OK...lots of good info here, but some is a bit contradictory and the more I read, the more confused I become. I want to add satellite tv and am almost sure I want to do the Dish option, even though I have Direct at home. My reasoning is that I want HD and it will probably will only be used in the Keys a couple months in winter and the Midwest a month or less in summer. My plan is to go with some kind of carry out such as Tailgater and corresponding receiver. I know packages vary a lot, but my main concern is the price when not using it. Some have indicated that there are fees when not using the equipment and/or fees to connect/disconnect. Others have said it just requires a phone call and no fees apply. Also, many have indicated wiring problems, so should I go to a dealer to have it done professionally or is this just pretty basic connection stuff to get signal to living room an bedroom. Thanks for helping me sort this out and for the previous info. This forum is one of the best I've ever seen.
Dish for RV
- Thread starter Day52
- Start date
danemayer
Well-known member
With a carryout auto-aiming dish, you shouldn't need installation help for a basic install. The most important thing to remember is to not use any of the trailer wiring until after you get things working one time. Run the cable through a window to the receiver. After it's all working, then plug into the satellite connection in the UDC and the satellite connection in the entertainment center. That way, if there is a problem, you won't be trying to figure out if it's the trailer wiring or the satellite equipment.
As in a house, most of the time, if you want to send the signal to multiple TVs, you need multiple receivers. If you want to do this, check the dish and receiver specs to ensure they're capable of doing this. It's also possible to retransmit the signal of a single receiver to a 2nd TV, but that's opening a new can of worms.
If you'll be using the satellite at only 2 locations during the year, you might consider staying with Directv. It's not that hard to set up a slimline-3 HD dish using a tripod from TV4RV.com and a good signal meter. If you get them to add a DVR receiver to your account, you can call to change the service address a couple of times a year so you get the local stations in your 2 locations. The additional monthly cost will be $6 for the extra receiver.
As in a house, most of the time, if you want to send the signal to multiple TVs, you need multiple receivers. If you want to do this, check the dish and receiver specs to ensure they're capable of doing this. It's also possible to retransmit the signal of a single receiver to a 2nd TV, but that's opening a new can of worms.
If you'll be using the satellite at only 2 locations during the year, you might consider staying with Directv. It's not that hard to set up a slimline-3 HD dish using a tripod from TV4RV.com and a good signal meter. If you get them to add a DVR receiver to your account, you can call to change the service address a couple of times a year so you get the local stations in your 2 locations. The additional monthly cost will be $6 for the extra receiver.
Garypowell
Well-known member
Not to mention with the smaller TV's in RV's you'll not get much benefit from HD.
JanAndBill
Well-known member
We dropped Direct TV after 6 years, in favor of Dish this past year. We haven't been disappointed in their service yet. We have two receivers in our house, one of which feeds (2) two TV's. With that receiver you can operate each TV completely independent of the other. There is no connection between the two other than the coax cable and each TV has it's own remote. I'm still scratching my head trying to figure out how it works, but it does. I think I saw the same receiver at Camping World, that would also do the same. When the installer came, he gave us a brand new Dish, which is what we use in the trailer. I built a simple stand to support the dish. We take the receiver that operates one TV with us when we travel. It is connected to the TV in the coach via an HDMI switch http://www.radioshack.com/radioshac...rm=1500468&cid=iP:PLA:RSO:Google#.VIcCQTHF8nc, which not only feeds HD programming from the dish, but allows me to switch to the Blue Ray/DVD player. It takes about 15-30 mins to setup the dish and align depending on terrain and obstacles. With this setup I can also use the switching capability of the TV to use the cable feed or the antenna. The biggest problem I have (which is an issue with any type of carry out dish) is getting a clear line of sight when setting up. My goal is to design and build some type of "fold up" mast that will attach to the ladder, getting the dish up above the trailer. Folding the mast is the easy part, figuring out how to adjust the dish once it's up is the part I'm having issue with.
Harry1
Active Member
We use Dish with the Winegard "Carryout" GM-1518 Satellite and the Dish VIP211K receiver. I mounted the satellite using the ladder mount from Winegard and mounted at the top of the ladder. I leave the 12 volt power feed and coax connected at the satellite and coil up the cables and bungee to the lower 1st step on the ladder while travelling. I mounted a 12 volt plug in connection in the front battery area and when we reach our destination I uncoil the cables and run the power feed through a hole in the floor of the battery area and plug into the connection box I mounted, then run the coax into the satellite feed in the UDC. It takes about 5 minutes for the auto "Carryout" to lock on and we call Dish to give them our new zip code for bringing in local channels for that area. We use the Dish "Pay as You Go" package which Direct does not have.
TravelTiger
Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
One thing to consider is how many TVs you want to watch and whether you need different programming on different TVs. The Tailgater only supports output to one receiver/TV, but the King Controls Flex
http://kingcontrols.com/product/tailgater-flex/
Can output to 2 receivers/TVs.
The other thing to consider with a portable dish is that you have to buy the equipment outright. Then pay for service.
We opted for a 2 year plan with Dish where they provide all the equipment and install free. We have the Hopper system which lets us record 200 hours of shows. And we have a wireless Joey that lets us watch different shows at the same time on a 2nd TV (in our case we did not have sat. wiring to this 2nd TV).
The drawback is that it uses a standard dish, mounted to a tripod. Since we are currently not mobile for a while, this is ok with us.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
http://kingcontrols.com/product/tailgater-flex/
Can output to 2 receivers/TVs.
The other thing to consider with a portable dish is that you have to buy the equipment outright. Then pay for service.
We opted for a 2 year plan with Dish where they provide all the equipment and install free. We have the Hopper system which lets us record 200 hours of shows. And we have a wireless Joey that lets us watch different shows at the same time on a 2nd TV (in our case we did not have sat. wiring to this 2nd TV).
The drawback is that it uses a standard dish, mounted to a tripod. Since we are currently not mobile for a while, this is ok with us.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Bohemian
Well-known member
pegmikef
Well-known member
We have been using the Dish Tailgater/receiver package since it came out three or four years ago and have found no reason to change. While it only allows one receiver and only works in the contiguous forty eight states, there are really no other short comings. It can be placed anywhere as long as it has a clear view of the southern sky. It only requires one cable (provided with the Tailgater) as it is powered by the coax. Takes about five minutes to set it up in response to menu-driven prompts. We pay by the month. Simply call them when you want to turn it off and when you want to start it again. Every time you restart it you need a credit card for the first month. Never had a problem.
After you have tested it as Dan recommended, then the hookup is simple as there is are cable outlets for both the bedroom and living room in the UDC (there are also two outlets for a roof antenna and one for a cablevision cable).
After you have tested it as Dan recommended, then the hookup is simple as there is are cable outlets for both the bedroom and living room in the UDC (there are also two outlets for a roof antenna and one for a cablevision cable).
porthole
Retired
If you have DirecTV now, why change?
As others do, when we leave I just take the DVR from the house. One of the Genie clients from the spare bedroom stays in the trailer all season long. The only thing the moves back and forth is the receiver.
The trailer has a spare remote and power inserter permanently mounted.
This involves only an extra $6 a month once set up. That $6 is for the extra client.
The bonus side is that even if we don't set up the dish, we still have all the recorded programs on the DVR.
As others do, when we leave I just take the DVR from the house. One of the Genie clients from the spare bedroom stays in the trailer all season long. The only thing the moves back and forth is the receiver.
The trailer has a spare remote and power inserter permanently mounted.
This involves only an extra $6 a month once set up. That $6 is for the extra client.
The bonus side is that even if we don't set up the dish, we still have all the recorded programs on the DVR.
Instead of using the Tailgator look at the Pathfinder. It will allow you to run 2 coax cables to 2 seperate televisions from the same dish. But you will need 2 receivers, one for each TV. I got a 2 yr subscription from Dish and they gave me all the equipment for free except for the Pathfinder dish which I had to purchase but Dish gave me the first yr at half price.
Bohemian
Well-known member
With DirecTV with the Genie, the Genie is the server, the Genie minis are tiny clients that access the server. The wiring is simple. You use a DTV splitter rather than the usual TV splitter in the cabling (wherever that is). You also create an Ethernet using the Genies and can use that with your computers if you want.
That is what I do at home.
That is what I do at home.
porthole
Retired
The DTV splitter is a special item that also needs a "power inserter" cabled to the "red" fitting.
Similar to one of these items
https://www.google.com/search?q=dtv...v&sa=X&ei=lnyIVKyjGubIsQSymIGIDA&ved=0CEgQsAQ
Similar to one of these items
https://www.google.com/search?q=dtv...v&sa=X&ei=lnyIVKyjGubIsQSymIGIDA&ved=0CEgQsAQ
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Cjackg
Well-known member
I just completed acquiring and setting up satellite TV coverage using the DISH Pay-As-You-Go plan with a Tailgater RV dish. Got a nice deal on all the equipment required through PPL Motorhomes for $299 delivered including the receiver, Tailgater, and all required cables, etc.
The programming plan from DISH is $44.99 for basic monthly coverage (and local channels) plus I got 3 months of HBO free. There is no contract or other fees, service can be started/stopped monthly as needed. I just completed the setup & activation and it went very smooth. This package does cover only 1 Television set.
pegmikef
Well-known member
Yeah there is no charge when you turn it off since you own the equipment. If you are renting it from Dish then I guess you keep paying the rental fee. I bought mine almost four years ago and have turned it on and off probably ten times and never had a fee. The only thing is that they require a credit card every time you turn it back on. Mine has basically been problem free.
SeattleLion
Well-known member
Smaller TV's? My 3160 has a 44" in the LR and a 32" in the BR. HD is great in both rooms.
SeattleLion
Well-known member
We just take two DVR's from home and put them in the trailer. We have a Winegard Trav'ler and love it!
lynndiwagoner
Well-known member
I would recommend staying with Directv and getting an upgrade to the new Genie receiver. It is SWM utilizing one cable from the dish to the receiver (which should be the way your rig is wired) and allows you to record 5 shows at one time. I would also recommend getting the WIRELESS mini genies for other TV's you might have in the rig, like the bedroom. No wiring between the main receiver and the other TV's is required the mini genie is wireless. For the dish I highly recommend a slimline 3 dish mounted on a TV4RV tripod. You can buy the whole dish, LNB, power inserter, and splitter off of ebay for $66.00 with free shipping. My buddy just changed Dish for Directv and used the setup I just described with great success. If you stay with Directv you can use the mini genies in the house for other TV's also. Good luck.
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