SK 3005 vs HD-SL5

[DNLRV]

Thinking of replacing my rooftop antenna with either a MotoSat HD-SL5 or the Winegard SK 3005. Am looking for some input as to pros and cons of both satellite systems. It appears that the MotoSat needs occasional upgrades. We are fulltimers and have replaced front TV with an HD TV. I know I will have to replace the Direct TV receiver if I want the HD service.

[Bill Adams]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNLRV Thinking of replacing my rooftop antenna with either a MotoSat HD-SL5 or the Winegard SK 3005. Am looking for some input as to pros and cons of both satellite systems. It appears that the MotoSat needs occasional upgrades. We are fulltimers and have replaced front TV with an HD TV. I know I will have to replace the Direct TV receiver if I want the HD service.

We like the Trav'ler better than the MotoSAT, and it's less expensive as well. Even though MotoSAT's new SD controllers do make updating the software easier, you still have to have an internet connection available to download it and a computer capable of accepting an SD card or buy an SD card reader. The Winegard has not required a single software update since its release in Jan 2008 and the MotoSAT has had about a dozen. The next time DirecTV/Dish Network or HughesNet changes their satellite signatures, it will need another update.
I do have to give MotoSAT points for looks over the Winegard but otherwise.....
MotoSAT has been working hard to get their unit to work as well as the Winegard and recently added an optional $200 GPS module that will get it connected faster than the Winegard. A recent software release also added the ability to "use last known location" so if you stow the dish and don't move it will not do a complete search but rather go back to the last place it found the satellites and peak from there. This has been a Winegard function from the beginning.
The elevation gearing is superior to the MotoSAT as well and absolutely cannot be blown off signal in any amount of wind. This could, in theory, work against you if you are not around to stow the dish in a very high wind. Depending upon the construction of your roof it could be torn loose where it's possible the MotoSAT might have just blown the dish down. I prefer the stability and we have been in 40+ MPH winds without so much as a pixel popping up. This is not like "your grandma's Winegard" thank goodness and it has been well proven over the last 2 years. Several manufacturers including Monaco have moved to the Trav'ler for their OEM installations.

[bkphotog]

Hi DNLRV

I would agree with everyting Bill Adams has stated. We have had the Winegard 3005 for just about 2 years now and have had no problems at all. It has worked flawlessly from day one. We have it connected to a DIRECT HDTV receiver and a HD TV and love the quality of the reception.

We did have the arm that folds out from the dish stick one time but that was corrected very easily by using just a little vasilene on the rubber stoppers. This of course meant that I had to get up on the roof to apply the vasilene and then start up the deployment again. I feel that this little problem happened because we were camped on the Oregon coast with cooler temperatures and even some fog and then we went to the central part of Oregon that had 100+ degree temps. The rubber stoppers just could not handle the temperture changs and stuck to the surface of the dish. Now what I do is everytime I go up on the roof to either clean the roof or do other roof maintence, I put just a small amount of vasilene on the stoppers to keep them soft and piable. Have not had the problem again.

Good luck with your decision.

Have fun and drive carefully.

Bill

[Bill Adams]

Winegard was aware of this problem on the early dishes and have replaced the rubber bumpers with a new material that handles the high temperatures better. I have to correct my earlier post. Apparently the dish has now stood up to 50+ MPH (60 MPH gusts reported) here in Las Vegas without so much as a blip.

[Jestme13]

Hi Guys, thanks for the info. I'm ready to throw away my King Dome "has always been a PITA" and was looking hard at the winegard. Who is having the best prices on it lately, including install? I will be in FL in a couple of weeks. Thanks

[bkphotog]

Bill Adams

Thanks for the info on the upgrade on the rubber stoppers or cushions. I will check with Winegard after the holidays.

Happy Holidays
Bill

[SCVJeff]

Ditto on everything Bill says. The SK-3005 does what it does, and does it really well. I'll also be calling about the bumpers, had the problem once.

[MonacoMama]

I have never had those problems with my MotoSat....It would be nice to have the last location feature..but I have been totally satisfied with my Moto-Sat .. and I will stick with them in the future too....

[Bill Adams]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonacoMama I have never had those problems with my MotoSat....It would be nice to have the last location feature..but I have been totally satisfied with my Moto-Sat .. and I will stick with them in the future too....

I don't know if you have the newer HD-SL3 / HD-DP3 (since none of this applies to their older antennas) but if you do have the new 5 LNB DTV or 3 LNB Dish Network antenna and you have not had to do any software updates I would just have to call it a Christmas miracle! Congratulations. If you do have the one of their new HD mounts the new software version is available that adds the last location feature.

[Stretch]

Have to agree with the other Motosat users. We have Motosat (ont know the model) but it is supposed to get us on the internet and provide a Dish TV signal too. As we all know by now the internet portion is a total bust. As slow as dialup and $$$ to subscribe. So we disconnected the internet portion. For a while the antenna would still land on 110 and 119 but now wont stop at proper place. I know I can order some new gizmo from Motosat for $200. I have done that several times in the past. But no more. Moto is going in the trash and I am going to buy and install a Winegard traveler and be done with it

[Bill Adams]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stretch Have to agree with the other Motosat users. We have Motosat (ont know the model) but it is supposed to get us on the internet and provide a Dish TV signal too. As we all know by now the internet portion is a total bust. As slow as dialup and $$$ to subscribe. So we disconnected the internet portion. For a while the antenna would still land on 110 and 119 but now wont stop at proper place. I know I can order some new gizmo from Motosat for $200. I have done that several times in the past. But no more. Moto is going in the trash and I am going to buy and install a Winegard traveler and be done with it

OK, sorry, but we have gotten WAY off-topic here! We are talking about MotoSAT TV antennas and more specifically the latest MotoSAT HD series of antennas.
These antennas have nothing at all to do with the internet antennas (Datastorm) sold by MotoSAT.
With that said, I am sorry to hear that you had so many problems with your Datastorm. While the service is obviously much faster than any dial up connection and the service is not cheap, it is still the best internet service available when you NEED an internet connection anywhere and everywhere you travel. There is no new gizmo ($200 or otherwise) that will make your internet antenna work better unless you have a really, really old antenna with a D1 controller. It sounds like you did not have a good installer and no where to turn when you needed support and for that I must apologize. MotoSAT tech. support is not what if should be/could be but they do try really hard to pick up the slack where their dealers have failed.
I am not going to beat a dead horse as it appears you have already given up on your Datastorm but I don't want other readers to think that this discussion and the MotoSAT/Winegard TV discussion have anything at all to do with each other.