Scored a Winegard Roof DirecTV SK2DISH - is it worth doing?

[Jusplainwacky]

Hi all...

I happen to pick-up a Winegard SK2Dish brand-new in the box for $500. I couldn't pass it up, figuring I could always sell it for what I paid...if not more.

For some time, I have been thinking of installing the Winegard cause DirecTV stop broadcasting their local stations in standard definition and are now on the high-definition transponders; sadly, my King Dome portable doesn't receive HD so I can't get my local stations.

This prompted me to look into using my roof TV antenna for getting the local stations (which I have never used) and found that the injector unit was defective and also a shorted coax cable going to the bedroom TV. I replaced the injector, the cable and got everything working, and now I get the local stations. BTW...Thor did a crappy job installing the connectors on the coax, so I bought a coax connector crimping tool on Amazon and have changed out a bunch.

I modified my setup and have the coax connector on the side of the RV going directly to a female-female connector on the injector face plate and use this for my King Dome portable satellite dish. I never connect up to cable at a campground.

With my setup, I can easily switch between TV roof antenna or the King Dome portable satellite dish by moving the cable inside the RV.

So, the question I'm throwing out...is it worth installing (DIY) the Winegard satellite dish or should I just keep my existing setup? I'm thinking that installing it is just another thing to go wrong.
Thoughts?

 

[16ACE27]

Is it worth doing? Not in my world. We don't even crank up the OTA batwing anymore. We stream whatever we want to watch.

Have you checked with DISH to see if you can even activate what you bought? Just like stolen cell phones, dish receivers can be put on the "DNA" list for many reasons.

 

[Jusplainwacky]

Is it worth doing? Not in my world. We don't even crank up the OTA batwing anymore. We stream whatever we want to watch.

I have been considering this also...streaming. This is good feedback.

Have you checked with DISH to see if you can even activate what you bought? Just like stolen cell phones, dish receivers can be put on the "DNA" list for many reasons.

I have DirecTV not DISH. It's not the dish (antenna) that requires activation...DIRECTV hasn't a clue what you are using to receive a signal and could care less...you could use a coat hanger if it picked up satellite signals. It's the receiver that requires the activation.

And yes, this antenna will work with DirecTV.

 

[Jusplainwacky]

I should have added this...

I think what I will do is try using the antenna for the local stations and the portable King Dome (which automatically finds the satellite dish) when we take the RV out and just see how this works. My guess is that I may not need to mount this on the roof...and like you said...stream stuff. I have Amazon Firestick...and I can get pretty much anything on it.

 

[16ACE27]

I have DirecTV not DISH. It's not the dish (antenna) that requires activation...DIRECTV hasn't a clue what you are using to receive a signal and could care less...you could use a coat hanger if it picked up satellite signals. It's the receiver that requires the activation.

And yes, this antenna will work with DirecTV.

Ohhh, I thought you bought the whole system for $500. If you already have satellite TV (and receivers) that's a different story. Use it at your leisure.

 

[Jusplainwacky]

Ohhh, I thought you bought the whole system for $500. If you already have satellite TV (and receivers) that's a different story. Use it at your leisure.

You are correct. As I mentioned, I already have Direct TV and currently using the King Dome.

What I bought was this...including SWM and controller - new in box.

 

[DutchmenSport]

If what you are using now is working acceptably, why change it? That's just a lot of work - for no extra benefit. Only you can answer that question though.

 

[Jusplainwacky]

If what you are using now is working acceptably, why change it? That's just a lot of work - for no extra benefit. Only you can answer that question though.

As I mentioned, I have never used the roof antenna and when I went to check it out, I found out it wasn't working, so at this point, I don't know if it's the optimal setup.

The setup I have requires me to haul out my King Dome and change the connection inside the RV (injector) to the antenna if I want local stations, whereas with the Winegard, I wouldn't have to do either. Ergo the reason for this POST...to see if it's worth installing and evaluate the pro's/con's.

 

[Beau388]

I been with DirecTV for 29 years. I bought my first setup for $650 installed. Through the years we have moved twice and upgraded every 4 or 5 years. i am yet to pay anything for the house when we move or upgrade. I started taking my house's receiver and purchased an additional antenna, LNB, tripod, coax and signal meter in 1998 for the RV. Solid Signal has all the stuff I need to make the RV DirecTV capable. I now carry the DirecTV supplied HS-17 (Genie 2) to the coach when we travel. The extra stuff needed is always in the coach. The coach is permanently wired for three clients for the three TV sets; although, I seldom use more than one unless our grandson is traveling with us.

The HS-17 Is fully WiFi capable and is on the house or RV Intranet. Many complained when DNS went away (thanks to Congress), but when ATT finally spun DirecTV off we can now use the DirecTV market number to change the RV location in-order to receive the local channels.



(The DIRECTV Market Number, plus 511, is the DIRECTV Logical Network number. Thus Abilene, TX is Market #1, and Network #512).


Why DirecTV ? Recording 7 channels simultaneously., zapping through commercials, time shifting., wireless through-out the RV. The season ticket application and global subscription app make it worth wile.

 

[Jusplainwacky]

I been with DirecTV for 29 years. I now carry the DirecTV supplied HS-17 (Genie 2) to the coach when we travel.

I have the DirecTV HR-24 in my coach and when it's parked on the side of the house, it is connected to the DirecTV dish on the roof (of the house) with one coax cable via the connector on the side of the RV. This way, I can set it to record movies and shows while it's parked.

When we are at a campground, I connect the King Dome to the external coax connector on the side of the RV, change the settings on the DirecTV receiver (HR-24) to a single 18" dish (no SWM). As I mentioned, cause DirecTV doesn't transmit local stations anymore on standard def, I no longer get them...which sucks.

So to get local stations, I have to set the TV to antenna via remote (not HDMI used with DirecTV). If I used the Winegard, I wouldn't have to use the King Dome or fiddle with the settings on the TV. But installing the Winegard isn't a simple task and I think it's just another thing to go wrong.
I'm leaning to just use my Iphone with the Firestick and call it a day. If nothing works...there is always the campfire!