Community Forums

footdoc · 08-21-2007, 03:31 PM

I am about to replace my KVH LF with a system that will get HD and local programs..Thinking about the KVH R6 with GPS assist...How trouble free is this system, or are the Winegard or KingDome any better? Who has experience with any of these 3

footdoc · 08-21-2007, 03:31 PM

I am about to replace my KVH LF with a system that will get HD and local programs..Thinking about the KVH R6 with GPS assist...How trouble free is this system, or are the Winegard or KingDome any better? Who has experience with any of these 3

Mutha · 08-21-2007, 04:44 PM

FootDoc, I have a KVH R6 and my wife LOVES IT. She watches it while I drive if it is early morning or late evening and it is too dark to enjoy God's garden. I have the multi program unit and run two SONY A65A Directv recievers. I did not buy the HDTV box that you can use to recieve the HD channels as there is not enough choice of channels yet to make it worth the extra investment. I also power the system with the PYRANYD PS_12KX power supply instead of the coach's 12 volt system. It makes a huge difference in the overall performance of the system. Here is a link that shows it, but I think you can buy it for less elsewhere:

Pyramid Power Supply

If there is something specific you want my opinion on concerning the KVH R6, just let me know.

Best to you and good luck in whatever your choice turns out to be - Glenn

Bill Adams · 08-22-2007, 06:54 AM

If you don't need to watch your TV while driving then the best antenna is the MotoSAT open face dishes. Not only do you get a much higher signal level with the full size dish but MotoSAT is the only antenna on the market that can see multiple satellites at the same time. They currently have an antenna for Dish to receive either 2 or 3 satellites (110, 119, 129) and an antenna for DTV which will pick up 101, 110 and 119. MotoSAT is working on a 5 headed dish should it turn out that the 2 new KA band satellite will be useful to RVers. The dome antenna will only be able to pick up the current KU band satellites so if DTV does use the new KA band satellites for additional National programming the domes will not be able to utilize them.

Route 66 · 08-22-2007, 12:31 PM

Bill, do you know any details about the 5 LNB dish?

Will it mount on an existing MHDTV mount?

Will it use the same coax as a MHDTV?

JamieB · 08-22-2007, 03:40 PM

Mr. and Mrs. Cohen

As Bill said, the open faced dishes will always give you a better signal and better picture quality over a dome. With a parabolic dish, you don't have to worry about a misting rain, the morning dew, etc. These can be signifcant problems for a dome.

If for some reason you need a dome, I would recommend either KVH or MotoSAT. I know that others will probably disagree, but I have heard many complaints about other brands. This is my opinion, so take it for what it's worth, but I would aviod Winegard and King Dome. I know that there are many satisfied customers out there for both of these brands, but I have had several want to change away from those brands when they upgrade. As a general rule, when a KVH or MotoSAT customer wants a change, they generally stay with the same company, they just get an upgraded dish, etc.

Because the quality of the parabolic dish is better, I do have KVH users who want to change to a MotoSAT to get that style of a dish. It isn't because they don't like KVH, but KVH doesn't offer the products that MotoSAT does.

To sum it up, stick with KVH or MotoSAT. JMO.

Jamie Billingsley
Satellite Internet Solutions

Bill Adams · 08-22-2007, 04:35 PM

Dirk,
No, I do not have any details (yet) about the 5 head dish but I do understand that it will NOT be able to be retrofitted to any of the current MotoSAT antennas due to the size and configuration of the antenna.

Jamie,
I have to agree with most of what you say, but I believe the best dome on the market is the Trac-Star 12 1/2" dome or the Trac-King (Trac-Star operating system on the inside) if you don't mind the full 15" dome. Both domes only require one coax cable from the dome into the coach so most pre-wired coaches can use either of these dishes without any modification and the digital user interface allows you to move between multiple satellites for the reception of HD programming. The rain fade with the 15" Trac-King is the least I have seen on any dome but it too, will lose reception long before an open dish.
I still recommend that anyone looking for a satellite TV antenna get an open dish unless they have a desire for in-motion reception.

JamieB · 08-23-2007, 02:34 PM

Bill.

I can't say I have had any experience with the Trac-Star products. I am sure they are excellent. I have done installs with KVH with a single cable install running 4 recievers inside.

As far as open face verses dome, I really try to encourage my customers to opt for the MotoSAT MHDTV or the MD500. In my opinion they are the best products on the market and if a person is serious about getting the best picture, they will provide it. A lot of people though have been programmed to think that a dome is the best. I know several who don't need in-motion but spend around $3,000 for a dome when they could have gotten better performance for $600 or $700 less.

I really am gratefull for places like this where people can be educated, and I really appreciate all of your posts. You have helped me more than once, and I hope I can return the favor sometime.

Jamie Billingsley
Satellite Internet Solutions

added zero....

Bill Davis · 08-24-2007, 05:36 AM

My concern about an open face dish, which I have, is wind load. How about a sensor, so when the wind load gets severe, it automatically folds the dish?

Bill Adams · 08-24-2007, 12:48 PM

Bill,
This really is not a concern with the MotoSAT open face dish (Executive, MHDTV, MD500 and MD1000) as they are rated so high for wind loads that there is little chance for problems. Even if the wind does really get up there (probably over 60 MPH) the wind will just blow the dish forward or back slightly as the chain drive gear will move. You will lose the TV signal but it is unlikely to do any damage. Click stow and you are ready to do a new search when the wind calms down.
These antennas do not flop around in the wind as the Winegard's did (Winegard has stopped building an automatic open face dish).