BAC Forum
General Boards => Technical Support => Topic started by: Michael Kauffman on August 20, 2011, 07:14:00 PM
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Hi everybody, we are looking at portable satellite systems and service providers. Do any of you have any favorites? Thanks, Mike
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WE have tried both Directv and Dish and have found Directv to be better by far. WE have an in motion satelite on the roof but caryy a carryout set up incase we are parked under the trees. These can be purchased at Camping World for about 200 dollars I can also get a !00 dollar Directv discount for you if you are interested or if you know someone with A subscription they can also refer you and get you a discount
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We have a Winegard Carryout and went with Dish because the Carry out will not receive DT HD.
So far it's worked just fine.
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I understand Dish now has a plan that allows turning on and off the service in 30 day increments with no penalty. DirecTV requires a one year contract for which you pay even if you are not using the service for a few months.
There several differences, so read all the fine print before you sign,
Larry
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We purchased a Carry Out and for the money it works quite well. We are out on the Olympic Peninsula and signal strength is good and it has not let us down from Florida to our current location. The rain does not seem to affect it and we are able to get HD on Dish Network. We take our 722 receiver from home and are able to DVR our favorite shows with some constraints. Both receiver tuners can watch differnt channels at the same time as long as they are on the same satellite. It takes some planning given the DVR may send you to another satellite to record while you are watching another program on a different satellite.
We also need to be sure that we power down the dish and the 722 when we are traveling. We have roof mounted the Carry Out, built a cable reel in the base, and have the option of a ground stand when needed. Quite a bit of work for this adaptation.
From time to time we do have to go into the receiver menu and have the system do a menu check for satellite reception and that seems to realign the dish to the satellites when we are getting some pixillation issues. The longer we are in one spot the less of an issue that is given the system continues to peak reception over time.
If we were full timing I might opt for a Motosat or a Winegard Traveler so that there are no channel limitations for the two receivers being used at the same time but that eliminates the portable capability when trees are an issue so it is a trade off.
As far as service, I am a Red Sox fan and get the games while on the road. I would sorely miss HD reception so I would stay with Dish just for that reason. We watch HD channels almost exclusively.
Later Ed
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Roger, could you tell us why you found Direct to be much better than Dish?
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We think there are more desireable channels available for the price, Signal is easier to locate (at least for us) we had numerous problems with Dish when trying to use our in-motion sat. on the roof, we can get locals by changing our address on the internet no matter where we are, if you are a football fan you can get NFL ticket (free this year if you sign up). Frequent free movie channels for a period of time to entice you to upgrade subscription, we found tech support to be more helpful, 10 dollar per month reduction on your bill for 10 months if you refer someone and they also get the reduced price for 10 moinths. We had several problems with Dish when we needed an on site rep for equipment problems . The carry-out I was referring to was the small dish that folds into the stand not the one pictured in the previous post. Our old eyes see no difference in HD.
Everyone gets a choice and have their preferences but over the years we have been lured to Dish twice and have always switched back in a short time. It could be that we are just more comfortable with Directv but overall we are much happier with it. I'm sure you will get other opinions and this is just my two cents worth.
Good luck
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Mike,
I think your question used to have a simple answer --- back when satellite TV was invented.
DirecTV in Standard Definition (SD) uses a single satellite for all channels including locals in about 20 major cities. In secondary markets, where locals are provided, DirecTV uses multiple satellites. For High Definition (HD), DirecTV always uses multiple satellites.
As I understand it, Dish uses multiple satellites for all but the basic channels.
So the simplest set up is SD on DirecTV because you only have to point to a single spot in the sky. Lots of antenna makers provide everything from the most basic to the most automatic that will do this.
The primary reason for a dome antenna is to allow the parts under it to work while you are driving, or so called "in motion". Most that make those also provide lower cost "stationery" models. The dome creates its own problems by collecting rain, dew, bugs and dirt. So, don't get a dome style unless you plan on using it in motion. Manual or automatic, the open style antenna works better -- especially in the northern third of the USA and part way into Canada.
With HD on DirecTV you have to aim at several satellites -- especially if you want local channels. That makes manual set up aiming difficult and the automatic antenna choices are fewer. I don't think you can get domed, in-motion yet for HD.
Rodger and Deb's comment that you "can get locals by changing our address on the internet no matter where we are" is not the same as my experience. I set my system up when you could have DirecTV in your stick house and add a receiver to your RV for an additional $5 per month. Doing that was promoted as a good thing to do. Advertisers, local stations and sports franchises have convinced the FCC to change their regulations so that 40 million DirecTV and Dish customers watch what they are supposed to. It seems that too many would change their address so that they could watch games not broadcast to their "Home". Now, I am an "outlaw" with DirecTV because I have not created a separate account for the RV. I am now in violation of the FCC and DirecTV's terms of service -- just like the majority of RV owners I know. What it means, is that when I phoned for an address change the last time I ended up being "advised" how I was out of compliance and they did not change my address. I had to do without national networks on my DirecTV. I had to use the RV park's local cable.
DirecTV's current concept (to comply with the FCC) is to have you create a dedicated "RV" or mobile account. That will qualify you to "apply" for "Distant Network Service" (DNS) that allows may allow you to watch ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, etc from either New York or Los Angeles stations -- but not both like it used to be. And, it costs extra.
Perhaps Rodger and Deb have a designated "RV mobile" account and are allowed to change their address as they travel. I have a standard account and am not allowed to change my address for travel.
If I were to set it up again, under current FCC options and I was a full timer, I would use DirecTV in HD with a DVR and a Motosat automatic open style antenna. I would apply for the DNS and make sure my onboard regular, old fashioned (but now digital) antenna would pick up local channels. With the right DVR receiver, including an "Over The Air" (OTA) tuner, I could record everything, including the local news, and watch when I want. With the DVR, HD, DNS fees and a moderate programming package my bill would be about $80 a month.
Since I am not full timing, I would take advantage of Dish's 30 days at a time program and use cable in the condo. In my area, Camping World might be my best choice to start with Dish.
As it is now, I enjoy being an outlaw with DirecTV HD quality in the condo and SD simplicity in the motorhome. If they make me come into compliance I will drop the account and entertain myself over the internet.
Do you remember when your Dad brought home the first TV and everything your watched was free? Do you remember rabbit ears?
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[face=Arial][size=14] :) Thanks everybody, some great info here. Now I just have to make a decision. I like the idea of pay as you go option from Dish. Too bad Directv doesn't have that or HD. Camping World has the Carryout for $700 and the VIP211k receiver for $135 right now. With tax, that puts the set up at about $900. Do you get local channels with the 60 or 120 channel Dish package? Or do you have to do that DNS thing? I'm up here around Seattle and usually don't get out of WA or OR, sometimes AZ. Thanks again, Mike [/size][/face]
[size=18]UPDATE: I just got an EXTRA 10% off the Carryout set-up by using code 9751 at Camping World online, yes!![/size]
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You're right Mike, except for it being a Dish product instead of the preferable DirectTV, the 30 day plan sounded good to me too. But at home in Portland we get our TV "off air", ie. broadcast from the West Hills towers. At home, the coach is stored right behind and next to our garage and house, and within 15 feet of our TV cable junction box where all household TV cables meet and distribute signal.
Theoretically I could just run a cable from the coach to the box and get Satellite TV in the house, by taking the coach's receiver to the family room. And that would be my temptation as long as I had that access while at home. But when I add up the cost of never actually calling and "turning off" the subscription following an RV trip, the price for us is too prohibitive compared to a regular home subscription with $5 RV.
We watch too much TV as it is, and with the provision of digital broadcasting in the last 2 years, there are twice as many off-air stations and programs available. Having cable or satellite at home would really make us couch potatoes. So though our coach came with satellite equipment installed, it's never been used and likely never will be. "Camping" without TV shouldn't be any more boring to us than it was to our ancestors.
-Joel and Lee
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[face=Arial][size=14] :) Thanks everybody, some great info here. Now I just have to make a decision. I like the idea of pay as you go option from Dish. Too bad Directv doesn't have that or HD. Camping World has the Carryout for $700 and the VIP211k receiver for $135 right now. With tax, that puts the set up at about $900. Do you get local channels with the 60 or 120 channel Dish package? Or do you have to do that DNS thing? I'm up here around Seattle and usually don't get out of WA or OR, sometimes AZ. Thanks again, Mike [/size][/face]
[size=18]UPDATE: I just got an EXTRA 10% off the Carryout set-up by using code 9751 at Camping World online, yes!![/size]
Better get that front AC working so you won't get too hot watching all that TV!
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When we got the carry our last year for our TT, I signed up with Dish and than when we got back to Green Valley I shifted the house from Cox to dish and they came out and hooked everything up with a new roof mounted dish.
When we left this year, I just took the VIP211K with us, called dish with a move order to Idaho falls and we got the local channels just fine. Did the same thing for Boise, Prineville, OR and Lebanon, OR. Now we have it in the the Beaver and when we leave will just call in a move order for wherever we'll be staying for more than 3-4 day. If we don't set the Carry Our out, we just wach recorded stuff. So far so good.
One interesting note is that every time I call in a move order they want to send out an installer with a new dish. Takes awhile to convince them otherwise.
Here in Lebanon, I can't get the 129 Sat. but it doesn't seem to make any differance as all our programs are still coming through. I have seperate "favorites" guides for the 110 an 119 seperately, the combination of 110 and 119 sats, and the combo of 110, 119 and 129 programs. This way I'm covered even if I can only see one sat.
No idea if Dish or Direct are better but I stongly suspect it's just an individual thing.
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We have had Direct TV since 1997 for our rural home and pay $4.95 per month for the Beaver. We have a in-motion roof mount and a portable system when the roof mount is blocked by trees. Works great.
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We have had Direct TV since 1997 for our rural home and pay $4.95 per month for the Beaver. We have a in-motion roof mount and a portable system when the roof mount is blocked by trees. Works great.
Same here, but don't tell DirecTV because you are in violation of the "Terms of Service". It is not DirecTV's fault. They were forced to change the terms by the FCC that were lobbied by networks, sports franchises, advertisers and local stations.
Trust me! If you call them up, ask for support, an address change or repair you will find they no longer are allowed to like your set up like they used to.
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Dick,
Do you have a list of the Dish Network channels that are on each of the satellites 110, 119, and 129 that you made your favorites list from? Sounds like a good idea to have a favorites channel list guide by satellite for the Carry Out when using a two tuner receiver.
Thanks Ed
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I have always had DirecTV and there has never been any need or issue with changing satellites when changing stations. The three satellite thing with Dish always confused me, and seems to be a complication with Dish. With Direct I can tune any channel and the satellite dish does not have to change orientation. But, I don't have HD, just SD. Does the DirecTV HD system still work the same as mine?
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Dick,
Do you have a list of the Dish Network channels that are on each of the satellites 110, 119, and 129 that you made your favorites list from? Sounds like a good idea to have a favorites channel list guide by satellite for the Carry Out when using a two tuner receiver.
Thanks Ed
Ed,
If Dick does not have the list, you can probably find it here: http://www.dbstalk.com/. dbstalk is a busy bunch of very technical satellite TV fans. Subjects range from the science involved in launching a new satellite to what's on TV tonight. I've been know to kill more than a few hours there.
When I was having trouble understanding how to get local channels in Southern California while I was there I was given expert advice. One guy even contacted a friend deep inside DirecTV corporate headquarters to help figure out why the Terms of Service had to be changed.
Bill
Bill
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Bill,
Thanks for the link. I had found one very long table that gave channel by channel info awhile back but I was hoping that someone had created a quick list that could be Emailed or attached to work from. If not, I will at some point build a table.
Thanks Ed
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Both DTV and Dish use 3 satellites to broadcast all the SD/HD and local channels. This is why you will see 3 LNB's (the little white things on the arm) pointed towards the dish. In a home system, the dish is aimed so that all three satellites are visible to the dish simutaneoulsy. That's why you do not have to reposition the dish when changing channels. It's all done automatically by the multiswitch, which changes the LNB in use.
This is pretty much the same with any of the portable HD or non-in motion HD system today. They have 3 LNB's which you aim when you arrive at your destination.
For in-motion HD system, things are different. First off, when DTV chaged there HD transmission to Ku-band, it pretty much made HD for DTV in-motion no longer a possibility. There is no room for the additiona Ku-band LNB, nor is the dish large enough to receive the lower powered signal. Dish does things diffrently and spreads the HD channels (and locals in some areas) across three seperate satellites. In motion Dish HD can only lock onto one satellite at a time, so when you change channels the dish may have to re-aim, depending on which channel you have selected. This can take a few seconds (in most cases) before the satellite re-aquires the new satellite and locks on to it.
I have found that I don't channel surf one channel at a time using Dish HD because of the delays changing channels. Instead, I use the program guide to determine what I want to watch, then change directly to that channel.
The choice of DTV vs Dish is mostly personal preference, except for those wanting HD in-motion. Dish is the only game for this and will be for the forseeable future.
I've had both DTV and Dish and have switched back and forth over the years. I don't feel there is any quality difference in the picture or sound. Trust me when I tell you that the equipment in my home would make any such difference very visible. IMHO Dish has much better customer service, but that's about the end of the differences. Oh, I forgot - NFL is only on DTV.
The Dish IRD we have on the coach is a VIP211K. This is nice unit and has a few nice features. First, it allows OTC (over the air) reception of Digital HDTV signals and integrates them with the channel guide. It also has a SD modulator (channel 3/4 selectable) so I can send all the HD channels over the existing coax to my basement TV and my rear stateroom (I didn't upgrade that one yet...) One other nice thing that not too many know, but you can plug a external USB Hard Disk into the VIP211K and whala - it now becomes a DVR No extra cost and no monthly fees!
Hope this helps.
Jim
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[size=14]Thanks Jim, that's the kind of info I was looking for. However it raises a few questions: With the dish re-aiming on channel changes, how can you record one channel and watch another, as you can with a Direct DVR? Also, when you say it takes a few seconds to re-aim, are we talking on the order of 3 seconds, or more like 10 seconds, and does this timelag vary much or is it pretty much constant?
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Marc, I don't know that much about the tech stuff but I can tell you my Carry Out has only one LNB and I can hear it making little R2D2 noises on a regualr basis. No idea how it allow recording of 2 programs with one LNB but it seems to do so. Or recording one and watching one.......magic perhaps????
Dick.
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The DirecTV issue with small in-motion satellite systems is that they typically only have a single LNA and have to switch between satellites. Although this is easy enough to do, DirecTV broadcast most of the HD channels on Ka band satellites whereas DISh and SD DirecTV are broadcast on Ku band. There are plenty of marine in motion sateliite systems that support both bands, but the smallest is about 17-18" tall. Of course, being marine, they cost a lot more money both for the marine environment and more pitch and roll of a boat versus a land based vehicle. So, if you want in motion or the small roof mounted systems and you want HD, then you will have to go with DISH. I have a roof mounted system on DirecTV. With most parks having cable and the exceptional HD and digital reception with over the air systems, I would consider going with satellite.
Gil
08 Contessa
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Dick,
There is just one LNB in the Carry Out which is a low noise block amplifier with a frequency downconverter to reduce line losses. It brings in all the channels on one satellite at a time as a" block". The receiver has multiple tuners and each tuner has access to all the channels on that satellite. I'm not sure if the channel tuning is done in the Carry Out and then downconverted or if the whole block is downconverted and tuned within the receiver. Both methods are usable. This block system is much like a terrestrial TV where the antenna brings in a batch of channels (block of frequencies) that are then available to the tuner which selects one using a local oscillator.
When you select a channel that resides on a different satellite the electronics within the Carry Out moves the dish to a "line of site" poistion aimed at the second satellite. The noise you hear while tuned to one channel is the dish being "wiggled" to verify that coordinates are still right to be a peaked signal. The limitation of this type system is living with one satellite at a time.
The Dish 722 for example has three tuners in it. In dual mode the two satellite tuners are independant so you can watch one and record another channel on the same satellite with the other. The third tuner is a digital terrestrial antenna tuner. This allows a lot of options where you can watch a DVR or a local terrestrial channel and record two additional satellite programs at the same time....many options here. The first tuner that you turn on owns the satellite position with the satellite channel that you selected. Not perfect but quite flexible.
Later Ed
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Marc,
The VIP211K is a single tuner IRD, so it is not possible to record one channel while watching a second. The VIP 722 and some others have that capability, but I can say for sure what to expect. My guess is that you could watch one channel and record a second as long as they were both on the same satellite.
The time to re-aquire and lock does vary a bit. Typically it is about 3-5 seconds. Sometimes it may be 10 seconds or more. It really isn't that much of an issue as long as you use the channel guide to decide what channel you want to jump to. Also, you can just scroll though the channels without waiting for the satellite to lock if you are just wanting to move up or down a few channels with the channel up/down buttons. There is no delay to change channels, only to get a picture.
Jim
PS the comments on HD for marine use is correct, but there system are not really applicable to RV's because of the size of the domes (assuming cost isn't another issue)
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[size=14][face=Arial]Wow, there is some great info here. Not only info on your particular favorite, but also dissertations on how they work. Impressive!! I went with the Carryout/Dish setup from CW because of the sale price with a 10% discount and the monthly payment option. I have Comcast cable at home so adding to that service is not an option. Thanks everybody for all of the input.
One last question, when using a portable setup, what's the best way to run the wire in. I like things neat and tidy and don't want to open a window every time. Has anyone got any ideas? You can't just run it to the TV jack in the utility compartment can you? Thanks you guy's, Mike[/face][/size]
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Years ago at a Beaver Rally a Direct TV installer was camping at Tropical Palms in Kississme, FL and he sid you could use a diplexer(s)? (some type of signal splitter) on your cable hook up. I think they split the signals some way.
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I don't see why a satellite diplexer wouldn't work for combining the portable dish and cable and feeding it to the coach. You will of course need a second diplexer inside to split the signals back out into cable and satellite. Also, this will NOT work if you use any type of splitter in between the diplexers.
Jim
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Mike and All,
A diplexer will not work with the carry out. If you want to use a receiver with two tuners and have them both be able to view a seperate channel, you will need two runs of RG6U Coax between the motorhome and the dish. If you use a single tuner set up in a dual tuner receiver, or a receiver with one tuner then a single coax is fine. One other thing, the LNB and some electronics are powered by the reciever through the coax. A cable with a solid copper center conductor is supplied by Wineguard. If you run a second cable or want to extend one you need to buy RG6U with a solid coppper center conductor to eliminate DC voltage loss. Belden makes one and the solid copper center conductor cable is also more flexible for coiling for storage as opposed to copper clad steel which is less expensive.
Finding pass through F type connectors is a problem. You need to use the double female blue coded type (plastic is blue around the center conductor) those are rated for high frequency. I found a marine cable pass through at West Marine made of brass. I bored out the center area to allow a double female F connector to fit. I used that as a bulkhead mount. I used a 4 pin mic. connector from radio shack for a pass through for the 12V cable which was not ideal but worked. You will not be able to use any of the current coach coax unless it is RG6U (most of the time it is RG59) and it has no splitters, diplexors etc installed.....just a straight run and it is not likely that it will run where you want it to be.
If you have a handy spot to just have cable ends all you need is a male F connector and a double female to make the connection. In my case I wanted the connections on the coach exterior so I had to create something that would work.
Hope this helps.
Later Ed
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Ed, great solution. However, if your coach has an exterior connection for a satellite system then you may be in luck. My 08 Contessa came from the factory with one. Although this was intended as feed from the indoor SatCom system to an outdoor TV, it will still work. I need to look at how power is ran to the outdoor unit. If it's over a common single coax, you're good to go. There are diplexers that will also work. They are designed to pass voltage on one of the two feeds that combine over a common piece of coax. Why you MAY not be able to use the exterior connection for cable is that it runs through the over the air roof top antenna amplifier. Unless you bypass this amplifier, then I doubt you'll be successful in passing the DC voltage required for the carry out SatCom system.
You can also consider an alternative to what Ed did. Most coaches have the satellite reciver located above the passenger's front seat above the windshield. Personally I moved mine from there. Anyway, if that's where your indoor equipment is located it should be easy to run the SatCom cable down the windshield pillar to come out in the generator compartment. You could coild the cable up in the front compartment when not in use. When needed, slide the generator out, retrieve the cable, hook it up to the carry out system, and then return the xcess back to the generator compartment and slide the generator back in. This would be simple and would not require another connection point between the coach and the outside.
Gil
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Gil,
I would think by 08 Monaco was using RG6U in all of the coach coax wiring but in my 2002 it is all RG59 which poses bandwidth and RF loss issues. It simply would not work. I actually tried using a non blue centered double female connector in my cabling and that killed my signal completly. That was hard for me to believe but I replaced it and the attenuation was gone. This block of digital satellite channels, with many in HD, is a lot of high speed bandwidth information being supplied at one time. It can be attenuated quite easily. As long as you have RG6U and digital signal bandwidth connectors in your system you should be good to go.
Unfortunately the Carry Out does not seem to tolerate diplexors and I am not sure why. I did try and it would have made life easier. You will need to run two coax cables to get the two tuner feature to work. The receiver does supply the LNA/LNB power via the coax. It may be pulling information from that cable to use in the aiming/peaking drive electronics that is not diplexor friendly. It could also be with such a small dish that the diplexor insertion losses cannot be tolerated in this application where the standard dish is designed to tolerate that loss.
There is a separate 12v, 5-7 amp line that supplies the dish drive electronics and motors. Just a two wire cable required there but if you are going beyond the supplied cable distance wise, D.C. voltage drop would need to be taken into account.
Gil, I can tell from your posts that you are knowledgable in electronics and your coach systems....thanks for sharing your knowledge with the forum, I have learned some things from your digging deep.....
Later Ed
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[size=14][face=Arial]Again, all great advice. I'm thinking of a combination of both Ed and Gil's suggestions. I like the idea of the f-connector bulkhead fitting above the electrical compartment on the exterior drivers side. Then running RJ6u coax up through the cowling compartment, windshield pillar, then to where the sat box will sit. All I would have to do then is hook on the sat cable outside when I use it.
I was also thinking when we were near OTA signals, I could also hook coax from the RV antenna outlet to the sat box.
(if you are in an RV park with cable, can you run the cable TV feed through the RV and out to the ant side of the sat box too, by switching the little switch on the RV back to cable from ant boost?)
And ED, I looked for those fittings at West Marine online. I couldn't find them. Do you remember the part number or link?
Thanks again guy's, Mike[/face]
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Mike,
Page 89 of the E catalog. I think they were the 5/16ths version.
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=11151&partNumber=123851&cid=2011Annual
OTA to satellite box will work fine, but it is digital only channels in my case, with the 722. Cable channels will not be tuned with that receiver, strictly over the air.
Feed your tv with your OTA antenna/cable feed directly, so that the cable and OTA signals will work without that Sat system receiver, when you want it to using the antenna amp button. Send a second OTA antenna feed to the satellite OTA receiver input, using a splitter or distribution amp.
When using the OTA sat tuner, you will view the OTA channel using the HDMI input on the TV. (It could also be component, s Video, direct video, if you do not have HDMI on your TV)
Later Ed
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Here's another weathertight pass trough clamp. I like this one in that it doesn't require you to take off factory connectors. Although this is not a big deal with F connectors. This one is not as attractive as the one Ed referenced, but having used both in a marine environment, I believe this one does a better job at sealing.
Gil
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Okay, I just looked at the Carry Out system and can't understand why a diplexer will not work to aggregate the 2 ports on the carry out over a single coax to another diplexer inside the coach going to the two sat receivers. What's not obvious is whether the sat receiver powers the two LNAs. If so, the diplexer must pass the DC voltage. BTW not all diplexers are created equal. Check these out: http://www.prosatellitesupply.com/satellite_diplexers_and_splitters.htm You will find one that passes DC on both ports.
Gil
08 Contessa
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Gil,
The LNB is powered from the coax. You can turn off the 12V supply to the dish and you will still view the channel on the satellite you are parked on using the receiver. The main coax port carries the toggle information for the dish and I am not sure what kind of format or frequency that they use for that.
So there is the signal bandwidth, 12V to the LNB, and toggle and peaking information being exchanged, possibly more that I am not aware of. Not sure what the diplexor bottle neck is but maybe it just would not pass some of the other necessary information.
If you get a Carry Out, see if you can get a diplexor to work. My limited trial did not have success in getting it all to work over one coax. I did not spend a lot of time and I'm not sure if the diplexor I had passed DC on both ports.
Later Ed
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[size=14][face=Arial]Thanks Ed for the link. I'll explore it completely as soon as the sat set-up gets here (Sat). And Gil, I didn't see a picture or link to the part you were recommending. Thanks to both of you guy's for your input. Mike[/face][/size]
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This technical discussion is a bit beyond me (quite a bit actually) but I did find that the tech support at Winegard is quite knowledgeable, and helped me out when I was hooking my Carry Out to my 722.
Also, for what it's worth, when Beaver Coach did their magic to make my Carry Out work, they ran another coax from the water bay (where the original connector is located) an added a 12VDC plug. In addition, Dan used two diplexers to get the rear TV working. One diplexer was on the input, and another up in the overhead cabinets near the sat reciever. No idea what they do, but he did say only one brand would work....something about the others not passing something.
This may not be very helpful, but it sure made ours work well. I have not tried watching two different programs, but at least the rear duplicates the front, which is all I can ask for.
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[quote author=]The Dish IRD we have on the coach is a VIP211K. This is nice unit and has a few nice features. First, it allows OTC (over the air) reception of Digital HDTV signals and integrates them with the channel guide. It also has a SD modulator (channel 3/4 selectable) so I can send all the HD channels over the existing coax to my basement TV and my rear stateroom (I didn't upgrade that one yet...) One other nice thing that not too many know, but you can plug a external USB Hard Disk into the VIP211K and whala - it now becomes a DVR No extra cost and no monthly fees!
Hope this helps.
Jim[/quote]
Hi Jim, what brand ext. hard drive did you use. Evidently they all won't work. And how did you get the signals to the stateroom? Thanks Mike
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[size=14][face=Arial]Well I'm a Dish RV Sat user now (temp. through the window). I went with the America 120 Plus @$34.99 a month plus the Sports Package (with NFL Redzone) for an extra $7.00.
Now for the fine print. They want a one time $99 fee for HD programing. They also want a one time $40 fee for adding that External Hard Drive that makes your receiver into a DVR. Other that that it's $34.99 for 12 months and $49.99 after that. AND you only pay for a month at a time. No extra fee's for turning service on and off.
As far as installation, I'm putting my connections to the portable sat in my electrical bay. It has a thru-deck fitting already so it's just a matter of making my portable connections there. Looks like a piece of cake to route the coax up to the existing sat bay in the upper cabinets. My rig never came with sat from the factory but it has a spot for it.
Thanks again for all of the advise everybody, Mike[/face][/size]
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Mike,
I do not know the answer to what drive I used, but can check on it for you. May be a week or so, until I can over to the coach. I have so many HDD's laying around. I just popped one into a USB HDD case and plugged it in without really thinking about it. Actually, this was a tip a local installer told me about. Since I pay for DVR service at the house anyway, it made sense. To be honest, other that seeing the IRD recognize the HDD properly, I didn't spend much time testing it out.
Regarding the signal to the rear of the coach, our PT had coax running to the rear and the basement already. It also had a coax push button "swtich box" already installed that facilitated the switching of "VCR" "ANT" and "AUX" to the front or rear TV's. I don't need this at all for the front HDTV anymore, since that is all HDMI switched from my Yamaha receiver, so I now relabled "front" to basement and can switch the signals to basement and rear TV using this existing switch.
I have a spitter for the OTA (digital off-air) that divides the incoming antenna to 1) the new HDTV and 2) the Satellite IRD. The IRD has a coax output which is connected to the switch box as antenna in. So when I want to watch Satellite or OTA in the rear or basement, I simply select it at the switch box and that signal is sent to the appropriate area.
To make things even more useable (complicated) I have a video modulator hooked to the front BluRay player as well. This converts video/audio to RF. This RF signal is connected to that same swtich box as "AUX" input. So I can send the bluray signals to the rear or basement as well as the satellite and OTA signals. One caveot however is that the quality is not HD quality at rear TV. Only SD over the existing coax at this time.
This only works, because I still have the old Sony TV in the back. Once, I upgrade it, then all this RF will need to be re-addressed. I have seen a few HD over coax devices, but have not experimented with them as of yet.
Hope that helps
Jim