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okiesue · 04-26-2016, 09:32 PM

We are about to pick up our new 2015 Newmar Ventana Motorhome. Equipped with Winegard Sk300 satellite dish on roof for Direct TV. It has 2 TVs in front and 1 in bedroom. It is prewired for Direct TV. We do not have Direct in our home. I called Direct TV tonight to get an account set up and gave up. We will purchase 2 Direct TV receivers at RV Center where we are getting our MH. After being transferred 4 times with Direct I was finally was told to call Soild Gold to get an account set up. The tech's at the RV Center prefer to install the receivers that we purchase from them, as they've got more experience in MH'S. So does anyone have experience with getting Direct TV set up in MH without having same in home? Just trying to get account set up soon so they can install the receivers and show us how to work everything in 2 days when we do a walk through and class on this unit.

jbrv · 04-26-2016, 09:47 PM

I purchased my box online from amazon after researching to be sure it was a box that would work with my antenna.

Then it got harder. Prev owner had direct tv but direct tv made them send the boxes back as they were only leased.

So i got my box, installed, wires hooked up, Everything looks right, antenna has found the satellites so all i need is the service turned on from direct.

Now is when it started getting frustrating. Direct tv only wants to turn on the service after the tech is onsite with the leased box they provide. But........direct tv will not do an rv install. After some talking and begging and small talk i got them to turn on the service without a tech coming out and it worked. Something in their systtem still triggers a set up appt witth a tech no matter. I got calls for a week frm the installer trying to come out. i kept explaining i did not need him and was not even in the same state the billing addy is anyway.

It got done. It just messes them up when you tell them it is in an rv.

If i had it to do over i would never mention rv, let the guy come out to install, offer some beer or cash for him to install it in the rv and make sure he has the proper box for my antenna.

I do love the direct tv full hd picture on all channels.

Scatterbrain · 04-26-2016, 09:50 PM

What do you have at home? Why not just switch to DirectTV at home? I take my main box and DirectTV router out of my family room when we travel and hook them up in the front of my coach. I have a wireless Genie box in the bedroom that stays in the coach.

We switched from cable to DirectTv mainly because of the ability to "take our TV with us" on the road.

Bob&AnnaMari · 04-26-2016, 11:58 PM

Given that you know nothing about DirecTV architecture and options, I would suggest you purchase your receivers from your dealer. This should give you leverage to get a free installation of the equipment. They should also be able to assist you with setting up the account as well.

DirecTV has a number of technologies in play right now and if you don't know how they work together you can end up with a real mess. For example, does the term SWM mean anything to you? I doubt it. This is not a dig at you. It simply means that you haven't had the time to learn about DirecTV's technologies and it would probably take more than two days to get enough of an understanding to let you make a good decision on the equipment you want in your MH.

Also, I notice that when I google Winegard Sk300 I get all kinds of dishes, none of which are SK300. So, it would be interesting to know what dish is really installed on your unit.

If your time pressures here were not what they are, my answer would be entirely different.

Mr_D · 04-27-2016, 12:17 AM

We got Direct in the stick house because that's what the '02 Dutch Star was setup for. Just took two of the receivers out of the house when we went. Took some doing on my part to get them to work the first time though.
When we got the present rig I did/do the same thing even though it came with two HD Direct receivers. We do own them and they are clear as far as Direct is concerned. I'm thinking about upgrading the stick house to HD and reactivation the receivers that came with the MH. Just transfer them back and forth as allowed by the Direct TOS.
Seems like Direct isn't as good for RV'ers as Dish is though as far as accounts and working with you to get connected.

okiesue · 04-27-2016, 09:15 AM

Later after I posted my problem, I called DT one more time. Bingo! This gal knew exactly what I wanted and got an account set up. So all we have to do is call when they are installed in MH to activate. We thought about changing from cable in our home to Direct, but we have pkg with cable for phone, TV and internet. The receivers will be HR24. One person asked if I'd heard of SWM. Single White Male? LOL. I'd heard of it and ask our dealer this morning. He said something to do with the satellite. I googled it and now have an idea. Yes, more technology than we could ever understand. We are seniors and will happy with the 5-6 channels we normally watch

. We can suspend service 6 months out of the year. Doesn't have to be consecutively. We are not full timers, so this helps on expense. Direct is sending a $100 prepaid Visa card, so they will say. So from here we will see how activation goes. She said we would never have to call as to our location to get local channels, as we did with Dish in our 5th wheel we are trading in. So, thank you all for your comments and advice. Always helpful as we are newbies to this forum.

luvlabs · 04-27-2016, 09:18 AM

Coaches are not prewired for one satellite provider or another. The wiring is not brand specific. Antennas, such as the Winegard Trav'ler are brand specific because the actual satellite dish is different. So, if you have a Directv Trav'ler, you are pretty much stuck with Directv. If you have a dome, either satellite will work with the exception being that Directv cannot get HD using any of the dome systems.

If your coach has a dome or your Trav'ler hasn't been installed, forget about Directv and go to Dish. Much more RVer friendly and you will get an HD output on either a dome or the Trav'ler (although the Trav'ler lets you take advantage of the Hopper system).

falconman · 04-28-2016, 10:39 AM

If you have a house and just want DTV for the motorhome, don't confuse DTV by thelling them that. Just have them come out to the house and install everything there, the dish the boxes and the wiring. When you use the motorhome take the boxes to the rig and use them there. That way if you decide at some point to use it at the house it's already installed. I don't understand what people want DTV to do with the motorhome. They are not going to wire it or set up your dish unless you want them to install it like they do with your house, with nails along the roofline. The receiver takes two connections, one to the dish and one to the TV.
I have ordered receivers directly from DTV and check the box "for self install". They are the same price as anywhere. I just call or go online to activate them. If you have problems with an installation or trying to update old wiring or incorporate newer technology don't count on DTV, most RV dealers can handle that.

okiesue · 04-28-2016, 11:09 PM

Update on our situation. I thought Tuesday night the DTV rep knew exactly what we wanted. New RV, RV tech installing 2 HR receivers we'd purchased from them, and was told to call when install was complete and they'd activate...just would need serial #. Today we went to pick up our new motorhome, tech had called to activate. DRT said they needed to talk to me. We got the coach outside to get satellite and I called. Was on phone for 2 hours. Passed from one rep to another. Every rep saying next one could activate. Was told to call Winegard. Did that. They told us to call DTV. Never got it activated. The tech said he had installed 100's of receivers and had never had such a problem. Very respectable dealership and know across US. Winegard suggested we cancel DTV account, call Winegard tomorrow and they can set up acct with either Dish or DRT for a mobile unit. No problem. So bottom line this dealership learned is....if you are setting up either Dish or DRT without having in home, call Winegard if your satellite is a Winegard product, which ours is. Will keep you posted. We don't want satellite in our home for many reasons. Yes, that would be the easiest. But this shouldn't be so hard to do.

falconman · 04-29-2016, 12:14 PM

Is the failure to activate due to the equipment or the establishment of the new service? The problem might be that since you don't have or want a residential account you must apply for a mobile account. You need to provide the vehicle registration information to DTV and get approval, that might take some time.
You might also have an issue with local channels. DNS would solve that but again it's an application requirement, I don't think you can get approval over the phone. DTV must act with the FCC guidelines, that's why we all suggest a residential account you can piggyback onto. There is also a problem with that in getting local channels. Once you leave the spotbeam for locals you get none unless you have DNS. Good luck.

Bob&AnnaMari · 04-29-2016, 02:24 PM

Just out of curiosity, did you try creating an account on DirecTV and then trying to activate the receivers there? It would be very interesting to see if it would let you do that. I have only used the website for an exchange, but I have heard about others activating receivers on that site. Granted, I think this was for people with an account but no receivers. But, if it were me, I would give this a try just to bypass the confusion you are seeing with customer service. (I really wondered how long it would take AT&T to break things. I think I see now.)