper. To use a Hopper in an RV, you need a Winegard Travler (about $1200) or set up a portable dish each time you camp -- and a DISH portable will be much more difficult to aim that that single LNB DirectTV dish you're used to.

I appreciate that! I should have mentioned that we need a DVR before taking up everyone's time!

[rk911]

Originally Posted by TechWriter

...For a decent DISH DVR, you really need a Hopper...

not true. we have a DISH ViP722k receiver/DVR permanently installed in the MH. it is a "residential style" receiver but no issues using it in the MH. it supports two independent TVs and all resolutions on one TV and 480i on the other. the 500gb DVR supports a LOT of recordings. record two programs simultaneously and watch a 3rd recording.

Originally Posted by TechWriter

...and your current dome won't work with a Hopper. To use a Hopper in an RV, you need a Winegard Travler (about $1200) or set up a portable dish each time you camp -- and a DISH portable will be much more difficult to aim that that single LNB DirectTV dish you're used to.

don't know if the OP's dome will support the 722k but DISH should be able to answer that. we have a roof-mounted Trav'ler.

[LarryinID]

I use DISH. I need to call them every year and tell them I’m quitting to keep the best price. I pay less than $50 per month, w DVR and one pair Joeys.

I have the tailgater for the RV. Paid $299. Bought reciever for $79 (no disk). Pay $7 per month when I want to use it. Which is infrequent.

The only issue for me is that you don’t get your home local channels when you travel. You have to call them to get the local channels for where you are.

[TechWriter]

Originally Posted by rk911

don't know if the OP's dome will support the 722k

It won't. He'd need a Travler or a portable dish. And if had one of these, he'd be nuts to not use a Hopper.

[reubenray]

Did you try to call Directv and try to get some discounts? I am out of contract and I was debated switching to Dish. But the money would not work out to make this switch. I then called Directv and I received a $55 a month discount for a year. Some others have got better or even worse deals. Also do not give up if the first CSR would not give you anything. The key part is are you still under contract or not. If you do call ask for the retention department and then tell them you are thinking of switching to dish.

Good luck!!

[Honwing]

I have a 722DVR and Trav’ler in our Horizon 40AD. Also have a Hopper3 and two joeys in our beach house in Carrabelle, Florida. I have been trying to keep our bill under $150 a month but has now creeped up to $181. Have been a customer for over 25 years and when I complained the other day the CSR was no help at all. When I called six months ago the discounted a couple packages a total of $25 for six months. The only thing she offered was to eliminate my Movie pack or HBO. Need the Dish 250 due to my DW wanting Hallmark Channel. Told csr that I was checking with Diirect(no way) and she said thank you and hung up. Will try with the retention department next week but not expecting much.
I am very happy with the 722 but you need to keep it ventilated or it will warn you at 140 degrees. Six automatic fans solved that problem. The real bummer with the costs is that we are paying for eight months in the RV and only four in the house where the bulk of the equipment is located. Now don’t get me started with SiriusXM.

[WeBeFulltime]

I have a Hopper3 on the Flex Plan and it is $69.00 monthly and includes DVR fee, locals, etc and this is NOT an introductory price. Been with Dish since 2007. My package is not a large package but includes more TV than I can possibly watch. Changed locations this week that required spot beam change and did so with their chat on-line. Took a total of 5 minutes for the chat and the change to take effect.

[minytrker]

Originally Posted by reubenray

Did you try to call Directv and try to get some discounts? I am out of contract and I was debated switching to Dish. But the money would not work out to make this switch. I then called Directv and I received a $55 a month discount for a year. Some others have got better or even worse deals. Also do not give up if the first CSR would not give you anything. The key part is are you still under contract or not. If you do call ask for the retention department and then tell them you are thinking of switching to dish.

Good luck!!

Highly recommend the same thing. I went from $125/month to $40/month. When it expires I just call them go to retention and tell them to cancel and they renew the discounts. So far they have never called my bluff and said ok we will cancel your service.

[lllkrob]

NO one has bothered to mention that your current KVH R5SL antenna will not work with DISH Network. Since March 2016 that antenna has been obsolete because DISH changed it's transmission coding. So if you want to go with DISH your going to need a new antenna.