Satelitte system which is best? - RV-Dreams Community Forum

406bobby · RV-Dreams Community Member

Satelitte system which is best?

Bill Adams · RV-Dreams Family Member

The MotoSAT Datastorm antenna is the only automatic antenna that will provide satellite TV and internet. The antenna costs right around $6000 setup for both. The monthly internet service is $79.99/month with an 18 month contract. This is the only way to get internet everywhere you travel including Mexico and Canada. Of course you need a clear view of the Southern sky but otherwise, no location restrictions. The also make a similar setup that you mount on a tripod and manually point at each new location. This setup cost around $1500 and comparable service through Hughesnet costs $69.99/month. You will still have to pay for the TV service separately and the combo dish only works well for DirecTV subscribers.
Can you tell us more about what you want and how you would use it? Are you full time? RV but only move a couple of times per year? Do you want an automatic portable or manual? Do you think you can learn how to properly point a TV/internet antenna? As to internet, are you a MUST HAVE user or is it OK if you go for days with no service (or drive far enough to find it)? Any details about your wants and needs will be helpful in find the right equipment for you (satellite, cellular, wifi?).

406bobby · RV-Dreams Community Member

We are going to park our 5th wheel on the same spot all summer long so don't travel around much with it at all. We are not full time as we live in Montana and are snowbirds during the winter where we have a double wide. We do not need internet all the time, we can go into town which is only 2 miles away and use Wifi there, mainly interested in TV. The internet would be nice, but not essential. I need to also look into a wifi enhancer as there is wifi at a motel that is only 500 yards or less away. My Mac picks up the fact that there is wifi but can not make the connection. I don't know if I should have an automatic portable or manual, I am assuming the automatic portable would be nicer.

Bill Adams · RV-Dreams Family Member

If you will be in one place for that long I would not bother with an automatic when you could spend an hour or so pointing an manual antenna and it would be good for (well) forever!
Take a look at the packages for DirecTV and Dish Network and see which makes the most sense for you. You can then have a system installed at your Montana location (or your snowbird location) by a local installer and be good to go. You might be able to use wifi at no charge or you might want to buy a cellular internet card from one of the cellular phone providers if your budget allows (about $50/month).

RVRon · RV-Dreams Family Member

406bobby wrote:
We are looking for a portable satelitte system and was wondering which model is a good one and who to subscribe with, and is there one that also offers internet service as well as TV?

I'd listen to what Bill has to say since it's his business to know what he's talking about!

You can go cheap! We have Dish Network HD with a 211K receiver and a 1000.2 dish. Bought the receiver from a local distributor for around $100 and found the dish on Craig's List for $50. Had to add a Winegard tripod for about $60 so I could get precise settings on the 1000.2 - necessary to get 3 satellites at the same time. Throw in another $50 for a meter and coax. So, we have a total of around $250 invested in the system and we can take it anywhere. I will say it was a PITA to aim the dish correctly at first and took me a while to get the hang of it.

Dish Network now has a RV program in place where you can buy the entire setup and have it professionally installed. It costs a bit more but for you folks staying put at the place in MT it might be the best alternative. Check out http://www.dishformyrv.com/

If you haven't already chosen your place in MT, just be sure you have a clear view of the southern sky - no tree obstructions. DishPointer.com is the best and easiest site I've found to get the right direction settings for the dish. Just put in your zip code and choose your system. You can even zoom in to your exact location and it will tell you how high obstructions can be before they'll interfere with your signal.

The Bear II · RV-Dreams Family Member

I vote for DishNetwork

We've had them since they started business and have had good service.

I would use a manual dish setup for flexibiltiy of positioning in case of overhead obstructions.

406bobby · RV-Dreams Community Member

thanks everyone for the quick replies, it sounds like we will be going with DishNetWork

Bill Adams · RV-Dreams Family Member

hurricane wrote:
* DIRECTV - 101
* DIRECTV HD - 101, 110, 119
* DISH 500 - 110, 119
* DISH 1000 HD - 61, 110, 119 (or) 110, 119, 129
* Bell ExpressVU - 91
* Bell ExpressVU HD - 82, 91

My King Dome covers everything out there. There aren't any other options, are there?

This is very old information. DirecTV HD is NOT available from 101, 110, 119. If you are using a dome and want HD then you MUST use Dish Network or Bell. However, the Bell HD programming on 82 is mostly non-usable in the US any longer due to them re-pointing the beam. The 91W satellite is scheduled for this same re-pointing within a year or so. If you go much farther South than OR/ID/WY/SD....... you will likely receive a very weak signal or no signal at all. Dish Network as also relocated some of their HD programming so the 61 (61.5) satellite will not necessarily get you HD as is available on 129.

-- Edited by Bill Adams on Sunday 29th of January 2012 08:34:27 PM

-- Edited by Bill Adams on Sunday 29th of January 2012 08:35:17 PM

hurricane · RV-Dreams Community Member

We have subscribed to both dishnetwork and directv over the years and we've found that 90% of the time when there's bad weather the dishnetwork goes out where directv goes out less than half the time in bad weather. Curious to learn why - I did just that.

As it turns out; the dishnet needs to see two satellites in the sky where as directv only needs to see one. Also, I think directv has always had the best package prices. We have the nfl sunday ticket, learning channels and all movie channels. A major drawback with either is local blackouts. Since we're subscribed in Ohio, when there's a browns game we have to watch it on antenna.

We use the king dome kd2200 because it was the most cost effective, the simplest to install and because we don't need to watch tv while underway anyways. We don't keep an additional receiver for the road, we take the one from the den. I forget the name of it but, it's the two in one receiver where there are two remotes for one box and two tvs can be connected each having control over their own channel. It's really a great setup and we rarely have signal issues.

Jack Mayer · RV-Dreams Family Member

Let me make a comment....take it for what it is worth.

For those just starting to install equipment, or upgrading....I would not consider putting on anything except a Winnegard Trav'ler open air dish. The only exception being if you HAVE to have in-motion. The open air dishes are far better reception wise than a dome, and you have more choices in providers if you want HD. That is just MY opinion. Bill Adams is the expert.

hurricane · RV-Dreams Community Member

* DIRECTV - 101
* DIRECTV HD - 101, 110, 119
* DISH 500 - 110, 119
* DISH 1000 HD - 61, 110, 119 (or) 110, 119, 129
* Bell ExpressVU - 91
* Bell ExpressVU HD - 82, 91

My King Dome covers everything out there. There aren't any other options, are there?

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

All the Canadians here in Florida have extra large dishes to get Bell, Starchoice and Shaw. Many of these same RVs have domes. Many US RVs here with domes have larger open air dishes for HD, so they must find the domes (including King Dome) are not good enough. Me I have no dog in the fight, we don't watch enough TV to have satellite TV.

GENECOP · RV-Dreams Family Member

For us watching TV is not the most important part of the trip. When we get to our site we try to spend most of our time outside. Our two favorite times for watching TV are at night, in bed, and for my wife, while we cruise down the road she loves laying on the couch watching TV......

NorCal Dan · RV-Dreams Family Member

We have the Traveler Slimline roof mounted auto pointing HD compatible DirecTV sat dish. One of the best investments we've made for the coach. Push one button and it does the rest. And when the wind picks up, one button push will store the dish. I do carry an 18" oval dish (non-HD) mounted to a piece of cement that I use if we are staying long term with trees that block the Slimline (only used once so far). If you decide to go with a tripod make sure it can't tip over...

Jack Mayer · RV-Dreams Family Member

As to wind and the Trav'ler. Bill can tell you that I have had mine in over 65mph wind. It does fine. If I had a choice, though, I'd likely lower it with wind over 45mph. Just me....

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

Jack Mayer wrote:
Let me make a comment....take it for what it is worth.

For those just starting to install equipment, or upgrading....I would not consider putting on anything except a Winnegard Trav'ler open air dish. The only exception being if you HAVE to have in-motion. The open air dishes are far better reception wise than a dome, and you have more choices in providers if you want HD. That is just MY opinion. Bill Adams is the expert.

Jack’s simply correct if you want another opinion from someone with a lot of professional experience with satellite systems. The Trav’ler will get you the SD and HD birds for Direct TV for US service. If you have a sighting problem due to trees or other issues you can still get SD off just one satellite. Due to a lot of reasons I won’t go into here, IMO the Direct TV and the Winegard system are just the most RV friendly system offering the most reception flexibility under different and sometimes difficult circumstances. (This said as pertains to US operations. However, it will work in most of mid to southern Canada as well off the "US birds." I've had HD as as far north as Edmonton and SD in Whitehorse, YT)

Had mine up in 45 MPH winds without issue.

The Trav’ler is a tad expensive but worth it due to its performance and flexibility.

Bill

Delaine and Lindy · RV-Dreams Family Member

We optioned the Winegard Trav'ler roof mount dish and in over two years and thousands of mile and many different RV parks thru the West and South Florida we haven't had a issue. We also take a Slim line Dish and Tri-pod and have only set it up one time, when reserving RV sites the question ask are there trees and if so we don't want to be under trees. Takes longer to put the portable dish together than to align. The key for the portable is the Tri-pod you must have a good Tri-pod and adjustable. I also have a Birddog meter and have only used it one time.. I highly recommend the Wingard Trav'ler roof mounted. My option cost at build time was $1,600 dollars, and we have HDTV in the living area and the bedroom. Good Luck with your choice.

As for internet systems I have used and still have the Tri-pod mounted by Hughes Net. I no longer take the Hughes Net system on the road. Did use the Tri-pod Hughes Net system for 3 years. However I still use the Hughes Net at home base.. We now know the RV parks that have decent WiFi in areas we travel and we also have a AT&T wireless system with the cradle point system but haven't had to use it but twice in 2 years.. There are many choices and many aren' good but its a choice... Happy Trails....

P.S. We use Direct-TV and have for many year.. Works for our use....

-- Edited by Delaine and Lindy on Tuesday 31st of January 2012 09:07:27 AM