Canadians with satellite tv

[Montana4two]

Are there any Canadians on the forum, who come down to the US (Arizona) and have success using their canadian satellite system while in the US. We are hearing so many conflicting stories about which provider works in the US and which ones do not. Any info would be greatly appreciated

[sapest]

We have Shaw Direct. AFAIK, Shaw has the only service that will work in USA these days.
Shaw works fine all the way to San Diego, with the following notes;
Around mid Oregon we lose all the 500 (HD) series channels, those on the new satellite. This is as expected.
We get all the SD channels everywhere, and most of the time, most of the 300 series (HD) channels are ok. Weirdly, we lose 328 (Fox) almost every night at 7:30 pm. Sometimes we get 325/6/7, NBC/ABC/CBS, sometimes not. Sometime we lose one, or two, not all three. Most of the other HD channels that we subscribe to, we have no trouble with.
One stupid trick that the PVR likes to do - if you set a recording to a channel that has lost its signal - the PVR will 'record' anyway. Nothing is recorded to the hard disc, but that tuner is tied up for the duration of the show, you cant stop the recording, or delete it until after the fact.
So, once we head south, I change all our PVR recording events to 'SD only' so this does not happen. Back in Canada, I change them all back to HD.

Any other questions, let me know.

-Steve

[Montana4two]

Interesting, and peculiar! So most of the time, most of the channels work. Thanks Steve, will,look into Shaw a little more

[sapest]

Most welcome.
Other points -
Shaw Go will not work in the USA ("anywhere/anytime" is another Shaw fib.)
You get the time zone that are a subscriber of. We are Vancouver customers, so we always have Pacific time based programming.
There is a service company in Quartzsite that knows their way around Shaw hardware if you have problems. And they have drive up/in RV parking!
If you have other Shaw services at home, there is now a bundle deal for Shaw Direct customers, last year the code was 'SH-DXP' - there are many Shaw agents that have no idea about this.
-Steve

[robert285rld]

While at the Good Sam Rally in Phoenix one vendor was advertising SHAW on their display. We have enjoyed great service while full timing this past year. Currently in Borrego Springs, previously in Casa Grande for five months.

[Lenny K]

We've been using Shaw for the past 6 years in Quartzsite and on the road. Works great, but I have to buy a new PVR as mine quit recording this year.

[Irlpguy]

When we decided to put a satellite dish on our new Montana we also went to Shaw Direct at home. Originally Shaw Direct and Shaw Cable services could not be bundled, they can now and have been able to be bundled for some time now. We have Shaw Internet and Shaw phone, now bundled with our Shaw direct television.

As has been mentioned the newest satellite is not available very far south of the US border, when on the Coast last September we could not get that satellite so lost all the 500 numbered channels. This was on the Washington/Oregon border so the coverage is pretty limited as you head south. For the most part we get all the other channels we get at home. We have spent the past 4 years in the Yuma area with no problems.

One thing to remember, Shaw sends software and other programming updates to the receivers on a fairly regular bases, so if you do not have your satellite dish up and the receivers on in the RV you can sometimes get by with a "on line" update, however we have found we often have to call the call center to get them to force the updates. The Wineguard dish is different than the home dish, they use different LNB's, so you cannot just take a receiver out of your home and put it in the RV as it will not be programmed to that LNB, trust me it makes a difference.

We are fortunate that we are able to have our RV at home and it always has power to it and the dish is always up with the receivers on so we get the updates when they are sent. So if you go the Shaw/Wineguard route make sure you have it operational before you head south. I have heard of folks being refused service from the call center when they are in the US.

Like any large corporation, Shaw does not like to give away anything for nothing, some folks have dishes on their summer cabins and put them on vacation when they are not using them but they are charged for the service when being used.

You are allowed a maximum of 6 receivers to be activated at one time, we have two in the RV, 3 in the house and my son uses our 6th one 200 miles away and has free TV, but don't tell Shaw that....

We love being able to get local news, weather and of course the hockey games when we are traveling, my wife has a couple of programs she "cannot" live without so for us it was/is a must-have addition.

The original Anik communications satellites used by Shaw and still being used are getting old, if they migrate all their programming to their new one we will be SOL south of the border and it is likely to happen sometime in the future.

In the meantime we are glad we have it.

[mazboy]

we have shaw and it work all the way down to Mazatlan....use your 75cm dish in the far south if possible but the 60cm dish works too.

I don't have any idea what people are saying but it works everwhere it seems.

we are from the states and got our service from a Tucson/Mazatlan compny