Satellite Service for a full timer?

[MPH]

First, let me say that I am not a tech-savvy person at all. So forgive me if I ask dumb questions. But, we need some help/advice regarding satellite tv setup and service.

Here are some basics about our situation:

1. We have a Kingdome satellite dish on top of our coach. We have a Direct tv receiver in the cabinet next to the tv. We have never activated any satellite tv service for this motorhome.

2. We live in our motorhome full time and while we may be in one spot for 2-4 months at a time, we also travel a lot.

3. We are sick and tired of on-again-off-again ota channels and are ready to take the plunge and get sat. tv service. (We missed all the basketball playoff semis and finals due to not being close enough to a city to receive any channels.)

Questions:

A. Can we use the existing receiver and simply call to activate a service package with Direct tv?

B. Is Dish TV better than Direct TV? How expensive is a receiver for Dish? Can I use the Kingdome for Dish?

C. Should I go to a place like Camping World or an RV dealership somewhere to get service set up?

D. Which offers the most economical packages, Dish or Direct? (Our budget for this isn't very large.)

E. What am I not thinking to ask????

I appreciate any advice, but please use layman's terms as I really am a tech ignoramus!

Thanks in advance,

Melanie

[Sjg1277]

Hi Melanie

I'll try to give you some answers.

Some Kingdome dishes allow you to have either Dish or Direct TV. I prefer Direct TV.

A. See above.

B. You can call Direct TV and activate the receiver you have. They may require that you use a different activation card which they will mail to you. It all depends on the package you want. They say that Direct TV is more expensive.

C. Set up is easy with either one. With Direct you go to Settings and then to Dish set up and pick 1 and 1 .

D. Both have packages designed to make you think that theirs is best.

E. Your questions were on point.

Good luck,

Steve
sjg1277

[UncleBilly]

Some of the older KingDome units no longer work with Dish. They updated satellites or frequency or something, so KD won't work. I've got Dish, only problem I've had is missing channels for no friggin reason 😡 Past weekend I was missing NBCSN and missed F1 race 😡 Dish has no damn clue why. So friggin annoying!!


1996 Country Coach Intrigue 😜

[luvlabs]

IF you have TVs capable of HD and don't want to buy a new antenna, you will want Dish. Directv cannot do HD on dome antennas.

Older antennas have problems with both Dish and Directv satellites due to the change in sat identification signals that the receivers use to identify satellites. Do you know the date that your antenna was made?

Dish is a little more RV friendly than Directv and rates tend to be less but it really depends on what channels you want to get.

If you want a state of the art system, everything in HD, and DVR capabilities on Dish or Directv, then have a Winegard Trav'ler antenna installed. The Dish version can work with a Hopper and the Directv version can work with the Genie system.

[John Hilley]

For simplicity Directv is going to be better. Standard definition on one satellite the 101 and strong signals. Introductory packages on either Directv or Dish are comparable in price. Dish does do non contract month to month for a basic $39.95/mo designed for RVs. Dish uses multiple satellites and dome has to be capable of switching satellites for different channels, this is not necessary with Directv SD.

[MPH]

Originally Posted by luvlabs

IF you have TVs capable of HD and don't want to buy a new antenna, you will want Dish. Directv cannot do HD on dome antennas.

Older antennas have problems with both Dish and Directv satellites due to the change in sat identification signals that the receivers use to identify satellites. Do you know the date that your antenna was made?

Dish is a little more RV friendly than Directv and rates tend to be less but it really depends on what channels you want to get.

If you want a state of the art system, everything in HD, and DVR capabilities on Dish or Directv, then have a Winegard Trav'ler antenna installed. The Dish version can work with a Hopper and the Directv version can work with the Genie system.

We don't want to pay for state of the art, just need a SD signal. (Our TVs are not large .) I think we do want Dish.

Thanks so much for your reply and suggestions! Very much appreciated.

[John Hilley]

Originally Posted by MPH

We don't want to pay for state of the art, just need a SD signal. (Our TVs are not large .) I think we do want Dish.

Thanks so much for your reply and suggestions! Very much appreciated.

I think you may want to think more about your selection.

I am technically very competent on the subject having worked for a rural phone company providing telephone, TV, Satellite TV, wireless Internet and all service over fiber. I have been working in satellite TV since it's inception including the older C Band and other large dish systems.

I have had both Dishnetwork and DirecTV in my RV's and have had Kingdome and Winegard domes. DirecTV has definitely been the better performer. I only use SD and find it more than adequate.

Two reasons I think DirecTV would be better for you are

1: The dish has already worked on DirecTV, Changing to Dishnetwork could be problematic. With that old a dome, I believe a firmware update would be needed and possibly not even available. A very simple receiver working off a single satellite and not needing to change satellites for different channels, Dishnetwork uses at least 3 satellites with eastern and western arcs.

2. Stating your needs above may require DNS (Distant Network Service), this provides the 5 National Networks ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and PBS over the satellite service. This isn't available from Dishnetwork.

The only reason I would go with Dishnetwork is for their RV specific non contract option.

I would be more than happy to help you with your decision if you want to PM me.