What dish for DirectTV - updated

[kramperD]

I've searched past posts, but would like any current info you could pass along. Called Dtv yesterday and told them we'd be hitting the road for 3 months and would like to take the home system with us. They said just remove receiver and take it with no additional cost. However, we would need to get a dish from a 3rd party, that they don't provide.

We need the recommended dish for hd/dvr and to multi-record 2 stations at a time. I've searched the net but since seeing double, feel like I'm looking at trying to find a specific fish in the ocean but don't know what it looks like! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, D

UPDATED - Finally made contact with a local dish installer here in Mansfield. Gave him the scoop but he was bent out of shape because I didn't originally order Directv from him.....go figure. I told him I ordered it direct from online and he wanted to know who the installer was. Nicely I told him I didn't know....it had been over 3 years ago. Anyway, couldn't get beyond the fact that I was not his Dtv customer and that he couldn't get a good price for the dish. I told him that was interesting as when I recently contacted Dtv they told me to go through a 3rd party and that they had nothing to do with the install or dish purchase. His response was, "Oh".

Anyway, he then told me I could use the old, old rust bucket dish up on the tv tower and he would sell me a single line lnb for $79. I told him thanks, but would continue to look around for pricing.

Next, I called back Dtv and told them my situation and they told me to go through the RV dealer as a 3rd party. 2 hours away, no way. So, calling some numbers on the net for help today. What a terrible experience with the local guy!

[CATCRAW]

I ordered mine from Adventure RV, they had the best price at the time. We did get the mounted dish but they also have portable as well. You need the KA/KU compatible to get HD and DVR functionality.

http://www.adventurerv.net/antennas-amp-satellites-c-39.htmldish

[Delaine and Lindy]

I have a Traveler roof mount Direct-Tv, which is just a push button auto lock to the Satellite for HDTV. I also have a Slim Line that I carry just in case we can't find a site which I can't get a view to the Southern Sky. We have 4 receivers all HDTV 2 in the Stick house and two in the 5th wheel..

You can just Google Direct-TV dish and find the Slim line Satellite dishes. I also park undet a 40'x50' building and I have the Slim Line Dish fot the Stick house and when we are there with the RV I just hook the RG 6 cables to he 5th wheel and have HDTV also.

We leave the Receivers at the stick house because we have a house sitter when we are gone about 8 months a year..... Happy Trails..

[Champ_49]

If your doing the Winegaurd Traveler for Direct I have a couple that travel around and do this at a very reasonable rate installing. Its not cheap, but less expensive than what Camping World does. If interested send me a PM or Email, be glad to help you out.

Dave

[exav8tr]

If I were you, I would visit a sat shop and BE SURE you are getting the right dish. My reason is this: Some DVR's require a two cable setup to watch and record, as mine does. Others are single wire and do it all. Nothing worse than thinking you are recording something only to find out you weren't!!!!!!! Been there done that...

[kramperD]

Thanks for everyones posts.....Phyl - that's just what I'm afraid of!

[Ozz]

The new Slimline Travl'r Direct TV HD system is what I put in. If you have HD and want it on the road, that's what you have to go with.

https://picasaweb.google.com/Jimsue13/SatDishPics?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Sadoun satellite sales is great, bought my portable from them.

[richfaa]

Do you have the SWM setup or the non SWM setup. For the Montana we use the SL3 dish with the non swm setup. In the house we have the SL3 dish with the SWM setup.There is a big difference. the LNB for the swm had ONE output .The non SWM LNb has FOUR outputs.

I would see your local Directtv installer and tell him exactly what you want to do. he will know the proper equipment for you.
the dish is heavy and you will need a sturdy tripod.

This is what a NON swm lnb looks like


http://store.satellitemart.com/DIRECTV-SL3-Non-SWM-3-LNB_p_245.html

[kramperD]

Thanks Rich and Ozz......will be getting ahold of local dealer on Monday.

[mobil]

We take our home hd/dvr with us. We have a slimline 3-lnb SWM dish, bought from ebay. The tripod we bought at http://www.tv4rv.com/(heavy duty combo). One cable is all you need with this setup, which is why we went with the SWM setup. Some web research will tell if your receiver is compatible with swm dishes. If so, your receiver will automatically detect the SWM lnb, but when you get home you will need to reprogram the receiver(as soon as you power up the receiver hit "menu", then "back", to bring up the proper menu for setup). All of the installers I've spoken with have told me you can't dial in the hd receivers without a meter. While it would be quicker no doubt, we do just fine without one, just using the built in meters on the receiver via two way radios to peak the signals. It takes practice but I got it down to about fifteen minutes to tune it in. I installed a new sat input on the rear of the fiver. We rarely watch tv in bed so I didn't run the cable any further. It won't work with existing cable/sat input, at least on mine it doesn't. On the rare occasion we do watch tv in bed we just use the existing ant.for local stations. The BEST way would be the Wingard Traveler as previously mentioned, but our setup cost about a third or more less and you can position the dish away from obstructions. By the way, if you have a smart phone, for $20 you can get dishpointer pro app that uses your phones camera to overlay the satellites on the screen. If you have obstructions, you'll see them.

[richfaa]

mobil is right on. We went with the Non SWM for the Montana because we got the entire set up for nothing. We use the same tripod from the same place.
Since you are looking at 3 satellites 101/99/103 it is a bit harder to properly align/ usually if you get the proper Az, EL and tilt and the tripod is perfectly plumb tune up on the 101 sat and normally the other two are there but will require dithering for a strong signal. I purchased a Orbital tracker
plus meter that display's all 3 sat/

WWW.Dishpointer com is a good tool

[mazboy]

http://winegard.com/ live and learn

[mhs4771]

Dino, try Stark Electronics. They carry all sorts of Dishes and LNBs and have pretty reasonable pricing

[kramperD]

Will do, thanks!

[richfaa]

I would love to have one of those auto dishes however not the roof mounted dish.Nearly everyone who has the roof dish also carries a tripod mount with them for whenever they can not get a clear line of sight.The portable dome dish does not receive HD TV for directtv or I would have one of those.

[Lije Baley]

Are you still shopping? You can get a SWM system working in the trailer, but when wired, you'll not be able to use park cable. The SWM system requires a power inverter and SWM splitter. I installed mine in the bedroom closet beside the antenna booster connection, removing the cables from that booster's backside, and connecting them to the SWM splitter. The big advantage with SWM is that I was able to use the existing single cables in the Montana to the bedroom and living room TVs to send two signals to each DVR, permitting both tuners to function.

If you are still shopping, Solidsignal.com is another retailer for your needs. Also, the Slimline dish, tripods and meters can be obtained from reputable dealers on Ebay.