Confusion re. Dish system for RV

[Timbee]

Getting ready to make the dreaded call to Dish sales and if the person I speak to there is as ill-informed as the person I "spoke" to on their Chat system, not looking forward to it!

We currently do not own any satellite systems (unless you count the old, rusting C-Band dish still out there!) Basically what we want to buy is a Dish network satellite system for our RV that includes a DVR-- from what I'm reading that would be their Hopper 3.

One bit of advice I've received is that I should look at getting:

• DISH Network Satellite Antenna 1000.2
• LNB Arm for Dish Network HD Turbo 1000.2 Dish
• Heavy duty tripod : Heavy-Duty Tripod for RV TV satellite dishes

I've pretty much decided that a movable, tripod system is what we'd want given the flexibility in positioning and somewhat increased efficiency. Not sure whether this makes sense in reality however. (?)

Some info I've read seems to suggest that Dish won't sell/support a Hopper with a portable system. Again, just don't have the facts on that for sure.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[renegade734]

I'd skip the Hopper and go to the 211K or Wally line of receivers. A one-time fee of $40 will make those receivers DVR-capable. You would also want to consider a pay-as-you-go account if you don't already have a Dish account. Is there a local Dish retailer in your area? Might be good to contact them.
Welcome to the SatelliteGuys community!

 

[fredelkamp]

I recommend you contact DISHForMyRV: DISH Mobile Satellite Systems & Pay As You Go TV for RV, Camping, Tailgating, & the Great Outdoors first

 

[Brussam]

I just can't understand how anyone can say a Wally with a disk drive is as good as a Hopper 3. Now even in the same universe.

I would call a local Dish retailer who will come and deliver the equipment and set it up. Get the the TV4RV.com tripod before the retailer installer comes. If getting a Hopper 3, (don't mess with earlier versions) the installer will put a Hybrid LNBF head on the tripod. If you will travel in the East, get an EA Hybrid head in addition. Easy to swap the LNBF heads.

While pricey, I recommend getting a Super Buddy 29 Meter off of eBay which is qualified for Hybrid LNBF heads. It makes dish alignment so easy.

 

[JSheridan]

Call your local retailer, if you have a good one.

 

[HipKat]

Call your local retailer, if you have a good one.

Now where have I heard that before??

 

[JSheridan]

Now where have I heard that before??

It's always good advice.

 

[Timbee]

I just can't understand how anyone can say a Wally with a disk drive is as good as a Hopper 3. Now even in the same universe.

I would call a local Dish retailer who will come and deliver the equipment and set it up. Get the the TV4RV.com tripod before the retailer installer comes. If getting a Hopper 3, (don't mess with earlier versions) the installer will put a Hybrid LNBF head on the tripod. If you will travel in the East, get an EA Hybrid head in addition. Easy to swap the LNBF heads.

While pricey, I recommend getting a Super Buddy 29 Meter off of eBay which is qualified for Hybrid LNBF heads. It makes dish alignment so easy.

Thanks for the input. Not sure what "Hybrid LNBF" or "EA Hybrid head" consist of? One would need different heads for different locations? Am I correct in assuming that with this type of setup I would have a completely portable satellite system where I could set it up anywhere-- RV, home, friend's house e.g. ?

 

[Timbee]

I recommend you contact DISHForMyRV: DISH Mobile Satellite Systems & Pay As You Go TV for RV, Camping, Tailgating, & the Great Outdoors first

Thanks-- I did check there but mainly seems to be a lot of sales hype with listings for only portable dome type units or the very expensive Winegard ones.

 

[Timbee]

Call your local retailer, if you have a good one.

I did manage to find the name of a local installer who we used years ago. I will contact him tomorrow.

 

[bwexler]

You absolutely want it Hopper 3.
You didn't mention weather you will be full time in your RV, half time or a few weekends a year.
If full time you may want to spring for one of those expensive weingards.
If part time a heavy duty tripod with a bubble level on top that allows you to insure the mounting post is always plumb regardless of how level the ground is.
There is also a variety of software that can show you where the satellites are located in the sky, as if you were talking a picture of them.
It required more than a dozen calls for me to get my first Hopper installed in my RV.
Everyone said it could not be done until I found the one CSR in retention that figured a work around to get past the rules.

 

[Brussam]

Thanks for the input. Not sure what "Hybrid LNBF" or "EA Hybrid head" consist of? One would need different heads for different locations? Am I correct in assuming that with this type of setup I would have a completely portable satellite system where I could set it up anywhere-- RV, home, friend's house e.g. ?

The Hopper 3 uses different LNBFs (the head unit on the end of the dish arm) than other receivers. There is a WA Hybrid LNBF for the Western Arc satellites (119, 110, 129) and an EA Hybrid LNBF for the Eastern Arc satellites (61.5, 72.7). Two screws and disconnect the coax cable and you switch the heads. WA is used for most of the country. EA is used for some of the country east of the Mississippi. You can get programming from either set of satellites but not always HD. To insure HD programming, you use the set of satellites that carry those HD channels. The channels in question are the Locals (broadcast channels ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC). You need to receive these channels in HD (is almost all circumstances) for Prime-Time-Any-Time (PTAT) to work. You check The List for what satellites carry what channels.

With the TV4RV.com HD Tripod, you would have a portable setup usable anywhere. I recommend not using stakes but a ballast system to stabilize the tripod so it can be setup on concrete. I use two 5 gallon buckets (Home Depot, Lowes) with about 3 gallons of water each. Light when empty, they stack, and you can carry items in them when traveling.

If using a smatrtphone application for aiming, you need to get the phone as close as possible to the center of the dish to get the proper prospective of the satellites. The arm of the dish does not point towards the satellites. The satellites are 15 degrees off of the rotation skew of the dish (over to the right of the dish arm). For more about setting up a tripod, TV Dish Setup.

 

[NYDutch]

Since skew angles vary significantly across the country, there is no fixed "offset" of the arm to a flat 90 degree skew. In practice though, the side plates of the dish mount should always be used for setting the initial azimuth unless you're using one of the overpriced aiming gadgets. The most important part of learning to efficiently aim a dish is just familiarizing yourself with the relationship between the dish/LNB and the desired satellite locations. At our current location for instance, the 61.5 LNB is on the far right of our triple EA LNB viewed from the rear of the dish, but the 61.5 satellite is the farthest left of the three sats. The 77 LNB on the other hand, is on the left, while the 77 sat is to the right. As the skew changes with your location though, the LNB/satellite relationship also changes.

If you're at all handy, a low cost roof mount dish tripod can easily be modified for portable use, complete with adjustable leveling legs. I paid about $25 for my tripod, and about $12 for the additional hardware to make it easy to use and level. The post is permanently clamped in place at the bottom, and slides up and down as the tripod legs are extended or retracted, locking in place with a single threaded hand wheel at the top. Leveling is done with 8" threaded carriage bolts at the bottom of each leg. The bolts are fitted with large wingnut handles for ease of adjustment, and the other ends are fitted with a large fender washers to prevent sinking into soft ground. The original swivel feet on the legs have been fixed in place with a couple of pop-rivets, with a threaded insert riveted through the bottom for the threaded bolts. In the ~8 years we've used this setup, I've only needed to use a wood block or two under one leg because the slope was beyond the range of the leveler screw perhaps 3 times out of hundreds of set ups.

 

[tcreek]

Just upgraded form Hopper w/Sling to Hopper 3 in my 5th wheel. We are full time in it. Have the Wingard Traveler, DPH 42, and solo hub. Also have Joey in bedroom. The Traveler is good, as long as there are not trees obstructing the view of the satellites. To use the DPH42, you must have three cables run from the Traveler to the DPH42. Only took three hours after picking up the Hopper 3 to have it up and running. Activated it by chat, but since it was a purchased Hopper 3, had to be transferred to an advanced tech.

I also have a tripod dish setup, but have not had to use it yet.

 

[Doughhead]

Are you going to be off the power grid? My Wally, tv with a regular dish draws 90 watts. Using a dome would
draw more. Another question, if I upgrade my Wally to a DVR , do I need a new remote?

 

[Jim5506]

Another question, if I upgrade my Wally to a DVR , do I need a new remote?

No, the remote that came with your wally is all you need.

 

[Timbee]

You absolutely want it Hopper 3.
You didn't mention weather you will be full time in your RV, half time or a few weekends a year.
If full time you may want to spring for one of those expensive weingards.
If part time a heavy duty tripod with a bubble level on top that allows you to insure the mounting post is always plumb regardless of how level the ground is.
There is also a variety of software that can show you where the satellites are located in the sky, as if you were talking a picture of them.
It required more than a dozen calls for me to get my first Hopper installed in my RV.
Everyone said it could not be done until I found the one CSR in retention that figured a work around to get past the rules.

We expect to be traveling anywhere from 2-3 months. Pretty much decided that the tripod route is what will work best for us. I can also use it at a few other locations at other times of the year as well.

 

[Claude Greiner]

I'd skip the Hopper and go to the 211K or Wally line of receivers. A one-time fee of $40 will make those receivers DVR-capable. You would also want to consider a pay-as-you-go account if you don't already have a Dish account. Is there a local Dish retailer in your area? Might be good to contact them.
Welcome to the SatelliteGuys community!

I agree and get a tailgater.

Hopper is not a good choice for the RV

 

[Brussam]

I agree and get a tailgater.

Hopper is not a good choice for the RV

Give some good logical reasons.

A DVR is ideal for RVers as it provides the ability for asynchronous viewing of shows. They are not sensitive to traveling in an RV as I have been using a Dish DVR since 2006 in my RVs. Most RVs today have multiple TVs, I have four in the Bounder.

The Hopper 3 is the best option.

 

[Claude Greiner]

Give some good logical reasons.

A DVR is ideal for RVers as it provides the ability for asynchronous viewing of shows. They are not sensitive to traveling in an RV as I have been using a Dish DVR since 2006 in my RVs. Most RVs today have multiple TVs, I have four in the Bounder.

The Hopper 3 is the best option.

Because it’s a pain to setup for the average customer.

A tailgater and a 211 with an external drive is the best solution.

You got to keep in mind I deal with customers every day. There are customers out there who have a camper and think it’s Dish Network or Directv’s responsibility to aim their dish or provide tech support every time they decide to move camp sites.

You need a solution that is simple and easy.

Not a hopper where you got to worry about nodes, a possible internet connection and joeys.

I do this for a living, I can point a dish with my eyes closed. I would choose the tailgater type setup over manually pointing a dish anyway.

Other than that, are you using the camper to watch Tv or relax? You really only need 1 Tv for this type setup.