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Old 10-02-2017, 03:05 PM   #1
BAC
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Satellite TV questions ??

Hello everybody !!
We've just arrived at our RV park for a three month stay, come to find out they only have 10 TV channels !! wow , in this day and age ??
Anyhow, we have a Monty with a satellite connection in the, what I will call the base station (where the water connections, valve controls, and TV, cable, sat hookups are outside).
My questions are :
- if I buy a Dish system (or comparable) how do I get different channels on two TV's ?
I am assuming that I hook up the satellite (Dish device) to the satellite connection in the base station (labeled "satellite") and then each TV connects to this cable inside the Monty . . . then
- do I need two receivers, one for each TV? or can one receiver work, or is there a problem with getting the remote (and receiver) to work from the den to the bedroom ?

thanks all !

I may have answered my own question but don't know how I did that ! LOL
 
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Old 10-02-2017, 03:20 PM   #2
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BAC,

If you travel to remote Canada and Alaska you will consider 10 channels a luxury.

Dish will do 2 TVs off one antenna but with issues. For truly independent control of both TVs with full channel selection on both you really need 2 antennas and 2 receivers. Some of the antennas will drive 2 separate receivers but you are limited to channels that are on the same satellite.

Cable wiring from the convenience center to the individual TVs can also be an issue that often requires a little troubleshooting. My rig had a junction box behind the convenience center that had to be bypassed. A coax continuity tester is really helpful in determining how yours is wired if it doesn't work just plugging the cable in. The Dish satellite connection is more sensitive to signal loss than the analog cable connection you get in a campground.

I have been happy with Dish but only use it with one TV. I have a Tailgater antenna but would do the more capable Winegard G2 if I was buying a new antenna.

Good luck.
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Old 10-02-2017, 04:25 PM   #3
brenkco
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BAC, AzTravler is somewhat correct but only with PORTABLE antennas. That is not true with a full dish, either roof or tripod mount. They will feed multiple receivers. I use a Dish Hopper with a wireless Joey for the 2nd TV. There different solutions based on the selection of the antenna and receivers.

And yes, you will need a second receiver.

Ken
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Old 10-02-2017, 05:07 PM   #4
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I have the Winnegard Traveler SWM roof Antenna, and run two Direct TV boxes. Using an HDMI Splitter, i run the bedroom and outside TV off one box, and the living room TV off the other.
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Old 10-02-2017, 05:23 PM   #5
Mark N.
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I use a Dish Hopper, with a Joey, a full-sized dish and a tripod. Works on the road exactly like it does at home, with the exception of getting local channels. 2 TVs, watching whatever channel they choose.
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Old 10-02-2017, 05:49 PM   #6
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I use a 722 receiver and get bot tv's to work separately.....cable to one and cable out from the receiver to bedroom tv.
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Old 10-02-2017, 06:51 PM   #7
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A comment about local channels. If you are within your home spot beam (about a 200 mile radius of your local city) you still get your home local network channels. If you are outside your home spot beam, you can call or chat Dish, let them know your current location, tell them you want to change your service address (not changing billing address), and within a few minutes you will have network channels from the nearest city to where you are currently located.
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Old 10-02-2017, 08:17 PM   #8
Mel B.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BAC View Post
Hello everybody !!
We've just arrived at our RV park for a three month stay, come to find out they only have 10 TV channels !! wow , in this day and age ??
Anyhow, we have a Monty with a satellite connection in the, what I will call the base station (where the water connections, valve controls, and TV, cable, sat hookups are outside).
My questions are :
- if I buy a Dish system (or comparable) how do I get different channels on two TV's ?
I am assuming that I hook up the satellite (Dish device) to the satellite connection in the base station (labeled "satellite") and then each TV connects to this cable inside the Monty . . . then
- do I need two receivers, one for each TV? or can one receiver work, or is there a problem with getting t

thanks all !

I may have answered my own question but don't know how I did that ! LOL
I was in the same place as you are, about 6 months ago. I asked and received multible responses, all good advice. All I can tell you is I bought a pathway X2 and 2 dish wally pay as you go satellite receivers on amazon. We just returned from our first trip and are first experence with my new equipment and dish pay as you go satellite customer service.
1'st place we called from was very easy and I chose 200 plus channel pack. It was very simple to get the living room receiver working, I thanked them and was able to activate the bedroom one my self. I'm a complete IDIOT when it comes to what Sat. I'm on are what channel is different then what the bedroom was watching. Bottom line we moved multiple times and over many hundreds of miles, but all on the west coast. If you get an Agent that does not know what "Pay as you go is" (thats the first question to ask) Thank them hang up and call back and get another agent. I never used my SAT. conections, I have an older 2nd owner Monty but I heard it won't work, so I ran 2 50' cables out the windows. One area near the McCloud River we stayed 7 nights surrounded by hugh tall pine trees. It took about 20 minuites and moving the X2 to 2 places.
After a few days the camp host was walking by and asked about my Antenna. Seems he's had a Dish tailgaitor and has had no signal from his all summer?? Bottom line if your simple minded Like Me get the Dish X2 Pathway and 2 wally receivers and get them hooked up through the wall connections, and relax and watch tv.
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Old 10-03-2017, 07:15 AM   #9
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Since you will be stationary for 3 months I recommend you contact a Dish Network independent installer to set you up using a 1000.2 or 1000.4 Dish Network dish. Don't call Dish Network but Google search for local independent installer. This will give you the service you want without having to invest $ into equipment at start-up. Then you will have the time to research and determine what you ultimately want.
We have been full timing for 7 years and Dish customers for 10 years. We use a 1000.2 Dish mounted on a surveyor's tripod and have a Dish Network Hopper3 receiver. This setup gives us all options that Dish offers. With the automatic dishes you can sometimes be limited from what I understand. We are never in a spot longer than 1 month and setting the equipment up after a move usually takes less than 15 minutes and I do it myself.
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Old 10-03-2017, 12:05 PM   #10
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I love what we can learn on this forum.

WeBeFulltime or Mark N. When you do the home style setup do you still only pay $7 a month for your extra receivers on top of your home account or do you need to set up a totally separate account? Did you buy or rent equipment (ant and receivers) and how much does it cost? Is WIFI access required to make multiple TVs work?
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Old 10-03-2017, 12:18 PM   #11
brenkco
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Az traveler,

The wireless Joey is $7.00. The second Hopper is $12.00. Both are billed on my home account. If you use a 211 receiver it is also $7.00. I purchased the equipment for the RV. I paid $125 for the Hopper. No, you don't need wifi.

I purchased the tripod and antenna from https://www.tv4rv.com/sunshop/index....uct_detail&p=7.

I purchased a meter from Solid Signal, https://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=satlooklite.

There might be better meter options for Dish as they changed the software/configuration. It is not as straight forward as it used to be but it still works. The advantage of the meter is that you can lock the signal at the dish without the use of the receiver. Makes setup a breeze.

Ken
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Old 10-03-2017, 12:31 PM   #12
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Ken,

Thanks!

Are you using a 1000.2 antenna? I assume it does better with weather and thin trees than the portable options.

I assume you need the meter to properly point your antenna.

So it looks like a meter is $280, ant is $90, a tripod is $80-140 plus your Hopper. Does the Joey come as a rental for $7 or is it like my 211 that I had to buy?
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Old 10-03-2017, 12:41 PM   #13
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Yes, I'm using a 1000.2. I dumped the portable antenna for a few reasons. One, is the farther north you go the more atmosphere you go through so it is more affected by rain or dew. I kept loosing HD signal. The other was I was tired of only having one channel at a time, limitation of the portable antenna (tailgater) and the vip211.

The meter really makes point the dish easy after a little bit of practice. A few tips: You set the elevation and skew on a bench before mounting it on the tripod. I use http://www.dishpointer.com/. Select your location, select Multi LNB and you will get the exact elevation and skew. I don't bother much with the azimuth as the meter does the fine tuning.

Another tip for Dish setup that is critical. Spend time making sure the tripod is perfectly plumb. I use a torpedo level, checking 3 vertical points, then horizontal prior to attaching the dish. Doing so makes hitting the satellite a piece of cake.

I rented the Joey as part of my home account, but take it with me in the RV. You should be able to purchase it too if you wish.

Ken
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Old 10-03-2017, 12:42 PM   #14
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Regarding the home setup with the $7/mo RV receiver add on. We had that originally. But our daughter moved in with us later. When we traveled outside our immediate home area and called Dish to change our service address, our daughter could no longer get the local network channels at home. Not a happy camper, her not us. So I changed the RV to a separate monthly pay as you go account so I could change our locals without affecting the home locals. Not a problem if no one in your home while you are gone.
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Old 10-03-2017, 02:23 PM   #15
Mel B.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brenkco View Post
Yes, I'm using a 1000.2. I dumped the portable antenna for a few reasons. One, is the farther north you go the more atmosphere you go through so it is more affected by rain or dew. I kept loosing HD signal. The other was I was tired of only having one channel at a time, limitation of the portable antenna (tailgater) and the vip211.

The meter really makes point the dish easy after a little bit of practice. A few tips: You set the elevation and skew on a bench before mounting it on the tripod. I use http://www.dishpointer.com/. Select your location, select Multi LNB and you will get the exact elevation and skew. I don't bother much with the azimuth as the meter does the fine tuning.

Another tip for Dish setup that is critical. Spend time making sure the tripod is perfectly plumb. I use a torpedo level, checking 3 vertical points, then horizontal prior to attaching the dish. Doing so makes hitting the satellite a piece of cake.

I rented the Joey as part of my home account, but take it with me in the RV. You should be able to purchase it too if you wish.

Ken
Ken,
I'm wondering, do you set up in places that have a really clear southern exsposer? I'm asking becuase as I said above, I set my pathway X2 in a place that was in the mist of lots of tall trees. I just wonder how easy it would be with your equipment to lock on to a satelite under less then perfect conditions?
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Old 10-03-2017, 02:34 PM   #16
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Mel,
I use a phone app to locate the satellites to make sure I have a clear view. Trees block the signal with a regular or portable antenna.


Ken
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Old 10-03-2017, 03:28 PM   #17
Mel B.
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Originally Posted by brenkco View Post
Mel,
I use a phone app to locate the satellites to make sure I have a clear view. Trees block the signal with a regular or portable antenna.


Ken
Yes I understand that trees will block the signal. That's why I was asking where you set up. It wouldn't work for me, becuase I camp in a lot of places where I have no cell signal at all. I was only asking because the way my pathway worked so hard in a heavy forested area to get a signal, which it did and kept it for days even through a thounder and hail storm. I don't think I would be able to get a signal under these conditions if it was not automatic??
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Old 10-03-2017, 03:56 PM   #18
brenkco
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Mel,
Cell phone app uses GPS, no cell signal required. I believe that you must have had a clear view otherwise you'd get no signal. In my experience, the smaller, portable dish is far more sensitive and less forgiving than the larger stationary antenna.

Ken
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Old 10-03-2017, 04:37 PM   #19
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The reason I bought the Pathways X2 is because it has a larger antennae and supposedly works better in bad weather and thru 'some' tree branches. I had several places where I could only get 2 of 3 satellites, but that was pretty good. I use the iphone app - something like Dishfinder or such - when setting up to make sure I can see the satellites.
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Old 10-03-2017, 05:42 PM   #20
Mel B.
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The reason I bought the Pathways X2 is because it has a larger antennae and supposedly works better in bad weather and thru 'some' tree branches. I had several places where I could only get 2 of 3 satellites, but that was pretty good. I use the iphone app - something like Dishfinder or such - when setting up to make sure I can see the satellites.
Same here, except I don't use the app. I point the cable connections on the X2 to the north and hit scan on the TV and that's it. I love the ease of the pathway.
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