pappawheely
Autonomous4X4
Anyone have mobile satellite TV? Tried calling direct tv for some simple questions. After 5 calls to different numbers and speaking to idiots I got nowhere. :mixed-smiley-030:
Satellite television?
- Thread starter pappawheely
- Start date
LocoCoyote
World Citizen
If and when I use Sat TV (very rare) I do so on my Mac with Satellite Direct (http://buy.satellitedirect.com/?hopc2s=pbsbluejay). Its OK, but I generally don't watch TV when I travel. The other options that I know of are to get/maintain internet connectivity and use some kind of service like Netflix..... Since I do my best to always have a connection, this is usually the most useful option (but can be expensive)
Now, if you don't mind, I am curious about the "idiots" you talked to. But before I do, please understand I am not trying to be offensive or anything like that....just curious.
I am wondering what they said or did that made them fall into the idiot category ..... was it that they could not answers your questions? That they did not know the answers you sought?
if so, it occurs to me that you did not know the answers either......so...........
just saying'
Now, if you don't mind, I am curious about the "idiots" you talked to. But before I do, please understand I am not trying to be offensive or anything like that....just curious.
I am wondering what they said or did that made them fall into the idiot category ..... was it that they could not answers your questions? That they did not know the answers you sought?
if so, it occurs to me that you did not know the answers either......so...........
just saying'
washington taco
Explorer
The RV super stores advertise they sell portable sat units for RVs. Bet you could bend there ears.
http://www.campingworld.com/search/...al&Ntk=primary&Ntpc=1&N=4294957254&Ne=1000003
http://www.campingworld.com/search/...al&Ntk=primary&Ntpc=1&N=4294957254&Ne=1000003
pappawheely
Autonomous4X4
If and when I use Sat TV (very rare) I do so on my Mac with Satellite Direct (http://buy.satellitedirect.com/?hopc2s=pbsbluejay). Its OK, but I generally don't watch TV when I travel. The other options that I know of are to get/maintain internet connectivity and use some kind of service like Netflix..... Since I do my best to always have a connection, this is usually the most useful option (but can be expensive)
Now, if you don't mind, I am curious about the "idiots" you talked to. But before I do, please understand I am not trying to be offensive or anything like that....just curious.
I am wondering what they said or did that made them fall into the idiot category ..... was it that they could not answers your questions? That they did not know the answers you sought?
if so, it occurs to me that you did not know the answers either......so...........
just saying'
I spoke to 4 people who all told me to call a different phone number. Never got a single question answered. Every number I called, I was prompted by the automated system to enter my account number at least 8 times. Somewhere they are wondering why their sales are flat. It was maddening! One guy told me his Dad had it. I said great, can I call him?
pappawheely
Autonomous4X4
Getting a dish is easy. I need to know about service. Apparently, direct tv does not ask for the dish back when you move. People are giving their dishes away for free on craigslist.
LocoCoyote
World Citizen
UK4X4
Expedition Leader
Well I guess ---ask the questions !
basicly direct TV is a box and dish- the dish has to point at the satelite
It should not matter where you physically are as far as service goes as long as you can point at the satelite from where you are.
Either get a satelite finder, which would be you on the roof or with dish looking for signal or one of the automated dish's for an RV, which should automatically direct the dish
We travelled arround a lot in the US look at a dish near by - get the direction from a compass and inclination from a piece of string and a protractor......
Or simply put in your postcode...http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/customer/dishPointer.jsp
or one nearby and manually tune it in
basicly direct TV is a box and dish- the dish has to point at the satelite
It should not matter where you physically are as far as service goes as long as you can point at the satelite from where you are.
Either get a satelite finder, which would be you on the roof or with dish looking for signal or one of the automated dish's for an RV, which should automatically direct the dish
We travelled arround a lot in the US look at a dish near by - get the direction from a compass and inclination from a piece of string and a protractor......
Or simply put in your postcode...http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/customer/dishPointer.jsp
or one nearby and manually tune it in
doug720
Expedition Leader
We have Directv at home, on the boat and in our motorhome, plus my wife works for them in satellite engineering.
What are your questions?
Basic's IMHO for DirecTV:
1) Don't go digital/HD - Analog is easy to aim the dish, as the signal is many times wider. If you want HD, get an automatic dish. The cube dish antenna don't work worth a darn in my experience. The analog dish is cheap - either RV roof type or portable with tri-pod, are smaller, has a single node, and uses very little power. The HD dish is expensive, uses more power due to 3 nodes, is hard to aim, etc.
2) Buy an older style box on ebay or craigslist - cheap and easy
3) We have 2 dish antenna on the RV, the standard roof mount - quick and easy with built in compass and electronic elevation indicator. The second one is a portable dish with a tripod for when we are in tree's and big mountains - We have a 100' cable and place the dish where it needs to be.
4) I do not know of a DirecTV box that is 12 volt, so an inverter will be needed. The box requires very little power, but, many TV's need 120v power, so an inverter works well - a 400 watt will power the box and most lcd tv's up to 40"+ easily. There are some 12v tv's, but you pay more for them, unless you can find a model with the external pwer supply, they run on 12v.
5) Aiming - When you power up the box, go to menu, enter a nearby zip code or L/L, and the elevation and heading are displayed. Next, go signal strength, you get an visual bar graph and an audible tone for signal strength. After a few times, it takes just a couple of minutes. The North American satellites are in geosynchronous orbit over the gulf of Mexico off the Texas coast. For the West Coast, the compass heading is around 130 - 140 degree's, and elevation 40 - 50 degree's.
6) The box never needs to be connected to a phone line, but, if it has not been used in the last 30-60 days, it will likely need a reboot. Do this before you travel, as you need to call DirecTV to reboot. No cell signal = No TV! Again, aim antenna, get signal, call DirecTV and they send the signal - Takes 5 minutes.
7) Analog and HD components - boxes and antenna's, are not compatible with each other. It's all one type only
8) You can have a dedicated RV box, or you can use the same box in your home and move it to the RV when you travel. An analog box costs about $50-60 a year if added to an existing service. We have HD at home and analog in the RV. With analog, you will not get any HD channels, but we are camping, so we don't care and there are plenty of channels.
9) Depending on the "Home" location, that is the feed you will receive. Meaning if home is in Los Angeles CA, you get West Coast feed with LA stations, NY would get East Coast, etc., pretty much no matter where you are within reason.
Hope this helps
What are your questions?
Basic's IMHO for DirecTV:
1) Don't go digital/HD - Analog is easy to aim the dish, as the signal is many times wider. If you want HD, get an automatic dish. The cube dish antenna don't work worth a darn in my experience. The analog dish is cheap - either RV roof type or portable with tri-pod, are smaller, has a single node, and uses very little power. The HD dish is expensive, uses more power due to 3 nodes, is hard to aim, etc.
2) Buy an older style box on ebay or craigslist - cheap and easy
3) We have 2 dish antenna on the RV, the standard roof mount - quick and easy with built in compass and electronic elevation indicator. The second one is a portable dish with a tripod for when we are in tree's and big mountains - We have a 100' cable and place the dish where it needs to be.
4) I do not know of a DirecTV box that is 12 volt, so an inverter will be needed. The box requires very little power, but, many TV's need 120v power, so an inverter works well - a 400 watt will power the box and most lcd tv's up to 40"+ easily. There are some 12v tv's, but you pay more for them, unless you can find a model with the external pwer supply, they run on 12v.
5) Aiming - When you power up the box, go to menu, enter a nearby zip code or L/L, and the elevation and heading are displayed. Next, go signal strength, you get an visual bar graph and an audible tone for signal strength. After a few times, it takes just a couple of minutes. The North American satellites are in geosynchronous orbit over the gulf of Mexico off the Texas coast. For the West Coast, the compass heading is around 130 - 140 degree's, and elevation 40 - 50 degree's.
6) The box never needs to be connected to a phone line, but, if it has not been used in the last 30-60 days, it will likely need a reboot. Do this before you travel, as you need to call DirecTV to reboot. No cell signal = No TV! Again, aim antenna, get signal, call DirecTV and they send the signal - Takes 5 minutes.
7) Analog and HD components - boxes and antenna's, are not compatible with each other. It's all one type only
8) You can have a dedicated RV box, or you can use the same box in your home and move it to the RV when you travel. An analog box costs about $50-60 a year if added to an existing service. We have HD at home and analog in the RV. With analog, you will not get any HD channels, but we are camping, so we don't care and there are plenty of channels.
9) Depending on the "Home" location, that is the feed you will receive. Meaning if home is in Los Angeles CA, you get West Coast feed with LA stations, NY would get East Coast, etc., pretty much no matter where you are within reason.
Hope this helps
Last edited:
pappawheely
Autonomous4X4
Thanks for the advice everyone! That's the kind of info I was looking for! :victory: I will have no home base, mobile only.
pappawheely
Autonomous4X4
Thanks. That's great except he never talked about cost like he said he would.