I know my 2013 bighorn 3010re came prewired for the winegard sat system, but my ignorant question is this - is that the ONLY sat dish I can use? We don't want anything permanent and are thinking of something portable so we can place it where it will get reception. Electronics really through me for a loop - I just don't get it - so any info would be greatly appreciated. Btw we are direct tv genie users if that helps.
Satelite newbee questions
- Thread starter Mrsfish
- Start date
danemayer
Well-known member
The prewiring for the Winegard is independent from most of the satellite wiring in the coach. In your UDC, above the water connections, there should be 4 coax connectors for satellite. Think of them as pairs. If you installed the Winegard or some other dish on the roof using the coax that's up there, the signal would come out on the right hand coax connector of each pair. You would then use a jumper to connect the signal to the left hand connector of each pair. The left hand connectors go to the living room and bedroom which is where you would locate your receivers.
If you get a portable dish that you set up at each campground, you would connect it to the left hand connectors in the UDC, and ignore the rooftop wiring since you won't be using it.
So you need a dish that's compatible with your Genie receiver(s), and some coax cable to run from the dish to the UDC, and maybe other components like a power inserter and a splitter if you have more than one receiver.
Here's a diagram that shows the UDC wiring.
We also have a user guide, Getting Started with Satellite TV that may be of help.
If you get a portable dish that you set up at each campground, you would connect it to the left hand connectors in the UDC, and ignore the rooftop wiring since you won't be using it.
So you need a dish that's compatible with your Genie receiver(s), and some coax cable to run from the dish to the UDC, and maybe other components like a power inserter and a splitter if you have more than one receiver.
Here's a diagram that shows the UDC wiring.
We also have a user guide, Getting Started with Satellite TV that may be of help.
Roller4tan
Well-known member
I just picked up our 2014 Bighorn. I have Directv with SWM dish and lnb. I poured over the schematics trying to figure it all out. I have two receivers and one line from the dish. I put a pass thru 3Gz splitter in the udc one leg to living room and one leg to bedroom, the left connectors that danemayer was talking about. The living room is easy, just plug your receiver into the satellite port and run HDMI to tv setting tv to that HDMI port. the bedroom is a little trickier. I powered the dish SWM from here thru the satellite port and connected the signal out port from the power supply to the connector going to the tv after disconnecting the antenna jumper lead. I had to put another splitter coming into the tv for the coax to go to the tv and to the receiver, I then use an HDMI cable to connect the receiver to the tv and switch tv to that HDMI port.
Garypowell
Well-known member
Usually someone else says this....so I will since I did it this way. well first....I use a Wineguard 1518 dish for the same reason you mentioned.....want to move it around.
But the advice is hook it up just unto itself first...out in the drive way is where I did it. Make sure you can make it work where you can see all the cables. Then when you use the RV wires....you at least know it used to work.
For about $35 dollars you can buy a "toner" at a big box store like Home Depot. This allows you to trace where wires go and don't go.
Mine worked the first time...but I know many find lose connections, etc. but by running it in the driveway first....again you gain confidence.
Since the initial install I have now converted it to a SWM mode so I can watch recorded things off of the DVR.
this watching different things took me by surprise since there were two cable drops on the Wineguard. The problem with Directv....well better put the way it works....is that not all programming is on one satalite. For example your local channels might be on 101 and your starz might be on 119. If the main tv is watching something on sat 101....the other "box" can only see what is on that satalite.
But the advice is hook it up just unto itself first...out in the drive way is where I did it. Make sure you can make it work where you can see all the cables. Then when you use the RV wires....you at least know it used to work.
For about $35 dollars you can buy a "toner" at a big box store like Home Depot. This allows you to trace where wires go and don't go.
Mine worked the first time...but I know many find lose connections, etc. but by running it in the driveway first....again you gain confidence.
Since the initial install I have now converted it to a SWM mode so I can watch recorded things off of the DVR.
this watching different things took me by surprise since there were two cable drops on the Wineguard. The problem with Directv....well better put the way it works....is that not all programming is on one satalite. For example your local channels might be on 101 and your starz might be on 119. If the main tv is watching something on sat 101....the other "box" can only see what is on that satalite.
I'm not quite sure that I understand what you are saying.
I have DTV with the Genie and Client in the RV and can watch anything on either device.
I do have a three LNB dish. Do you have a single LNB?
And for Mrsfish, if you want to get something portable that works well HERE IS A LINK for you to check out some equipment.
Peace
Dave
Garypowell
Well-known member
Cookie,
I was speaking of my 1518 auto dish...the one in the white dome. It is very limited, 1 satellite at a time and no HD.
Certainly there are better solutions but I have never been a good "pointer"....so it works for me.
Not that the OP indicated this directly but it seemed she wanted to keep it simple....and my dome is that....but at a price.
I was speaking of my 1518 auto dish...the one in the white dome. It is very limited, 1 satellite at a time and no HD.
Certainly there are better solutions but I have never been a good "pointer"....so it works for me.
Not that the OP indicated this directly but it seemed she wanted to keep it simple....and my dome is that....but at a price.
Harry1
Active Member
Gary, I also use the 1518 and with Dish you do receive HD. ( not sure if you can get HD with Direct) I went with the ladder mount and for most locations it works fine. Only had to bring it down once or twice to get outside of trees. I have not bought a second receiver for the bedroom as its an additional $7.00 monthly charge for a second receiver. I did install an external hard drive so as to record programs as well. Works great. You can record a sat channel and watch a different local channel off the roof antenna.
Garypowell
Well-known member
Yes that is the limit we have DirectV. We have it at home so it was the natural choice at the time. Frankly in the RV I don't miss HD.
We we have two accounts one for home one for RV. we decided to go Direct Network Service for RV.....against a good decision at the time....not sure I would do it again and might cancel the RV account at the end of this trip in August.
I move over the home equipment to the RV account when we travel and it is becoming a pain. Plus with a new Jack antenna I think we will always be able to get locals.
Live and learn.
We we have two accounts one for home one for RV. we decided to go Direct Network Service for RV.....against a good decision at the time....not sure I would do it again and might cancel the RV account at the end of this trip in August.
I move over the home equipment to the RV account when we travel and it is becoming a pain. Plus with a new Jack antenna I think we will always be able to get locals.
Live and learn.
pegmikef
Well-known member
I use the Dish Tailgater and have used it for four years now. It is portable, automatic, and comes with a fifty foot cable. A separate wire is NOT required for the dc voltage as it uses the coax. It does receive HD and dependent on your deal with Dish, you can receive your local channels when out of your home area. Only one or two receivers will work with it. I have seen Tailgater and receiver packages for around four hundred bucks and I think that is what I paid. The down side is that the Tailgater will accommodate only one receiver and will only functionn in the contigious 48 states. Note: When you are connecting whatever antenna you decide on, if it doesn't work using the first port for the living room IAW Dan's diagram, then try the third from the left port. That is what it is on my 3010RE, but mine's a 2014 and I am not sure when they changed it.
SeattleLion
Well-known member
We had a Tailgater even though we are DirecTV customers. To get all the movie channels on Dish, I ended up paying $135/month. Assuming it is on 6 months a year, it was costing me $810 a year. When we got our Bighorn we bought the Trav'ler and now movce receivers from the house to the camper for the summer. I have no change in monthly costs and get perfect HD on two receivers in the coach. I got a good deal on the Trav'ler from Camping World, they matched Amazon's discounted price and gave me $39 installation.
It's true that trees can get in the way of the permanently mounted dish. Even at home with the trailer parked in the yard, trees get in the way of the 101 sat. The convenience is unbeatable. I still have the Tailgater if someone wants a good deal.
It's true that trees can get in the way of the permanently mounted dish. Even at home with the trailer parked in the yard, trees get in the way of the 101 sat. The convenience is unbeatable. I still have the Tailgater if someone wants a good deal.
gosh - thanks for all of your input. a little research on my part let to these facts/discoverys and more questions. keep in mind my facts/discoverys have a question mark imbeded in them
. When we upgraded our home Direct TV service, we were advised to keep a couple of our older HD boxes for use in the RV. So i have a HDDVR and HD box that i pay $6 each monthly. My understanding is that means i don't have to establish a 2nd account with Direct TV, I just use these boxes and i'm working off my home account. When i travel i probably won't be able to see local channels but should be able to see the satelite channels. Now for the dish - I know that if i get a SWN dish i will be able to plug directly to the satelite inputs on the rig using a splitter. the newest question - a friend just offered me a new VuCube that she bought 8 years ago and never used.. It appears that if i take her up on this i will: not get HD reception and not be able to split the signal for both of my receivers/tvs. Am I right, am i missing something and please give me your opinion. Thanks again
. When we upgraded our home Direct TV service, we were advised to keep a couple of our older HD boxes for use in the RV. So i have a HDDVR and HD box that i pay $6 each monthly. My understanding is that means i don't have to establish a 2nd account with Direct TV, I just use these boxes and i'm working off my home account. When i travel i probably won't be able to see local channels but should be able to see the satelite channels. Now for the dish - I know that if i get a SWN dish i will be able to plug directly to the satelite inputs on the rig using a splitter. the newest question - a friend just offered me a new VuCube that she bought 8 years ago and never used.. It appears that if i take her up on this i will: not get HD reception and not be able to split the signal for both of my receivers/tvs. Am I right, am i missing something and please give me your opinion. Thanks again
SeattleLion
Well-known member
gosh - thanks for all of your input. a little research on my part let to these facts/discoverys and more questions. keep in mind my facts/discoverys have a question mark imbeded in them
You are correct. The DirecTV SWM setup has a 4-way splitter. We have 2 DVR's (taken from our house) to use in the camper. There is no extra charge at all to do this. We DO get local channels if we visit nearby state parks. Once we leave the general area, we no longer get them. DirecTV has a little-known service called "distant networks". You may have had to qualify for it years ago (we did) and it provides all of the networks via a NY channel and a LA channel. We love it.
SeattleLion
Well-known member
We bought the Winegard Trav'ler SWM 3 dish roof mount. If you want to just get a dish/LNB, etc. try ebay.
thanks - i really want to stay portable and not have a roof mount. We often times are in the trees and i need that flexibility. I think. I'm just not an ebay fan and was hoping for another option - i'll keep looking for another source.
Ron-Cookie
Senior Member
Hey Ann and Rick where are you now? We are heading out of this heat towards North Dakota tomorrow morning... I went the Tailgater since we have Dish here at the house... Love it and it costs only $7 a month added onto our home package... I call them when I want locals and it costs nothing to make the change if we are staying at one place... Looking forward to seeing you guys again at the Arizona Rally in October... Have safe travels.... Maybe we will see you while we are out and about...
SeattleLion
Well-known member
That site only offers the tripods and other accessories. I didn't see a dish or LNB.
