Datron for Dish

[barbhalsell]

Has anyone had any luck using their 2000 era Datron Sat. system for Dish? We have a spare receiver from home and would like to use it for the motorhome. Is the system just too outdated? Is there a simple way to use this?

[Richard And Babs Ames]

The Datron Dish is only compatible with a satelitte receiver with a low speed data port. Later model receivers do not have the port.  

[barbhalsell]

Is the dish itself usable if the LNB were replaced? It would be nice to be able to use a dish that is already mounted.

[Marty and Suzie Schenck]

Hope this helps.

See image below.

[Marty and Suzie Schenck]

Sorry that last reply came out so large. I just attached an 11X8 file. Marty

[Bruce Benson]

The Datron only supports Direct TV.  You may use the old Sony receiver that came with your coach in the front of the coach
to operate the antenna then use a modern receiver in the back for DVR.  There is no repair for the antenna so it lasts as
long as it lasts.  It worked well for us until we decided to switch to Red Box.

[barbhalsell]

Thanks guys, I guess we will go spend MORE money.
So what about this little guy?

[Edward Buker]

You need to have a dish that looks like or emulates what your receiver uses for a satellite compliment at home. If your current dish has 3 LNBs then your on the road dish will need the same.
 Something like a carry out will emulate a 3LNB dish by toggling between the three satellites that are now covered by the fixed LNBs on your current dish. If your receiver has a dual tuner
feature you will have limitations with a toggle type dish. One other complication is that there are different fixed dishes for different satellite compliments like eastern arc vs western arc. Depending on
where you will spend most of your travel time one dish configuration will have an advantage over another. Most Dish network installers should be able to help sort this out for you.

Later Ed

[barbhalsell]

Ah, I see as I surf the net looking for this stuff! This is mind- boggleing!
I have a round DISH dish with a dual LNB at home. Is my best bet going to be actually calling DISH and having them make a service call to the Beav? Which is now in a park in Sacramento until around next July.
 Or should we go to an RV service center and have some kind of install done?
I knew I would be opening a can of worms trying to get TV.

[Joel Weiss]

Once you have experienced the performance of a modern rooftop dish like the Windegard Trav'ler, you will never want go back to the Datron.  Even without considering the issue of HD vs SD, the ability of the Trav'ler to quickly and reliably find the satellites makes having satellite TV much more satisfying.

[Edward Buker]

Because you had a standard dish for ground use pictured I thought that you were leaning in that direction and wanted to set something up yourself at a campsite. Going
along with Joel, if you want to have a relatively trouble free versatile install on the roof of the coach the Winegard Travler is a great choice for an RV on Dish Network,
The Travler supports HD programming. The proper ground antenna units also support HD but are not as user friendly to work with.

Later Ed

[Glenda Farris Co-Admin]

re-sized photo

You can click on it to enlarge it.

Glenda    

[barbhalsell]

I was hoping not to invest in a Traveler until we decide if this coach is the keeper. So that is why I was trying to find simple and usable.
There is a rooftop Winegard RM DM46 crank up that looks like it would function pretty much like the Datron. Anyone have something like this?

[Edward Buker]

The answer to your question depends on what channel package you want to get while on the road, if you want HD or not, and what reciever you will use. Also if you use an outside ground dish of some kind how will you cable it and get the signal to the satellite receiver and from there to the TV. If you want HD you will need to get an HDMI cable between the satellite receiver and the TV, The broad spectrum of channels reside on 3 satellites. If you say no HD that is a bit simpler, if you say a receiver with a single tuner where all TVs watch the same channel all the time, and I'll use whatver channel set one satellite is providing then that is simpler but limiting. Here is some Winegard info.

http://www.winegard.com/portable-satellite-antennas/index.php?q=rv

I would consider a receiver with a single HD tuner and a carry out as a baseline system that works well today and is easy to set up. That gives you HD, a DVR if you like, all of the channels in your package but you will need to watch one channel at a time. You could sell it or take it with you to another coach. The cables need to be planned as to how you get this to work in your specific coach. This means that you have to set the dish cables up at your campsite when you pull in. There are two cables but if installed right you can make that easy to do with exterior connectors. If you find this coach is a keeper then you could go the route of the Winegard Travler and sell the Carry Out. You would have the expense of two installs as far as cabling.

You may want to call Winegard for some help in choosing what will work for you.

Later Ed

[barbhalsell]

Thanks Ed. Now that I have a better understanding of what is available maybe we can make a decision.
Barb