Directv export to mexico and reception

[Sory58]

I've been reading forums for the past week and I'm looking to purchase a Directv unit in Minnesota and take it with me to Cabo San Lucas. I recently purchased a vacation condo in cabo and I'm wondering if anyone has any info on directv in Cabo.

I have vonage set up through the previous owner, and a dish already supplied by the complex. My questions are:

1.) If I buy the recievers at home, and activate them in MN, do I have to connect them to a phone line in mexico to recieve service?

2.) What is the quality of reception in Cabo?

3.) Has anyone heard of problems importing recievers from the US to mexico? I would be traveling by air direct to cabo.

Thanks

 

[robert luzzi]

it is illegal to recieve directv in mexico, i wouldnt want to get caught.

 

[martin63]

You could do activate them in the U.S. and take them anywhere there is a signal. I travel in my RV with one receiver. As far as a signal is concerned I have no idea.

 

[Sory58]

don't you have to make a daily phone call... how do you get around that with an rv?

 

[martin63]

No phone calls at all. I've been on vacation with it up to 3 weeks without a problem. If you have Dtv right now try unplugging your phone line for awhile. Eventually the only problem you have is not being able to purchase ppv with your remote. But you can still do it online or by phone.

 

[Sory58]

do you reconnect your box once you return from your rv trip or do you leave it unconnected when at home too?

how/what is the daily phone call for then?

 

[martin63]

I have that reciever disconnected from the phone line. The connection is to let D* know what PPV's you have purchased with your remote.

 

[Sory58]

what prevents people from activating boxes and then sharing them with their neighbors for only the xtra box charge instead of opening a separate account?

 

[martin63]

what prevents people from activating boxes and then sharing them with their neighbors for only the xtra box charge instead of opening a separate account?

Nothing.

 

[Palomo]

cabo reception

you will have no problem. buy your box and activate it before you leave.
you mention an existing dish there, so reception should be ok ( larger dishes are needed to receive the lower strength signal ).

you don't have to maintain connection to a phone line.

If you want pay for view events, use your directv internet account to order them ( eliminates need for phone connection).

you will only be receiving the stations from the 101 longitude satellite ( the main directv satellite)

You can not receive the MN local stations out of their service area.

If you have a friend in Los Angles or New York, use their street address for your "Service Address". You can bill to another address. Then you can get national feed from one of those two cities ( they are the only ones with signals strong enough to reach you recevier area).

 

[Sory58]

credit card

doesn't the credit card address have to match the directv billing address?

 

[Palomo]

address

Service address is the address they use as the location receiving the service.

billing address can be different and must include payment method (credit card).

 

[Palomo]

more on address

for example;

you can subscribe for your parents as a directv gift and use their address as service address but use your address as the billing address. they would receive the service with their local networks but you would get the bill

 

[martin63]

My friend has service but has no land line connected to them because he doesn't have one. All he has is a cell phone. So there should really be no problem.

 

[cr0mag]

I went for over a year without a land based phone. It's only there for ordering PPV. If you don't use PPV or if you order it online, there is no real need for a phone line, regardless of what D* tells you.

 

[viqventeur]

I know that in Tijuana, Mexico there is actually a D* retailer here. I have seen all kinds of set ups here. Sky is the local service, but I have also seen D* and E* dishes. Infact, I know a friend that lives in TJ but has account set up in San Diego. He just brought everything over after activating it in San Diego. If you did have a dual tuner that they say must be plugged in to a phone line, you would just pay the $5 a month for not plugging it in. It has no affect on your service, just PPV, view billing, etc.

 

[stevesmall]

have never had a phone line installed on 4 of 5 boxes. the 5th box has been at least unpplugged since june when new box installed, never a problem with dtv, so in reality if you can get the signal it shouldnt be an issue, Directv doesnt know where the boxes are if no call is made