Key Largo and Wiinegard Prep

[murry135]

We took delivery this weekend of our new 2013 Key Largo. It came with the regular TV antenna but it is prep for a Winegard Satellite roof mount antenna. Has anyone switched out there unit to the satellite antenna and or the combo TV/Satellite Winegard. If you have what are you opinions on these combo satellite antennas and how do you manually align them and is it difficult and not worth the manual system.

 

[jbeletti]

Jim,

First, Congrats! Wow, didn't think you we're quite ready to upgrade but - nice job!

I have the Winegard Trav'ler on the roof. It plugs into the prewired controller cable and coax wiring.

Kakampers just did the same

Works great and points automatically.

I have not heard of the combo satellite/digital TV antenna.

 

[murry135]

Thanks Jim we did not think we were ready either until Crossroads made us an offer we could not refuse. Online there is a manual combo by Winegard that is OfF AIR and satellite but it is a manual non HD antenna. We dont need HD just looking to carry less stuff in basement and before I purchase I am doing reasearch to see what is best recommmended. What model do you have?

 

[boatto5er]

I would stick with one of the portable carryout sat receivers like the Traveller. Automatic find features at a reasonable price.

 

[SouthernNights]

We took delivery this weekend of our new 2013 Key Largo. It came with the regular TV antenna but it is prep for a Winegard Satellite roof mount antenna. Has anyone switched out there unit to the satellite antenna and or the combo TV/Satellite Winegard. If you have what are you opinions on these combo satellite antennas and how do you manually align them and is it difficult and not worth the manual system.

I installed a Trav'ler a few weeks ago.

This is not a combo but it is a roof mounted Trav'ler. Installation was very easy. You can read about it here. Not quite step by step instructions but pretty close.
http://cloudsandoceans.blogspot.com/2013/03/winegard-installation.html

 

[kakampers]

I would stick with one of the portable carryout sat receivers like the Traveller. Automatic find features at a reasonable price.

The Travler is not a carryout dish....it is a roof mount only.

 

[boatto5er]

The Travler is not a carryout dish....it is a roof mount only.

You are right. I was thinking about the Tailgater.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[porthole]

I have the Winegard Trav'ler on the roof. It plugs into the prewired controller cable and coax wiring.

How do you find that?

 

[Mizmary]

We like out tailgater. You have to get to a spot where you can see the satellites, and that can be tricky. But I have heard the same about the roof mounts. At least with a carry out you can move it around until you find a good location.

 

[Theresau]

Winegard Traveler is the only RV dish that gets HD with Directv. And it's my understanding that it is "specific" to the satellite service. In other words there are different models for different services.

We GREATLY considered this - originally planned to get it for sure when we got the new BC but became concerned when we found that it was specific to the service (e.g., Directv) meaning that if we went to another service such as Dish it would have to be replaced.

Also were concerned that Directv could change their technology in the future and the satellite would become obsolete - just a great expense (we received quotes from $2100 to $2500 installed) if this were to occur.

Theresa

 

[jassson007]

Winegard Traveler is the only RV dish that gets HD with Directv. And it's my understanding that it is "specific" to the satellite service. In other words there are different models for different services.

We GREATLY considered this - originally planned to get it for sure when we got the new BC but became concerned when we found that it was specific to the service (e.g., Directv) meaning that if we went to another service such as Dish it would have to be replaced.

Also were concerned that Directv could change their technology in the future and the satellite would become obsolete - just a great expense (we received quotes from $2100 to $2500 installed) if this were to occur.

Theresa

I am thinking of going with the winegard traveler as I currently have a oval hd dish and mast I bought off eBay on a homemade mount and don't like carrying it around any more and if I go north I have to change elevation and the other if the 3 settings. I want it to do it automatically. You mentioned about direct making changes and it becoming obsolete, I have been a direct customer for well over 10 years now and every one I have had has been backward compatible in fact my old sd dish still works. I think only thing to be worried about would be the receivers. In fact before I switched to hd my 3 receivers were so old that they did not want them back, asked them what to do with them and they told me to trash them (switched to hd as the receivers had gone out). Just my opinion though...lol.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Theresau]

When they switched to SWM it wasn't backwards compatible - correct? I had to buy all new receivers when I did this (and I didn't go to HD). I'd like to hear what channels are received for Directv using the Winegard Carryout - doesn't take up that much space and can be used for other systems and much cheaper. I'm wondering if the HD channels that are not accessible are only movie channels? We pick up movies with our Roku at only $8 a month.

I haven't been able to find a good channel list per satellite.

 

[Theresau]

I just remembered another key issue that came to us in regard to the Traveler - you have less flexibility than a portable satellite dish as you can't move it around the RV. We have set up our satellite dish in every corner depending on where the sky is clear, etc. We recognize that the Traveler finds the satellites automatically but it's still always going to be in the same location on your RV. We feel certain that it would not have worked in our last site in FL as we had to move the satellite quite a distance from the RV to find a clear space between trees (it's been interesting as we've found that the full satellite dish is very forgiving, we have yet to lose contact after getting it to work even when there was wind which would have made the space less clear).

Yes we are tired of storing it as well but getting a connection has rarely been an issue. Actually it's never been an issue to date.

 

[kakampers]

We carry an HD ground dish for the times the Travler can't lock on...only needed it twice in two years. Never had an issue with dishes becoming obsolete, only receivers. May not be able to receive new technologies such as swm or HD but could always still get reception.

Just went to the Genie with client receivers for each TV...swm was easy to add to Travler.

 

[jassson007]

When they switched to SWM it wasn't backwards compatible - correct? I had to buy all new receivers when I did this (and I didn't go to HD). I'd like to hear what channels are received for Directv using the Winegard Carryout - doesn't take up that much space and can be used for other systems and much cheaper. I'm wondering if the HD channels that are not accessible are only movie channels? We pick up movies with our Roku at only $8 a month.

I haven't been able to find a good channel list per satellite.

Hmmm...I do not have any DVR's but my old sd dual lnb dish pulled in the sd channels using my hd receivers before I bought the second hd dish. I will more than likely keep my portable dish and just find a new tripod to fit the mast or make up a new home made one that is easier to tote around. Most of the places we have been have been out in the open and we tailgate a lot at college football games so we are usually in a parking lot or open field.

I still have my old portable sd directv dish and winegard tripod is interested, just send me a pm with an offer and include some shipping...lol!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jassson007]

As far as movies, wife has been good at finding codes for free movies at Redbox that she seldom pays for them and she also goes to library as well. She can get fairly new movies there as well. Did have Netflix just did not like paying for it although I do have the Hdmi adapter for my iPad. With Netflix and roku too I assume you have to have a good Internet connection or a mifi device with a large data plan.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Theresau]

That's a very good point - dish would probably not become obsolete per se (but may not be current...).

We carry an HD ground dish for the times the Travler can't lock on...only needed it twice in two years. Never had an issue with dishes becoming obsolete, only receivers. May not be able to receive new technologies such as swm or HD but could always still get reception.

Just went to the Genie with client receivers for each TV...swm was easy to add to Travler.

 

[Theresau]

We've done pretty well with wireless for the Roku and yes we have a data plan we can increase if we want to use it if wireless is not adequate (we're hard-wired at home for the Roku using Netgear Powerline adapter). While in FL we really got into Star Trek reruns on Netflix - watched all 187 of Star Trek Next Generation...

As far as movies, wife has been good at finding codes for free movies at Redbox that she seldom pays for them and she also goes to library as well. She can get fairly new movies there as well. Did have Netflix just did not like paying for it although I do have the Hdmi adapter for my iPad. With Netflix and roku too I assume you have to have a good Internet connection or a mifi device with a large data plan.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jassson007]

We've done pretty well with wireless for the Roku and yes we have a data plan we can increase if we want to use it if wireless is not adequate (we're hard-wired at home for the Roku using Netgear Powerline adapter). While in FL we really got into Star Trek reruns on Netflix - watched all 187 of Star Trek Next Generation...

When we still had the house we had fastest available dsl available so it was not an issue. Full time now so we are at mercy of our park wifi and our personal mifi. Oh well...lol...wife loved it but was not a big deal to me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[porthole]

When they switched to SWM it wasn't backwards compatible - correct? I had to buy all new receivers when I did this (and I didn't go to HD). I'd like to hear what channels are received for Directv using the Winegard Carryout - doesn't take up that much space and can be used for other systems and much cheaper. I'm wondering if the HD channels that are not accessible are only movie channels? We pick up movies with our Roku at only $8 a month.

I haven't been able to find a good channel list per satellite.

Winegard Carryout does not support HD channels on the DirecTV network. That is the main reason I started with dish.