HD Satellite, Dish or Dome

[D and S]

I am upgrading the front TV to HD in my 2002 Winn Journey. Would like some info regarding which brand of HD dish or Dome to use. Presently I have a Datron 3000 that has served me great. In-motion or stationary dosen't really matter. just so it is capable of HD. I read somewhere that Directv has another sat that isn't picked by the standard sat antennas. Does anyone know about that? I think is called #99. I already have a HD Directv sat box. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!
Don H

[Bill Adams]

Originally Posted by D and S

I am upgrading the front TV to HD in my 2002 Winn Journey. Would like some info regarding which brand of HD dish or Dome to use. Presently I have a Datron 3000 that has served me great. In-motion or stationary dosen't really matter. just so it is capable of HD. I read somewhere that Directv has another sat that isn't picked by the standard sat antennas. Does anyone know about that? I think is called #99. I already have a HD Directv sat box. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!
Don H

No dome on the market will allow you to receive the HD programming from DirecTV. This programming come from 2 satellites at 99 and 103 and they are KA band satellites. The domes only have KU band LNB's (still required to receive the 101 satellite). I recommend that you get the Winegard Trav'ler SK-3005. The only other automatic antenna on the market that will handle this combination of satellites is made by MotoSAT and is called the HD-SL5.

[steelheadbluesman]

Originally Posted by Bill Adams

No dome on the market will allow you to receive the HD programming from DirecTV. This programming come from 2 satellites at 99 and 103 and they are KA band satellites. The domes only have KU band LNB's (still required to receive the 101 satellite). I recommend that you get the Winegard Trav'ler SK-3005. The only other automatic antenna on the market that will handle this combination of satellites is made by MotoSAT and is called the HD-SL5.

Bill - When I bought my Kingdome from CW a year ago, they assured me that it was a model that could be upgraded for about $100 to HD capable. I told them I had DirecTV, and at some point would be upgrading to HD, should I wait, and of course they gave me the aforementioned pitch. Guess I'll have to talk to the Kingdome folks...

[D and S]

Thanks for the replies. I will check out the Winegard system. It seems I have 2 options. I checked Motosat website and to get a price you have to call a sat sales person. As you replied Motosat also acquires all the sats for the HD.

[ernieh]

Winegard SK 3005, you won't be sorry.

[Bill Adams]

Steelhead,
There is NOTHING King Dome can do to get you HD with DirecTV but you could move to Dish Network, upgrade your dome and receive that programming although you will now have to switch between 3 different satellites.
"In the old days" DirecTV provided their HD programming for 101 and 110 and 119. That is no longer the case and the HD programming now comes from 99 and 103 which are KA band satellites. These are completely incompatible with any dome on the market.

[Bill Adams]

The MotoSAT antenna costs approx. $400-$600 more than a Winegard and will need repeated software updates (about a dozen so far in that last 2 years). No software update with the Winegard and since they use the actual dish and internal switches provided to home users, moving your receiver between your home and RV antenna is a non-issue.

[soonerdave]

If you want HD programming you will need two things, and HD receiver and an HD capable dish. Winegard has a rooftop mounted folding dish called the Slimline which picks up all HD programming. The good thing about a Winegard is the size of the dish which will pic up a signal even when the weather is bad. This is a case of bigger really is better, and who really watches TV when going down the road. I have had my Winegard for a little over two years without any problems.

[Bill Adams]

Originally Posted by soonerdave

If you want HD programming you will need two things, and HD receiver and an HD capable dish. Winegard has a rooftop mounted folding dish called the Slimline which picks up all HD programming. The good thing about a Winegard is the size of the dish which will pic up a signal even when the weather is bad. This is a case of bigger really is better, and who really watches TV when going down the road. I have had my Winegard for a little over two years without any problems.

The Winegard antenna is called a Trav'ler. DirecTV calls their 5-LNB antenna a Slimline which is what you see printed on the dish. There is also a Dish Network version of the Trav'ler available.

[D and S]

Thanks for all the responses! Tomorrow I'm going to Camping World to order an SKS 3005, if they don't have one in stock. I called them and the dish is actually on sale, can you believe it? All I have to do now is rework the front tv frame to accept a 32" HD TV.
Don

[steelheadbluesman]

Originally Posted by Bill Adams

Steelhead,
There is NOTHING King Dome can do to get you HD with DirecTV but you could move to Dish Network, upgrade your dome and receive that programming although you will now have to switch between 3 different satellites.
"In the old days" DirecTV provided their HD programming for 101 and 110 and 119. That is no longer the case and the HD programming now comes from 99 and 103 which are KA band satellites. These are completely incompatible with any dome on the market.

Okay, Bill, thanks for clarifying. So, it's not KD or CW that messed me up, it's Dtv, eh? Guess I'll wait a while, see where things go....

[Bill Adams]

It depends upon when you bought the antenna to know if there is any fault to be dished out. A lot of dealers sold domes and the old 3 LNB antennas even though DTV had already announced that the HD programming would be coming from new satellites. Technically, if you sign up for DTV HD programming there are about 6 HD channels still available on 110 or 119 if you could point to one of those satellites.

[steelheadbluesman]

Thanks Bill. Not interested in finding fault, I guess I was mostly expressing my dismay. I'm just trying to get it figured out. So, my choices at this point seem to be 1) go to DishTV, or 2) stay w/ DirectTV and get a Winegard dish? Correct? And can I get a portable Winegard (tripod guy) that will get the HD signal from Direct? Or is it only a roof mount dish? If I want to convert my TVs to HD and stay with DirecTV, and my Kingdome sits on the roof doing nothing, what is my best option? What about those portable "cubes"? This is not my field at all, so I really appreciate your patience

[LindaH]

Originally Posted by steelheadbluesman

What about those portable "cubes"?

One of those portable cubes is still a dome, which means no HD with DirecTV.