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 > RV SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGIES FORUMS > Technology: Internet, TV, Satellite, Cell Phones, etc.
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 03-15-2018, 08:57 AM   #1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 465
HOW do y'all get local channels when on the road?

I have Directv, and until now I’ve used an HR-24 (DVR) and an AM-21 (a box that gets the local channels from the rooftop antenna and makes them available to the HR-24 so they can be watched OR RECORDED…
I’ve been told the AM-21 is NO LONGER being supported and the channel database (which was never very good) is NOT being updated.

FURTHER, Directv has NO replacement (or intention) for handling ANY local channels not provided by them – which means if you’re out of your spot beam you WON’T have any local channels.
I asked about getting the network feeds (east and/or west coast) for when traveling and was told “VERY FEW PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE THOSE. ALMOST NO APPLICATIONS ARE ACCEPTED.”
AND that “you can try to get the local channels by changing your service address, but MOST CSRs don’t know how to do it, it’ll take at LEAST 24 hours to work if they DO change it, and ATT is “clamping down” on this to make it HARDER to do”.

I’ve NEVER been successful having them change the service address, and since we MOVE when we’re traveling it’d be a big pain in the neck to even try all the time.
I figure the umpteen hundred (thousands?) of people out traveling outside their local area have to be doing SOMETHING to get local channels into RV and make them watchable and recordable. HOW?

I’d be VERY happy to switch to Dish if someone can tell me HOW to get it to work really well when traveling… Or something ELSE if it’s reasonable…
I’m sure there will be someone that says go sit by the campfire or some other alternative, which is nice, but, NOT the answer to the question I’m ASKING.

SO, HOW ARE Y’ALL GETTING LOCAL CHANNELS TO WHATEVER SERVICE YOU HAVE FOR WATCHING AND RECORDING?
dkperez 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 03-15-2018, 09:20 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
BigBillSD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: San Diego
Posts: 915
I use the DISH pay as you go plan. Locals are no issue, just pay $10 a month. I also was able to get what they call "Distant Network Services" that give me LA local channels wherever I am. Its also another $10 a month when active. There was some paperwork to get approved, but all i had to do was take pictures of the registration and maybe the insurance card from the motorhome and upload it to a website they specified. Within a couple of weeks I had the LA channels and I was camping near Bar Harbor Maine at the time.

If you do switch to Dish I suggest you ask them to put you on something called "On Shore Routing" which gives you support from folks in the US not India. The only issue, or annoyance is I had to either use Chat or Call them every time I switched locations to get the locals from that area. Neither is a quick process. You would think the chat would be fast, but its like the person on the other end is responding to 25 other folks before they respond to you each time. Or they are extremely slow readers of the short messages I send them. I bought one of these receivers so I didn't have to lease one http://amzn.to/2peCe6b from them. That box supports adding a USB thumb drive to record to. But there was a one time fee to turn on recording.

I also use an HDHR http://amzn.to/2FIGmCd to record local signal to my RV's SageTV DVR
-Bill
__________________
2006 Allegro Bus 40 QDP IFS, 8.9L Vmspec, 1.5kw Solar + 400w Suitcase, 2@ 50amp & a 30amp Victron Smart MPPT's, 712BMV, SBS, CerboGX, 8.7kw LiFePo4, RR, MS2812, Max Transit, eero 6+ Mesh WiFi, Roof Mounted Starlink In-Motion dishy
BigBillSD is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-15-2018, 09:35 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,349
I have been using a Toms River NJ address, with DirecTV for 8 years now.

I get the big 4 Networks of NY everywhere. From the UP of MI to the FL Keys and as far west as AR.

They may not be local but I don't have to call them ever.

It may be worth it to change your service address, just one more time.
twinboat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-15-2018, 10:12 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 472
About 90% of the time I can get local news and weather OTA in HD most of the time.......otherwise I use Dish for all my national news and weather.
__________________
USAF Retired (26 yrs)
Grumman Aerospace (32 yrs)
2017 Winnebago Adventurer 38Q 2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk 3.2 L
corjaguar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-15-2018, 10:15 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
Jim T.'s Avatar
 
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 904
Quote:
Originally Posted by dkperez View Post
I have Directv, and until now I’ve used an HR-24 (DVR) and an AM-21 (a box that gets the local channels from the rooftop antenna and makes them available to the HR-24 so they can be watched OR RECORDED…
I’ve been told the AM-21 is NO LONGER being supported and the channel database (which was never very good) is NOT being updated.

FURTHER, Directv has NO replacement (or intention) for handling ANY local channels not provided by them – which means if you’re out of your spot beam you WON’T have any local channels.
I asked about getting the network feeds (east and/or west coast) for when traveling and was told “VERY FEW PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE THOSE. ALMOST NO APPLICATIONS ARE ACCEPTED.”
AND that “you can try to get the local channels by changing your service address, but MOST CSRs don’t know how to do it, it’ll take at LEAST 24 hours to work if they DO change it, and ATT is “clamping down” on this to make it HARDER to do”.

I’ve NEVER been successful having them change the service address, and since we MOVE when we’re traveling it’d be a big pain in the neck to even try all the time.
I figure the umpteen hundred (thousands?) of people out traveling outside their local area have to be doing SOMETHING to get local channels into RV and make them watchable and recordable. HOW?

I’d be VERY happy to switch to Dish if someone can tell me HOW to get it to work really well when traveling… Or something ELSE if it’s reasonable…
I’m sure there will be someone that says go sit by the campfire or some other alternative, which is nice, but, NOT the answer to the question I’m ASKING.

SO, HOW ARE Y’ALL GETTING LOCAL CHANNELS TO WHATEVER SERVICE YOU HAVE FOR WATCHING AND RECORDING?


Here’s what I suggest:

DIrecTV Service Address Change

Modify script to your specifications. Sign in to your DirecTV Account. Go to Help Center, go to Contact Us, go to Chat With Us, Use the Chat feature on DirecTV site. Copy & paste script onto chat screen. Answer any questions DirecTV Representative may ask, which should be minimal. Thank her/him for their help.

I’ve done this many times for several years without fuss or frustration.



My name is Xxx Xxxxxx.

My Account # is 12345678

My email # is xxxxx@xxx.xxx

My User Name is xxxxxxx

My Password is xxxxxxxx

Last 4 of SSN is 1234

I have moved my RECREATIONAL VEHICLE and wish to CHANGE my SERVICE ADDRESS (Please DO NOT change my billing address) and REFRESH my Standard Receiver on my D12-100, RID 1234567890, Access Card 1234567890.

My new Service Address is:
12346, Anywhere STATE ZIP
This is in Any County, State .

I also wish to receive LOCAL CHANNELS (already included in my billing) that are available for this location.

Thank you for your assistance.
__________________
Jim & Shirley & Abbie (Scottish Terrier)
2013 Newmar Canyon Star 3911, 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan - Braun Accessibility Modified Toad, Remco Lube Pump, 5 Star Tune, Progressive Industries EMS-HW50C, Coach Net Emergency Road Service, FMCA 378968
Jim T. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-15-2018, 10:34 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
Mrb1ll's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 326
My wife is a TV fanatic. She sits with the TV guide on Saturday and highlights what she wants to watch. Then sits and programs DVR to make sure she gets everything she wants to see (have had to upgrade storage several times). I notice that we have a lot of programs recorded that have never been watched but I’ll never say anything other than here. That said, if I get to see some motors sports now and again I’m just as happy as a pig in mud.

Further, I lived in Greece for four years and had TV three hours each evening and 12 hours on weekends. Programs were always six months or older from current date. “Forced” me to get out and enjoy the people, history, culture, etc.

In today’s world I can watch anything I want online from my iPad or Smart TV (if I want a bigger picture). I’d like to take the TVs out, the RV has three, including the one outside, and just sit and stare outside. Too much of the news depresses me anyway and I spent my first career trying to stay on top of the “news” (former Intelligence Analyst).

I know it is a personal choice as far as watching TV and what programs, but there are YouTube channels that will help you get set up so you miss absolutely nothing. Me, I’m looking for a really pretty rock to sit on/under.

Just my Nickels worth that, in reality, is just a penny.

Go forth and enjoy [emoji6]

MrB1LL
Mrb1ll is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-15-2018, 10:42 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Chicago Metro
Posts: 3,957
we’ve been with DISH for 3-seasons and all we do is call, change our service zipcode and 10-min later we have the locals for that zipcode. very EZ
__________________
Rich, Ham Radio, Sport Pilot
Retired 9-1-1 Admin.
rk911 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-15-2018, 10:51 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
Jim A's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,957
I use a Tablo DVR to receive and record OTA broadcasts where available. Fortunately I live in the LA market and get most of the LA channels across the country using Directv as well.

If you want to record OTA, the Tablo is good. You need to provide a USB hard drive, and pay a fair price for guide data, either monthly or lifetime. Easy to setup recordings. When you move to a new market and stations, it will find your program on the local station and record it. If that network is available in the new area.

Their station database is far better than the AM21 ever was.
__________________
Jim A
'04 Alpine Coach 36' MDDS
Jim A is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-15-2018, 10:55 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
saddlesore's Avatar


 
Foretravel Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Home is Where WE PARK IT...
Posts: 6,018
If out of our "home" market, I just fire up the OTA antenna for local channels....
(We have dish" for the satellite reception)
__________________
Retired truckdriver,
'02 Foretravel... "This Shack will do"
being pushed by an '06 Scion xB
SKP's of Box Elder, South Dakota
saddlesore is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-15-2018, 12:32 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 465
Twinboat, can you elaborate on how you’re getting this to work?
You’re using a Toms River NJ address with Directv, but you’re getting the NY networks whether you’re in Michigan or Arizona? HOW? Once you’ve left your local spot beam, the only way I know of to do that is with the “distant stations” (or whatever the thing is where you get the east coast networks or the west coast networks) thing from Directv and they’ve told me that is EXTREMELY difficult to get them to agree to these days and is going to get even MORE difficult.
How are you getting the NY channels in all those locations, and why isn’t everybody doing what you’re doing?

OK, let me elaborate………. I can GET local channels when there are any (in Death Valley there AREN’T any). What I WANT isn’t just to GET the OTA channels, but to GET THEM TO THE DVR… That’s what the AM-21, now obsolete, not supported, and not particularly good does when it works… So YES, if there are channels where I am, I can get ‘em, but I want to RECORD them…
As for the Directv non-local channels, MOST of the time the Winegard dome works and I have those.

From the replies in here it’s sounding very much like Dish is a LOT more responsive to RVers than Directv. And it has the benefit of having the Winegard provide HD for dish as opposed to SD with Directv.

Jim A, same question as the one to twinboat – HOW are you getting local channels all over the country from Directv? Is it because your “local” channels are actually the “west coast feed” and NOT stuck in a spot beam?

In any case, I’m going to try the script from Jim T and see if it works. Can’t be any worse than it currently is…
dkperez is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-15-2018, 01:07 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
Fleetwood Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 116
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mrb1ll View Post
My wife is a TV fanatic. She sits with the TV guide on Saturday and highlights what she wants to watch. Then sits and programs DVR to make sure she gets everything she wants to see (have had to upgrade storage several times). I notice that we have a lot of programs recorded that have never been watched but I’ll never say anything other than here. That said, if I get to see some motors sports now and again I’m just as happy as a pig in mud.

Further, I lived in Greece for four years and had TV three hours each evening and 12 hours on weekends. Programs were always six months or older from current date. “Forced” me to get out and enjoy the people, history, culture, etc.

In today’s world I can watch anything I want online from my iPad or Smart TV (if I want a bigger picture). I’d like to take the TVs out, the RV has three, including the one outside, and just sit and stare outside. Too much of the news depresses me anyway and I spent my first career trying to stay on top of the “news” (former Intelligence Analyst).

I know it is a personal choice as far as watching TV and what programs, but there are YouTube channels that will help you get set up so you miss absolutely nothing. Me, I’m looking for a really pretty rock to sit on/under.

Just my Nickels worth that, in reality, is just a penny.

Go forth and enjoy [emoji6]

MrB1LL
Similar to how I feel. When at home I consume a lot of sports. When out in the rig I enjoy being outside. The DW is an inside person but I enjoy the sunshine and fresh air (and peace and quiet if we are in the right RV Park). I have DISH pay-as-you-go with local channels. Going to fix the OTA antenna so I can dump the DISH local channels.
__________________
2006 Fleetwood Discovery 39V
2012 Honda CR-V AWD
AG Corps, USA Retired (1982-2002)
swoop is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-15-2018, 02:33 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
les.warden's Avatar
 
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Foley, AL
Posts: 1,093
Quote:
Originally Posted by corjaguar View Post
About 90% of the time I can get local news and weather OTA in HD most of the time.......otherwise I use Dish for all my national news and weather.


This is exactly what we do except with DirecTV. When we’re away from the S&B, I could really care less what happens locally. Heck, when I’m THERE, it’s not that interesting.
__________________
Les & Pam Warden
(Tiffin) 2017 Phaeton 40QBH; 2023 Wayfarer 25RW (coming soon)
2016 Jeep JKUS with Ready Brute Elite towbar
les.warden is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-15-2018, 03:02 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 1,080
If We are in one place for a couple of weeks I call the Direct TV movers number 855 333 0032 and tell them I am at a hunting or fishing camp for the next couple of weeks and give them a corresponding address and ask them to change my service address and leave billing address alone. And I tell them I will call them when we return home and change services address back. I explain the cabin has a antenna but guest must provide their own receivers. I never mention RV and have never had an issue. If less than 2 weeks I use the OTA for locals.
redcolorado is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-15-2018, 03:14 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
PJStough's Avatar
 
Winnebago Owners Club
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 1,718
We have had DirecTV in our RV since 2010 and we change our service address 3 or 4 times a year, and only one time did we have an issue. Usually when we talk to a CSR for DirecTV they know what we want, and have the locals changed before we end the call. Once when we were out in the desert near Borrego Spings, Ca. the CSR said we needed an address before he could change the locals for us, since we had no idea what address might work, the CSR was able to find one for us, and again, the locals were changed before the call was over.
__________________
Paul J Stough Iowa
2005 Winnebago Voyage 38J
PJStough 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


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
DirecTV local channels on the road David T. Class A Motorhome Discussions 24 10-02-2015 07:35 AM
Can't Get Local OTA Channels Without Hooking Up Dish Tailgater? bajarat Technology: Internet, TV, Satellite, Cell Phones, etc. 12 11-09-2014 08:11 PM
DirecTV local channels on the road Dragnflys Technology: Internet, TV, Satellite, Cell Phones, etc. 23 03-31-2010 09:08 AM
Local TV Channels when traveling teofff Technology: Internet, TV, Satellite, Cell Phones, etc. 46 09-10-2007 05:07 PM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 11:19 PM.


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