Basic Hopper Install in Motorhome

[mchauvet]

I'm a newbie to satellite systems. I currently have a DISH Network VIP211k HD receiver and a Winegard GM-1518 Carryout automatic portable satellite TV antenna and I'm on the DISH pay-as-you-go plan. The satellite system works perfectly in the motorhome and at home. At home, we would like to replace our Tivo dual-tuner HD recorder with a Hopper. We would also like to take the Hopper with us in the motorhome when we travel. When I called DISH and spoke with one of their CSR's, they told me that I needed to get extra equipment and features and the Hopper would not work in the motorhome.

The DISH CSR told me that I had to include a minimum of 2 HDTV sets in our home in order to get the Hopper. We have 1 HDTV in the motorhome and 1 HDTV in our home and the 2 HDTV's are never used simultaneously, so we don't need extra equipment for additional HDTV's. I want to avoid any further DISH sales tactics and purchase only the equipment I need.

I can get a new Hopper from Amazon for just over $200. I know the Winegard GM-1518 antenna that I have will not work with the Hopper to record multiple programs simultaneously. I can also get any number of DISH satellite antennas from Amazon. I will be using the satellite dish on a tripod mount next to the motorhome. The question is which satellite dish antenna do I need to get? Another question is what other equipment do I need for a single HDTV install in the motorhome?

Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Brussam]

You need a DPP1000.2 dish or a DPP1000.4. The best tripod is from TV4RV.com and it uses a tripod with adjustable length legs. Critical for vertical mast alignment on rough terrain.

I would recommend a good meter that generates a 22KHz signal to facilitate aiming the dish.

You will probably have to add at least one coax input into the motorhome as you will need two coax cables from the dish to the Solo. The Solo combines the two coax feed signals into the single coax that goes to the Hopper.

I guess if you want on the Hopper, you could have the Solo outside and bring just one coax into the motorhome. But none of the standard RV coax barrel connectors in the inlets are 3GHz so you would need to upgrade the single coax inlet.

Most RVs have a living room TV and a bedroom TV. I have a Joey driving the bedroom TV.

 

[mchauvet]

Thank you for the information. I have a second TV in the motorhome, so I guess I could add a Joey for it. It would be nice to place the Solo in the main equipment bay on the motorhome because the other RG6 connections are there. Where can I find more information about the Solo. What would happen if I used the same RG6 barrels and cabling from the Solo to the Hopper?

 

[bwexler]

Using substandard wiring or connectors from the Solo Node to the Hopper will provide erratic problems that are difficult to track down without an $800 signal meter like the one one Dish techs carry. The Hopper is very fussy about the quality of the cable and connections. I had 2 Hoppers in my RV.