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MisterT · 01-20-2018, 07:31 AM

or even purchase these items and take them to your home to try them out first.... get accustomed to how it works, then when you start your RV journeys you'll already be familiar with how it works... : )

NewToRVinNJ · 01-20-2018, 07:52 AM

Thank you! Very good suggestions

BillJinOR · 01-20-2018, 08:10 AM

I would consider that every 9 year old I know isn’t watching tv [emoji342]!!
They are watching you tube and other various internet based video. I would bet What you really need is a cellular internet solution while traveling Your 9 year old may be the exception.
In motion , and this is my opinion only, Is a waste of money.
If you want great satellite tv then the “best “ is a roof mounted 3 lnb ( looks at 3 satellites at the same time) like a Traveler $1500 plus install , paired with a ground based back up either manual dish or single lnb automatic for the times your under blocking trees.
Again , is the 9 year old interested in satellite tv content or more likely really using a tablet to watch online internet content?

NewToRVinNJ · 01-20-2018, 08:33 AM

That’s a really good point about him being on the Internet in some way while we are on the road. He uses my phone as a hotspot and is on the internet now so I think that would still work. I’m going to talk with my husband about it and see what we want to do. I think watching different programs on different TVs is our first priority.

docj · 01-20-2018, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NewToRVinNJ

That’s a really good point about him being on the Internet in some way while we are on the road. He uses my phone as a hotspot and is on the internet now so I think that would still work. I’m going to talk with my husband about it and see what we want to do. I think watching different programs on different TVs is our first priority.

If I was installing a satellite TV setup from scratch today I would use a roof-mounted Trav'ler in combination with a DirecTV Genie II. The Genie II is a unique DVR/receiver with ~8 tuners so you can record lots of shows while watching others. What makes it really nice for RVs is that it, itself, doesn't need to be directly connected to ANY of your TVs or even be near them. All it needs is a coax from the Trav'ler and access to 120V power. It communicates with all of your TVs via wireless miniGenie clients. Not having to stuff the receiver into the usually crowded audio-visual cabinet of an RV would be a great benefit for most RVers.

MisterT · 01-20-2018, 09:38 AM

for 'multiple TVs'.... we found that our kids liked to watch several specific channels, most on a single Satellite(129)... with our KingTailgater2 portable Antenna, we could acquire the signal on our 'Main' bedroom receiver/tv, then make sure it was on a channel from Satellite 129 when we programmed the 'Secondary' Living room receiver/tv for them.
They could then watch their own channels, change their own channels with their own remote, and as long as we watched a channel on the same Satellite, they were good to go.

a simple portable antenna, two receivers/tvs.... everybody happy.

While we've had great success with Dish and the KingTailgater2 portable antenna, and while there are others on the market that can do something similar... some are not quite as 'portable', and others have only a single output.

sanddan · 01-20-2018, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by docj

If I was installing a satellite TV setup from scratch today I would use a roof-mounted Trav'ler in combination with a DirecTV Genie II. The Genie II is a unique DVR/receiver with ~8 tuners so you can record lots of shows while watching others. What makes it really nice for RVs is that it, itself, doesn't need to be directly connected to ANY of your TVs or even be near them. All it needs is a coax from the Trav'ler and access to 120V power. It communicates with all of your TVs via wireless miniGenie clients. Not having to stuff the receiver into the usually crowded audio-visual cabinet of an RV would be a great benefit for most RVers.

Thanks for the feedback. We have DirecTV in the house so this gives me a plan for outfitting the coach. I assume I can move the main Genie from the house and just get one extra mini for the second TV in the coach.

MisterT · 01-20-2018, 10:09 AM

yes, that's the great thing about Satellite tv and your RV, you don't HAVE to purchase a separate system or account, just take it with you! Now, understandably, most folks don't have a 'portable' type Satellite antenna at their home, but it's about the only thing different between the two - ALTHOUGH, us and a lot of other RVrs take their 'home' style manual open-faced Antenna with us while we travel! It takes a little learning to setup and acquire the Satellites, but it gives you the best of both worlds.

a quick story:
We've been full-timing in our Palazzo for over three years. The first year we used the traditional 'open faced' Dish HD Antenna like you see in yards and mounted on houses. We set it up on a tripod, zoned it in to the three Satellites, and hooked it up via coax cables to our receivers in the motorhome. This was what I ordered thru Dish, who originally sent out two individuals to install in our coach. I learned how to pack up the antenna and how to deploy it and find the Sats. It worked well, though sometimes in traveling for just a quick 'overnight', the manual antenna can be a little work to use.

We then purchased the portable Antenna, as I knew it was light, easy to store because of it's size, and easy to use since it finds the satellites itself. I even knew that I could 'mount' it on the roof if I choose to later, which I eventually did, even though it's a 'temporary' mount where I can easily take the antenna off and down to the ground when needed.

We recently moved into a house, and now store the Palazzo. The house did not have an Antenna, so I just brought the portable to the house, set it out on the deck railing, hooked it up to the same receivers we brought from the motorhome, and had Satellite TV the same day.... sweet!
I used that temporary system for a few days while we got moved in, since some other things took priority(per the wife!). Several days later I took out the manual 'open faced' Dish HD antenna, set it up on the rear of the deck on the tripod, zoned in and acquired the three Satellites, and had signals to all three TVs within the same day. Nice.
Never had to call DISH, never had to call a technician, easy.

Now I have the house set up for Satellite TV, and the portable antenna goes back to the motorhome. When we went on 'Christmas holiday' to Florida, I just took a receiver from the bedroom and brought it with us.... Satellite tv the whole time

docj · 01-20-2018, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sanddan

Thanks for the feedback. We have DirecTV in the house so this gives me a plan for outfitting the coach. I assume I can move the main Genie from the house and just get one extra mini for the second TV in the coach.

That should work fine (I assuming you already have a Genie II with the built-in Wireless Video Bridge). If you have just a regular Genie such as the HR44 or HR54 you would then need to also install a Wireless Bridge in the MH as well as the miniGenie.

vsheetz · 01-20-2018, 11:37 AM

I think you will be disappointed in a in motion sat antenna. If going to the effort and expense install a open face antenna such as Winegard Traveller. Works like a residential dish without the limitation if a dome system.

lawdogg149 · 01-20-2018, 12:59 PM

Wrong. We have the wineguard T4 in motion for our 10 and 12 year olds. We get two feeds sent to four tvs. So one kid watches one channel in the main room and one kid watches another in the back bedroom. No way I would ever own anything else. I even get to catch those ball games out on the road while traveling. Wineguard T4 works great. Sometimes in very shady campgrounds we have to move a little to get a signal. But that is true with any system fixed or in motion. Disadvantage you lose HD service. My next coach with have both a traveler fixed for HD service while parked and a wineguard T4 for the road.

MisterT · 01-20-2018, 03:14 PM

while you are somewhat correct, for your installation setup, the Wingard Roadtrip T4, per the company's website, shows the same as the other 'automatic' antennas - a SINGLE main receiver/tv reception, and a 'Secondary' receiver/tv option, but only for channels on the same Satellite as the main receiver.
Your installation probably included running 'TV OUT' from the main receiver to another 'mirror' TV(viewing exactly what the main tv is viewing), and a Secondary output from the antenna to the other receiver, with another 'mirror' 'TV OUT' to the 4th tv.

so, yes, you are correct, but also, yes, you are just like any other 'Automatic' antenna - only a SINGLE LNB(eyeball) to see the satellites....

we've done very similar to your setup - our MAIN bedroom master tv, and a SECONDARY living room tv with 'mirror' feeds to both BUNK TVs.... 4 in all.

Fun !

twinboat · 01-20-2018, 03:45 PM

I've had an in-motion, KVH dome on my boat for 8 years. Very satisfied with it.

Its not Hi Def but it works great, even underway in rough waters.

docj · 01-20-2018, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MisterT

while you are somewhat correct, for your installation setup, the Wingard Roadtrip T4, per the company's website, shows the same as the other 'automatic' antennas - a SINGLE main receiver/tv reception, and a 'Secondary' receiver/tv option, but only for channels on the same Satellite as the main receiver.

If he is a DirecTV customer, all the SD channels are on a single satellite at 101. Therefore, even a single LNB dish like the Roadtrip can receive all the channels from one satellite and, therefore, different TVs can watch ANY other channels desired.

So the post is correct as written. But IMHO who really wants to watch SD TV more than 10 years after HDTVs were introduced?