DTV on the road? Questions?

[Airshow]

Greetings all.
A friend of mine has offered to add us to his home DTV account for our motorhome at $15 a month. All the hardware (dish, tripod, D10 HD DVR receiver) is included. My questions are,

1) Each time we relocate out of the home area, do I have to change the Zip Code on the receiver menu to our current location?

And if this is true...

2) Does that change/block/mess with his service at home while we are on the road?

I have read many threads on the subject that have lead me to a yes answer to both of my question.

Thanks, Jim

[Bill Adams]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airshow Greetings all. A friend of mine has offered to add us to his home DTV account for our motorhome at $15 a month. All the hardware (dish, tripod, D10 HD DVR receiver) is included. My questions are, 1) Each time we relocate out of the home area, do I have to change the Zip Code on the receiver menu to our current location? And if this is true... 2) Does that change/block/mess with his service at home while we are on the road? I have read many threads on the subject that have lead me to a yes answer to both of my question. Thanks, Jim

First, this is illegal (theft of services) but assuming you know that and are alright with that then we can move on.
Second, you will only receive whatever programming your friend receives on his box so you will never be able to receive any of the Network programming (ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX) once you travel outside of that particular service area (generally 200-400 miles from the service address).
The receiver will not care where you are, you will simply get the programming less the Networks. You can use your crank-up over the air antenna to receive the Networks assuming you are close enough to a town for reception.
Since you will be using a tripod, you will have to enter the local zip code into the receiver to get the properly pointing parameters for the antenna but this will have no effect on what the receiver can or cannot receive.

[raceguy549]

No and ummm..... no.
1 The zip code entry allows the receiver to furnish you with azimuth and elevation numbers to be used when setting up your dish.
2. When using my DTV on the road my stuff back home continues to operate normally.

[Airshow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Adams First, this is illegal (theft of services) but assuming you know that and are alright with that then we can move on. Second, you will only receive whatever programming your friend receives on his box so you will never be able to receive any of the Network programming (ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX) once you travel outside of that particular service area (generally 200-400 miles from the service address). The receiver will not care where you are, you will simply get the programming less the Networks. You can use your crank-up over the air antenna to receive the Networks assuming you are close enough to a town for reception. Since you will be using a tripod, you will have to enter the local zip code into the receiver to get the properly pointing parameters for the antenna but this will have no effect on what the receiver can or cannot receive.

Illegal, no, didn't know that and would not be all right with it if that is true. Got to love those assumptions. Can you expand on that please? This is the same equipment that was in his MH and is on his home account. Instead of turning in the receiver he has offered the service/equipment to us.
Thanks again, Jim

[wa8yxm]

I can't top what Bill Adams said but I will say this.. Many people do something close to this and never get caught.. But you WILL GET CAUGHT if you do it the way you plan.

You see, the billing address will always be your friend's house, so for network TV you have two choices. (Well 3)

1: park near him (anywhere from a few miles to a few hundred depending on the direction and just where in the "Spot" he is)

2: Over the air Digital... IF, that is you can catch any

3: Live w/o

Because if you change the billing address.. HE looses local TV stations, and then when he calls.. Direc (I am assuming Direc since you said DTV) or Dish (If I'm wrong) will get wise and fast.

[Airshow]

Ok, thanks for all the replies and the continuing education. So... when I read that folks with DTV at their home grab a receiver from the living room/den/ family room and hook it up in their MH for a road trip that this is illegal? Or is it that it is not his MH.

When you log on to DTV on the road it must ask you for your billing address?

I have a Verizon package, tv, phone, and internet at the house. If I have DTV installed at my home, say in a bed room and took the receiver with us on the road, would that change anything?

Thanks, Jim

[Izzyblueye]

Entering the zip code is just a way to help you locate the satellite from your location. It has no bearing on his reception at all.

[Bill Adams]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airshow Illegal, no, didn't know that and would not be all right with it if that is true. Got to love those assumptions. Can you expand on that please? This is the same equipment that was in his MH and is on his home account. Instead of turning in the receiver he has offered the service/equipment to us. Thanks again, Jim

I am sorry that you took my comment as an assumption. It was no such thing. Just as it would be illegal for one person to buy 10 receivers and hand them out to everyone on the block, it is illegal for you to use someone else's account. It's called theft of services. The reason that the folks who own a home and an RV can use the service in multiple locations is because they are the same people and not their friends or neighbors.

[wa8yxm]

You do not "Log on" to DirecTV.. Here is how it works

When the receiver is set up the installer will call in and give his codes and the serial number of your receiver and ask that the initial authorization be sent.. Other than admin stuff like ordering PPV or paying a bill. You'd never "LOG ON" and that kind o log on needs not a television but a computer. (You log on to www.sometihng.....)

Once the receiver is activated.. SO LONG at it does not go more than a week or so without being active (That means plugged in and it's antenna properly pointed) it will continue to work, no further attention needed.. You do not "log on" ever.]

In fact, The Receiver is just that.. a RECEIVER, it does not, in fact CAN NOT, transmit back to the satellite.. The only way it can send any information to direct TV is if you plug in a phone line and then it will only send the "Client wants to watch PPV show # 1202823" or some such.


By the way.. This has nothing to do with you but DishNetwork charges $5.00/month if the receiver does not "phone home" ... I can think of only one reason they would do that.... They are downloading your viewing habits from the receiver and selling them.. I'm not sure that is legal,, but they charge a five dollar "Access Fee" if you do not access.. Counter intutive you say.. So do I. But that is DISH. not direcTV

[Bill Adams]

DirecTV and Dish Network receivers will maintain their programming and activation for about 30 days, not just a week or so.

[RVhauler]

As I only use one dish reciever in the stick house when I leave from it then I transfer the reciever to the RV. 1. I do not have a hard wired house phone so I pay an opional fee for use of cell phone (one time per year). I lose the stick house local stations but do recieve the local stations of what ever area that the RV is located in. reciever is registered to the stick house which is in another state from ,my legal residence which is my billing address. Illegal- no. Borrowing some one elses temporary- possibility illegal. depends on how you look at it. But would say it is possible as long as you do not phone in for anything. Things are usually illegal only if you get caught. Just a statement not meant to start WWIII.

[Bill Adams]

In that vein, murder is OK as long as you don't get caught. It's just a matter of choice. Jaywalking is illegal as well but I do it all the time. Life is about making choices. Some are right and some are wrong. As I mentioned in my first post, if you can get past the part of doing what the OP wanted to do we could just continue the discussion from there. Right or wrong, what the OP would like to do can be done, at least to some degree.

[Airshow]

Got it.
Thank you all for the information. I now have a better understanding of the process.

Jim

[Gary RVRoamer]

Legalities aside, you got the simple answer. You probably won't be able to view any local channels, which includes the major network broadcasts, if you travel very far from your friend's home. Local channels are spot beamed in most places, though not everywhere, and the "Spot" is an ellipse that is anywhere from 200-400 miles in diameter. If you call Direct and give them a change of zip code for the local service in your area, you would then get local channels but your friend would lose his. And he would stop being your friend, I'll bet.

So, it's an ok deal if you don't travel outside the immediate region. By the way, it is only costing your friend $5/month to do this.