Breaking Down Satellite TV Dish Options

[graysailor]

I am being overwhelmed. So then a DVR is a receiver/recorder while a receiver is just a receiver. Sounds like one should get a DVR and have the best of both worlds. I was leaning towards the pay as you go option (can't recall if that is Dish or Direct) but apparently the Travl'er only supports Direct TV. Also I have 2 TV's so I assume that I need 2 receivers.

What led me to this is that I found last summer that the RV Parks that have cable seem to be somewhat limited at times and the crank up antenna often times only pics up a channel or two.

[CA_Tallguy]

The Trav'ler comes in two versions -- one for dish network and one for directv -- the dish network one is the SK-1000 and is here on Amazon...

Winegard SK-1000 TRAV'LER Gray/Black DISH Multi-Satellite TV Antenna : Amazon.com : Automotive

(Amazon is where I got mine and it's a pretty good price with free 2 day shipping if you have amazon prime.)

Here's the DirecTV version, the SK-SWM3 -- it is $300+ more expensive than the dish version. Winegard SK-SWM3 TRAV'LER Gray DIRECTV SWM Slimline Antenna : Amazon.com : Automotive

There are some other versions out there but I think these are the two you want to focus on if you want the Trav'ler. I believe they are the current versions. You might come across the SK-3005 but I think that is outdated (from what I recall, it can be adapted to current features like SWM which means single wire multiswitch).

As for DVR vs receiver, yes, you have it correct the DVR has 2+ receivers built in and it also records. I would recommend that you get the Dish Hopper or the DirecTV Genie to use with the Trav'ler. The easiest and most cost effective way to do this is to go with a service that you also use at home and then you can just pay a nominal extra receiver fee for what you use in the trailer -- or you can just take your receiver from home and plug it into the trailer! No sense in paying two cable/satellite bills if you can avoid it!

With Dish, you can indeed use the Pay-As-You-Go plan as well. I can't speak to the DirecTV month-to-month options. Dish Network has been wonderful though, and they are very accommodating to RV folks. When I move to a new location, I just call them up and tell them the address and they turn on the local channels for me. If you start to lean towards DirecTV, I would suggest that you research how they handle local channels for RV folks before making final decisions.

OK, this post is getting long, but let me just add that I can also offer advice on how to get your system setup and activated if you go with the Trav'ler. Will probably save that for another post. I can't recall if I posted about my experience earlier in this thread... but you basically will want to get your equipment all on your own and then call Dish or DirecTV for activation. The customer service people can get all confused if you try to order a Hopper or Genie DVR directly from them if you are in an RV.

[graysailor]

Ok, more info too absorb. I am a US citizen but I live in Mexico for about 6 months of the year so the Airstream is home up North for 6 months which is why I need to get it right the first time. Also all research is done on the Net so no one really to talk to. Your input I am sure is being read by others. Thanks again. I will spend a day re reading your posts.

[graysailor]

Pretty much have things figured out at last. In sniffing around the internet it seems to be a toss up between Dish and DirectTV. Lots of pros and cons for both. Many seem to have switched back and forth.

[CA_Tallguy]

The main reasons to use dish are (1) generally cheaper and (2) if you care about HD and you intend to use a tailgater or other set-it-out type unit.

Not trying to push dish but just want to make sure you realize that you can't get HD as easily with directv when mobile in an RV. The ONLY ways to get HD on directv are with the $1500 Trav'ler unit OR by toting a full sized dish with you that you set up manually in a tripod. There is no tailgater or other set out type device that will give you HD on directv.

The HD flexibility is probably the #1 reason I paid an early termination fee to give up directv in favor of dish when I became an rv full timer.

[mojo]

The other benefit of Dish for part-timers is that the receiver can be part of your home system and just pull it out and place it in the RV when traveling. The only additional cost then is the Tailgater. The Tailgater finds the satellite automatically by programing what state your in. However I have been able to get Denver stations in northern New Mexico by programing it for Colorado. Perhaps that might work if in Mexico, by programing for AZ but might be best to check with the Dish RV department.

[adonh]

Has anyone tried contacting Wingard to see if they have any "open box" units available. These are units that have been opened maybe returned by a dealer but new and not used. When I installed the SK-1000 Traveler on my AS a few years ago I was able to get an "Open Box" unit for about half the price of a new one. The one I received was brand new and looked like it had never been out of the box. It only had a 90day warranty but that was fine. I went through their support department when I got it. It still works great, the Traveler is the way to go in my opinion.

[CA_Tallguy]

Great idea adonh! Wish I would have thought to check before buying mine.

[halimer]

Has anyone looked into the Winegard Pathway X1? It works with the Dish211z.
Winegard Pathway X1 for DISH - DISH HD Portable Satellite TV Antenna

[streaminwild]

I didn't see rabbit ears on the list the kind you move until the snow went away. Maybe I should buy a new television, theirs no place to test the tubes anymore. I hear they have color sets with a 20'' tube. What ever happen to the test pattern in the morning? Those were the days. Thanks for bringing me up to speed

[switz]

We used the morning and late evening test pattern to align the color guns in Heathkit home built color Television sets in the 70s.

[CA_Tallguy]

Originally Posted by halimer

Has anyone looked into the Winegard Pathway X1? It works with the Dish211z.
Winegard Pathway X1 for DISH - DISH HD Portable Satellite TV Antenna

I have not... but is there a reason you like that unit over the X2? The X2 can see both eastern and western dish arcs so that is a HUGE benefit!

For example, if you have an obstruction blocking the western arc, you might still be able to see the eastern arc.

In addition, I recently found out that in some cases dish only has HD local channels in certain markets on one arc and not the other. For example, right now I am in east texas and my very expensive rooftop unit only gets western arc.... As a result, I can't get the east texas locals in HD (I only get the SD signal on the western arc so I can still see them, but not HD). As a workaround, I figured out I am within the reception area for Houston so I told dish I was there so I am watching their locals --- and their HD locals are available on the western arc.

The further you go into the northeast, the more important/advantageous it will be to have the eastern arc option in order to get your full programming (and for your best chances at a clear view to get any programming at all). Off the top of my head, I'm not sure if many other solutions have this east/west arc option but I do think it is a "killer" feature worth strong consideration.

[CA_Tallguy]

I'm glad you posted about the X1 and got me thinking about that vs the Tailgater and X2, Halimer. I had been expecting to pick up one of these units for cases when my rooftop mount might be blocked and had forgotten about the eastern arc benefits of the X2.

The conversation prompted me to spend some time looking at the three options this morning. It looks like the main benefit to the X1 would be size, and that it can be "permanently" roof mounted with the ability to detach it when desired.

Here are the dimensions of the units... keep in mind that smaller may not always be better here! Winegard says that the larger reflector in the X2 helps with reception, so there is a tradeoff between the two (and likely the same with the tailgater as it is closer in size to the X1).

Tailgater - 16" x 16", 17.5" height
Winegard X1 - 14.3" diameter, 13.5" height
Winegard X2 - 21" diameter, 15" height (stowed)

The roof mount/detachable flexibility was something I was considering before I decided to go with the pop up Trav'er dish. In the end, the Trav'ler was a better choice for me as it allows you to use any Dish receiver and since I am a full-timer I wanted to be able to use the Hopper in my trailer. If I was only using my Airstream for recreation, I probably would have been more open to the limitations of these set-out type units.

I also worried that the little bubble popping up on the roof might look odd on an airstream.

Here are links to the various units on Amazon... (note that the winegard units linked here are bundles with a receiver and the tailgater is just the antenna)

Tailgater - Dish VQ2500 Tailgater Portable Satellite
Winegard X1 - Winegard PA2000R Pathway X1 with VIP 211z
Winegard X2 - Winegard PA6002R Pathway X2 Bundle

It seems like the winegard units are both just a little more expensive than the Tailgater at the present time. I'll have to read though user reviews to help decide before pulling the trigger, but I'm strongly inclined to go for the X2 for ability to use the eastern arc + western.

Note that you can buy the antennas separate from the receivers, which might be a good idea to make sure you get the latest receiver (the 211Z, which is a lot smaller than the previous 211K). I would guess that the bundles are also shipping the 211Z now as it has been out awhile but personally I'd be disappointed if I ended up with the K model.

[halimer]

CA Tall Guy,

Thanks for all the info. I'll need to check out the different channel offering on the eastern arc. I would prefer the Winegard X1 due to its size. I can easily fit it under my bed. I carry to much stuff on a 3-4 month trip in the bed of the truck. I have the Winegard MP1 Carry Out. It takes forever to adjust and set up. I took me less time to set up man portable mil SATCOMs or even a bi-pole antenna in the military. And I wasn't the Commo guy! A Winegard rep said that it takes him 10-15 to setup the MP1 Carry-Out, and he does it all the time.
Thanks for all the research.
Mark

[CA_Tallguy]

A good place to research what channels are on which satellites with dish is at James Long .name

Here are some overview maps showing the spot beams coming from one eastern and one western arc satellite.


I'm inferring from this that the satellites are maybe over the southwestern and southeastern states -- maybe off the coast? It generally looks like there could be a 90 degree or so difference in where the dish would point on the ground in much of the US, which could really provide a great deal of help in being able to receive the signals.

One thing I wonder is how hard it is to switch from western to eastern arc both in the dish unit and the receiver. It would be amazing if it were seamless and both the dish and the receiver would pick and choose which arc is best to use, but I suspect that it may not be that simple. Probably wouldn't be too hard though. My guess is that you might have to change a setting in the receiver. I think the X2 would be able to automatically figure it out on its side but there could be a reason why they might make you flip a switch or something on it too.

[CA_Tallguy]

Sounds like the user would just re-run the setup and choose the alternate arc if the X2 unit was unable to lock onto the first arc selected...

Q. Should I choose eastern or western arc during receiver setup?
A. Generally, western arc will be available in almost all areas of the continental US. When in the eastern half of the US, the eastern arc may provide better look angles and possibly local channels if you are within your home market.

Q. How do I access the receiver setup menu after initial receiver setup?
A. Press “Menu” on your remote. Select option 6, “System Setup.” Then, select option 1, “Installation.” Select option 1 again, “Point Dish.” Finally, select “Check Switch.” Adjust settings as desired.

Q. Do I need to go through all receiver setup steps every time I use the antenna?
A. Every time the antenna is moved to a new location, you will need to complete receiver setup. Simply choose the number of receivers (one or two), eastern or western arc satellites (no selections need to be made if “Two” was selected for receivers), and the state that you are currently in. Then, select “Scan” to begin scanning for satellites.

Q. What do I need to set up the Pathway X2 antenna?
A. You will need a TV and an activated receiver with programming package. The antenna must be used with a DISHSolo HD receiver; examples include DISH 211k, 211, 411, and 211z receivers.

[CA_Tallguy]

Amazing! My rooftop Trav'ler just pulled in a signal through (or over the top of) this massive tree! I thought for sure that this would be the first time I was blocked by trees from using the rooftop dish.

I was encouraged on arrival when I saw a neighbor had set out one of the winegard domes on a tripod, but I'm still amazed. Another neighbor, a bit closer to the tree, has a regular dish out in a clearing on a tripod with at least 100 feet of cable. Maybe 200 feet.

I tried to capture the issue in the attached photo and highlighted the back of my dish as it was hard to make out.

I'm in Houston so I was feeling fortunate that I'd be able to go to PPL to get a set-out type dish, assuming that this wasn't going to work. Glad there turned out to be no need!

These things must be pulling the signal from a much higher angle than it appears to be pointing. It makes sense as I think the signal bounces from a higher angle, off the back of the dish, and down to hit the end of the bar with the LNB's at the lower angle. The bar for the LNB's just fools the mind into thinking the bar itself is pointing at the satellites.

[graysailor]

I finally did it. Travler with DishTV. So far so good and no complaints. I will be hitting no road in a few days so anxious to see how it performs at different campsites.

[halimer]

I'm looking at the new Winegard G2. It will do Direct TV, Dish and Bell. Same size as X-1.It seems to be an upgraded Winegard X-1.
Winegard Company - Dealers.Winegard.Com

Halimer

[graysailor]

Everything installed and working but yesterday I added an external HD to turn my Receiver into a DVR. No luck....Dish support can't understand the problem. They/we tried for over an hour to get the HD to download the software but the receiver still won't recognize the HD. Not sure what to do about this issue.