DISH on the road, in RV

[Marilynn]

We just got a Winegard Carryout Satellite, and I called DISH (they provide our home satellite) to see how their program works. Was told not to use one of our home receivers in the RV, because it wasn't tested for road bumps, and I needed to buy a 211K Receiver from them, and then pay for programming in 30-day increments. We only travel for up to one week at a time, so that seems rather a waste to pay $69/mo. and only use it 6-8 days!!!

What I would prefer to do is take a receiver from home and use it in the RV, which I understand is do-able (although probably would see the receiver go through a check switch function each time it is moved between home and RV). Is that going to be the only limitation I will encounter? I wondered if there was a need to call DISH each time I am traveling hundreds of miles from home, or will our regular programming follow us through the HD receiver box?

Another question is, if we hook the receiver through our main tv, will the signal transfer to the bedroom HDTV as well? The receiver we would take with us is a VIP211K.

Thanks for any help. We haven't a clue what we are doing, but needed to do this to get any tv signals at all where we travel.

Marilynn
TX

 

[Tampa8]

You got just about all of it correct. Just no HD to a second TV.

You don't need to call Dish for programming other than your locals. Depending on your particular locals and how far you travel from your home you may or may not still get your locals. Otherwise you can tell Dish where you will be, they will turn off your usual locals and give you the one's where you are, then when you get back you can call them back.

If you had a Hopper system, you would have to do what the CSR said, actually buy a 211K from them and set up that account as described.

 

[garys]

It can be, use HDMI connection for one tv and component for the other.

 

[JayStil]

Another issue you may have is the Winegard is probably a single focus dish? So even if you are in the spot beam area of your locals you might need to repoint/checkswitch every time you switch from a local to a regular sat. channel. I can get all my regular/HD channels from 72.7 satellite, but not locals. I usually just pick up the locals via offair antenna.

 

[jerryez]

Also, as pointed out in other trheads, you need to keep the 211 connected when not in use. Just hook it up to any extra out port on you home system and it will keep authorized. Leave it unplugged for more thN 3-4 days and it loses authorization. No sighnal switch check needed on the home hookup unless you want to watch that 211 in your home.

 

[jwill]

Several comments on the subject:

• You do NOT need to buy the Dish 211 receiver. Any receiver that you BUY can be used on the pay as you go plan.
• Dish has never recommended any receiver with a hard drive for RV's. We have used four different hard drive models without a problem (currently using a 722.) Being able to record programs is important to us.
• While it's nice to have HD, we tend you use SD while traveling because 90% of Dish's SD channels are on the 119 satellite. This allows me to watch one program while recording another one (that channel would likely be on a different satellite if I was using HD and my dome can only point to one satellite at a time.)
• While an unplugged receiver will lose its authorization--but it doesn't happen in just a couple of days.

We always took a home receiver with us until we added the Hopper at home. Now we use the pay as you go plan with our 722 while traveling and we suspend the home service while we are gone.

I hope this helps,

Jim

 

[JayStil]

Also, as pointed out in other trheads, you need to keep the 211 connected when not in use. Just hook it up to any extra out port on you home system and it will keep authorized. Leave it unplugged for more thN 3-4 days and it loses authorization. No sighnal switch check needed on the home hookup unless you want to watch that 211 in your home.

Happens to me all the time. I used to be able to get an authorization "hit" sent without talking to a CSR. Just by saying "error message" and then the error shown (0005 I think?) to the automated attendant. They must've changed the phone system. This summer I needed to talk to someone to get the hit sent.

It takes more than 3-4 days to get deauthorized. I've been unplugged over a month and still had it authorized when I started it.

 

[jerryez]

I have had my 211 lose authorization within 3 days, three times and had to call for reauthorization. May not be the norm, but it happened.