Easiest and cheapest way to get satellite in rv?

[burritoboy9984]

Recently picked up an rv, and have a couple of quick questions about running dish in it

1. Can I pick up any used Dish network dish and use it?

2. What is the best place to get a receiver (new or used), and if I purchase a used one, is there a way to tell if it is ok to use (as in it isn't blocked by dish)?

3. Do I need to add a certain package to do this? Or is it simply get the receiver added and point the dish and go?

Thanks a ton in advance!
-Erik

 

[Brussam]

There are a lot more issues with RVs and satellites besides the buying.

Read FTLS - Internet - Staying Connected

 

[delta_charlie]

Recently picked up an rv, and have a couple of quick questions about running dish in it

1. Can I pick up any used Dish network dish and use it?

2. What is the best place to get a receiver (new or used), and if I purchase a used one, is there a way to tell if it is ok to use (as in it isn't blocked by dish)?

3. Do I need to add a certain package to do this? Or is it simply get the receiver added and point the dish and go?

Thanks a ton in advance!
-Erik

Hi, I will try to answer your questions - on 1. it would depend on what channels you want to receive and if you want HD or SD. A Dish 500 with the DP Plus (dual LNB) would work well for SD and could be used to receive the satellite pair of 110/119. It could also be used for HD from 61.5 or 129 by using just one side of the LNB. The HD satellites require a HD receiver like the 211. As you move from one camp site to another you may find it handy to be able to receive from the 61.5 and 129 satellites do to LOS (Line of Sight) issues. Most of the Dish HD programming (but not all and not all the locals) are on these two satellites. 2. You can buy them from ebay if you are careful, make sure the seller has very good feedback and ask them to confirm in writing the receiver is good and has no balance due. You can also get the R and S numbers for the receive and call Dish to make sure. 3. You will need to call Dish and add the second receiver. They will charge a little for it. In my case it was $5.00 per month for a SD 311 receiver. If you want HD you would need a HD package too. When you are looking for dishes you might want to keep an eye open for the Dish 1000.2 as it can receive the full W.A and could be adjusted and repointed to receive two of the E.A. satellites in a pinch. Assuming you have Dish now you might want to make a list of your favorite channels and then check to see what satellite they are on. Pressing menu - 6-1-1 on the remote will display the satellite and TP info. Hope this helps, DC

 

[burritoboy9984]

I was thinking about the dish 322, I have 3 tvs, and would use a modulator to get the signal to all the tvs so they could watch different channels. Since I am doing this, hd wouldn't be an issue. So am I correct in assuming the Dish 500 with DP Plus would be the ideal dish?

-Erik

 

[burritoboy9984]

Ok sorry to kind of bump this, but about to pull the plug on equipment and want to make sure I am not missing anything. Will I need any kind of switches, splitters, etc etc? Or can I just run a coax from the dish to the receiver? Sorry again for the newbie questions

Thanks again for putting up with me and answering my questions!
-Erik

 

[Brussam]

I have 3 tvs, and would use a modulator to get the signal to all the tvs so they could watch different channels.

First off, I assume that you understand that a 322 has two tuners and that is the most channels that can be decoded at once.

You didn't say the type of RV (motorhome, fifth-wheel) or the age so this is a stab:
a motorhome, TV in living room, bedroom, and storage bay.

Your RV probably is wired with signal distribution switch. If you locate the 322 next to the living room TV, that TV will be driven by component video cables.

The TV2 output from the 322 is cabled to one of the distribution switch inputs. There may be a satellite input. If there is use that or maybe VCR.

The bedroom and cargo bay TV are probably wired to the distribution switch.

There may or may not be a satellite cable coax input from the RV outside. You cannot use the "cable" coax RV input as that is cabled through the antenna amplified and will not work for satellite.

If you have a Pro Plus dish (500, 1000) you can get by with a single coax cable and use a Dish separator into the 322. If you have to add coax inputs, I would put in two.

In the previous link I posted, you need a adjustable leg tripod so you can get the mast vertical and a meter that generates a 22KHz tone to select the correct LNBF when aiming the dish. A few lengths of RG6 like 25', 50' and 100'. You may have to go some distance to get out of the trees in some campgrounds.

 

[burritoboy9984]

Thanks for the replies! I am actually using a 2 channel modulator to take the tv1 signal and a dvd signal over vhf channels. The modulator also has an input which I can take the tv2 signal into and it will distribute that as well. My main concern was getting the signal from the dish to the receiver.

I just picked up a 500 with dp plus lnb this evening. Do I just take the coax from the point labeled "1" on the lnb and run it into a splitter that goes into the "1" and "2" on my 322? Does it have to be a certain splitter?

Also, can you further elaborate on the need for a meter? I was under the impression that I could just type in the zip code and it would tell me where I needed to point the dish.

Once again, sorry for all the newbie questions, and thanks for bearing with me
-Erik

 

[mrschwarz]

Typng in the zip code give you the general direction to aim the dish. I needs to be level and skewed correctly. The meter is to let you know when you actually get a signal. Aiming requires patience and experience. When I first got mine, it would take an hour or more to get it aimed.

I got a new RV with an automatic dome. It takes several minutes of hunting, but it eventually finds the satellites.

 

[Brussam]

The Pro Plus dishes have built-in switches and unless you force 119 selection by using a 22 KHz tone, you could be getting the signal from any of the LNBFs and therefore pointing the wrong way.

You could try and set the 322 up so that both tuners are selecting satellite 119 but a proper meter is so simple.

Too many people buy the simple Winegard meter and spend hours trying to get locked onto the proper satellite. I found the Accutrac 22 Pro to be a cost effective meter and cut my setup time to minutes.

I always run a Switch Test after I set the dish and have a satellite loccked on. Never run the Switch Test is you don't have a satellite lock.

 

[burritoboy9984]

The Pro Plus dishes have built-in switches

This means I can take the signal from "1" on the lnb and run it into a generic splitter and run the spliiter to "1" and "2" on the receiver?

Thanks again
-Erik

 

[Laddyboy]

This means I can take the signal from "1" on the lnb and run it into a generic splitter and run the spliiter to "1" and "2" on the receiver?

Thanks again
-Erik

No you must use a "separator" not a generic splitter.

dish network separator, Electronics, dish network splitter. Great deals on eBay!

 

[Tomboy257]

If your Park Cable input says "satellite ready" you can run your cable from there into the RV. That by-passes the antenna booster. Disconnect the cable from the cable side of the "Cable/Antenna" switch and connect it to your receiver using the separator. If you have an "Aux" input on your video distribution box connect TV2 output to it and TV1 to "Sat" input. This should allow you to view different programming on each set.