DISH Satelite System this season

[danemayer]

I spent much time on the phone today with Directv. Their policy now is that if you call for a move or to setup a second account, they require installation of new equipment by an authorized technician. You cannot use your existing dish. You must get a new one and it must be installed for you.

If you want DNS, then you must purchase a mobile receiver (the M10). Then they can award DNS service to you. You do not have to use the M10, but you must own one. They will then activate other non-M10 receivers for your RV. The form you fill out to apply for Distant Network Service requires that your satellite dish is permanently attached to your RV.

BTW, you have to purchase the M10 receiver from an RV satellite dealer. I have no idea how much it costs. It is one of those that can track the position of your dish, move the dish, tune in the receiver, so you can access it while driving down the road. Definitely meant for a motor home, not a towable. Too bad. They just do not accomodate us. I don't know if the M10 will even work with a stationary dish.

So, they have made it very hard and expensive to get network television when camping; especially in a towable. I think we will continue to just transfer our receivers from home to the camper and just forget about network TV when out of the state.

You were partially misinformed by the Directv person.

I went through this with them at the end of May. I planned on again taking our home receivers and tripod-mounted Slimline 3 dish on our summer trip. I wanted to change the service address to Grand Junction, CO to get those stations as we traveled around Colorado. But they don't offer Grand Junction local stations. I then asked them to turn on DNS effective June 7. That got us to the RV discussion and they said there is a new federal reg that disallows DNS or change of service address for an RV unless you sign up for a separate account, get new equipment, and submit a new DNS affidavit.

In return for setting up a new account, with 2 year commit, they installed a HiDef DVR receiver in the RV living room, and a HiDef standard receiver in the RV bedroom. They also provided a new Slimline 3 Dish with LNB (to sit on my tripod). The only charge for all of this was $20 for what was called a "relocation fee."

Originally, they said when traveling I would have to suspend home programming to avoid duplicate charges. When home, I would have to suspend RV account to avoid duplicate charges. HOWEVER, they actually created the 2nd account for the RV and merged it with the home account. So I have 2 account numbers, but whichever one is looked up, all 5 receivers show up. 3 for home; 2 for RV. There is only 1 charge for programming. 1 charge for equipment protection. They charge for the extra receivers ($6/mo).

They also charge $15/mo for DNS, which is linked to the RV receivers only. But to soften the bill, they volunteered a $20/mo credit for 12 months (loyal customer discount), and threw in 6 months of Showtime and Starz for free.

The new dish has a SWM LNB which means it uses 1 wire from the dish and 1 wire for the living room DVR instead of 2. They provided a splitter that goes in the UDC so the bedroom receiver also gets a feed.

This is not auto-tuning. This is not in-motion TV. It's the exact same equipment that they would install in your home if you ordered the Whole House setup which uses SWM (Single Wire Module). I have to set up and aim the dish at every stop, just like when I brought equipment from home.

Overall cost adder is $15/mo for DNS and $12/mo for 2 additional receivers. So that's $27/mo less the $20 credit for the next 12 months. Net is $7/month. When home, I can suspend DNS to save $15/mo. If I want I can also suspend the new receivers, but I think that might suspend the clock on the 2 year commitment.

It took me 4 or 5 phone calls to get this all straight, and even after that they merged the accounts. Try again, using this note as a guide to what they can do, even when they don't know they can do it.

 

[JohnDar]

All's good with our DISH set up now. While at home, I added HBO and Showtime to my account via their website and e-mailed the Distant Network request to them. The DNS service is now on and after calling DISH from the rig, the movie channels are also on. Since I have to position the dome near the front corner of our site, I used some foam pipe insulation tubing to encase the wires and buried them in a shallow trench so they don't get tripped over. When we leave, I put the ends in a baggie and secure it to a driveway marker I stuck in the spot where the dome should be.

 

[pegmikef]

All's good with our DISH set up now. While at home, I added HBO and Showtime to my account via their website and e-mailed the Distant Network request to them. The DNS service is now on and after calling DISH from the rig, the movie channels are also on. Since I have to position the dome near the front corner of our site, I used some foam pipe insulation tubing to encase the wires and buried them in a shallow trench so they don't get tripped over. When we leave, I put the ends in a baggie and secure it to a driveway marker I stuck in the spot where the dome should be.

Hey John, I just looked at their site for DNS and it said something about the antenna being attached to the RV. I already have all the stuff and the programming so do I need to fill out all their other forms or can I just call them to get DNS added? Thanks, Mike

 

[JohnDar]

Hey John, I just looked at their site for DNS and it said something about the antenna being attached to the RV. I already have all the stuff and the programming so do I need to fill out all their other forms or can I just call them to get DNS added? Thanks, Mike

I don't know, Mike, the instructions say fax, e-mail or snail mail the application to them. I scanned the completed forms and attached them as .pdf files to an e-mail to them (one of their options). They needed the VIN and registration info of the rig, along with the info from the receiver. Takes 10 - 14 days to activate, but they did send a confirmation that the application was received shortly after I sent it.

What you'll get are network broadcasts from New York and Los Angeles, along with PBS.

 

[pegmikef]

Thanks John. I have been doing pretty good off the antenna for locals, but I am still going to look into it (one less thing to screw with because we jump camp a lot).

 

[ChopperBill]

We have always called DTV and changed our service address when we get to AZ. They just change the zip code and we get their locals (not DNS) with no charge at all. When we get back to CO we just change the service address to get the CO locals back. They never seem to have a problem with that after all these place are where we are living. It could be because we are not traveling and staying put in one spot.

 

[JohnDar]

Thanks John. I have been doing pretty good off the antenna for locals, but I am still going to look into it (one less thing to screw with because we jump camp a lot).

I replaced the AntennaTec head with a Sensar IV, but the locals still pixelate to the point of inciting violence. That's with the exception of the local PBS station that broadcasts "Create." That never seems to go kerflooey.

 

[phix]

You were partially misinformed by the Directv person.

It took me 4 or 5 phone calls to get this all straight, and even after that they merged the accounts. Try again, using this note as a guide to what they can do, even when they don't know they can do it.

Just wanted to thank you for this info. I posted a 'thanks' a couple days ago, but it is not showing up.

 

[dives2little]

Love Satellite AR. Used it to rough in my set up last trip and never had a bobble. Used it to find the satellites, pointed the dish at the top of the telephone pole that was close to where the satellites appeared and was in business. By the time I got into the Sundance, it was downloading the programming guide. No aiming, no checking the signal strength.....