Direct TV VIP211k and Installed Dish

[bjsweeney]

Hi All,
Im just starting out with my first motorhome. Its a used (gently so it seems) 2001 Adventurer 32'.

In looking at the direct TV "pay as you go" plan, one must use the receiver VIP211k. Even tho that receiver can receive hd and sd, is it compatible with the dish that came installed on my Adventure? The dish is the winegard that was an option on this model.

Any info would be great!!

[kjburns]

To start, the VIP211 receiver you have is a Dish Network receiver. It won't work with DirecTV. The pay as you go program is also associated with Dish.

The dish on your motorhome is probably compatible, assuming you have a dome, many work with either DirecTV or Dish.

If you prefer DirecTV and you have a dome, you won't get HD. Domes won't get HD with DirecTV, but Dish will work.

The way domes generally work is to receive one satellite with DirecTV. With Dish, they move to pickup three satellites, depending on the channel you pick. A 2001 era dish may not do that. I don't know.

[Bill Adams]

It is unlikely that a 2001 dome will fully work with the Dish Network service. At that time Dish used only the 110 and 119 satellites. This will get you most of the Dish Network SD programming and some of the HD but the majority of the Dish Network HD programming is on the 129 satellite. If you have the open face Winegard antenna from 2001 you can program one satellite at a time to point toward. I don't remember if 129 was in the list but I do not believe that it was.
If you have the dome, there was a hardware update available for units built after a certain date but I believe if this is a 2001 dome that it would be too old. You would need to call Winegard tech. support to find out if your could be updated. Personally, before I spent any money trying to update an dish that old I would seriously consider replacing that antenna with the Winegard Trav'ler SK-1000 for the best service.

[jpdunc1803]

I am using a Winegard Road Trip In Motion dome and just installed two Dish 211 VPK receivers to enable HD reception. I am using the Pay as You Go Plan and so far, all is well.

Since the dome will only view one satellite at a time and that appears to be controlled by the front receiver, is there a source that lists which channels are on each of the three sstellites? I assume the HD programming is on 129?

Thanks,

[kjburns]

This site has the channels listed with their satellite.

[bjsweeney]

Thanks for all the great info !! I acknowledge that the pay as you go and the VIP211k are Dish network vs Direct TV (I got my providers scrambled in my head!).

Not being full timers, i was hoping not to sink a ton of money into new gear. Tho it seems that i could get it to work, albeit no HD (and im fine with that).

[jpdunc1803]

Thanks for the link to the channels by satellite.

[wendyjeff]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjburns This site has the channels listed with their satellite.

Is there a list like that to cover the Direct TV channels?

[Stevegd007]

Here is a thought...you did not say if you are already a Dish Network customer. IF you are a current Dish user forget about the Pay-as-you-go deal and just activate the receiver and use it. Pay as you go is a monthly fee of alike 35 plus per month, depending on channel line up. To ADD an additional receiver to your EXISTING dish account is just like $7/month. I have a Dish 311 SD receiver that I have added to my existing account. Works fine. Until I update to the newer flat screen TV's I will stay with the 311.

[Bill Adams]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wendyjeff Is there a list like that to cover the Direct TV channels?

You really should not need such a list as all of the SD DirecTV programming comes from the 101 satellite. If you want HD then you would also need both 99 and 103.

[BSweeney]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stevegd007 Here is a thought...you did not say if you are already a Dish Network customer. IF you are a current Dish user forget about the Pay-as-you-go deal and just activate the receiver and use it. Pay as you go is a monthly fee of alike 35 plus per month, depending on channel line up. To ADD an additional receiver to your EXISTING dish account is just like $7/month. I have a Dish 311 SD receiver that I have added to my existing account. Works fine. Until I update to the newer flat screen TV's I will stay with the 311.

Im not a Dish customer. That would be a really good option. For now, SD (from Dish) and local HD over the air (i put in a digital tuner) should work great!

Thanks Again Everyone!

[DrewCrewOf2]

I use my latest DirecTV HR24 home DVR on the road and just add another box to my account $5 per month. I use this Weingard Hi def antenna that pops up in seconds and finds all of the channels - HD included. We don't seems to want or need to watch tv while going down the road as that is what a big part of RV'ing is about... traveling, right? Works for us - HD and all for 5 bucks a month.