Dish TV, Is it me or equipment or what

[jpsageusa]

My Dish Experience:
We left WA last Nov for our first winter in the SOUTH! We expect to be on the road for 15 of the next 18 months. Just for context I am now 73 and have camped most of my adult life in everything from tents with only the local lake for bathing, to truck campers, to class C and finally to our 2006 Neptune Diesel pusher. And I like to watch TV.

I left WA with a "refurbished" Dish VIP211K, a 1-Terabyte USB disk drive and an old Winegard Carryout antenna. I hadn't used the antenna in several years and it turned out to be a goner. I ordered a King VQ4500 from Amazon and tried to get everything going but all I got was a message to call Dish. I didn’t think that it made sense that I couldn’t detect a satellite without registering first. Off I went to Camping World to ask for help. The guy told me to bring the receiver to the store and use their stationary antenna to get set up.
An hour back to the campground and an hour back the next day with the gear. As it turned out I still had to call and pay money before I could find out if anything worked. OK—paid the money and got it to work at their store. I had mixed emotions. I did have to shell out money to verify the equipment worked but I didn’t have to sign-up for two years service. That would have been 2400.00. Anyway back home to the King antenna.

Upon boot the screen immediately signaled a mobile antenna and forces a rescan followed by a check switch and then a check for signal and finally a complete download of the guide. This a process that takes about 30 minutes. This is for a simple reboot that can be caused by a momentary power loss or a gust of wind that moves the antenna ever so slightly.

Then the credit card problem. My fault but the renewal charge got denied. I had to call them and correct the problem. Once it was corrected the service came on but the screen announces that if I want to use DVR function to call Dish. I call Dish and the nice lady tells me that I have to pay for it. I explained that I had paid for it. She says that it is 14 something dollars a month and I, trying to keep my temper out of my voice say that no it is a one-time charge of $40.00. After me insisting that I was correct she puts me on hold—I assume she contacted someone. She comes back on line and agrees and tells me to reboot. I tell that I have already rebooted. OK… Off to second person.

Now a gentleman comes on the line and asks me for error number (970 I think) which I provide. He then does some behind the curtain stuff and realized that it is not helping. We go through the 30 minute boot game several times with combinations of disk connected and not connected. Nothing. He gives up and says that he will forward the problem. And I get an email asking me how the phone call worked for me. The antenna sits in a storage bay and I type on my computer. When leaving on the trip I was convinced that I was going to spend $2500.00 installing a roof-top antenna. Now I am not sure. We have Directv but I felt that they would be a problem came to mobile services.

A few days later in AZ at my daughters house and I drag out the antenna and hook everything up, boot and everything, including the DVR works. Go figure. Here we are practicing for our off road trek to Quartzsite by using my generator in the morning and evening. This morning I started the generator, fixed my coffee, made breakfast and decided to turn on the TV/DVR to go through the boot cycle. I am greeted with a working TV/DVR. During the boot cycle I used the DVR button to watch previously recorded programs figuring that we could watch from the DVR while the 30-minute boot cycle completed. We watched a program and then decided to look at what was on that night. A pop-up tells me that the guide has not been downloaded and that I had to turn the machine off and reboot. Are you telling me that the VIP-211K is not able to download the guide while someone is watching a program on the DVR?

Following that exercise we went to a RV park where we had continuous power for a week. Once booted everything worked pretty much as I expected. The only anomaly was that a program did not record one night. Don’t know why: operator error or machine?

Last night we pulled into Quartzsite, started up the generator and figured that we would record a program while we sat around the fire. Here we go again. I started an hour before the program was to play. Booted the receiver, the 30 minute ritual, got the machine working but no DVR functionality. I unplugged and replugged the USB drive and as the receiver discovered the disk I had to reboot. So now I am not going to get it rebooted in time to record the program and again if you do not let it download the whole guide, “This should not take more than 10 minutes”, the DVR section is worthless. So as we sit here making super with the generator buzzing away I realize it is too much trouble to get the thing booted up and running.

This has been my experience with DISH. I am hoping someone will read this and tell me that I have been stupid and here is how you use it. If not I will call DISH and explain that the experiment was a failure and sell the equipment. I am going to be looking up what it takes for Directv to travel.

[mjeffrey]

Is your USB drive powered via the USB cord or externally thru its own adaptor?

I think you need an externally powered harddisk. The USB port power might not be enough to power the drive.

[TechWriter]

It sounds like it's mostly you. Your story reminded me of watching someone trying to install an RV awning only to end up with extra parts and an awning that kinda-sorta worked.

Your age probably has a lot to do with your DISH experience. As an old fart myself, newer things (especially electronics) are difficult at best to master.

In your case, it sounds like you're impatient and tried rushing through the set up process.

[adamfolger]

IT IS YOU...sort of. Dish helpers on the phone are worthless. They don't understand our RV set ups. Always ask for a RV tech. You need a separate hard drive in line with your 211k for DVR functions. Dish sells them for heaven sakes or you can go to amazon. Dish will charge you a one time set up fee of $40. I have been using a Dish Tailgater and separate hard drive, in line with my 211z for 5 years. It always works flawlessly. I never turn the 211z off. If you turn it off at night it never down loads the new program guide and you will have to reboot in the morning. There have been times when I thought it was a Dish problem and was usually an RG6 cable issue. When we move to a new location, we call Dish RV tech at 800-333-3474 and 5 min later we have local channels. I love everything about Dish except the monthly bill. Local channels, recording, pay per view, RV tech. The Tailgater is very wind resistant. Point it due south with a boy scout compass, go inside, three clicks on screen and 500 channels.

[adamfolger]

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...07&ignorebbr=1

[jpsageusa]

Originally Posted by mjeffrey

Is your USB drive powered via the USB cord or externally thru its own adaptor?

I think you need an externally powered harddisk. The USB port power might not be enough to power the drive.

Yes USB drive is externally powered.

[jpsageusa]

Originally Posted by adamfolger

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...07&ignorebbr=1

Exactly what I have except that it mine is 1TB

[bruceisla]

Originally Posted by jpsageusa

Exactly what I have except that it mine is 1TB

Mostly it's you. I had a 211Z, 500gb harddrive, and a Winegard X2 (similar to your King). Used them for years. Yes, whenever you lose power the system will restart and go thru the procedure of finding the satellites and downloading the guide. For me (assuming a clear sky) it took about 10-15 minutes. Since the dish (King) is a motorized device, the it takes longer to find satellites than a permanently located dish. However, it's far easier to set up each time you move the RV.

[jpsageusa]

Originally Posted by adamfolger

IT IS YOU...sort of. Dish helpers on the phone are worthless. They don't understand our RV set ups. Always ask for a RV tech. You need a separate hard drive in line with your 211k for DVR functions. Dish sells them for heaven sakes or you can go to amazon. Dish will charge you a one time set up fee of $40. I have been using a Dish Tailgater and separate hard drive, in line with my 211z for 5 years. It always works flawlessly. I never turn the 211z off. If you turn it off at night it never down loads the new program guide and you will have to reboot in the morning. There have been times when I thought it was a Dish problem and was usually an RG6 cable issue. When we move to a new location, we call Dish RV tech at 800-333-3474 and 5 min later we have local channels. I love everything about Dish except the monthly bill. Local channels, recording, pay per view, RV tech. The Tailgater is very wind resistant. Point it due south with a boy scout compass, go inside, three clicks on screen and 500 channels.

OK:
1) you have a different Rx: 211z vs 211k.
2) you keep it powered on full time. We are boondocking and when genny is off Rx is off. We do not have an inverter
3) If I could depend on the system to boot correctly the first time then I could start the genny an hour before the program I want to watch/record and I would be good. BUT when we arrived at Quartzsite a few days ago I did the following for a 7 pm show:
3a) 6pm. Started Generator and started the boot process. NO DVR. 20 min
3b) unplugged and plugged the USB drive. 211k sees disk--gotta reboot.
3c) reboot. Good DVR! 6:45.
3d) Used menu & verified that prerecorded programs were there.
3e) Exit menu--notified that guide was not downloaded. REBOOT
3f) Too late, watched show on OTA with weak signal.
This has been, more often than not, our experience. We also have had the unit boot & the remote doesn't work, so we have to reboot again. This has happened numerous times as well. So you can see why it is so frustrating.

[adamfolger]

I had a 211k inline for two of the 5 years. Sorry I did not realize you had no inverter. You could buy a 1000 wat inverter and add a battery if you have room just to run the tv . I also had a gas coach with no inverter, using my set up. I cant speak to your problems since we have a different sat set up.

[mjeffrey]

We have two 211k receivers and external drives. Experience very little drama, but we have invert and Winegard Traveler. I do unplug hard disk and receivers while traveling down road.

Sounds like your USB connecting is intermittent. Have you tried replacing the USB wire?

Occasionally we have to unplug and replug the USB and/or HDMI wires as they seem to not make a complete connecting on restart up at the end in the travel day.

[Chuck Q]

I got so tired of the reboot process, I just gave up. Use only OTA TV. Will sell or give away the Tailgater and RCVR.

[mjeffrey]

Your refurbished unit is not serving you well.

Might be worth getting a new Wally.

[jpsageusa]

Originally Posted by mjeffrey

Your refurbished unit is not serving you well.

Might be worth getting a new Wally.

Going to Directv.