Satellite for TV Help

[Bigbird65]

We have home DirecTV service and because of this there are 2 ways that I can get DirecTV in the RV. The first is with a portable dish that I carry along and use the HR44 receiver from home.


The second way is using my Galaxy S5 phone with an MHL/HTML converter and the DirecTV app. No dish required and no data charges for live TV.


If I am camping for a few nights then I will set up the dish if there are not too many trees. Otherwise I will use the Smart Phone. Best of both worlds.

[twinboat]

Look on EBay for a dish and tripod.

With a dome, it finds the satellite automatically.

With a dish, just like on your roof, you do it.

With my standard definition dish, I take a compass for general direction and then get the box signal finder beeping, as I slowly move the dish up, down, right and left. Take a few minutes to zero in.

[Bigbird65]

The DirecTV dish is quite easy to setup if you use an app called Sat Finder on your smart phone. The app uses GPS to find your location and give you the correct Azimuth, Elevation, and Skew (tilt). For a SWM3 system (high definition) set the Skew, and Elevation first. These are set using the pointers and lines in the side and back of the dish mount.Then using the compass on the app, point the dish to the correct Azimuth direction. At this point you should have acquired the satellites. The rest is just fine tuning using the signal strength meters on the HR44 receiver.
For less than $200 on eBay you can get set up with the hardware shown behind our trailer.

[Bigbird65]

For a DirecTV system, here is what you need on eBay:

Dish assembly
Tripod
50' RG6 Coax
3ea 3' RG6 Coax

I priced it all and it came to $111.51 with free shipping. This is the system I have.

If anyone buys a system like this I will be glad to provide information on how to assemble and align it.

[Centex10]

Great advice. Thank you so much!

[Bigbird65]

Originally Posted by Centex10

Great advice. Thank you so much!

You are very welcome. I think the wave of the future is going to be streaming TV through cell towers. Satellites are very expensive to run and replace.

[HD Travel]

bought this MH used and it has the satellite dome on the roof that gets signal as you move down the road. Previous owner never hooked up to Direct TV. I want to use my Direct TV receiver from house but cannot find where to hook it up .
I cannot find a coax cable for satellite in to hook to receiver. Some have said it is by big tv in living room where the DVD player is. I see the AV cables but cannot get this thing to work
Tried everything while in Daytona with no luck

This MH is supposed to work with Direct TV with no problems

[Bigbird65]

HD Travel, I feel sure your MH probably did not did come with the dome antenna installed and it was added later. Some domes are setup for Dish and some for DirecTV. You need to go up on the roof and see if you can find a model number and then contact the manufacturers support line. You may need a power inserter between your receiver and the dome. I don't know your experience level with satellite antennas. You will need to trace out the coax line. In our Minnie Winnie there is a coax connector on the side of the trailer that feeds another connector by the TV. Here is the simple setup we have with our non-dome antenna.

[Centex10]

Bigbird, what are the pros and cons of using the phone method versus the satellite? Why wouldn't I just use the phone and converter method all the time? Seems much easier.

[Bigbird65]

Originally Posted by Centex10

Bigbird, what are the pros and cons of using the phone method versus the satellite? Why wouldn't I just use the phone and converter method all the time? Seems much easier.

The phone method is much simpler and cheaper. However, changing channels is much slower than with the receiver. There are places in this country that still have spotty cell coverage. It appears to me that the picture is a bit sharper over the satellite. If you are watching on your phone it is pretty well tied up. I didn't find out about the MHL/HDMI converter until I had already been well set up with the dish, otherwise I might have gone the phone route only.

[twinboat]

Doesn't watching TV, on the phone eat up your data. I've read that a 2 hour movie is 2 gigabyte.

[Bigbird65]

Originally Posted by twinboat

Doesn't watching TV, on the phone eat up your data. I've read that a 2 hour movie is 2 gigabyte.

No, it does not as long as you are an AT&T subscriber, a DirecTV subscriber, and have the DirecTV app on your phone. I don't know if this works with iPhone but it works very well with my Android phone. I also understand that the later Galaxy phones, S6 and S7, do not have MHL output like the S3, S4, and S5 have. DirecTV often puts adds on TV touting "Take your DirecTV with you, no data charges". I don't know how long this will last or if it is just a gimmick to get you hooked but for now that is the way it works. You do need to keep your phone/MHL/HDMI hooked up to the phone charger if you are watching a movie.
Here is the adapter that I bought.

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by Bigbird65

No, it does not as long as you are an AT&T subscriber, a DirecTV subscriber, and have the DirecTV app on your phone. I don't know if this works with iPhone but it works very well with my Android phone. DirecTV often puts adds on TV touting "Take your DirecTV with you, no data charges". I don't know how long this will last or if it is just a gimmick to get you hooked but for now that is the way it works. You do need to keep your phone/MHL/HDMI hooked up to the phone charger if you are watching a movie.

I am a DirecTV subscriber. Because of that, I will not save any money watching it on my phone. I still have to pay DirecTV for service.

[Centex10]

Camping sites often have poor cell service. Maybe the direct tv satellite method is the best route after all. Thanks for all the help.