Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 11-03-2012, 04:33 PM   #1
Winnebago Watcher
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 4
Satellite TV for RV

We recently bought a 2005 Minnie Winnie 30 footer. A previous owner had a satellite dish installed on the roof that has no markings on it (not even on components under the plastic dome), but I believe it’s a TracVision in-motion system. The previous owner used their house receiver (don’t know if it was a Dish network or DirecTV unit) which they kept when they sold the RV. They said that everything worked fine, but they could not tell me anything about the system nor did they have any paperwork for it. It was installed by a dealer who has since gone out of business.

Now the question. At home I have a 10’ BUG (“big ugly dish” <grin>) and digital receiver that I’ve had some 22 years, with subscriptions to various programming services depending on who’s price was best. Currently I selected one that provides me with excellent reception and good service for a vast array of channels with both east and west versions of certain programs, along with movie channels, etc. at less than ½ the cost of Dish or DirecTV.

Some campgrounds have miserable cable, and we frequently use one that has no cable and is “in a hole” so the OTA antenna is useless, plus we don’t speak Spanish or watch religious programs. To have programming while RVing, maybe 12 weeks per year I would need to get the appropriate receiver and another portable dish and amp (since campgrounds have trees) for the RV, and a subscription to programming that I can “call and turn on and off”. An alternative would be to switch the system I have at home to a Dish or DirecTV and use the receiver in the MH with the portable dish and amp, although that would be at a much higher cost than now.

I’ve checked both programmer’s web sites but they really don’t say anything. Does anyone know of programming from either provider for RV owners that can be turned off when not RVing? If so, where can I get info on it. I know Dish network has a “Tailgater” system but I would still need the receiver and a yearly subscription.
Vince
Vince-C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-03-2012, 04:48 PM   #2
Winnebago Owner
 
vsheetz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: SoCal
Posts: 227
Dish has 'Pay as you go RV' service. Turn it on and off as desired. I am using the service with my Tailgater antenna and 211k receiver while camping this weekend. Works well.
__________________
Vince and Susan
2011 Tiffin Phaeton 40QTH (Cummins ISC/Freightliner)
Flat towing a modified 2005 Jeep (Rubicon Wrangler)
Previously a 2002 Fleetwood Pace Arrow 37A and a 1995 Safari Trek 2830.
vsheetz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-03-2012, 04:56 PM   #3
Winnebago Master
 
RickO's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Litchfield Park, Arizona
Posts: 656
Welcome to the forum.

Yep, what Vince said. Although I use DirecTv, the Dish pay as you go plan seems to be pretty popular with folks here on the forum.

Be aware that, with programming from either DirecTv or Dish, you will lose your "local network" channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, etc) when you travel very far from your home... since these channels are spot beamed.

Some folks get around this by calling and changing their service address to their current location if they plan to be there for a while. Or, you can subscribe to DNS and get network feeds from LA or NYC.

Good luck.

Rick
__________________
Rick, Nancy, Peanut & Lola our Westie Dogs & Bailey the Sheltie.

2007 Itasca Ellipse 40FD
RickO is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-03-2012, 08:20 PM   #4
Winnebago Owner
 
tbomn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Minnesota and Mississippi
Posts: 52
Rick is correct about Dish and Direct TV. I have Directv at home so I got around paying for service in the coach by buying my own receivers in the coach. So, I have these two receivers on my home account, but because I own them, I can call and have them turned on and off when I choose. Each of my receivers in the coach cost me $6.00 per month when turned on and nothing when turned off. With Directv you can have local channels any where you are, just call and they will switch them. I live in Minnesota in the summer and near New Orleans in the winter, we just switch to New Orleans locals when down there.
__________________
Joe and Joan...Retired Educators
Maggie..Calico, Clayton..Silver Tabby
2003 Winnebago Adventurer 38G, 2013 GMC Terrain
tbomn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-04-2012, 11:28 AM   #5
Winnebago Watcher
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 4
Vsheetz, Ricko and Tbomn, - thank you for your answers which have helped greatly. I have some followup questions if you don't mind.

Would you tell me what model dish, receiver, etc you have that work together? I understand not all models work with each other.

I found a web site (DISHForMyRV: DISH Mobile Satellite Systems & Pay-As-You-Go TV for RV, Tailgating, & the Great Outdoors) that sells hardware but not programs for RV folks. Anyone know if they're associated with Disk network or independent? Are there other sellers for both Dish and DirecTV?

They sell hardware but state that they "turn on or off" (for no cost) programming that you buy (from Dish I assume). Are these programs the ones listed in regular packages on the Dish or DirecTV web sites, and how are you charged for the amount you use? Tbomn, you said that DirecTV also does this for you "...by buying my own receivers in the coach....". Would you please elaborate?

I was thinking of getting my own equipment (receiver, dish/tripod, amp) from ebay and ordering programs from either Dish or DirecTV - any thoughts from any of you? I assume that DISHForMyRV: DISH Mobile Satellite Systems & Pay-As-You-Go TV for RV, Tailgating, & the Great Outdoors will only serve folks that purchase from them, - does Dish or DirecTV also "turn on or off" like they say they do?

Best regards to all,
Vince
Vince-C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-04-2012, 12:20 PM   #6
Winnebago Master
 
RickO's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Litchfield Park, Arizona
Posts: 656
I use the Winegard Slimline Travelr SK3005 with a DirecTv HR24 HD DVR receiver. It's a pretty popular set up these days. It's a roof top, open faced automatic dish.

Most models of sat dishes you'll find, come set up for either Dish OR DirecTv. Some can be switched between vendors by a simple change of switch settings and other dishes need changes to their hardware to switch vendor satellite service. If you decide to buy from a dealer, you don't need to worry about compatibility. They will sell you a package including installation and make sure everything plays nicely together.

The link you provided looks like an authorized Dish Network dealer advertising the Dish Pay as You Go program. These are usually independent dealers who have been authorized by the OEM. There are many of them out there but I suspect prices are pretty comparable in any given area.... but shopping around once you figure out what you want would be a good idea.

The programming packages you buy are the same as Dish offers to the stick house customers and I think it will be Dish (not this dealer) that you deal with when activating/deactivating your service.

A lot of people do buy their own equipment from ebay and then purchase the programming packages. I assume, but don't know for sure, that Dish will work with you directly even if you've purchased your own equipment. If you've purchased your own equipment I don't think you'd even need to deal with dealers like those in the link you provided. If you did have trouble getting your equipment working properly, I'm sure any of these dealers would be happy to service it... for an hourly labor charge.

Personally, I've found it easiest to purchase an automatic roof top dish and use one of the HD DVR Receivers from the stick house in the coach when we travel.

Rick
__________________
Rick, Nancy, Peanut & Lola our Westie Dogs & Bailey the Sheltie.

2007 Itasca Ellipse 40FD
RickO is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-04-2012, 12:36 PM   #7
Winnie-Wise
 
Stevegd007's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: San Diego County, CA
Posts: 303
So Vince-C...is it at all possible to contact the previous owner an ask them what satellite service they were using? Your roof top dish will need to be "programed" if they had Dish and you want Direct-TV and vice versa. If can get the "same" receiver or a similar one from the same company you will not need to do this "programing" thing. My King-Dome dish will work with either service..BUT it must be re-programed if I move to a different satellite company.
Yes you can go out to Amazon/Ebay or even a place like Radio Shack and purchase your receiver for the RV. Then also get a "used" dish, tripod and cable for those places covered by trees as such. Just need to do a little learning curve to set up a tripod dish, but it can be done.
If you chose to go to a pay-as-you programing...you pay just for what you used...prorated to the day to sign on an sign off.
For my self I am with Dish at home an I have a 301 reliever I use in the RV with the King-Dome. I have the 301 "turned" on all the time and pay an extra $5/7 per month to have an "extra" receiver on my account. So that is all the "extra" cost I incur for having a Dish receiver in the RV. All the programing I have at home is also seen in my RV...until I move the RV out from under the spot beam for my local channels. That can happen anywhere from 250/350 miles from home. IF you want the National Channels (NBC,CBS,ABC) you can get them with an add on to a package...but they come in from the east coast time zone.
Finally I really only use the satellite service about 1/3 of the time in the RV as most RV parks have (well for me anyway) adequate cable service.
Good luck...an happy trails.
__________________
Steve & Leslie
Winnebago 2007 Adventurer 38T
Honda 2010 CR-V "Toad"
Stevegd007 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-04-2012, 01:02 PM   #8
Winnebago Owner
 
tbomn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Minnesota and Mississippi
Posts: 52
I have the same setup as Rick does. I used to have one of those crank-up dishes on the roof, way to much trouble to get it tuned in. Not only that but that crank-up dish was not HD compatible. When I changed out the old tvs to HD I needed an HD satellite dish and receivers. The system is top of the line and works perfect.
__________________
Joe and Joan...Retired Educators
Maggie..Calico, Clayton..Silver Tabby
2003 Winnebago Adventurer 38G, 2013 GMC Terrain
tbomn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-05-2012, 01:26 AM   #9
Winnebago Owner
 
kjburns's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 184
I don't *think* it's necessary to purchase the equipment from them to use the Dish for My RV program, but I think it's limited to certain receivers (211 and 311). You might think about getting service at home, replacing your 10' system, and using that receiver on the road too.

If you buy a dish, receiver and tripod, you'll be set. There is no amp required. The setup is pretty simple, though some have a lot of trouble with aiming a multi-LNB antenna.

There is a good chance that the existing dome on your motorhome is compatible. Most domes are programmable to run either DirecTV (SD) or Dish HD. When programmed for Dish, they automatically switch satellites based on the channel selected. It sounds like you're only planning to run one receiver, so a tripod and antenna might only be necessary if you're in an area where the dome is blocked by trees.
kjburns is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
satellite


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
lost satellite 110 on Dish Jcous Electrical | Charging, Solar and Electronics 11 01-28-2009 08:07 PM
satellite wiring notslo Electrical | Charging, Solar and Electronics 10 01-23-2009 05:21 PM
Winegard Satellite Won't Lock Onto Signal Sammie Electrical | Charging, Solar and Electronics 24 01-14-2009 02:29 PM
Roof Satellite Dish Install Rock-Rocker General Maintenance and Repair 7 12-05-2008 03:14 AM
Winegard Satellite Interface for Movin' View GaDawgFan Winnebago Class C Motorhomes 6 11-28-2008 05:51 AM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Winnebago Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:21 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.