Direct TV or Dish Network

CSGibson · 03-11-2021, 07:02 PM

Going to switch provider at home from cable to?? Which one works the best in your coach? I already have “Tracvision” on the roof. Thanks for any feedback.

dlan603 · 03-11-2021, 09:18 PM

I have direct TV and it works ok. Some times I have to call Direct TV and tell them where I am. Then you lose your local channels. They always want to send out a technician to troubleshoot. I just tell to send me a refresh signal that does the trick.
Dlan603

Wayne M · 03-11-2021, 10:02 PM

We have been with DISH for years. I'm not familiar at all with Tracvision but I understand that DirecTV is making some changes that may affect previous old time users.

With that said, there is no dome on the market that I know of that will received DirecTV High Definition (HD). Whereas, DISH antenna (DOME) will received HD but limited to one channel at a time from there 3 satellites. It is possible to purchase a portable antenna and received all 3 satellit feeds of of Satellite 72 (71).

If possible, convert to a Traveler antenna and get HD from either. My system is the DISH hopper at the house and the DISH Wally in the RV. WIth the Hopper you can record 16 channels at one time (I still can't figure out how to watch them all after recording.) With the Wally it is watch a recording while recording two or watch one while recording one. Some limitations there. I have heard of some having the Hopper in the RV and I wish we had gone that way and may still.

As for local channels, with DISH you can call them and give them the ZIP code and you will receive the local channels for that area you are in. (FCC Regulations.) If you are full time and do not have a residential setup you can change locals through and APP. (Again FCC Regulations, but DISH is working on it.

Other can chime in on any of my misinformation or provide information on DTV....errr I meant missed information.

p.s., with the Dish Anywhere App, I can log in, see what is playing on the "other than local channels," and tell my Hopper at the house to record it.

CSGibson · 03-12-2021, 04:52 AM

Thanks for the info. We are only in the motor home a few times a year. I just bought it and figured if we already had the Tracvision on the RV we would switch at the house then when we do go out we could just grab a box from the house and go. If there wasn’t already a dish on the RV we most likely would just use our phones connected to the TV’s and watch that way with apps. I just didn’t want to switch and find out I went wit the wrong sat provider. Thanks for your input. I appreciate it.

Morich · 03-12-2021, 08:25 AM

Note for the occasional user!!
We have Dish at home and thought it sounded great as a way to have it when we do go out but then we found they very much oversell what they do.
They indicate that you can have it all as you go out but then they don't tell you that it requires more equipment and internet full time to do it!
So we do not have fill time internet as we travel, DUH! So we get very little of those features.
Also we CAN call or use an app to change to get the local channels where we are---but that cuts it off at the house, so that if you are recording the favorites at home, forget about them being there when you get back!

Then there is a bit of a nightmare when they upgrade their computer things and we do not have the RV Wally turned on. Seems like they can't understand that when we are turned off, we don't get the upgrade and it takes several hours to jump through the hoops to get it turned back on. One can't just call and say you want to speak to somebody who speaks English and knows why it doesn't work. First you go through the normal first and second level who only know to read it off the chart before you finally get to somebody who understands that you don't get the update if you are not connected! That third level help can then send it to you----but only if your dish is pointed the right way and than can be a real trick in places where getting a signal through the trees is a question. You can't be sure to find the satellite without the update and you can't get the update without being connected to the satellite???
Sine we do not keep cell service for full time talking with unlimited time, we have found it a good idea to set the RV Dish up at home and make sure it will work before we head out and don't have a landline to use for the hours we need to spend to get it back in service.
Works good, if we can get it to work! At one point we were in "iffy" territory where the dish connected for a bit but started the update and then trees got in the way to interrupt the download, so they told us we would have to get a new Wally as that was defective and they could not restart the download. A bit of argument about who's fault until they finally agreed to replace the Wally on their tab.
Not a good service but we are not finding one that looks better, either.

**creativepart** · 03-12-2021, 09:22 AM

We had Dish for 20+ years at home and took it on the road in our older RVs. Between Direc and Dish, as a new subscriber Dish will be a better choice. ATT bought Direc and they are losing hundreds of thousands of subscribers each year due to service issues and price rises. Presently they are trying to sell the entire service at a fire sale price and finding no takers. The latest word is they are practically giving 50% of it to another company in exchange for that company running everything for them.

Dish on the other hand is making big bucks and trying to expand into more internet and even cell phone business.

We dumped Dish in 2017 and went full-time streaming via the internet at home and on the road in the RV. Our monthly Dish bill seemed to go up regularly for 20 years and by the time we dumped them our monthly bill was over $230 a month. We stream a LOT of services but it totals less than $70 a month.

Streaming is not for everyone and you watch TV totally different than cable or SAT with streaming. Rather than surf around to see what's on, we plan all of our programs. We watch specific things whenever we want, not when they are "on." With streaming everything is always on - though lately some big name shows are released one episode per week.

As I said, we stream in the RV 100% as well as at home. Home is easy with fast cheap unlimited internet. On the RV it's more difficult to come by but by starting in 2017 we were able to get fast, truly unlimited and reasonable priced data plans. That's more difficult in today's world.

One thing driving Dish's success with RVers is the ability to take care of most programming and account changes online. DirecTV makes folks call and there are long waits and many frustrated users that can't get simple changes accomplished.

Perhaps, in a year or so, we'll have have available fast unlimited satellite internet at a reasonable price and everything will get easier.

Wayne M · 03-12-2021, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CSGibson

Thanks for the info. We are only in the motor home a few times a year. I just bought it and figured if we already had the Tracvision on the RV we would switch at the house then when we do go out we could just grab a box from the house and go. If there wasn’t already a dish on the RV we most likely would just use our phones connected to the TV’s and watch that way with apps. I just didn’t want to switch and find out I went wit the wrong sat provider. Thanks for your input. I appreciate it.

I forgot to mention that I did just that with my previous DISH VIP 722. I'd pull it out of the house and take it with us. I used a CarryOut antenna, portable, and it worked well. I'm not sure if you could do the Hopper that way but suspect it can be done. If you do take one from the house you will not get local channels. All area local channels are sent from the satellite via a "spotbeam," for that area.

As stated, I'd go with DISH versus DTV because of the problems DTV is having since ATT took it over.

CSGibson · 03-12-2021, 05:38 PM

They told me that I can just take a box out of the house and hook it up in the RV then we go home to just put it back in the house. Would that fix the update issue?? Not a big deal if we can’t get this deal to work but heck if it doesn’t cost anything more then our house tv why not?? Starting to think read a book is a lot easier ! LOL ! Thanks for the information. Good info on locals and loosing you recorded shows. Never thought of that. Thanks again !

CSGibson · 03-12-2021, 05:43 PM

We do some streaming at home. We just started Discovery plus BUT my Wife is disappointed that all her shows are old repetes from years ago! So we are probably going to cancel them. We do Hulu Netflix Prime. Just figured with the dish already on the RV it would be nice. Thanks for the info between the companies.

Wayne M · 03-12-2021, 09:57 PM

DISH has Dish On The Go...when not in use in the MH you can turn the service off. Any portion of a month on will be the monthly fee. Monthly fee for an extra Wally in the MH is about $7 a month...not a break the bank for me. I use it quite frequently anyhow.

If you get a good over-the-air (OTA) signal with your antenna there is no need for satellite local channels. That way all you home programming is recorded. There is also an OTA usb add on to the Wally that will allow you to get the OTA local channels fed through the Wally so what ever features you have you will have for those channels.

al1florida · 03-13-2021, 02:34 PM

We have use Dish Network in our RV and our house for about 12 years now.

-- We have never had to have a internet connection for anything dealing with Dish Network. I don't understand an earlier comment that they had to have an internet connection for Dish.

-- We just take the VIP 722 receiver out of the house and put it in the RV when go on the road.

We have the Wineguard Trav'ler on the roof of the RV. Just push a button and it finds the satellite, as long as there isn't a tree in the way.

-- We have not had any problems with updates. Maybe we would if we left the receiver turned off for weeks or months at a time, or maybe that is the Wally receiver thing.

-- As we travel we change our local channels by doing a chat session with Dish network and give them an address in a city near where we are traveling. For example, in the Pacific NW, Portland, OR locals cover down to about 90 air miles into CA, up into the first 20-50 miles of Canada and almost to the ID and NV borders.

**creativepart** · 03-13-2021, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by al1florida

-- We have never had to have a internet connection for anything dealing with Dish Network. I don't understand an earlier comment that they had to have an internet connection for Dish.

Dish sells a number of features that require the internet. For instance, they have receivers that you connect to the internet and then you can watch the recorded content from your DVR anywhere in the world, even via a smart phone.

Many folks get these systems set up at home by an installer and they don't realize that part of the service is via Satellite and part is delivered via the internet. It's called Dish Anywhere.

It's the same with Dish's Sling service. It lets you watch your Dish programming on a computer or phone or TV without a SAT dish or anything but internet.

I've seen folks make this same complaint that they had no idea you needed the internet for those services.

The Wally is generally a better mobile receiver than the older 722. It's faster and easier to set up. Best yet the remote is RF (radio) not IR (infared) so you can put the Wally inside a cabinet and still operate it from the remote - even outside the RV. I don't remember but I think the 722 has an RF remote, as well. Most folks with older Dish receivers for mobile use use a VIP712 or 711 and that has a IR remote. So, the Wally is a step up.

(The 722 has dual LNB inserts doesn't it? I was told you could only use a 722 for 30 days with only one LNB attached.)

However, the Wally wants to go into sleep mode and update its software and the programming guide daily. You can make it do it at set times of day but it takes it a while and usually needs to find the SATs again after it wakes.

The Wally doesn't have a DVR and you have to pay a one time fee of $40 to add a hard disk and you have to buy the HD.

Hope that explains some of the other complaints.

Wayne M · 03-13-2021, 08:50 PM

As stated, I have the Wally in the MH. Today we brought the MH home to get ready for a trip. I fired up the wally, then went to my dish anywhere app that uses the internet, clicked on services and the awake receiver function and clicked ok. Wally was activated within a very short time,

You could do the same thing by calling DISH on the phone and talk to the guy sitting on a upside down 5 gallon bucket in the middle of a desert with a laptop connected to a car battery.

FYI: If you have a home account and an On-The_Go account for the MH you must call DISH to change your location for local channels. If they ask for an address don't give it to them. All you need to do is give them the ZIP code. If you give them a physical address your billing address will be changed...ask me how I know. I talked to upper management and I have emails regarding this subject. If they insist by some rules they are talking about, then you insist on speaking to a supervisor. When you call push the button for Tech Support and you should not have a problem.

CSGibson · 03-14-2021, 01:42 AM

Woah ! That would stink, changing your billing address! Oh and the 5 gallon bucket? Hilarious ! Thanks for the info and the laugh! Gotta definitely show the Wife this one ! ��

al1florida · 03-14-2021, 05:30 AM

I find that going to mydish.com and doing a chat session works far better than calling Dish to change local channels.

CSGibson · 03-14-2021, 07:06 AM

Thank you. Hopefully I will be prepared now. I definitely have a path ! Have a great weekend !

SmilingSimon · 03-23-2021, 03:04 AM

I wanted to change to Directv a yr or so back, went by ATT store and talked a bit.

At the time, to change Local channels - it would cost $89 for EACH change, plus they really would not come 'install' a setup for rv - would have to find a independent dealer who would be willing, YMMV !

Since being bought by ATT, Directv is ANTI rv and I advise to STAY FAR AWAY and never use Directv unless you have a home system - the only way i know to 'kick a huge corp is to NOT buy their $h1t' !

$$ is all that matters to ATT ! besides there is a reason that phone companies have ALWAYS been hated - they are dreadful to customers.

GL!

ps: buy a good satellite signal tool & compass if you go for a portable setup - Dish is hard to find all 3 sats (110-129 in west US, thru the trees) and peak their signals - sadly Directv is drop dead easy in comparison & all sats are full conus - Dish is NOT !

cef2lion · 03-23-2021, 08:26 AM

I had a “Tracvision R5” on my 04 Adventurer when I bought it. Took awhile working with there tech support to get it working with a Dish 211K. Dish changed some satellite parameters that made the Tracvision R5 obsolete. I purchased a Winegard Pathway X2 as it can track the Eastern ARC. Plus I can move it around if trees block its sight. Have been watching as new antennas come out. For me one checkbox is tracking the eastern ARC. I like the King model that have a mount on the roof with quick disconnect.

Last year I bought a Wally with a WiFi USB adapter. Nice improvement. I used to turn it on and off but got tired of Dish changing a fee to enabled and disable it. So it leave it active year round. When the Wally isn't in the RV I put it in my garage. Last summer I put an antenna for it in the yard. Had to figure out the right LNB for it. Works great and just have to do a switch check when moving it back and forth from the RV. Also, last summer I swapped out both tube TVs for flat screens. Wally sites up front and feeds front TV with HDMI. I left the old coax switcher box in place to feed the rear and outside TV for now. I have a Blueray in the front and bedroom.

I have the Hopper 3 in the house with 2 Joeys. What is getting old is the rising monthly rates. Seems like every month the bill goes up.