DirecTV Whole-Home DVR service in an RV

[JucenBrudi]

Greetings,

Has anyone installed Whole-Home HD DVR service in their RV? We have enjoyed it in the house and would like it in the motorhome. We already have an HD receiver for the motorhome and are about to order an HD DVR.

It looks easy enough to connect, but DirecTV doesn't offer the SWIM unit for ordering on their web site. That suggests Whole-Home service may be more complicated than it looks.

Bruce

[golden]

Originally Posted by JucenBrudi

Greetings,

Has anyone installed Whole-Home HD DVR service in their RV? We have enjoyed it in the house and would like it in the motorhome. We already have an HD receiver for the motorhome and are about to order an HD DVR.

It looks easy enough to connect, but DirecTV doesn't offer the SWIM unit for ordering on their web site. That suggests Whole-Home service may be more complicated than it looks.

Bruce

Can't answer your question, but don't forget that if you want to watch HD, you have to have a HD antenna or antenna system.

[PandK]

Very interested in the answer here. I was told you need an internet connection not only between the receivers but also to the "outside world" to allow it to work properly. I don't want to have my receiver connect to the "outside word" to make this feature work.
If it works over a local (in house) LAN that sounds great!

[Dirtbuster]

You can buy the antenna off of Ebay or Amazon. The outside connection for internet, is only needed for on Demand. You will need cat 6 cable connected between the recievers. The cat 6 will carry the recorded programs, from the main DVR.

[JucenBrudi]

Originally Posted by golden

Can't answer your question, but don't forget that if you want to watch HD, you have to have a HD antenna or antenna system.

We've got a Winegard Trav'ler 3005 ordered. It will do the job.

Thanks,
Bruce

[golden]

Originally Posted by JucenBrudi

We've got a Winegard Trav'ler 3005 ordered. It will do the job.

Thanks,
Bruce

Very nicely as a matter of fact.

[JucenBrudi]

Originally Posted by PandK

I was told you need an internet connection not only between the receivers but also to the "outside world" to allow it to work properly.

Our "Whole-Home HD DVR system" works great, but there is no connection to the internet. What Whole-Home does is let us have up to 4 or 5 tvs all interconnected to one HD DVR. You can start a recording at any of the tvs and you can watch what is recorded from any of the tvs. We have two tvs and two HD DVRs here in the house. Whatever is recorded on either shows up on the "List" as displayed on either tv. It's a luxury, but very nice.

Thanks,
Bruce

[JucenBrudi]

Originally Posted by JucenBrudi

Greetings,

Has anyone installed Whole-Home HD DVR service in their RV?
It looks easy enough to connect, but DirecTV doesn't offer the SWIM unit for ordering on their web site. That suggests Whole-Home service may be more complicated than it looks.

Since I first posted I have talked with tech support at Winegard. I found out that the Whole-Home service is just for houses and the "SWIM" unit doesn't work with the Winegard SK-3005.

Also, I found out that the existing cable running to our rear tv won't carry an HD signal, so we either have SD back there or face the challenge of running new cable. Someone in another thread indicated they had managed running cable, but it was among the more difficult parts of installing the Trav'ler antenna.

So, I'm now reviewing my project of installing HD in the motorhome to understand what is possible and practical. Whole-Home service is out and I don't yet understand the next best thing.

Bruce

[Pusherman]

From the Travler HD antenna run all 4 available RG-6 coax lines to the front of your coach. Connect the main and secondary cables to your HD Receiver/DVR. Run HDMI to your front TV. From the receiver, run coax out to your rear TV thru your existing video switching system, assuming you have one. This will only allow for SD viewing in the bedroom.

If you want HD in the bedroom, run coax #3 to the rear of the coach to the second HD receiver. If you have a HD/DVR receiver in the bedroom, run coax #3 and #4 to the bedroom. Then you're good to go.

In reality, most bedroom TV's are only 19" or 22", and HD doesn't make a great difference on small sets. So my first suggestion is the simplest and easiest.

[rvjimmy]

I would wonder if your RV TV is HD compatible. Doe's it have a plug for a HD cable. With out that cable I think no HD.

[hamguy]

Originally Posted by golden

Can't answer your question, but don't forget that if you want to watch HD, you have to have a HD antenna or antenna system.

That is NOT TRUE!

[RickO]

Originally Posted by hamguy

That is NOT TRUE!

Care to enlighten us why it's not true? The OP is discussing receiving DirecTv HD signals. How can they be obtained without an HD dish?

Of course, OTA HD signals are available via the batwing but that's not the topic of the post.

rick

[RickO]

It sounds as though you've done your homework and already made a significant investment in the dish purchase so we should assume you have checked to see if your TVsn are HD compatible.

When converting our coach to HD, we opted to go with our own version of "whole house DVR". We have the 3005 dish with two coax leads into the entertainment center where it hooks to our HD DVR. We then use an HDMI splitter to distribute the DVR content to the bedroom and outside TVs. We use RF remotes to be able to control the DVR from anywhere. We can't watch different channels in different rooms (without switching one to OTA or cable) but that's not how we watch TV.

Running a 50' HDMI cable to the bedroom is a challenge but I really learned a lot about my coach in the process.

Good Luck,

Rick

[golden]

Originally Posted by hamguy

That is NOT TRUE!

I love it when someone makes a statement such as you have with not explanation. Unlike you, I'm open to admit that I can be wrong. Would you mind explaining how you can watch HD TV without a HD antenna? Maybe I can use your explanation in a future situation where my HD antenna system can't work.