DirecTV and telephone lines?

[Charlie]

Dave-
I don't think there is much difference as which system is more RV friendly. Both companies are competitive and think that they provide the same perks. Dish 500 is requires a little more to set up than Direct, but not a big deal. I have the Dish 500 and have failed to pick up a signal only twice in travel all over the US & Canada. Both of those times the problem was a restricted access to the satellite.

As far as payment, I don't use a credit card, but they draft my checking account when the bill comes due and they don't care where the receiver is.

[HamRad]

snfexpress,
I have never had Dish Network so cannot speak to their service. I have had DirecTV for many years and recently added DirecWay. The TV part of the service has always been very good. We seldom have any reception problems. And when we had a problem at the house they were out in a reasonable amount of time to fix it. A number of times we've had to call customer service for assistance. Our RV receiver would not work or would not have all of the channels available. Once we got to a human to talk to the problem was always solved within just a matter of minutes. We're very satisfied with their customer service.

Since we now have DirecWay (the internet) we always call the provider of the satellite service. In our case DustyFoot. One of the best companies I've ever dealt with.

We camp in various forests from time to time and the tripod works great. I think we've only been in one place where we were NOT able to find a clear shot to the southern sky. If we'd only had the "fixed" dish there would have been many times we would NOT have been able to get a signal. But I sure wish I had the automatic system. It is just so much easier!

By the way we started out thinking we had to have the phone line connected. They went so far as to actually install a remote phone connection. We had the TV in a place where there was no phone line nearby. We now have NO landline phone system at all. We are totally cellular. We have had no problem whatsoever with NOT having a phone connected.

I think either system will work fine for you. Just investigate which one provides you with what you want at the price you want to pay. Good luck.

HamRad

[snfexpress]

Again, thanks everyone. Good info on this site!

Michael

[RADHAZJOE]

We got Direct TV installed last week with no phone line. DTV and installer said NO Problem. Works fine, just have to call forPPV.

If you want a phone line hookup and only have cable, go to radio shack. They have a system that you plug your cell phone into and it has phone jacks so it thinks you have a POTS line (thats the old term for wired phones.) But I don't see the need for that.

TRhe installer said that some new DTV receivers can get program upgrades from the sattalite but I don't think he was correct.