Satellite TV Service

[cygnussailor]

My wife and I are thinking about getting satellite TV for our home. It would be nice if we could take the service with us when we travel with the 5er. I would like to hear opinions as to which service is best for this purpose. In addition to being able to take the service with us we would definitely want "The Big Ten Network" and "ESPN" so we can watch MSU and U of M football. Any and all help greatly appreciated.

 

[Stan-XRD]

I have Dish Network at home (2 VIP722 receivers). When we camp, I take one with us and we get all the channels we normally get at home. Plus, since the 722 has two channel receivers each, I can watch one show in the liv room and a separate show in the bedroom, each with there own remote. I had to add a splitter at the entertainment center but that was pretty easy. There is no extra fee this way and as mentioned we get the local Seattle channels wherever we camp. Not sure if Dish has the Big10 network.

 

[fhenn]

We have Direct TV take the receiver out of the bedroom . Use the Vue Qube take about five minutes to set up

 

[danskool]

I am also Dish Network. I have an extra Dish on a tripod and carry an extra reciever with us. Been doing that for years @ no extra $..



If the camp grounds have cable, I use that. If they don't, 30 minutes later i have sat, TV.

 

[artgpo]

Have DirecTV. I bought an HD DirecTVdish and tripod because we are usually in one place for months at a time volunteering/workcamping. We have our DVR and bedroom receiver from home. When we go home for our monthly trips we take both boxes along. One downside is that we cannot receive local channels outside our home area as DirecTV is tied to your home address. Using the OTA antenna on the Cruiser we get great reception of the locals just no way to DVR those channels. When traveling we depend on either OTA channels or campground cable. Not a big deal as we are not in the coach that much on road trips.

 

[geondebi]

We have Dish and have a spare dish on a tripod and take the receiver out of the bedroom. After a couple hundred miles from home we loose the network channels but we have all the cable channels so we can always find something on TV or we can put up the digital ant to get local channels. (cable guys are trying to switch me but I keep telling them I will need 3000 miles of cable to take the service on my RV trips lol )

 

[ewbldavis-XRD]

We also have DirecTV and an extra dish. Works great and we have a receiver we only activate for 4 months in the summer.

 

[scott-XRD]

Cable at home, dish network in the trailer. We have the RV deal where we can turn it off and on each month we want it.

 

[gmctodd]

We too have Dish network and take one of our 722 DVR,s with us. Although the standard DirecTV uses only one sat so its easier to point the dish.Dish requires at least two ( Dish500) for standard viewing. I carry both a dish 500 and tripod, and a wingard carryout automatic dish tat can be set up for both HD and SD viewing.

One question for the fellows losing their locals. How does the reciever know where you are at? I have never lost any channels due to location (as long as I could pick up signal)

 

[geondebi]

I do not know how it does it but if I get out of the area it says I am out of my spot beam area. I guess since my system is looking for San Diego stations it is only sent to a given area in the sat signal. Other than that I don't know just magic I guess.

 

[sford22]

Cable at home, dish network in the trailer. We have the RV deal where we can turn it off and on each month we want it.

Ditto what Scott said. We have AT&T Uverse @ home, Dish only when on the road.

 

[Accoster]

I also use cable at home and have dish network for the 5er. Dish allows you to stop and start service, which is good for the occasional trip. I just upgraded to to the tailgater dish, which is automatic. Our next trip is a week, but I have tested it out and it had no issues. It took 5 minutes and it was up and running. The thought of not having to change satellites anymore to get different channels is worth the money. And dish just came to an agreement with the big ten network, so you would be good to go.

 

[danskool]

I have traveled up and down the east coast. Never lost my locals either.. I usually can get both sats with my dishnetwork but there has beenthe rare timei have givin up (because it was raining or just not in the mood)and just eye balled one sat. That is good enough, We are camping. I think the locals are part of you programming and home address that is on the account, and i believethe only way to change it is to call them. My dad has to call when he comes up from Florida to switch the locals.

 

[cygnussailor]

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I can't get cable or Uverse at my home since I am WAY out in the country. After reading all of the replies and doing some research on our own, it looks like we will settle on Dish Network. Next question: Dish says that their service is only available in the contiguous 48 states. It has something to do with the angle between the satellites becoming smaller in northern latitudes. Couldn't you just take a single focus antenna and settle on ONE satellite, then readjust if you want a different one? We are planning a trip to Alaska and would like to be able to get satellite reception.

 

[danskool]

I have aimed at one sat before.. You won't get all the channels.. I forget what one i shoot for if i didn't feeling like catching both. The one is better than the other one. Get more channels.



I also bought a cheapo sat finder from ebay.. That thing really helps because it takes all the guess work our of it. Can't tell you how many times i have loaned out my dish finder to help others. I think it was this one.. Cheap.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-Satellite-Signal-Finder-Meter-Locator-For-Sat-Dish-LNB-DIRECTV-/320944059654?pt=US_Signal_Finders&hash=item4ab9c1b506

Now i see they have some reasonable cooler stuff. I wonder how this would work. http://www.ebay.com/itm/SAT-link-WS-6906-DVB-S-FTA-Data-Digital-Satellite-Signal-Finder-Meter-3-5-LCD-/160816297291?pt=US_Signal_Finders&hash=item257165f54b

 

[Stan-XRD]

For those with smartphones, there is a satellite finder app that when you hold the phone up to the sky, the satellites will show their location. I saw the Dish Network guy use it and it was pretty cool.

 

[danskool]

I will have to look for that.. Interesting. Thanks for mentioning that.

Update. Looked around for the app.. I found a couple different ones. but they have a cost.. Bit pricey for me.. I can findthe saton my own for nothing. I will keep digging for a free one.



Edited by: danskool