Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > iRV2.com COMMUNITY FORUMS > Just Conversation
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 10-09-2012, 08:31 PM   #1
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 35
Tv in rv

I'm very new. Maiden voyage in jan. trying to decide about tvhook ups. Mostly watch discovery Chanel's and abc. Any suggestions on what indeed. Must be inexpensive monthly.
GParish is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 10-09-2012, 08:44 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Posts: 1,202
We use Dish for our satellite service, and local tv channels for ABC,CBS,NBC,FOX,etc. Many rv parks have cable TV, but since we don't use their cable TV, I don't know if Discovery is one of the common channels.
__________________
Jim and Lynda, (Sophie, Jake, attack trained killer Shi-Tzus :-))

2003 Fleetwood Expedition 38N 2005 Saturn Vue
jlfbatonrg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2012, 08:45 PM   #3
Registered User
 
KSCRUDE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: The Land Of Oz RVM17
Posts: 1,592
In our 2013 Newmar we have in motion satilite tv. Never used it as we don't have a tuner and could care less. We do us the free on air tv which comes through the on roof antenna. Usually where we stop or camp we get from 6 to 30 channels. Way more then enough. When I was a kid we got 3 sometimes, black and white channels and that's 2 more then you can watch. TV is the vast American wasteland and is way overrated!
KSCRUDE is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2012, 09:36 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
wa8yxm's Avatar
 
Damon Owners Club
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 24,024
If you want Discovery you have two choices, ONLY park in parks that offer cable TV or, Sat TV

If you go Sat TV you have a hunk of choices, First 2,, DirecTV or Dishnetwork.

I can not really recommend one over the other though Dish may be a bit less expensive... NOTE the word MAY be sure to read the fine print they do charge extra because you do not have a phone line connected to the receiver (I think I know why, and it's illegal, but I can't prove it).

Next you need to decide if you want "Sat for Home" or "Sat for RV" that one is easy IF YOU DO NOT HAVE sat for home already, get an RV account, here is why.. IF you can get TV "Over the air" at home then your home account does not qualify for "Distant Network Service" An RV account does,,, What is DNS? Well it's a service that lets you pick up Network (ABC) stations from either LA or the NYC area, for a fee of course. NO MATTER where in the US you are parked.. Your local stations (normally) are spot beamed (Think of a spot light shining on your house) and if you drive out of the light, you are, in the dark.

Next we have to decide on the antenna... Roof mounted in-motion dome, Stationary dome, Stationary dish, OR portable dome or portable dish

Portable dish is more work, but it's way less expensive, You can spend from around 50 bucks (DirecTV disaster recovery kit... = Portable ground mount dish) to over 3 Grand on the antenna (In-motion domes can hit 3 grand)

Beyond that.. If you can get by without DISCOVERY.. Depending on where you park there is a whole lot of Over the air now days, way more than a few years back... Most of the over the air stations, when they went digital, at the very least Twinned (N.1 and N.1 or N-1 N-2) some went as high as 5 "Tiers" as the second number is called.

The Tier 2 stations include ME-TV, RETRO-TV, ANTENNA-TV and THIS-TV All 4 show "Vintage" TV shows. Many from the 50s and 60s back when TV was great, and one also runs a lot of movies (Being as it's owned by MGM) Watching ME-TV as I type.

Alas, some parks reception is not all that good... My next stop I won't do well at all (Though it will be interesting) and I do recommend a full upgrade of your Winegard Batwing if you go this route.

Normal Batwing, with built in pre-amp is a Sensar II

Add the WINGMAN brings it up to a III

And I added the Sensar PRO inside module (This replaces the wall plate with the 12 volt outlet, switch, LED and Antenna connection, or if you have a box of many buttons it goes IN FRONT of the box (Between box an antenna, yes I know normally they say DO NOT, but this is the exception to that rule) Made a big difference over the summer.

Oh, that brings it up to a Sensar IV The top of the line.
__________________
Home is where I park it!
wa8yxm is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2012, 10:11 AM   #5
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 35
Thanks so much. My maiden voyage I think will be tv free inlets I can pick up free tv ...then I decide. Quiting work oct 31 ....my fav holiday and leaving jan2 .... First stop Arizona.
GParish is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2012, 10:24 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
njs42's Avatar
 
National RV Owners Club
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Federal Way, Wa.
Posts: 2,901
I pleased this was asked: My new iPhone does a lot of great things most of which I am unfamiliar with because I am not a techy. But I am learning fast. I have been looking into Apple TV, a box you buy which allows your phone to "talk" to your TV. I have seen the box advertised for about 60 bucks ( and much more expensively).

I just checked on iTunes website and an app is available for Discovery. So while I cannot figure this out yet, would this be an option for the OP or anyone---like me?

It would seem very cost effective to use your roof antenna for local and network channels (for about thirty bucks you and get a greater reception device which I have) which would give him ABC and then use the iPhone (or other similar?) for Discovery, or renting or buying movies etc;

YOu could do this boondocking it seems. MAybe not. I just do not know so I want to help and learn at the same time.

Would this be a credible alternative?
__________________
I do all my own stunts
03 Dolphin LX 6355, Workhorse W22, 8.1 vortec, 04 CR-V, Blue Ox, Brake Pro----Norm, Barb and
Doc(He's a PhD)
njs42 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2012, 10:28 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 404
Quote:
Originally Posted by wa8yxm View Post
NOTE the word MAY be sure to read the fine print they do charge extra because you do not have a phone line connected to the receiver (I think I know why, and it's illegal, but I can't prove it).
Because Dish and Direct TV have "Pay per view" the phone line is required for billing purposes. Otherwise you could potentially play loads of PPV programs and never allow the system to upload the billing info. I did this accidentally once when I had changed around some equipment and didn't realize I hadn't hooked up the Dish to the phone line. When I noticed I was getting charge $5 a month I corrected the error and called them to get me off that fee.... The result was that had 15+ ppv movies to pay for in one month
The phone line is also required for system updates and upgrades.
SylviaCub is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2012, 10:57 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
hamguy's Avatar
 
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Mesa, AZ USA
Posts: 1,806
Quote:
Originally Posted by SylviaCub View Post
Because Dish and Direct TV have "Pay per view" the phone line is required for billing purposes. Otherwise you could potentially play loads of PPV programs and never allow the system to upload the billing info. I did this accidentally once when I had changed around some equipment and didn't realize I hadn't hooked up the Dish to the phone line. When I noticed I was getting charge $5 a month I corrected the error and called them to get me off that fee.... The result was that had 15+ ppv movies to pay for in one month
The phone line is also required for system updates and upgrades.
You couldn't be more wrong. Especially the sentence in red. I have never had my Direct TV system connected to a phone (we don't have a hard wired phone and get updates from the system connect.).
__________________
Wretched excess is just barely enough.

2002 Itasca Suncruiser - WH Chassis - 35U - 2006 Jeep Liberty
hamguy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2012, 11:16 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
kalynzoo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Northridge, Ca
Posts: 751
We try to choose parks that have TV hookup, cable or sat. Sometimes that is not posible so I put up the old Wingard antenna and try to get a local station. We now have a digital TV in the MH, in Ventura we were able to get a dozen channels over the air. I do remember being someplace for the night where we could only get one or two snowy local channels. But we too are not big TV watchers, so missing an evening on the tube is no big deal...I have a small library of classic DVDs we can revisit, we have XM radio for music and world news, we keep a library of reading material on the Kindles, and we have a Verizon air card for internet access.
When all the technology is not enough we can always fall back on the old standby,
sit outside, watch the stars and sip on our favorite beverage.
Happy Trails
kalynzoo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2012, 12:30 PM   #10
D&J
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 69
We are using a Dish Tailgater that is on a RV account (the only account we have) We can turn it on and off when we want and get the locals changed to our location when we move.

Denny
__________________
2013 F350 DRW 6.2 V8 4.30 gears

2003 HH 35 Premier
D&J is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2012, 12:45 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
Triker56's Avatar
 
Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,031
I have had no phone hook up to any of my 3 DirecTV receivers since 1999.
They all get their updates with no problem.

I never have been charged extra for no phone hook up. DirecTV knows I have no phone hook up. And gave me a waiver on needing to use one.
__________________
99 Discovery 34Q ISB
2014 MKS AWD EcoBoost Toad
Fulltime Since "99"
Triker56 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2012, 05:29 PM   #12
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 4
I have an inmotion satelite with direcTV as well. I have both TV's hooked up and can watch different channels on each TV without any troubles. I do get a skip from time to time due to heavy tree canopy or going under long overpasses.
Bahama Bob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2012, 07:14 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Posts: 1,202
Just to add a bit about the phone line hookup. We have the phone line hook up on the receivers in the house, but not in the motorhome, or in my shop which doesn't have a phone line. We don't pay extra for those two receivers, and they are always updated. The receiver in the coach updates when we turn it on.
__________________
Jim and Lynda, (Sophie, Jake, attack trained killer Shi-Tzus :-))

2003 Fleetwood Expedition 38N 2005 Saturn Vue
jlfbatonrg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2012, 07:14 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Posts: 1,202
forgot, we have DISH service, and have had it for many years.
__________________
Jim and Lynda, (Sophie, Jake, attack trained killer Shi-Tzus :-))

2003 Fleetwood Expedition 38N 2005 Saturn Vue
jlfbatonrg is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:25 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.