Hi Everyone. Well, after 15 years the RV-Dreams Community Forum is coming to an end. Since it began in August 2005, we've had 58 Million page views, 124,000 posts, and we've spent about $15,000 to keep this valuable resource for RVers free and open. But since we are now off the road and have settled down for the next chapter of our lives, we are taking the Forum down effective June 30, 2021. It has been a tough decision, but it is now time.
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We are putting together a budget for full-timing next year and would like to know the approximate monthly cost for satellite TV service - more than likely it will be Direct TV.
If anyone has an idea of the cost for installation of the system - that would be appreciated too.
We have Direct TV's cheapest programing option and use just one HR24 receiver. For that we currently pay $61.42 per month. Once our first year is over I expect to pay at least $30 more per month. We also just recently had our RV manufacturer replace our old Winegard Satellite dome with a new Winegard Traveler for Direct TV. The Traveler cost $1580 (you can pay less elsewhere) and they charged us for 1.5 hours labor. I'm pretty sure they were able to use cables that were already there so that may have saved some time.
Hope this helps. Here's a link to the packages that they currently offer <http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/content/packages/overview?lpos=Header:1> There's a chart comparing them if you scroll down the page.
Hope this helps.
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Judy LeMosy
2007 New Horizons Summit 38' / 2001 Volvo 610 w/ Smart Car on bed
You can save a lot of initial cost if you want HD to go with Dish. While there are SD portable dishes for Direct there are no HD. There are several for Dish. Kinda like "drinking the kool aide". I see no difference in service and cost is less.
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2003 Teton Grand Freedon 2006 Mobile Suites 32TK3 SOLD 2006 Freightliner Century 120 with Detroit 14L singled, ultrashift, hauling a 2016 Smart Passion
Had Dish.... around $75 for 250 channels (see their website). Bought pay as you go so can discontinue anytime but must buy equipment. Bought the winegard pathway 2......didn't like it.....its for sale. Now have tripod and dish (much better) with another provider. Pathway 2 and 2 receivers from Dish was about $750 in Feb when I bought them. At the time it was cheaper at Camping World than what I paid from Dish.
-- Edited by igotjam on Wednesday 20th of July 2016 08:06:14 PM
I have a Winegard Traveler (automatic dish that seeks the satellites and stores itself for travel with the push of a single button). I also subscribe to DirecTV, for one reason only ... I get the NFL package that allows me to watch MY team's games every week in HD. As others have pointed out, most programming is pretty much the same, with the one exception of the NFL package, which is a deal breaker for me. I don't want to just "watch a football game" ... I want to watch MY team play every Sunday. If Football isn't your thing, then any provider will do. The Winegard product is very cool and will work with any provider.
-- Edited by RonC on Wednesday 20th of July 2016 08:03:58 PM
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Ron and Janice
2016 Ford F350, King Ranch, DRW, 4x4, CC, 6.7 PS Diesel, remote control air lift system
2017 Durango Gold 381REF, Lambright furniture, MCD shades, morRYDE IS, 8K Disc brakes, GY G114 LR H Tires, 27,320 lbs CGVW
I care less about football so no advantage for us. Same programming. I only paid 500 for Pathway X2 with receiver. It was on sale though. Love ours. We can park under shade trees and set it in open.
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2003 Teton Grand Freedon 2006 Mobile Suites 32TK3 SOLD 2006 Freightliner Century 120 with Detroit 14L singled, ultrashift, hauling a 2016 Smart Passion
Dish Network here with Pathway X2 antenna and 211Z receiver. I have an external USB hard drive connected and use the receiver as a DVR, as well. We have full HD service and 200 channels for $64 a month on the "Dish For My RV" plan. We put the account on hold for the two months we were in a rain forest with no hope of getting a satellite signal (had about 8 local broadcast channels, though, so it didn't hurt too badly). To me, being able to carry the antenna up to 100' out from the rig to get a view of the satellites - regardless of what site we are assigned - is a big plus.
Rob
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2012 F350 DRW Lariat 6.7
PullRite OE 18K, Demco Glide Ride pinbox
2020 Solitude 310GK-R, MORryde IS, disc brakes, solar, DP windows
While at Hershey RV show we visited the concessions and ask about satellite TV. The vendor was promoting the Dish tailgater and the 211z receiver. We got them and so far so good. Even dropped the tailgater off the top of my truck and it stills works. A little frustrating at time receiving signal but when I get it dialed in its fine. Lite weigh and portable but a little cantankerous.
We've gotten our first bill and we are paying $48.19 a month. since getting the system we have moved numerous times so I have gotten better at setting it up. We have found out that when the HD signal is not good we can Use the remote and switch to the SD signal. I downloaded an app named satfinder and it helps you locate your 129-119-110 satilites. We do have the basic flex service and the one down side is I have to connect to the internet and pull up my dish and change our zip code when we move long distance so we can get local programming. Its really not necessary to have local programming but we like it for weather mostly.
-- Edited by carolinakids on Tuesday 3rd of January 2017 01:18:55 PM
We have Dish because we don't want to be locked into a contract. We have both the Pathway X1 and a Trav-Ler. We bought the Pathway with the 211Z from Amazon on sale. The coach we had didn't come with a permanent satellite receiver on the roof. Our second coach came with the Winegard Trav-Ler. We love the Trav-Ler and use it whenever possible. We also bought their 612 receiver which allows us to record a different channel than the one we are watching. Or if not watching TV you can record two channels. The 612 has two tuners. We kept the X1 for the times when the roof antenna is blocked by trees and have used it several times. This past summer we were in Pohick Bay campground in northern VA for a month and had no reception from either antenna because of the tree coverage. So we bought a $40 antenna from Walmart and brought in over 60 ota channels.
