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Old 08-08-2012, 06:47 AM   #1
DQDick
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The TV saga continues.

I've just about decided to stay with no TV at all. After reading the posts it seemed to me that Dish was probably my best option. I called them and they told me that Dish National couldn't do installs on RV's and said I should go to Camping World over 300 miles away. When I said no to that they referred me to two "local" providers who both told me that I was too far away from them for them to service me but they didn't understand why Dish didn't do it since Dish has a state wide service network. I called Dish back and ask a rep to give me a supervisor, she said she would transfer me but gave me to another rep. That rep asked all kinds of questions and then agreed to give me to her supervisor and then put me on hold for over 21 minutes until I finally hung up. Fine, I'll go with Direct TV. Called Direct TV and explained my problem. The rep said I had to speak to someone else and would transfer me. Cut me off and left me with a dial tone. That's it, I'm done for the day and maybe for good.
 
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Old 08-08-2012, 07:29 AM   #2
steelpony5555
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Dick...let me tell you what I did... I got a Dish 500 antenna with a tripod off a neighbor who was selling his RV. I then ordered a Dish receiver off Amazon, which you can get the antenna's from too. I did it this way because I got a dual receiver so I can watch TV in both the lvgroom and the bdroom and be on different channels. The receivers run from $100 up to $300+ and you can get a antenna for around $80 plus the tripod. If you go with the tailgators or one the other portables like that you must use the 211 receiver and it can only deal with one channel at a time. That is the same as DishForMyRV. They are like a middle man and you can only get one channel at a time. So I set up the dual receiver and set up the antenna and it will come up with Dish's channel where you tune it in and it gives you a number to call. When I called and explained I had an RV and wanted to be able to turn the service on and off she transfered me right to an RV specialist who set it all up and was working in a half an hour. Now since I own the equipment I can stop and start the service when I want. The hardest part was getting the wiring set up inside the trailer. Now, to get one permanently mounted on the roof...well then we got a problem. There I think Camping World would be the best bet and would know what they are doing. Hope this helps.
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Old 08-08-2012, 07:39 AM   #3
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It's the wiring part that scares me, how hard was it and how was it done? I've got satalite outlets all over the place, but figuring out to hook it up and what to do behind the big TV and the mess they made of the DVD player scare me. I'm too big to fit in there and I don't know what I'm doing. Two things that both scare me
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Old 08-08-2012, 10:21 AM   #4
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As far as the equipment, I went to dishformyrv.com and ordered a package deal that included the receiver, tripod mounted dish, and installation cables. I have since bought a Tailgater satellite dish. You can also get that as part of a package now.
Not sure how yours is wired. You just need to run a cable from the satellite dish to the back of the Dish receiver. And an HDMI cable from the receiver to the TV.
On mine, I only had one coax input to the trailer for park cable. And there was a jumper behind the TV. I could remove the jumper and run a coax from that port to the receiver and it would work. But I left the original coax connector as it was and added a second coax connector for the satellite. In my case it was fairly simple as there was (reasonably) easy access to an outside wall behind the TV. That way I can use either sat or park cable or both.
But I believe the new ones already have a separate sat coax input??? True??? If so, then it should just be a matter of locating that input and run a coax cable from it to the receiver. And an HDMI cable from the receiver to the TV.
I got the VIP211K receiver and as steelpony5555 mentioned it is a single tuner receiver. That is no problem for us as we only watch one channel at a time any way. I don't watch that much TV in the first place. I do have it connected to the bedroom TV also, but what ever is showing on the living room TV is what is showing on the bedroom TV. If for some reason I wanted to watch something different from the DW, and if the park had cable, we could have sat on the living room and cable, or antenna, on the bedroom.
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Old 08-08-2012, 11:56 AM   #5
steelpony5555
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Since yours is a newer rig I'm not sure what is behind your TV. But like BB said about the input from the outside.
1st you got to find which oulet comes in and which goes to the back TV. That's half the battle. There is 2 connections
on one outlet plated
2nd run a coax from the in connection from outside to your satellite input on the back of the reciever
3rd run a coax for #1 TV up to the livingroom TV.
4th run a coax back to that outlet to the one that goes to the bedroom TV from the back of the receiver for #2 TV
5th the coax that comes in the back from the bedroom TV should go to the livingroom TV with a splitter that goes to your FM antenna
If you did #3 already it should be disconnected from the livingroom TV.... take that line and there should be an
over the air antenna connection on the back of the receiver, plug it in there.

Now the satellite signal comes into the rig to the receiver back out to the outlet to go back to the bedroom TV. You must turn off the power to the antenna.

Now if you want to watch over the air TV just turn off the satellite and turn on the power to the antenna.

To watch cable you must disconnect the 2 coax's connnected to that outlet and mark them. Then reconnect the short coax jumper to those 2 outlet and turn off the power antenna.

Now if you stay in one place for a good while it's not too much of a pain but while on the road it can be because each time you change you got to reprogram your TV. I have a diagram I drew up myself but don't know how to get it on here. It seems confusing but if you go step by step and write it all down it helps.
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Old 08-08-2012, 05:35 PM   #6
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Thanks! When I get back from a funeral tomorrow night I'm getting under there and see if, with your instructions, I can figure it out.
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Old 08-09-2012, 04:30 AM   #7
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Dick
If you want to wait till the Rally there are plenty of us who could help set you up. We have had Dish since 1996 and been very pleased. There is a good website call Satelliteguys.us with lots of good information. One of the best things is that there a special team from Dish called DIRT(Dish Internet Response Team) that are members, that cut through the red tape and the runaround from the phone CSR's. If you have install, billing or technical questions they get the answers fast.
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Old 08-09-2012, 05:00 AM   #8
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Thanks!
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Old 08-09-2012, 05:31 AM   #9
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Dick,
Looks like there are dish people and direct people. Kinda souunds like Chevy, Dodge and Ford folks. I like the setup Ozz has. Meets the tree and clear situations.
Mike
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Old 08-09-2012, 05:09 PM   #10
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Dick-- Get yourself a Jack antenna to replace that batwing and you'll be surprised the difference. It's not satellite but they really work! Check out my other post on another thread!
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Old 08-10-2012, 02:12 AM   #11
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I've thought of that, but our home base here is 70 miles from the nearest broadcast tower and where we're going in AZ is about 50 miles east of Phoenix so while it would help, one channel is probably all we'd get. I've got a Winegard Carryout ordered and the Dish stuff coming next week so I want to thank everyone for their advice and offers of help and I'll post how the next step goes next week. If things work as planned I may have advise for those like me in the future. If they don't, I may be taking some of you up on your offers of help at the Rally.
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Old 08-10-2012, 09:00 AM   #12
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Dick,
We camp at Quartzsite each year and we can pick up at least 6 or more channels. We are at least 100 to 140 miles or so from either Phoenix or Yuma. Of course we also have our DTV and use it when we can get it to work.

Years ago we lived in Safford, AZ which is about 100+ miles east of Phoenix and could pick up a channel or two. But that was prior to the latest digital stuff. I doubt you'll have any trouble getting a signal being you're only 50 miles away. The TV stations may be using some repeaters to get their signals into the hinterlands. That helps a lot. Good luck. Dennis
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Old 08-10-2012, 09:34 AM   #13
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Dick,

I have same model and year Montana you have. I use a Carry Out Automatic Sat Antenna. I have Disk VIP-211K (around $200). I put a 1TB USB drive ($110) on it, and that turns it into a DVR ($39 one time activation fee) with over 100 hours recording in HD, and 450+ hours SD.

I connect the Sat antenna to the TV port in the convence area. On the back wall there behind the DVR/sound box is a Loop connector, just remove the jumper, and one them goes tot he outside convence area, and the other goes to the antenna on the top.

I connect both to the Sat Receiver, and I can watch Sat or off-air, in fact I can also record off-air via the Sat Receiver.

PM me with a phone # and times to call, and I can explain it better than I do writing.



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Old 08-10-2012, 11:38 AM   #14
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by 7.3Ford

Dick,

I have same model and year Montana you have. I use a Carry Out Automatic Sat Antenna. I have Disk VIP-211K (around $200). I put a 1TB USB drive ($110) on it, and that turns it into a DVR ($39 one time activation fee) with over 100 hours recording in HD, and 450+ hours SD.

I connect the Sat antenna to the TV port in the convence area. On the back wall there behind the DVR/sound box is a Loop connector, just remove the jumper, and one them goes tot he outside convence area, and the other goes to the antenna on the top.

I connect both to the Sat Receiver, and I can watch Sat or off-air, in fact I can also record off-air via the Sat Receiver.

PM me with a phone # and times to call, and I can explain it better than I do writing.



I think I'm alright now, I finally found where I put the wiring diagram for the antenna system on the newer rigs. Would have helped if I had renamed it so I could recognize it
Anyway equipment should be here by Wednesday and I'll either be posting happy or sad by Thursday. Thanks for the offer of help, I may still need it.
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Old 08-10-2012, 01:25 PM   #15
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You can always find the current TV wiring diagrams here on the MOC thanks to John Kohl. Go to --> "MOC WEB SITE & COMPUTER TECH HELP" --> "Forum Information and Help" and look for "TV and Cable TV Wiring Diagram".
http://www.montanaowners.com/forums/...ad.php?t=37324
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Old 08-11-2012, 08:41 AM   #16
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Dick,
I have a Winegard Carryout if you have any questions. It is pretty much automatic but you still need a clear view of the southern sky for it to be able to see all three Sats, 110/119/129. I call it R2D2 because it likes to talk to you when it's working, you'll see. Call me anytime or send me a PM. Best regards,
Chuck
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Old 08-11-2012, 09:19 AM   #17
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Dish also has a great app for iPhone (might be others as well) It's called "Dish for my RV"

you hold your phone up to the sky - it uses the camera view finder - and you look at your iphone screen. As you search the sky looking at the screen you see the satellites as red dots placed on top of the background and they are marked (119, 110 etc)

It's great for positioning the carryout in a spot where you can shoot between a couple of trees fir a clear view. Many times folks have seen my dish out in a treed campground and have come over asking how I got a signal. I've helped many find a clear view and only takes a few seconds.

It's my "go to app" as soon as we get the wheels down and parked at the gate. If you have other phones, droid etc - I'd check and see if theres an app.
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