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Changing the way we view television


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We have been fting since 2009 and have had a directv the entire time. We purchased a vu-qube from King Controls just before we left. We have already had to send in the vu-qube for repair/replace 2 times and yesterday it broke again. That makes 3 and w/ strikes, you're out! I have had it w/ the vu-qube and King Controls. They offer good technacal support over the phone but that's it. Over the phone and all talk. With a one year warranty, each time it has been just out of the warranty period. There products should last longer than than or be a lot cheaper.

 

I have a 20 gig plan from verizon and are in a trial mode, watching television ota, thru verizon internet and renting movies from red box. I know we will have to up our verizon plan but by not paying directv $105 a month and King Controls $200 to fix the qube or buying a winegard for $650 we can add a lot of gigs. I put the directv account on suspend to give it a try.

 

I will keep you posted on how it works out.

travel safe and enjoy the ride

Eric and Karla Trippe w/ their dog Kora always in our thoughts
2006 3650 Georgie Boy Landau.. on a F53 chassis.
pulling a Malibu Maxx...w/ a kayak on top (Liquid Logic Duce Coupe)

 

09/16 update, after 8 yrs of fting, bought a house in Crystal Lake, IL

http://acoupleofboomers.blogspot.com

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What is your backup plan when you don't have cell service?

OTA viewing, rent a movie, read a book, or what he said, or all off the above. And like I said, we are trying it out, but with having to buy/repair satellite dishes all the time along with the monthly fee, directv was getting pretty upsetting. I am not going to give anymore money to King Controls. And even with a portable dish, connecting all the time was not a guarantee, and in a storm, forget reception.

 

With ota, the hardest part is going to have to watch commercials and watch shows on their schedule, we used our dvr all the time. At some point I am going to look into the tivo, but not just yet. They too are expensive and not sure if it will work with our situation.

travel safe and enjoy the ride

Eric and Karla Trippe w/ their dog Kora always in our thoughts
2006 3650 Georgie Boy Landau.. on a F53 chassis.
pulling a Malibu Maxx...w/ a kayak on top (Liquid Logic Duce Coupe)

 

09/16 update, after 8 yrs of fting, bought a house in Crystal Lake, IL

http://acoupleofboomers.blogspot.com

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We have Directv and use a tripod, have had it on the road for 15 or so years and no problems(other than the ones we cause). We set up each night, takes about 15 minutes or so(most of that time is the physical part), apps on the phone really have speeded things up for alignment. We have never had the automated systems since we are from the east and always consider the tree problem. We figure if we had an automated system we would still need the tripod because of the tree potential.

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We have Directv and use a tripod, have had it on the road for 15 or so years and no problems(other than the ones we cause). We set up each night, takes about 15 minutes or so(most of that time is the physical part), apps on the phone really have speeded things up for alignment. We have never had the automated systems since we are from the east and always consider the tree problem. We figure if we had an automated system we would still need the tripod because of the tree potential.

We have a space issue with the tripod and dish, that is why we chose the vu-qube, it mounted on the ladder, stayed there unless a tree issue and then it went where we could find reception. So, unless I'm ready to find the space to carry all that, and deal with the setup, physical and emotional, (I have helped many over the years find reception with a tripod, and the qube is so much easier and faster) I am trying my new solution. As I said, I will keep you posted.

travel safe and enjoy the ride

Eric and Karla Trippe w/ their dog Kora always in our thoughts
2006 3650 Georgie Boy Landau.. on a F53 chassis.
pulling a Malibu Maxx...w/ a kayak on top (Liquid Logic Duce Coupe)

 

09/16 update, after 8 yrs of fting, bought a house in Crystal Lake, IL

http://acoupleofboomers.blogspot.com

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I can't imagine trying to watch a TV show or a movie on a computer screen with both of us trying to crowd around in front of it...even assuming I had enough monthly GB to watch as much TV as we watch (which we don't).

LindaH
2014 Winnebago Aspect 27K
2011 Kia Soul

 

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Guest Pensauncola

I can't imagine trying to watch a TV show or a movie on a computer screen with both of us trying to crowd around in front of it...even assuming I had enough monthly GB to watch as much TV as we watch (which we don't).

 

There are many devices which connect to your big screen TV and stream programming from the internet. Roku, Apple TV, etc.

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Also many desktops and laptops now come with an HDMI connection so you can just plug the TV into them and use it as an additional/alternate display.

First rule of computer consulting:

Sell a customer a Linux computer and you'll eat for a day.

Sell a customer a Windows computer and you'll eat for a lifetime.

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yup, what they said.

 

travel safe and enjoy the ride

Eric and Karla Trippe w/ their dog Kora always in our thoughts
2006 3650 Georgie Boy Landau.. on a F53 chassis.
pulling a Malibu Maxx...w/ a kayak on top (Liquid Logic Duce Coupe)

 

09/16 update, after 8 yrs of fting, bought a house in Crystal Lake, IL

http://acoupleofboomers.blogspot.com

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I'm with SWharton, that is what we do, I also set up the dish on the tripod even if we are only staying for the night. Been doing it for 8 years fulltime and for 7 years before that when we just camped on weekends and vacations. It's so easy as he said and we have had no problems.

Rudy & Linda

2007 Hitchhiker Discover America 339RSB

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I'm with SWharton, that is what we do, I also set up the dish on the tripod even if we are only staying for the night. Been doing it for 8 years fulltime and for 7 years before that when we just camped on weekends and vacations. It's so easy as he said and we have had no problems.

I see from your signature you have a 5th wheel, so you have a truck too, and you can store it all in the bed of the truck or in that great big storage space under the front bdrm. We live in a mh and all our bays are full of other things.

 

Why aren't people wondering about the service from King Control and why there products keep failing? That's a big part of the issue here, not for me to go buy more equipment. I know there are other ways to connect to the satellite, I could go buy an automatic roof top unit too.

travel safe and enjoy the ride

Eric and Karla Trippe w/ their dog Kora always in our thoughts
2006 3650 Georgie Boy Landau.. on a F53 chassis.
pulling a Malibu Maxx...w/ a kayak on top (Liquid Logic Duce Coupe)

 

09/16 update, after 8 yrs of fting, bought a house in Crystal Lake, IL

http://acoupleofboomers.blogspot.com

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Since we got the Roadtrek,3 years ago, we have been streating using our unlimited data 4g moto android phone at first with a hdmi cable and now using a netgear Miracast adapter, a couple hours a nigth of videp plus surfing is 30 gig plus. I like the interface for the android apps better than the onscreen menus for Roku box.

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1992 Dodge Roadtrek 190 Versitile

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acoupleofboomers, when was the last time you went through all of the stuff in your underneath storage. It doesn't take many items gotten rid of that stuff you don't use and a rearranging of your underneath storage to make enough room to store a dish and tripod

Rudy & Linda

2007 Hitchhiker Discover America 339RSB

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Netflix is kind of a bargain, movies, tV series from U S and abroad. Never connected through our cell coverage which is supposed to be unlimited but may actually not be so. Cant fault the programming and I recently watched some movies on my 19" monitor at my computor. DW was hogging the real TV for Dalton Abbey. Worked out better than I thought it would. If we can do it on the road through our cell hotspot that would be great. New older motor home with new tV's but not sure if they are smart or not so we might not be able to pick up netflix on them but have a pretty nice laptop. Small screen intimate viewing:-)

 

We had Direct TV and the storms did bother it quite a bit.

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Barb... you cracked me up with your last 2 comments! Love it!

 

Question... so, I don't have unlimited data with my Verizon plan right now. If I keep it the way it is and I want to use Amazon Prime, Netflix what are my options? Do I need to get unlimited or are there other companies or ways to get Internet out there that won't break the bank. I know that free Wifi in some areas may work but what about using my own. What can I do?

 

Or, can someone tell me more about Direct TV so I can watch regular TV? Is it expensive? Reliable? Can you DVR while you on the road? I have Direct TV at my house right now but have no idea how it'll work in an RV.

 

Thanks everyone!

MimiRaul

Not RVing yet... in a few years

 

"I haven't been everywhere, but it's on my list" ~ Susan Sontag

 

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Barb... you cracked me up with your last 2 comments! Love it!

 

Question... so, I don't have unlimited data with my Verizon plan right now. If I keep it the way it is and I want to use Amazon Prime, Netflix what are my options? Do I need to get unlimited or are there other companies or ways to get Internet out there that won't break the bank. I know that free Wifi in some areas may work but what about using my own. What can I do?

 

Or, can someone tell me more about Direct TV so I can watch regular TV? Is it expensive? Reliable? Can you DVR while you on the road? I have Direct TV at my house right now but have no idea how it'll work in an RV.

 

Thanks everyone!

Netflix uses about 1 GB of data per hour for each stream of standard definition video, and up to 3 GB per hour for each stream of HD video. as well what's you tube doing now it's going strait to HD!! if you don't have unlimited data with Verizon and if you use a lot of data and go over your limit they won't throttle you back they will just keep billing you more something to be concerned about if you want to do a lot of streaming and uploading because everything you use the net for will go on your monthly allotment of data!! what size rv do you have?? you might be able to put a winegaurd travlr on your rv is pro it picks up all of the satellites since it uses basicly the same HD dish that's on your house. it's fully automatic and finds the satellites for you!! con you can't use it going down the road :ph34r: !! you might want to consider a dome style dish but I heard more complaints from them breaking and all of the rain fade issues they do make em for in motion and dual outputs to hook in the the back of the receiver but the dish is not cheap. and you won't get HD in a dome style dish with directv from my understanding!! and a lot of those companies that say unlimited data don't belive them read the fine print since most of em have some kind of cap on them to where they will throttle you back down to below dial up speeds or they will cut you off

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I'm also trying to figure out TV for the RV. I have Fibromyalgia and sometimes I just want to crash and TV binge. I want Internet too so do I get an unlimited internet plan and stream Netflix and/or Hulu or do I get a regular Verizon plan for basic Internet and then do Direct TV for the TV part. I need to price all ways...

It's all fine and dandy until someone's marshmallow catches fire!

2015 Ford F-250 6.2L (She ain't diesel but she hauls ass!)

2012 Jayco Pinnacle 36KPTS

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  • 4 weeks later...

We just use our batwing and watch whatever is on the air. Usually get anywhere from 20 to 40 channels. Now if only we could understand spanish...

 

But we always seem to find the stations that are showing what we want to watch.

 

funny thing is the previous owner of our coach left a $5k satellite system on the coach but we dont have a subscription...couldnt talk him into giving us his log in info.

<p>....JIM and LINDA......2001 American Eagle 40 '.towing a GMC Sierra 1500 4X4 with RZR in the rear. 1999 JEEP Cherokee that we tow as well.

IT IS A CONTENTED MAN WHO CAN APPRECIATE THE SCENERY ALONG A DETOUR.

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