Satalite TV

codgerbill · 12-20-2007, 05:49 AM

I have recently purchased a previously owned Winnebago 35U. It has a
dish on the roof and the previous owner stated that all one had to do
when parked was to either input the city or maby it was zip code and
the dish will operate and locate the appropriate satalite. I have cable
TV at home and have a desire to use the satalite dish. I contacted
Direct Tv and they said I would need a new reciever and that they would
have to test the system to find out if the dish on the roof would be
adaquate for thier system. That aside I asked if I would have to pay
the monthly fee for service even if I was not using the service. The
rep stated that I would only pay for the time that the service was
activated. I would like to hear from people that use the service if the
rates are pro rated for only the activation time or if the rep
was "blowing smoke"? Also the TV is a analog and I wonder if the
conversion that is suggested for the home TV's will be the same for the
coach TV's?

codgerbill · 12-20-2007, 05:49 AM

I have recently purchased a previously owned Winnebago 35U. It has a
dish on the roof and the previous owner stated that all one had to do
when parked was to either input the city or maby it was zip code and
the dish will operate and locate the appropriate satalite. I have cable
TV at home and have a desire to use the satalite dish. I contacted
Direct Tv and they said I would need a new reciever and that they would
have to test the system to find out if the dish on the roof would be
adaquate for thier system. That aside I asked if I would have to pay
the monthly fee for service even if I was not using the service. The
rep stated that I would only pay for the time that the service was
activated. I would like to hear from people that use the service if the
rates are pro rated for only the activation time or if the rep
was "blowing smoke"? Also the TV is a analog and I wonder if the
conversion that is suggested for the home TV's will be the same for the
coach TV's?

smlranger · 12-20-2007, 06:17 AM

We have Direct TV at home and also have a receiver in the motorhome. We call and activate the mobile receiver when we are using the rig and call them to turn it off when we get back home. They charge $4.95 per month (they've actually pro-rated that when we use it for less than a full month).

If you can Direct TV to only charge for actual use, that would be great. I would think there would be a minimal monthly service charge but perhaps not.

On Direct, you use the on-screen menu to set up your satellite...you probably have a round dish with on LNB..you enter the zip code for the area you are in and that tells the system how to aim the dish (or gives you the azimuth and compass heading if you are aiming a manual dish).

My front TV is analog and it works fine with the Direct TV receiver.

Some of the other technical experts on the forum will likely respond with more/better info.

Pusherman · 12-20-2007, 07:20 AM

DirecTV will 'suspend' your service for no more than 6 months. Vacation mode. So my DirecTV service for my coach is suspended until March 1st when the coach comes out to play again!

MaverickBBD · 12-20-2007, 07:56 AM

I have been using Directv for sooooo long now I can't even remember when I first got it but I think it was SputnicTV back then (just kidding). I am on my fifth reciever from them. Three, all HighDef in the stick house. My orginal recievers were moved to the motor home. They work just fine. The dish on my motor home (winnegard) was set up to find the DishTV satellite. It can be reset to find directv which you can do yourself. My reciever and tv has to be on for the dish to "find" the satellite

dcellisesq · 12-20-2007, 09:09 AM

Bill - Here is my recent Direct TV experience. I have had Direct TV in my motorhome for
about 1 1/2 years. I have always been allowed to activate/suspend service just by notice
to Direct TV. This has occurred about 6 times. Recently, I was notified that Direct TV
would no longer allow more than two suspensions in a 12 month period. They wrote to
me: "Please note due to a recent policy change, you are unable suspend your service if
you have suspended your service two or more times in the past twelve months."

I began calling to better understand the reason for this "recent policy change," but got
nowhere. Finally, they suggested that I raise my complaint with:

Custom Relations
Direct TV
Attn: Mobile Network Services
P.O. Box 6550
Greenwood Village, CO 80155

I am writing a letter of protest. Perhaps other affected consumers would like to do the
same.

Daniel C. Ellis
2005 Journey 39F
Portland, Oregon

bobpie · 12-20-2007, 01:08 PM

My service is suspended until April. When I called to suspend it I was told that you can only do this once a year. That was OK with me because that is all I do any way. I didn't know that this was a new policy. I have had it for 3 years in the MH now. Cable TV at the stick house.

Tom N · 12-20-2007, 02:55 PM

Since we use DirecTV 24/7/365 I never turn the service off. I only turn receivers and local stations on and off.

-Tom

milham · 12-20-2007, 03:39 PM

I'm probably going to get busted by the Direct TV detectives but here is what we do. We have two receivers in our house, one DVR connected to the TV in the living room and one standard receiver connected to the TV in the room where we have our excercise equipment. When we travel in the RV I take the box out of the excercise room and I install it in the RV and DW records any programs she thinks she will miss on the DVR which stays home. We have a fixed dish on the roof of the RV which I have never used because we usually don't have clear view of the southern skies so I always setup my portable dish (my DW usually has my cocktail mixed by the time I finish the setup). I would think if you have only one receiver at home you could just install it in your RV when you travel. So far the "box" hasn't complained about being moved from the warm cozy house to the warm cozy RV. That being said we usually stay in the Western States and we might have a problem if we ever traveled East. We don't receive our "local" channels when traveling but who cares.

Ron

jk_and_dog · 12-21-2007, 03:38 AM

I got the "bed room" receiver to go along with the DVR which is in the house. My installer told me he was not supose to install in MH but if I didn't complain he would not tell. The second small re eiver stays in MH and since I do't know when I'll be on the road I just leave it active. I have the winguard auto find dish. When I get to where I'm going i just turn the dish on, it findsx the best satelite, then flip receiver on and tv come up with the direct tv main programs. I use to put in the zip code for where i was but have found out that i do not need to do this. Just wait for dish to find sat. give it a few minutes to up load data and wa la. I think i'm putting coach away for a couple of months right after Christmas out at my mothers so I guess i'll call Direct TV and suspend service during that time. But then with winter coming in and ice storms be our nemace and storage being out on Knotts Island, maybe I'll just leave it active just incase she loses power she can move in MH and have her TV. She's 88 and refuses to let any one "help" her. One independant women!!!!!.

GG1 · 12-21-2007, 03:36 PM

I do the same as Ron2, when we are on the road (6 months a year) the Direct TV receiver comes out of one of the rooms and into the motorhome. We get all channels the same as home including local NY stations from Canada to south Florida we use the rooftop or a portable dish.

MeterMan · 12-21-2007, 06:31 PM

I see everyone is using Direct TV. Is there an advantage over Dish TV when it comes to motorhomes?

Pusherman · 12-22-2007, 04:29 AM

A while ago Dish had a problem with DNS (Distant Network Services) where they provide ABC/NBC/CBS feeds from east/west coast. They got in trouble with the feds by not following the rules.

DirecTV provides DNS assuming you have a signed waiver and copy of your MH registration on file.

Not sure if Dish is back up and running with DNS or not.

Route 66 · 12-22-2007, 04:40 AM

Dish is still prohibited from offering DNS.

However DNS for Dish customers is available from AllAmericanDirect.com for about the same rate as Dish offered them.

Tom N · 12-22-2007, 05:06 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Pusherman:
They got in trouble with the feds by not following the rules. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

In truth, Dish got in trouble with the local over the air network stations. The "feds" (FCC) only stepped in to enforce the local, over the air, station's exclusive rights to be the only network broadcaster in their home market.

-Tom

MeterMan · 12-22-2007, 07:15 AM

Thanks for the information. I have been toying with the idea of putting a box in the motorhome but if I did that, I would also do the stick house. Just hadn't decided which one I was going to go with. I think you guys made up my mind.