new Install Questions Mini Genie in camper

[Vicki5050]

I am coming from Dish Network. I called to request service for 4 TVs. I wanted a Genie, 2 Mini Genies, and a HD Receiver. The HD receiver would be used in our camper during the summer when we go up-north. The customer service rep insisted that Mini receiver is the same as a standard HD receiver and we should have no issues using it without the Genie.

I have a few questions.
1. Is what the customer service rep saying is true? We will not be able to try it in the camper until Memorial Day weekend?
2. What kind of dish is needed? I was assured that any dish would work. I know the dish up north has 4 lines that come off it. Two go to my in laws cabin, one to my sil Camper and one to our camper.
3. Do you need Internet service for the Mini Genie to work? We will not have that up north.

I had done my research and thought a regular HD receiver would make the most sense and be the easiest set-up. Directv is insisting on a Genie and 3 Mini clients. I am fine paying just need to make sure the set-up will work.

 

[jdspencer]

If by Mini-genie you mean the C31 client, it can't work without the Genie.

 

[Mr Tony]

1. The HD receiver and the mini client are 2 different things......the HD receiver has a tuner in it, the client does not. Pay the extra $99 for the HD receiver
2. If you want HD you will need a slimline dish (it says slimline right on it).. If that is already there then all you will need extra is a BBC converter. It hooks on the line right before the receiver and gets the HD channels properly (on the grounds the dish is aimed right)
3. no

 

[Liquidforce88]

1. The HD receiver and the mini client are 2 different things......the HD receiver has a tuner in it, the client does not. Pay the extra $99 for the HD receiver
2. If you want HD you will need a slimline dish (it says slimline right on it).. If that is already there then all you will need extra is a BBC converter. It hooks on the line right before the receiver and gets the HD channels properly (on the grounds the dish is aimed right)
3. no

If he gets an H25 when they set him up, he will need a SWM lnb for the camper. I also assume that he has a Dish Network dish at the camper and not a Directv dish. So a DN dish will not work at all.

 

[twizt3dsist3r]

So to recap, for your home install you absolutely want a genie, two clients, and a hd receiver for your four tvs, this is provided you eventually want to take one box camping with you. As for which dish you need for the camping trip that depends on exactly which receiver you are installed at your home with, and what dish you have "up north" now, if this is dish network or something fta or bell since im assuming up north is canada, you need a new dish, if its a dtv dish, well again until your home setup is installed theres no way of knowing which dish to recommend. We need the exact model of your hd box.

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[Vicki5050]

Okay what I was told last night by Directv is wrong. The rep went to his manager twice trying to add it and then he the manager came on insisting we could just take the client and its the same as a receiver? I am pissed right now. Not a good welcoming at all.

okay so I am not sure what dish is up north it is my in laws system. It is Direct tv. They currently have a Directv dish with 4 lines coming off only 3 are being used so we could use the forth. In the past we have just used the antenna and got 2 channels and would like more.

does anyone know what dish is up north? Can we get a Sd receiver or an HD receiver and have them work up north? We will not be switching the dish up north so what I go with for the 4th tv I need to make sure it will work with their system setup.

we tried the dish network tailgater last year and couldn't get a signal as it is in the north woods. The directv installer they had had issues with getting a signal but eventually found a spot after workings it to separate times.

 

[Mr Tony]

Okay what I was told last night by Directv is wrong. The rep went to his manager twice trying to add it and then he the manager came on insisting we could just take the client and its the same as a receiver?

The client has no tuner in it. It takes a tuner from the Genie. So if you unhook the client from your setup you have a doorstop.
The HD receivers are $99 at install but well worth it

okay so I am not sure what dish is up north it is my in laws system. It is Direct tv. They currently have a Directv dish with 4 lines coming off only 3 are being used so we could use the forth. In the past we have just used the antenna and got 2 channels and would like more.

do the inlaws have HD?

does anyone know what dish is up north? Can we get a Sd receiver or an HD receiver and have them work up north? We will not be switching the dish up north so what I go with for the 4th tv I need to make sure it will work with their system setup.

It depends on if they have HD or not. If they have HD then yes you can use either a SD or HD reciever. If they only have SD its possible they have a SD only dish (called a Phase III) and you wouldnt get HD on it (but you would get SD)

 

[texasbrit]

And unless they have an SWM system you would not be able to connect an H25 receiver..........

 

[stardust3]

I know for a fact if I try to build an order with anything other than the genie/client(s) it kills the whole home option.

 

[texasbrit]

Yes, the client will NOT work unless it is connected to a Genie, whatever the DirecTV rep told you.

 

[Vicki5050]

Just found out there is HD up-north. Not concerned that the receiver is not part of the whole house system as it is rarely used. I called a local installer to confirm our set-up tried working with Directv to get the local installer to do the install. it was a no go. I needed to have installers change the confirmation. They couldn't instead offered $200 in discount coupons because I can't use the AAA discount. With this I should be able to to use a referral so win/win.


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[twizt3dsist3r]

The in laws cannot have swm if they have 4 lines coming off the dish with one extra. You need to be installed with 1 genie, 2clients, and 1hd receiver, will be a 99upgrade fee one time, and you need to hope the installer has an h24,h23, or h21 on his truck, (bigger number = newer box) unfortunately you will probably get an h25 which is the newest receiver available. This will not work without some additional equipment at your in laws. And even then i believe a swm8 multiswitch does not have pass through ports, only two legacy ports which will not get the existing boxes your inlaws have working correctly. Depending on what boxes all of your inlaws have, you may be able to get them on swm. We need more information to determine that. Your best bet is to hope for a h24 box to be in stock. And asking the ppl on the phone is not going to help you, the box model depends on what the tech has on his truck at the time of install.

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[twizt3dsist3r]

If the tech does not have an h24 on his truck ask him if you can 'tip' him to leave a swm8 multiswitch with you if he asks why tell him you have a camper already wired with a 4line hd dish. Dont mention multiple accounts using the same dish, most installers wont care but some will. You can also buy this switch on ebay or from a retailer, but we need to know what boxes your inlaws all have. And where the lines go in their homes.

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[Vicki5050]

Thank you so much. I am working directly with the retailer's installer. He said that he would make sure he orders us a H24 receiver so that it will work. Not sure that would have happened if I went with a Directv installer.

 

[twizt3dsist3r]

While it is a craps roll, most installers will help you out with simple stuff like this if they can. Glad to hear you have it sorted out, let us know how the install goes, oh and by the way, when moving the box from your house to the inlaws and back, you will need to repeat the setup (done from the remote and simple) so be sure to post back here when the time comes and well walk you through that.

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[Jimbo]

I know for a fact if I try to build an order with anything other than the genie/client(s) it kills the whole home option.

Thats sad ...

FORCING people to get HR34's ...

 

[twizt3dsist3r]

Strange, whole home obviously works with other receivers, no reason not to authorize it on install. One thing i would have complained about, when my install was done the tech had no intention on hooking up my genie to the internet. I even had to use my own cck i had sitting up in my attic as he said he didnt have any, i thought this came standard on installs.

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[BobStokesbary]

Vicki5050,

Unfortunately there is no "simple" answer to your situation. You clearly indicate that you want a Genie for your home base. That demands that your home base is a SWM setup. As stated, the C31 mini-genie (if that is a real term) only works off the Genie and as Iceberg stated has no separate tuner in it. So you cannot use it independent of the Genie receiver.

You said you wanted to use the separate receiver in your "camper" which, to me, means a vehicle mounted setup. Then you reference an existing dish with four wires. I am confused here. Do you run a wire from an existing dish to your "camper"? If so, it is possible to connect a H24 to that setup, but you have to go through another learning curve to know how to do it right. (The 4-wire dish in not a SWM.)

But, to get you a quality answer it would be helpful to know exactly what you want to do. Are you going to use an existing mounted dish? If so, do your in-laws have an HD receiver attached to it? That would mean that it is a slimline dish that could support an HD receiver. But, you would have to reset your home receiver every time you took it up there if you were connecting it to their dish (due to the single wire mulitswitch versus the multiwire switch situation).

Also, as you have noted, if you are in the trees getting a line of sight to a satellite may be very challenging. If either you or your in-laws have an Android phone I would strongly suggest downloading the free app "Satellite AR". This uses the camera on your phone to give you a line-of-sight for all the D* sats (as well as many others). This will allow you to see if the trees are in your way. The "woods" issue may be a show stopper.

And I agree, the folks you talk with in sales are sometimes confused. I had a very nice person try her best to give me technical information before I had my install. This was back when SWM was new and they did not know for sure that I would get a SWM install. Everything they told me was wrong too. But, I fault D*'s training and procedures for that. The have a multiplicity of technologies in the field and the exact needs of the installation are really determined at the time of install.

So, give us a better understanding of what you envision and you can get better answers to your questions. But, do know that when you want to take a receiver off your installed base things can get complicated. And most D* sales people are just not prepared to deal with that. And, since you are on the outer edge of the terms of service agreement, they are typically not trained on all the options either.

On Edit: OK lesson learned. Do not try to post a long answer to a fast moving thread. I think most of the issues were covered while I was typing. I will leave my post stand however.


Bob

 

[Mr Tony]

But, to get you a quality answer it would be helpful to know exactly what you want to do. Are you going to use an existing mounted dish? If so, do your in-laws have an HD receiver attached to it? That would mean that it is a slimline dish that could support an HD receiver. But, you would have to reset your home receiver every time you took it up there if you were connecting it to their dish (due to the single wire mulitswitch versus the multiwire switch situation).

and also you would need a BBC connector attached to get the HD too (unless the HD receiver is a H23)

 

[twizt3dsist3r]

Hey Bob... might wanna read an entire thread before discouraging the op. Everything she is trying to do is completely possible. And your post is from an hour ago with the one right above it being mine from 18hrs ago. You didn't just type this and have stuff answered while you were typing.

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