Community Forums

Desiday · 01-10-2021, 07:06 AM

I just recently purchased a 2015 DS. It is set up for DirectTV with a Road Trip and Travl'er satellite dishes. I do not have a DirectTV account. I do have 3 Dish Wally receivers from my old coach. Would it be more beneficial for me to keep the DirectTV setup and open a new account with Direct (I would be opening a home account as well), or to convert my antennas to Dish so I can use my Wally's and do the pay as you go? I do like the local channel option with Dish and I don't know if Direct offers that. Has anyone done this conversion? What are your thoughts?

Pine Stump · 01-10-2021, 07:12 AM

I had to switch a pin on my roof unit to go to Dish if that helps.

reubenray · 01-10-2021, 07:34 AM

I would switch the Tra'vler to Dish. It is not that hard to do.

BillJinOR · 01-10-2021, 07:40 AM

About 300 bucks to switch the trav’ler to dish and reprogram the controller.
Your choice but dish is much more rv friendly and you can read any amount of dissatisfaction with direct on the forums you have time for.
You have dish , are happy with the guide and programming I assume .. convert the travler ( changing parts on the roof ) you can turn on and off the tuners in the rv at will via app
As far as the portable if the road trip can’t be switched to dish by internal switches then sell it on eBay and buy the dish version you won’t be out much.

TXiceman · 01-10-2021, 08:13 AM

Contact Winegard for the equipment to switch the Traveler from Direct to Dish. The Road Trip can be changed by resetting the dip switches under the dome. This is explained in the manual for the antenna.

Jpiland · 01-10-2021, 09:00 AM

I just threw Directv out after 22 years. Changed my traveler to dish. It took about 2 hours for complete change over and programing. Winegards kits about 300 and change. Very very happy with change. I went hybrid and take my Hopper from home with me. Happy Travels

Vake · 01-10-2021, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jpiland

I just threw Directv out after 22 years. Changed my traveler to dish. It took about 2 hours for complete change over and programing. Winegards kits about 300 and change. Very very happy with change. I went hybrid and take my Hopper from home with me. Happy Travels

X2! Just did that so I could get and record local channels as I move around the country. Since ATT bought Directv, they have made it VERY difficult to change your service address so that you can get local channels. I paid a local expert to do the change over for me, and it was 2 hours labor plus the Windegard parts.
Also using my Hopper and a Joey from my summer place. I do unplug the Hopper when I travel as I have seen some reports that they can turn on while traveling and the hard drive damaged. So glad not to be having to deal with ATT Directv!

Desiday · 01-10-2021, 09:25 AM

Thank you everyone for your input. I was reading about the switch over on the Winegard website and watching YouTube videos. They say it's very important to disconnect the DirectTV splitter that is inline somewhere. Does anyone know where that is on a 2015 DS and how the coax cables are run from the roof antennas into the coach? The Travl'er can work 3 separate Wally's. I could watch 3 different channels on my tv's in the bedroom, living room, and outside.

Dutch Star Don · 01-10-2021, 10:58 AM

Tidbit.....don't throw away the arm and LNB when you replace it with the Dish arm and LNB. Winegard gets $300 for that arm. Many bend them and have to buy new ones. Try putting it on Craigslist or here, before your toss it.

reubenray · 01-10-2021, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

Tidbit.....don't throw away the arm and LNB when you replace it with the Dish arm and LNB. Winegard gets $300 for that arm. Many bend them and have to buy new ones. Try putting it on Craigslist or here, before your toss it.

I kept mine in case I ever switched back to Directv.

lakebuster · 01-10-2021, 04:59 PM

Swapped our LA to DN from DT. LNB change out was the easy part. The wiring was the hard part for me.

lakebuster · 01-10-2021, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Desiday

Thank you everyone for your input. I was reading about the switch over on the Winegard website and watching YouTube videos. They say it's very important to disconnect the DirectTV splitter that is inline somewhere. Does anyone know where that is on a 2015 DS and how the coax cables are run from the roof antennas into the coach? The Travl'er can work 3 separate Wally's. I could watch 3 different channels on my tv's in the bedroom, living room, and outside.

Mine was in A/V cabinet above televator.

Dutch Star Don · 01-10-2021, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lakebuster

Mine was in A/V cabinet above televator.

Newmar runs two coax cables from the satellite, one to the front entertainment cabinet and one to the bedroom TV. If you want to run a third receiver, you would need to run an additional coax for that receiver.

mebop · 01-16-2021, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vake

X2! Just did that so I could get and record local channels as I move around the country. Since ATT bought Directv, they have made it VERY difficult to change your service address so that you can get local channels. I paid a local expert to do the change over for me, and it was 2 hours labor plus the Windegard parts.
Also using my Hopper and a Joey from my summer place. I do unplug the Hopper when I travel as I have seen some reports that they can turn on while traveling and the hard drive damaged. So glad not to be having to deal with ATT Directv!

Does the hopper 3 console fit in the above driver compartment on Newmar Dutch star 2017 model. Just checking since my bus in storage and I just received the hopper 3 and it looks quite large. I converted the roof top antenna etc to Dish just prior to putting in storage.