Interesting Conversation with Dish about using my 722 on the road in my RV

[fputnam]

I called Dish Support and asked about using my VIP722 this summer in the RV. I was asking about how to get network channels (ABC,NBC, etc) while camped hundreds or even thousands of miles away from home.

They told me that if I would purchase another receiver to take with me on my travels I could receive my local stations no matter where I was. I replied that I thought my local stations (I'm talking satellite broadcast, not OTA) were only available in a spot beam which covered about a 50 mile radius around my home town residence. They said no, I could receive them no matter where I was.

Then they said If I wanted to receive local channels from other cities when in their vicinity, if I had the additional receiver, I could just call Dish, tell them where I was and 15 minutes later I could begin receiving the new local stations in the new location.

I would like to get network stations via satellite because some of the places we camp are hundreds of miles from any usable OTA signals. I'm confused, does any one have the real scoop on how I can make this work?

Thanks

 

[TheKrell]

IF your DMA is Jacksonville, then that is currently on a conus transponder at 77. You could indeed continue to receive them anywhere within conus.

 

[fputnam]

You're correct. Jacksonville is my DMA. However, when traveling in south Florida in late January 2011 (thus out of my DMA) I couldn't receive any Jacksonville locals.

 

[TonyT@DISH Network]

Just to clarify some things as I see some bad information coming down the pipe from what was said in the OP. Owning the receiver does not change the account capabilities regarding locals. If you subscribe to a DMA and get signal from the spotbeam carrying those channels, you will receive them. If you are outside of that spotbeam you will not receive those locals, regardless of a receiver being leased or purchased. RVs do require documentation to be provided

As far as updating your address (if there is a physical address) when you go RVing, you can do that anytime and receive any available locals for that location. RVs do require documentation: A maximum of one of each vehicle type (RV, commercial truck, or boat), with proof of ownership will be allowed on a DISH Network account. With documentation provided, you can update your address when your location changes. You do not have to purchase a receiver to make this happen. If the general information on the RV does not match the DISH Network account, a separate account would need to be made. Basically, your home address and the address listed on the RVs registration are different, you would need a separate account.

One big note here, if you are in an RV and require a tech visit, you will have to go to, or get a visit from, a local retailer. We do not provide tech visits to RVs, Boats, or Commercial Trucks. If you have specific questions not answered here, or need more details, just ask away here on the thread and I will be happy to answer those questions.

 

[Brussam]

Since the OP mentioned network channels, not locals, the best option is to call AAD, submit an RV Waiver and get DNS network channels for the summer.

DMS costs a little but you would not have to be changing location via a CSR everytime you move. Just take your 722 with you. No need for an extra receiver.

 

[levibluewa]

BUT, you'd need a dish pointed at 119 for SF & NYC ...not an EA (61.5-72.7-77) dish.

 

[fputnam]

Then, I guess I'm on the right track. I already have the 110-119-129 dish. Is All America Direct still furnishing ABC,NBC,etc?? Wasn't there some change coming that would effect who would be supplying distant network stations?

 

[Brussam]

The name has been changing from MyDistantNetworks as part of All American Direct to Sobongo to MyDistantNetworks. It is a separate company that handles DNS services for Dish TV users. Note, at the current time, DNS is only in SD.

 

[cj9788]

Just to clarify some things as I see some bad information coming down the pipe from what was said in the OP. Owning the receiver does not change the account capabilities regarding locals. If you subscribe to a DMA and get signal from the spotbeam carrying those channels, you will receive them. If you are outside of that spotbeam you will not receive those locals, regardless of a receiver being leased or purchased. RVs do require documentation to be provided

As far as updating your address (if there is a physical address) when you go RVing, you can do that anytime and receive any available locals for that location. RVs do require documentation: A maximum of one of each vehicle type (RV, commercial truck, or boat), with proof of ownership will be allowed on a DISH Network account. With documentation provided, you can update your address when your location changes. You do not have to purchase a receiver to make this happen. If the general information on the RV does not match the DISH Network account, a separate account would need to be made. Basically, your home address and the address listed on the RVs registration are different, you would need a separate account.

One big note here, if you are in an RV and require a tech visit, you will have to go to, or get a visit from, a local retailer. We do not provide tech visits to RVs, Boats, or Commercial Trucks. If you have specific questions not answered here, or need more details, just ask away here on the thread and I will be happy to answer those questions.

Why did you not mention AAD as an option?

 

[Brussam]

Why did you not mention AAD as an option?

Remember, MyDistantNetworks and Dish TV are separate companies. Neither will talk about the other.

 

[TonyT@DISH Network]

Actually, there was no need for the OP to pay another company for channels when we could provide them without additional expense. That being said, I did not feel the need to direct the OP to Sobongo (formerly AAD). Its an option, but it is an additional charge as well. Also, local channels from across the country, IMHO, make no sense when I am on the road. I can get the locals for the area I am in so that I can get weather information for the same. If I take a driving vacation to Dallas, Denver locals mean nothing to me as they will not provide me with information that will help me plan around traffic or weather. In an RV, I would assume traffic and weather are both more important to me then which area of the country is providing prime time TV shows.

 

[runner861]

But it is a pain to call Dish to asked to be switched to new locals when the RV moves. This is the ongoing problem that we have had since the HD distants were dropped by AAD. Our one-year contracts were terminated midway through. We received information on this site from the owner of the site that HD distants would be offered again very soon, probably in January. However, suddenly no one will talk about it and no HD distants are offered.

Also, although Dish and AAD are separate companies, they deal with each other extensively behind the scenes. AAD is broadcasting SD distants on Dish's equipment.

This is not the correct way to treat consumers. Let us know what is going on, and do not just breach our contracts midway through.

 

[Brussam]

Being a full-time RVer, I have plenty of resources for weather. Local traffic reporting isn't of much use. Local news is of little use to me. DNS supplies my needs for Network feeds.

Switching Locals by calling into the CSRs, often daily, is an inconvenience that I would not relish. It is bad enough calling a CSR the few times I have had to do in the last 6 years. The cost of DNS is worth the elimination of that. This is something that a non-RVer may not understand, like we do not just go somewhere for the summer. We travel

Going to a separate company is not an issue either. I would like to see DNS supplied by Dish TV only if it would mean that HD DNS would be available.

 

[ljr01]

Actually, there was no need for the OP to pay another company for channels when we could provide them without additional expense. That being said, I did not feel the need to direct the OP to Sobongo (formerly AAD). Its an option, but it is an additional charge as well. Also, local channels from across the country, IMHO, make no sense when I am on the road. I can get the locals for the area I am in so that I can get weather information for the same. If I take a driving vacation to Dallas, Denver locals mean nothing to me as they will not provide me with information that will help me plan around traffic or weather. In an RV, I would assume traffic and weather are both more important to me then which area of the country is providing prime time TV shows.

This and explanations for we RVers from the Dish folks in other threads make perfect sense. I would be a happy camper (pun intended) if I could follow their suggestions and it all worked as described. The trouble is the CSRs I get on the phone rarely have any idea what I'm talking about. That usually results in all sorts of strange things happening to my account that can take months to untangle. Is there some internal document I can refer them to so I can avoid the hassles?

 

[ORHusky]

When we camp in our RV, 2 of our 3 reservers stay at home set to record programs that we may miss while driving. Can we call a CSR and have them change only one receiver to receive the locals where we are at? We had been using AAD and were very disappointed to find out that no HDs, only SDs were available. We had to watch the Daytona 500 in SD while on the way to Phoenix for the race there.

 

[Byron56]

@ TonyT
Where does one find the RV Waiver? We currently have 4 DVR's (722, 622, VIP622, VIP612), 3 of which we use in single mode, and one that we use for our RV. With the waiver on file, can we leave the VIP612 in our RV when not in use so we don't have to connect/disconnect at the house/RV every weekend? We've always taken the time to connected it back into the house every weekend in case the audit team called.

In our case we are only traveling to areas within our spot beam, so we are happy with the channels we get, but it would be nice to not have to re-connect the unit when we return home each weekend.

 

[TonyT@DISH Network]

Looks like the Equipment Verification Team handles that.

One thing I do want to make mention of: when splitting the account like this, the address cannot be changed to get "different" locals as you tour around in the RV. Being that only one box is making the trip, out of four boxes, the address must remain the same. If there were only one box on the account, it would be different.

Basically to get "approved for RV use", you can fax or email a copy of the registration (NOT the Title), to the EVT team and you are set. Seems pretty simple, really. I don't own an RV, so I couldn't tell you from experience.

 

[johnwadams]

Remember, MyDistantNetworks and Dish TV are separate companies. Neither will talk about the other.

Why mention AAD when the OP has a VIP722?
I am stuck with AAD and the poor SD I get from them. It kills me that I pay Dish over $100 a month and they could not care less if i have networks in HD. I was happy to pay whatever AAD wanted when they were my only source for net's in HD