Dish and so many gadgets??? How to hook up?

[Born2RV]

Just spent our first night in our "new to us" 2003 Fleetwood Providence. However, we have some questions on all the TV and it's gadgets:

1) We have chosen to keep the 26" Panasonic tube TV in the front, overhead cabinet. We have a King Dome, model 9702. The dealer installed a digital converter box, and we purchased a new (very small) DVD player). We purchased a 322 Dish Network Receiver - but the dealer said we could only use the 311 Receiver with this model of King Dome. does this mean we have to have a 311 Dish Network receiver for each of the 3 TV's?

2) Exactely how - and in what order - do we hook up each of the five components (Dish, receiver, tv, DVD, digital converter) in the front cabinet?

3) The TV in the bedroom is a flat screen LCD. They ran the co-ax cable from the #2 TV in the bedroom to a basement storage area where my hubby plans on putting his "outdoor" LCD TV. In order to get Dish Network on these TV's, do we need two more receivers? The 322 can't be used?

4) If I'm watching Dish on the front TV #1, hubby can only watch TV from the overhead antenna due to the dish only locating one satellite at a time? If we're both watching programs on satellite 119, can we watch different channels?

5) How, exactely, do we use the "box" in the front compartment that says, "TV-1, TV-2, AUX", etc.? We didn't have one of these in our old Winnebago?

Thank you! Please be as specific as possible for the "technically" challenged! I don't know what we'd do without all of you!!!

[Wayne M]

Born2RV,
The King Dome 9702 is a Dual LNB Antenna, according to the manual. Then you should have two lines coming into the RV, and one of them should be "the main line." It would go to your living room satellite receiver. The other line would go to the back bedroom sat. receiver. (Let me clarify that some, and this is where I think you may have been led astray)

The 322 reciver is a dual tuner receiver. On the back you will see sat 1 and sat 2 rf inputs, and a distribution out rf receptacle. There are two approaches that you can use for connecting it. The main would go to Sat 1 input, and the other rf line would go to the Sat 2 input. The only thing you gain from this is that you would be able to use the PIP (Picture-In-Picture) option of the Sat. receiver.

I have both the DVR 722 and the Dish 322 receivers. I take the DVR 722 with us when we travel, but the 322 works the same way except it does not record.

In the stick house I have one rf dish antenna going into each satellite receiver. Only one, but it goes through switches and separators. You will not need the switch, but you will need the Dish Separator.
The main line goes into the separator, and each output is then fed to Sat 1 and Sat 2 inputs. This gives you the Dual Tuner capability and the second line from the LNB is not needed although it can be used in place of the separator (just giving you options, and the one without separator is the cheapest.) At this point you are only watching TV on that one receiver.

Now, if you connect the distribution out to the back bedroom satellite receiver, you will then be able to watch independent channels on each tv - with exception. The exception is that the King Dome may not be able to pick up the two primary satellites of Dish Network at the same time because of azimuth variation. So whenever the King Dome is pointing to satellite 110, you will only see those programs beamed from that satellite. The same goes if you are pointing to satellite 119 (There is a satellite 129, and the Eastern seaboard has some below the 100 number) Your primary satellites will be 110 and 119 but you may not be able to get them both at the same time. On the King Dome I had, if I wanted to look at a program on a satellite other than what I was pointed at, I pushed a button and it automatically aligned with the other satellite.

You can download the manuals for the 9702 and read on how to do the "check dish" and other functions.

At my stick house I have 4 televisions (I need a life) with only one rf line to each satellite receiver. I can watch 4 independent (different) satellite channels at the same time using the separator method described above. (Two on each receiver) I started using the separator in the RV and finally just used the tow rf lines into the receiver.

In the MH, I taped into the line going to the back bedroom using a splitter or similar device, (CRS) instead of running a separate line. Depending on resistances through any devices, you may be better off running a separate line.

Good luck.

[wa8yxm]

I often post about domes and Sat TV
Domes work best with DirecTV standard (They do not do DirecHDTV at all, only standard def)

With Dish a DOME may work with a single model 311 receiver or, With the HD equivlent (I have no idea since I"ve never done HD), however there is a problem.

DOMES can see ONE and only ONE satellite (Bird) at a time. Now where as DirecTV puts it all on bird number 101 (AMC-4 as I recall) DISH puts SD on a pair of birds, 100 and 119, (The names are Echostar, same as the parent company) and HD on yet a 3rd.

NOW with a single receiver, such as a single 311, you can get ONE channel off ONE bird, and some domes, if you switch to a channel on a different bird, will re-point quicly enough to make the receiver happy

If your dome is a "dual" (means 2 outputs) or in the case of Dish if it's "Stacked" (Another way of making it dual) then you can have 2, or 3, or 4 or more receivers but.. THEY ALL HAVE TO WATCH THE SAME BIRD.

So if you want say, BBCA (on 119) and spouse wants say Hallmark (110) there will be no joy

ON the other hand if you want BBCA (Still 119) And wife wants NBC Los Angles (Also 119) JOY will be yours.

Second:

One receiver can receive one channel.. the Video distribution system in the motor home can then route that channel, converted to chan 3 or 4, to every TV in the system.. that's what it does, Route "Source" devices (Antenna, Satellite, Park Cable, VCR/DVR, and DVD) to destination devices (TV's and the VCR/DVR)

Suggestion: if you have not yet purchased the DVD player.

Either get a combo unit (VCR/DVD, with DVD record, or get a DVD Recorder.. Mine is by Pioneer and works great.
With multiple receivers or with

[Born2RV]

Okay, lets see if I've got this straight. It's all so technical to me! So there appears to be one cable coming in from the dome. That cable should go into the receiver 311 first (where, exactely does the dish separator go?) then to the digital receiver - then to the built in box? Are both front and back TV already connected to the built in box? I understand about watching channels either on satellite 119 or 110 - that'll work for now. Hubby and I will have to compromise. Does the DVD only get connected to the TV directly?

[Bill Adams]

Originally Posted by Born2RV

Okay, lets see if I've got this straight. It's all so technical to me! So there appears to be one cable coming in from the dome. That cable should go into the receiver 311 first (where, exactely does the dish separator go?) then to the digital receiver - then to the built in box? Are both front and back TV already connected to the built in box? I understand about watching channels either on satellite 119 or 110 - that'll work for now. Hubby and I will have to compromise. Does the DVD only get connected to the TV directly?

Forget about a dish separator, the King Dome is not capable of using such a device. If you have one cable running to your receiver you can only use one input. If you have 2 separate cables running to that one receiver then you can use 2 inputs. I think the 311 only has one input anyway so you will only be watching one channel of programming on both TV's unless you get a second receiver and run a second cable to that location.

[Born2RV]

We purchased the 311 receiver - since there seems to be only one cable running from the dome. I've printed off the manual, as suggested, for the dome. The cable from the dome should go directly to the receiver - then to the original tube TV - but what about the digital box? Does that go between the TV and the receiver? I'm assuming the DVD player only goes directly into the tube TV? What about the built in control box? Should the cable from the dome first go to the built in control box, THEN the receiver, etc.??

For now, we'll be able to watch Dish Network on the large tube TV in the living area - but will we be able to watch Dish network on the bedroom TV (a new LCD) when we switch the built in control box to TV 2? We can only watch one station at a time, correct? We can't watch two stations at once on different TV's even if they're on the same satellite (i.e. 119?)? Will the 3rd TV that's connected to the bedroom TV operate with whatever we choose for TV #2, since it's connected to it? Oh boy - I love technology - but this TV stuff is wearing me out!

[Bill Adams]

The cable from the dome should go directly to the receiver - then to the original tube TV - but what about the digital box?

There is no relationship between satellite TV and a digital converter box. The cable from the King Dome goes to the receiver and from the receiver to (most likely) you video control center so you can select which output you would like to send to the TV. The digital converter box is ONLY for the over-the-air TV programming and you should be sure you have a converter box that allows an analog pass-through so the other connections will work as well.
As to the 311 receiver, it's only capable of providing a satellite TV signal so every TV in the house that is getting a signal from that receiver will be watching the same satellite TV channel. You can be watching over-the-air on one TV and satellite TV on another if you want to watch 2 different channels.

[Born2RV]

Thank you! I should have realized that the dome must go directly to the receiver. We didn't have a "video control box" in our previous motorhome, so it confused me.

Okay - so we'll hook the cable from the dome to the receiver, then to the video control box - then to the tube TV. I'm assuming (haven't checked?) that the cable to the bedroom TV is hooked to the video control box. Yes - our digital converter box DOES have analog pass through. Therefore, we'll be able to watch Dish on one TV and over-the-air on the other TV? That would be GREAT for now!! If we switch the video control box for TV #1 to over the air, can we switch the video control box to cable for TV #2? And if TV #2 is receiving DISH, then I'm assuming TV #3 (not yet hooked up) in the basement, which is connected to TV #2, will also receive DISH? Or do we have to purchase a separate 311 receiver to put outside in the basement?

If we decide to "upgrade" our DISH, I'm assuming we would purchase the DISH 500 with stand to put outside - and the cable would enter the coach at the exterior cable connection?

We go back to our dealer this weekend for him to do a few "fixes" - and one is to make sure the dome works. I just need to understand it all before - so I make sure he knows what he's doing. I trust the expert opinions I receive on this forum!!! THANK YOU!!!

[Bill Adams]

First, you will want to review the "Sticky" topics on the opening page of this forum. Hooking up the converter box is pretty easy if you have a video control center with enough inputs. If not, you will have to use the analog pass-though to allow it work work as an over-the-air converter when on an pass another signal when off. You have to be able to use the remote control with the converter so if you are in the bedroom and the converter is out front you are going to have problems changing channels.
As to setting up a tripod mounted dish, you will not be able to use the coach's exterior cable connection without making some additional modifications. The cable connection currently runs to the video control center and not directly to the rear of the satellite receiver. There are ways of getting around this by moving cables or installing special splitters but it does require some thought. You can also run new coax cables from some other location or if you don't use the outside TV connection you can use this cable, disconnect it from the VCC or the splitter right after the VCC and run it directly to the satellite receiver.

[wa8yxm]

Originally Posted by Bill Adams

Forget about a dish separator, the King Dome is not capable of using such a device. If you have one cable running to your receiver you can only use one input. If you have 2 separate cables running to that one receiver then you can use 2 inputs. I think the 311 only has one input anyway so you will only be watching one channel of programming on both TV's unless you get a second receiver and run a second cable to that location.

Bill.. before I put my foot in my mouth yet again.. Are you saying the King Dome has a SINGLE LNB

(NOTE folks this is for BIll only.. Bill knows the meaning of Single LNB so please let him respond.. There are two different LNB's that look almost identical (in fact if they are installed on a standard dish they WILL look identical) Single and Dual. The dish 500.. is called a TWIN)

I ask this because I collect this kind of info for future reference

The dome on my rig... Is a dual.

[Bill Adams]

Originally Posted by wa8yxm

Bill.. before I put my foot in my mouth yet again.. Are you saying the King Dome has a SINGLE LNB

(NOTE folks this is for Bill only.. Bill knows the meaning of Single LNB so please let him respond.. There are two different LNB's that look almost identical (in fact if they are installed on a standard dish they WILL look identical) Single and Dual. The dish 500.. is called a TWIN)

I ask this because I collect this kind of info for future reference

The dome on my rig... Is a dual.

No, it does not. "Most" King Domes have one dual LNB (able to see only one satellite but with dual outputs). "All" King Domes (all domes for that matter) only contain one LNB which could be dual or single.
I was referring to the option available from some antennas that allow you to feed a dual signal through a single coax cable and then split it to 2 tuners or receivers. This is not a viable option with the King Dome but I believe that it is a possible option with their Trac-King series of antennas.

[Minnesotaguy]

We have a 1998 Monaco Windsor motorhome. We have Dish Satellite and reciever in
front and in back, and we can watch 2 different channels simultaneously. My question is how do you hook up cable tv if you want to watch that in a campground
rather than satellite, or if person in front wants satellite and back tv person wants
cable, possible? appreciate input on this

[Born2RV]

Wow! Good question, Minnesotaguy! I would wonder the same thing?

We picked up our Providence from the dealer yesterday who had made some warranty repairs. We stopped at a campground overnight and tried the King Dome. Funny - We got it operating, but it would ONLY lock in on satellite 110 - and wouldn't go to 119?? Plus, when we pressed the "guide", the channels listed were all foreign channels - ones that we don't see on our guide at home? Strange??? We followed the directions -

1) turn on TV (old original tube TV)
2) Turn on power to receiver
3) Turn on Dome and hold button for at least 3 to 4 seconds
4) Let it acquire signal and download guide, etc.

What are we doing wrong? Plus, we still don't have the DVD player working? I plugged the yellow, white and red plugs in as displayed directly to the TV first - no luck. Then to the control box - no luck. ????

[Bill Adams]

Minnesotaguy,
If you have a video control center you should be able to simply plug the campground cable into the cable connection which is most likely in your hook up bay and then select Cable from the control center. If there is a cable hookup but not control center then you may have to turn off the Winegard power booster to get cable to pass through. Power on (green light) you get over-the-air, power off (no light) you get cable. The satellite connection should be a completely separate connection, but sometimes they wire cable/TV into the receiver and to utilize either of these you have to turn off the satellite receiver so it will act as a pass-through.