We just ordered a Bighorn 3160 at the National Rally in Las Vegas. We have Direct TV and have always had a roof mounted satellite. With the new model we want to have HD reception. We are electronically challenged. From what I can find we can only get HD with a roof mounted satellite. We were thinking of a portable for a huge cost savings. Is the roof mount our only option?
Help with Direct TV
- Thread starter DickO
- Start date
jassson007
Founding Louisiana Chapter Leaders-Retired
For HD with DIRECTV you either have to go with the winegard roof mount to have auto aiming or a regular dish on a tripod style mount that you manually aim. The portable ones do not get the hd from directv but can for dish.
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B
BouseBill
Guest
We are full-timers with Direct TV, HD, Genie system in our Big Horn. The antenna is mounted on a tripod, we refused to pay the almost $2.5K to have it roof mounted. The Direct TV HD dish is a little larger than the standard, so you want a strong tripod and make sure it's securely anchored. When we travel the antenna rides along in the Expedition
You do have to play the game with Direct TV concerning your "home" address. The above post that said you can not get HD is incorrect.
You do have to play the game with Direct TV concerning your "home" address. The above post that said you can not get HD is incorrect.
superduty08
Tennessee Chapter Leaders
We had ours installed for less than $1400. Works great.
SNOKING
Well-known member
For HD Directv you need the larger Simline dish, and a SWM LNB which only requires a single coax to the dish. We have a 5 channel Genie and 2 channel HDDVR with whole home DVR service.
Solidsignal.com can fix you up with everything you need. The slimline mount lets you pre set the skew and elevation. The receivers provide signal meters to aid alignment. I use a smart phone app (IP Cam), MiFi(hub) and a tablet to align the dish.
I can provide more details if you would like them. Chris
Solidsignal.com can fix you up with everything you need. The slimline mount lets you pre set the skew and elevation. The receivers provide signal meters to aid alignment. I use a smart phone app (IP Cam), MiFi(hub) and a tablet to align the dish.
I can provide more details if you would like them. Chris
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jassson007
Founding Louisiana Chapter Leaders-Retired
I did not say you couldn't get it. I said that you had to use a dish on a tripod and not one of the tailgater/carry out type setups if you didn't want the roof mount.
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hogan
Past Mississippi Chapter Leader (Founding)
Is the roof mount our only option?[/QUOTE]
No, I carry a portable HD slimline and use SWM system. My dish is mounted on a home made PVC ground base. Costs about 10 bucks for the parts and because it is low and stable, no worries with wind. Base disassembles for easy stowage in nooks and crannies.
No, I carry a portable HD slimline and use SWM system. My dish is mounted on a home made PVC ground base. Costs about 10 bucks for the parts and because it is low and stable, no worries with wind. Base disassembles for easy stowage in nooks and crannies.
SNOKING
Well-known member
We use the metal tripod from the earlier dishs and I had a large pipe welded on to the Slimline mount. Solid Signal will sell you an adapter. I drive to rebar rods with hoops welded on (think Mesa flea market) and strap the tripod down to them along with long screw in the feet. I setup a small phone with app IP Cam on front of the TV with the meters up on the screen and watch that with a tablet out at the antenna via telnet with a MiFi and the connecting hub. Setting the post perfectly vertical is the first important step, then the receiver will give you the correct skew and elevation based on zip code. Then it is just a matter for pointing the right direction and fine tuning the direction and elevation. There are smart phone apps to will help with direction. Moving the direction very slowly helps find the sat.
HD needs quad shielded coax and very good ends. I have picked up three slimline dishes and SWM LNB this summer from installation left behind when someone moved. So I did not have to bring our dish for Washington this winter, and two friends in our Northern park got early Christmas presents. Chris
HD needs quad shielded coax and very good ends. I have picked up three slimline dishes and SWM LNB this summer from installation left behind when someone moved. So I did not have to bring our dish for Washington this winter, and two friends in our Northern park got early Christmas presents. Chris
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Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn
Well-known member
I just installed the roof mounted dish a I LOVE IT..... After dealing with the little portable one for a year. Cussing every time I change the channel. So far I have not been in a sight that it didn't work. We set up camp and push 1 button. No tripods, no searching for the satellite, No cussing. Everytime we use it I'm so glad I bit the bullet and did the install.
If you had it before your definitely going to want it again.
My opinion !!!!
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If you had it before your definitely going to want it again.
My opinion !!!!
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All the points made in the earlier post are correct and valid. When I bought our Big Country I made the decision I wanted the convenience of the auto tracking HD dish. I have Direct TV at the house so I needed to use Direct TV in the rig. I just did not want to pack up and store the dish every time we moved. For us the time and frustration saved was worth the 1500.00 dollars it cost me.
farside291
Well-known member
HornedToad
Well-known member
I've had Direct TV on my RV's for many years, starting out with the portable tri pod antenna and working up to a Winegard roof mount.
This past weekend I went to tune in the UT football game on the Longhorn network, which I've had since it started. I couldn't find it on the guide and after about an hour on the phone with Direct TV customer service it was determined that this channel was now only broadcast in HD, which my $500 Winegard antenna does not pick up.
The writing is on the wall, I'm sure it won't be long before they discontinue broadcasting any channels in Standard Definition. If you are going to invest in a automatic roof mount antenna, you need to spend the extra $1000 to get a Trav'ler antenna that picks up Direct TV in HD.
Hello DISH!!!
This past weekend I went to tune in the UT football game on the Longhorn network, which I've had since it started. I couldn't find it on the guide and after about an hour on the phone with Direct TV customer service it was determined that this channel was now only broadcast in HD, which my $500 Winegard antenna does not pick up.
The writing is on the wall, I'm sure it won't be long before they discontinue broadcasting any channels in Standard Definition. If you are going to invest in a automatic roof mount antenna, you need to spend the extra $1000 to get a Trav'ler antenna that picks up Direct TV in HD.
Hello DISH!!!
farside291
Well-known member
What's this rumor I heard that DTV is going streaming in 2020? That rumor has driven me away from spending the $$ for a roof mount. Any other rumors? Like what was said earlier, hello Dish!
wdk450
Well-known member
avvidclif
Well-known member
If you decide to go with an OTA HD antenna I would suggest this:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/HDTV-Out...-Remote-360-176-UHF-VHF-FM-150-Miles/34176799
Look closely at the picture as they are available from about everywhere anywhere from $25-$70. Made in china and sold by the world under no telling how many names, google is your friend. Best price I found today was $33 shipped.
I have bought several as they keep getting borrowed. I have a one of the long range Winegards on the roof (abt 25' up) with a preamp after it and get most of the DFW channels ok, not all. I put the above antenna on a leg of my rv shelter(up 10') and pointed it at DFW (62mi). Connected to the RV. It gets all of the DFW channels and off the back side get Tyler (55mi the other direction) station plus some stuff I don't know where it comes from. I have over 60 ch available.
Caveat: It looks cheesy and is cheesy. I don't know how long it will last outside (my son's has been up over a year) BUT it's the best antenna I found for OTA (over the air).
A happy customer....
https://www.walmart.com/ip/HDTV-Out...-Remote-360-176-UHF-VHF-FM-150-Miles/34176799
Look closely at the picture as they are available from about everywhere anywhere from $25-$70. Made in china and sold by the world under no telling how many names, google is your friend. Best price I found today was $33 shipped.
I have bought several as they keep getting borrowed. I have a one of the long range Winegards on the roof (abt 25' up) with a preamp after it and get most of the DFW channels ok, not all. I put the above antenna on a leg of my rv shelter(up 10') and pointed it at DFW (62mi). Connected to the RV. It gets all of the DFW channels and off the back side get Tyler (55mi the other direction) station plus some stuff I don't know where it comes from. I have over 60 ch available.
Caveat: It looks cheesy and is cheesy. I don't know how long it will last outside (my son's has been up over a year) BUT it's the best antenna I found for OTA (over the air).
A happy customer....
porthole
Retired
We have had a roof mount DTV dish since June 2015. I'd say on average I use the roof mount versus the tripod mount about 50/50, or at least it seems that way.
Goshen install.
Regardless, the roof mount is a nice feature when I can use it and I'm glad I put one up there. It's also nice having the tripod and portable dish for the times I don't have a view of the sky.
I also have the DTV OTA black box which opens up a few options with local channels for the rare times we may want that capability.
Goshen install.
Regardless, the roof mount is a nice feature when I can use it and I'm glad I put one up there. It's also nice having the tripod and portable dish for the times I don't have a view of the sky.
I also have the DTV OTA black box which opens up a few options with local channels for the rare times we may want that capability.
porthole
Retired
What are you selling?
