HD Satellite Antenna - Montana Owners Club

JimF · 08-17-2007, 01:51 PM

We have the HD TV and get good reception off the antenna but want to add satellite. Had Direct out today to install a ground base antenna, converter box, etc. The service tech said that they will only do a solid mount (as in cemented into the ground). I have seen tripod mounted HD antennas, since Direct TV won't do it have any of you folks had it done and by whom.

We did discuss the various RV in motion roof mounted HD antennas, the tech said that for HD Direct the antenna has to pick up 5 satellites and the King dome picks up only 1 at a time so each time you change channels that are on a different salellite the antenna has to search. Is that true?? He said he had done that install and it wasn't really good.

So what do you do for HD on the road.. We need some help on this one.

William H. Collier · 08-17-2007, 03:04 PM

Jim,
Direct TV is currently in the middle of a transition, in order to get HD right now you need a 3 lnb dish which picks up 3 satelites. That is the one I have now and set it up on a tripod, not hard to set up and works well. The problem is Direct has launched 2 new satelites and all the HD channels will be on those new satelites and a 5 lnb dish is needed to pick up all 5 satelites. This change is supposed to occur in next month. The 5 lnb dish, called Slimline, is a bit larger and more weight. I plan on mounting it on a bigger tripod. I have been told it is considerably more difficult to set up the 5 satelites rather than the 3. When they make the change and I see what they have done I guess I'll find out how difficult the 5 lnb dish is to set up otherwise I have wasted $600 on 2 HD receivers.
Bill

JimF · 08-17-2007, 04:55 PM

Thanks for the info, will wait and see what happens for a couple of more months before I do anything.

Dean A Van Peursem · 09-02-2007, 11:07 AM

Has anyone set up a 5 LNB Dish on the road? I have one on the house and am thinking of getting another 5 LNB dish for mobile applications using the house Direct TV HD20 Receiver while traveling. How much hassle is this?

Dean A Van Peursem · 09-23-2007, 03:11 PM

I've now set up a three LNB dish 3 different times and have found it not to be all that difficult with just a compass and a level. Once i get the tripod perfectly level I then set the skew and elevation to specs provided and then hunt for the azmuth. I only have trouble with this last one. All actual settings have been slightly different than what DirecTV provides.

I think I have also learned that the 5 LNB dish is primarily needed to get the local channels in HD. Since our local channels are not available in the Phoenix area I'm not sure a 5 LNB dish is really needed for mobile applications out the local area. Anyone know for sure?

RonS · 09-24-2007, 07:59 AM

Where can you get some knobs for the adjustments to the ground mounted sat antenna? I dont like messing with a wrench for the nuts and a wing nut is not the answer. I seen some knobs someplace but CRS prevents me from finding the post again. Checked with various hardware stores ACE, Home Depot etc without success.

DONnANNIE · 09-24-2007, 02:12 PM

RonS, Ace is where I got new bolts, spacers and knobs. I'm sure Home Depot and Lowes has them too.

dsprik · 09-24-2007, 06:08 PM

I originally called Directv out for my HD setup. They gave me the same song and dance about cementing a dish into the ground. Also informed me that I would need two dishes pointed about 90 degrees from each other. The HD dish was to have 5 LNBs. I would need a trailer behind my 3400 just for all this equipment - not to mention the cement...

I called DishNet. One dish. 3 LNBs. Great HD reception.

Dean A Van Peursem · 09-24-2007, 06:22 PM

Dave,

The more I work this Mobile Direct Tv thing I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that I can get all the HD channels that Direct TV is coming out with this fall in addition to the ones I'm already getting with a 3 LNB Dish. What I won't be able to get is the local Seattle stations in HD which is a non-event in the Phoenix area because I can't and not allowed to get them at all in the Phoenix area anyway.

dsprik · 09-25-2007, 03:24 AM

That's been my experience with local channels, Dean. When at the Rally in Goshen this week, I could not get my local northern/central MI channels. When I am in FL this winter, I will call Dish Network and see how to change my local channels to the Orlando area.

Also, we try to pull any local channels out of the air, instead of using the dish, as HD is broadcast by most local stations and the dish only broadcasts the network shows in analog. Our CBS/NBC/ABC/Fox HD programs ("Lost", "Heroes", "CSI", etc) all come off our crank up antenna. Tremendous difference in picture quality - especially on our HD 32" LCD Sharp TV. It is easy to switch back and forth from the dish and our antenna on the fly.

bigbob7777 · 09-25-2007, 04:13 AM

Whenever I move, I call dish/direct and change my "service" address, not my billing address. This allows me to get the locals for that area.

I've never had trouble with getting Dish or DTV set up. I do prefer Dish Network because their menus and guides are more user friendly to me. They also bought "Voom" so they get about 20 HDTV channels and it is easy to set up the 3 LNB dish wherever we go (so long as the trees cooperate_).

bob

Dean A Van Peursem · 09-25-2007, 06:14 AM

When we spent the winter in the Phoenix area last winter I called Direct TV and asked what I needed to do to get the local Phoenix channels via Satellite. They told me it couldn't be done and by law they couldn't provide it. Maybe I didn't ask the question right. We do have cable service at our space in AZ which I will probably use this winter for the local channels. I doubt the on-board roof antenna with work for the broadcast local channels as there are trees in the way. But will find out this winter.

I have replaced the phone service jacks through the wall on the entertainment slide out wall with coaxial cable connections so I now can have both cable and satellite into the RV simultaneously. Sure wish Keystone would provide two coaxial services instead of just one. With this new setup I should be able to switch from Satellite, to cable to antenna right inside the RV.

Blord · 10-02-2007, 05:56 AM

Dean, you need to tell them to change your "SERVICE" address and then they can legally change your local channels. Last winter we made the mistake of doing that down in Texas. I got the local channels but didn't think about things like FSRM (Fox Sports Rocky Mountain) or ALT (Altitude). When I changed the location I could no longer get into those channels to watch the Colorado Avalanche hockey games. The wife almost shot me for that one!

harryd2 · 10-02-2007, 09:28 AM

I have a 5lbn sat dish which I set up on a 1" by 8' treated board that i cut to make a X workes great get app. 40 hd chanels

Dean A Van Peursem · 10-02-2007, 10:20 AM

Thanks everyone. So when we spend our winter in AZ I call Directv and ask for a different service address. Then I will be able to get the local Phoenix channels in HD if I use a 5 LNB dish?

dsprik · 10-02-2007, 10:39 AM

I don't think so. What I do is switch my system to my Montana external antenna ("air"). Most local channels (CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox) by now are broadcasting in digital and the major networks run their primetime shows (CSI, Dancing With The Stars, Heroes, etc) in HD. If your TV is HD capable - where you can get channels 7.1, 7.2, 29.3, etc with decimals - you will see some spectacular programming. I have a 1080i 32" Sharp Aquos that is eye-popping with programming right off my antenna.

*On Edit~ I should say that I am not sure if you can or cannot get network programming in HD thru your dish (DirecTV). I can get all the networks through my dish (DishNet) in digital, but NOT in HD. I can pick up ABC HD out of the air on 29.1 here in NW Lower MI. CBS and NBC stations are too far away and I have to watch them in digital on my satellite - OK, but nearly as nice as HD.

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