KVH Antennas and DirectTV versus DISH for HD

[MN_Traveler]

Ok...I promised you some newbee questions, and here is one...though I will try to make it as "clean" as possible. The unit I just picked up has come with a KVH R5SL satellite dish (upgraded at my cost from the R4SL). According to the manual, it is compatible with ONLY non-HD Direct TV receivers, although configuration for the Direct TV receivers is a single set-it-and-forget-it step for all locations in the US. On the other hand, it is compatible with at least one HD DISH network receiver, BUT depending on which area of the country you are in, there is a really-really "putzy" configuration sequence needed (including setting two physical jumpers (which they call "keys") on the switchplate. Oh...and OF COURSE I live right on the dividing line between one recommended configuration and the other - so if I go east I do one thing, if I go west I do another . Now...I like the idea of a single set-up that I do not need to repeat (i.e. Direct TV)...but I know my family would prefer the HD reception that DISH would alllow. SOOOO.....the question is, does anyone out there use the DISH Network setup with the KVH antennas....and just how painful (meaning ease, and reliability) is it to perform, and to re-do the various of the three configurations needed depending on the area of the country you are traveling through (or to...). Thank you in advance for your experience and wisdom!

[jth camper]

I have in-motion sat using Dish. Happy with the system, although I do not have HD with the lower channels. But my family does not care, the kids are happy they can watch their regular ,shows as we roll down the highway. I do not pay anything extra for my system, I take my Sat box from the house and put in my MH and everything worked, well almost. I lost the HD channels in the lower channel numbers. Dish said it was the actual dish on the roof causing the problem.

[lllkrob]

To answer your question, I have a KVH R4SL with a DISH 211K receiver. If I were you given a middle of the country location I would set it up for the 129 satellite. That way no keys to fool with and no reprogramming the receiver. You will have reception throughout the U.S. except in the northern New England states and southern Florida approximately south of Miami. This of course is all dependant on your having an unobstructed view of the southern horizon since the farther northeast or southeast you go the elevation angle becomes less and less.

[sdennislee]

I just went through this last week. I have not had the opportunity to try reconfiguring it yet since I haven't moved the MH from the CG in Kemah, TX. The installer showed me the switch configuration and walked me through it. It took about 10 minutes and was accomplished with the receiver remote control. The 10 minutes was all for the dish and the sat to reprogram themselves. Did not need to move any jumpers. Hope he wasn't omitting that part.

I have the KVH R5SL. According to the installer and KVH tech support the only receiver that works with the R5SL and DISH is the Vip 211k which is a HD receiver.

To make this function correctly the installer had to upload 2 upgrades to my R5SL, not a big deal he connected his laptop to the R5SL through the data port in the MH, took 10 minutes or so. You may not need these. My R5SL had not been used since 2009.

After these 2 free upgrades I was able to receive sats 110, 119, & 129. 110 & 129 worked fine, anytime I tried to switch to or from 119 it would take upto 2 minutes to change. The installer called KVH tech support and found out I needed a $395.00 switch (KVH Master Receiver Selector Switch KVH Part # 72-0412), I found it on-line for $328.00.
KVH Satellite TV Systems, Phone / Internet, and Compasses on Sale from Defender

Additionally, KVH had me switch the R5SL power from 12v DC to 120v AC. I don't have the part number handy for the power supply, looked like the typical laptop power supply. I can get when I get back to the MH on the 9th.

All works like a champ now.
2 receivers, 1 - 120v AC power supply, 1 master switch, 1 grounding block, 1 external 1TB hdd and 2 service calls $1000.00.

I had to install an external hdd to record shows as the 211k does not have a DVR function.

I wish I had investigated DIRECT TV to see if I could have saved some of the $1000.00. For that kind of money I could have lived with SD.

I attached KVH's app note on connecting the hdd if you want to have the ability to record shows.

[MN_Traveler]

Thank you so much for the replies. A couple follow-ups:

LLLKROB: setting up for 129 sounds like good advice...and thank you for the feedback on range for that setup. One question though: it is my understanding that DISH has different HD channels fed from different satellites: how does that reconcile with setting up for only the 129 satellite (this might be a stupid question...sorry if so).

SDENNISLEE: sounds nasty if KVH does not include an important piece of hardware in the antenna. I guess I will just need to see with my install.....

Thanks again.

[sdennislee]

Originally Posted by MN_Traveler

Thank you so much for the replies. A couple follow-ups:

SDENNISLEE: sounds nasty if KVH does not include an important piece of hardware in the antenna. I guess I will just need to see with my install.....

Thanks again.

All three pieces of hardware (master switch, ground block and power supply) are in the cabinet with my receiver. The ground block and the master switch connect to the receiver and the inside sat cables, the power supply connects to the switch in the cabinet that powers the dish.

If I understood the installer correctly this is DISH issue not a KVH issue.

[wa8yxm]

If you are going to use a dome, then your Dome type antenna comes in 2 by 3 flavors.
First, the LNB (Just one LNB) is either a single or dual (Refers to the outputs, not the lenses, a DUAL has two connections for receivers and via a switch can run 2,3,4, ..8 receivers, possibly more with the proper network of switches, a SINGLE runs ONE and only one)

The 3 is "Point at one bird, stay there, -Or- Will select 2 birds under receiver control -OR- 3 birds under receiver control.

With Dish Network, HOWEVER,, This only works for SINGLE receivers, because if you have 2 receivers or a multi-input DVR, sooner or later you are going to want to watch/record shows on two different satellites and the dome can only see one at a time. (Note that the 3rd Satellite is the HD one)

With DirecTV you get only non-hd, it's all on one bird, so this is not a problem.

If you want DISH, you should be able to see the western Arc for non-HD in most places in the US.

My recommendation: No matter which service you choose, have the proper tripod mount antenna (Ground mount) in each receiver LNB line put a simple A/B switch (RCH VH-71 last I checked was a buck a pop on the Google Store)

A goes to the dome up above
B goes to a connector down below, either in a Basement Compartment or a buikhead (Through wall) connector.. I have a ground Block mounted on the Brake Bell crank Bracket (Not all those "B" words).

Direc: If you find yourself under the evil signal eating tree, With the switches in "A" you hook up the ground mount, Slide to "B" reset the receiver and aim the dish... When you move out slide the switches back to A: Reset the receiver, and unhook and stow the dish.

With DISH again with the switch in A, hook up the ground mount, slide to B, aim and check switch. To unhook slide to "A" and when the clear do the check switch.

This way if the dome is an "In-Motion" type you can record at least some shows (Generally you want 101 (Direc) or 119 (Dish) on the road.

WIth either service you can use the ground dish to get HD as well.

[lllkrob]

Originally Posted by MN_Traveler

Thank you so much for the replies. A couple follow-ups:

LLLKROB: setting up for 129 sounds like good advice...and thank you for the feedback on range for that setup. One question though: it is my understanding that DISH has different HD channels fed from different satellites: how does that reconcile with setting up for only the 129 satellite (this might be a stupid question...sorry if so).

SDENNISLEE: sounds nasty if KVH does not include an important piece of hardware in the antenna. I guess I will just need to see with my install.....

Thanks again.

Excuse me for not being clear, what I meant is you need to set up your KVH to receive the 110,119,and 129 satellites. This is the standard no service keys installed setup for a KVH. I would reccomend purchasing the service keys if you don't already have them. That way if you have trouble with the 110,119,129 setup reception you can easily install the one service key needed to change the setup to 110,119,61.5.

[MN_Traveler]

Ahhh...that makes sense now. Thank you LLLKROB!
-Cheers

[JimM68]

I also have a kvh r4sl.

A fellow forum member sent me the kvh diagnostic software, what the tech used to update your dish. I bought the 9 pin cable at radio shack, and the RJ15 cable from KVH. I updated the main and RF bd software on my dome myself. you'll need a laptop with a serial post to do this.

I cannot get sat 129 here in chicago. I can however get 61.5, and the dish locals and HD are on both. So at home or east, I fire up the kvh flash wizard s/w, hook up the 9 pin serial cable, and command the dom "install dish trisat 61" and it all works.
When I go west, i do it again and command the dish "install dish trisat" which installs the 110, 119, 129 combo.

total investment about $50 for the 2 cables. I had the laptop.
Oh, and the whole arrangment totally suck. And if there is a tree anywhere in the campground it doesn't work.

[CoachDad]

Jim,

can you confirm the commands you are sending in to the dome through the wizard? I too have the R4SL and those commands are not being accepted in the command line. I'd like to try them to see if they fix my issue of not finding all the sats for my Dish 211k.

The install commands for the trisat....

Thanks!

[JimM68]

The commands are clearly listed in the flash wizard help.

I "think" it is "dish intstall trisat" for 110, 119, 129
"Dish install trisat 61" for 110, 119, 61.5

Oddly, last weekend, my dish found 119 amd 129, and showed me the race on HD(i assume 129) but the last install i did was 61......

[JimM68]

Originally Posted by JimM68

The commands are clearly listed in the flash wizard help.

I "think" it is "dish intstall trisat" for 110, 119, 129
"Dish install trisat 61" for 110, 119, 61.5

Oddly, last weekend, my dish found 119 amd 129, and showed me the race on HD(i assume 129) but the last install i did was 61......

I am no expert on this, but i did watch the race...

[CoachDad]

Yeah, they aren't working for me. I get an "invalid identifier" on the commands that are listed in the KVH documentation too:

SATINSTALL,TRISAT,DISH

&

SATINSTALL,TRISAT,DISH_61

I'm wondering if my original flash update for the main PCB board didn't take correctly and maybe that's why it's not able to know what those commands are?

Do you put the command in DEBUGON mode before entering them?

Thanks