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Antenna, Satellite, or both?


Nomad Hiker

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So today, in anticiapation of all the $$$ we need to spend to get set up, we went to Camping World and looked at Direct TV satellites. We don't watch a lot of T.V., and most of what we watch is on the main channels. Can we get by with antenna? Do any of you have Roku, and does it work well or not so well in your RV? Do you have DVR's or something similar for recording? Any insight will be appreciated.

Happy Trails,

Jim & Ginger/Nomad Hikers

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Retirement 12/2016

Full-time 04/2017

VanLeigh Vilano/Ford F350

Blog site - https://www.trailer2trail.com/

Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=trailer2trail

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Relying on a Roku or other Internet device for TV is not a good idea for reasons that have been covered numerous times in Forum threads.

 

Relying on an Over the Air (OTA) antenna depends on how remote you plan on staying. The general range of OTA signals max out at 70 miles.

 

DVRs allow you to watch TV shows at times more convenient to the other things you want to do.

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We have both satellite and OTA. Unless you have ab unlimited data plan any thing such as fire tv or Roku or almost useless. We split our time between cities and far enough out in the country that OTA gets us no to almost no service. We find that we watch a little more tv then we did while we were working. There are days when the weather will not cooperate and since we are retired we do not have to force ourselves to be out in bad weather.

My advise is to at least consider setting the money aside for a satellite system. Then see how things shake out. If after a year you find you do not need or want the satellite system then spend the money for something else.

As far as a DVR goes there is nothing on tv that we feel we cannot miss, so we do not use one.

Good luck on you new adventure.

See you on the road!

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We have both on our RV. We have Dish at home so we have a Winegard Travel'r for dish on the roof of the RV and take our Dish receiver with us. most time we DVR shows so we can eliminate the commercials. Many times there is no OTA to be had unless you are around a city. We also watch a little more TV than we did when working, especially if the weather is bad.

 

Dave

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I doubt you looked at any satellites unless they happen to have pictures of them . Satellites are those little things placed in orbit around the earth or moon or another planet in order to collect/send information like a TV signal .

You likely looked at dish antenna variants .

 

Anyway , we only use our OTA . We have a dish on the roof , but have never used it . If we can't get a signal OTA , we find something else to do .

Goes around , comes around .

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We pretty much went through the same process. We spent a few years getting whatever TV we could whether it be from the park cable or OTA and really that worked fine but I hate live TV and I prefer to record and watch later so I can zip through it. I'll even wait for the 2nd quarter of a game to start watching that way I can zip through and I'm usually caught up around the time it's over.

 

We went to CW and bought a 211Z (we have dish at home) and a tailgater. We didn't like the quality of the tailgater reception so we took it back.

 

We got a Pathway X2 and it worked almost as well as the antenna mounted on the house.

 

We added accessories to the 211; added a hard drive and a OTA adapter. Both of those worked good. The OTA adapter allowed us to use the antenna with the 211 so we didn't have to change our locals and goof up the Hopper at home. Using Dish chat feature it was easy to turn the 211 on and off. Calling was a nightmare.

 

Last spring I ponied up and bought a Trav'ler, my wife and I installed it. It works just like the house.

 

Liked the Trav'ler so well we started taking the Hopper from the house (had to add a Solo Node) and it's the best.

 

 

Whatever you do shop around, prices are all over the place.

 

We use the dish chat feature to change our service address and no matter where we are it works very well.

2013 Newmar Dutchstar 4318

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First of all (as mentioned by Pat & Pete), we - as consumers - do not buy satellites. We buy satellite antennas and receivers. Satellites orbit the earth.

 

We use Dish Network with a Pathway X2 antenna and 211Z receiver. It's all-HD and we can choose the channel package(s) that suit us. (Currently $35/month for our channel package and $10/month for locals.) If the OTA (over-the-air) module were currently available, I would have one so we wouldn't have to pay the extra $10/month for locals and could record locals with the Dish setup and hard drive I have installed - and also wouldn't have to contact Dish every time we move to change locals.

 

We also have an antenna and, when close enough to a TV market area, can watch 3 or 4 and up to 20 channels of over-the-air TV that way.

 

Finally, we have an Amazon Fire Stick for the TV. We do not connect it to our Verizon MiFi due to the data limitations mentioned above. We only use it when we are in RV parks that have WiFi that is sufficiently robust to support the bandwidth for streaming. We are in one of those place now and are enjoying watching movies and original series on the Fire Stick via our Amazon Prime account (technically, this works the same way as a Roku account and NetFlix subscription).

 

Rob

2012 F350 CC LB DRW 6.7
2020 Solitude 310GK-R, MORryde IS, disc brakes, solar, DP windows
Full-time since 8/2015

 

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While we have both satellite service (Dish) and OTA, we rarely watch OTA since we get "locals" via satellite. We also watch a lot of programs that are not available OTA, such as ESPN, NATGEO, TMC, TRAVEL, etc.

LindaH
2014 Winnebago Aspect 27K
2011 Kia Soul

 

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I often wonder what folks done in the old days!

Maybe a book. Hiked. Fished. Board games. Or heaven forbid even talked.

 

I'm just being cynical. But it does make you wonder how we ever got on without a television to watch. Now days I also wonder how folks will ever be able to walk in a straight line in the future with out a phone in their hand to keep them balanced.

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I often wonder what folks done in the old days!

Maybe a book. Hiked. Fished. Board games. Or heaven forbid even talked.

 

I'm just being cynical. But it does make you wonder how we ever got on without a television to watch. Now days I also wonder how folks will ever be able to walk in a straight line in the future with out a phone in their hand to keep them balanced.

 

Well, the kids went to school and played from daylight til dark. The parents worked from daylight til dark. Then, they all sat on the front porch visiting with the neighbors and waiting for the house to cool down before going in, taking a bath, and going to bed. Next day, repeat. Fit in a church service or two on Sunday.

Everybody wanna hear the truth, but everybody tell a lie.  Everybody wanna go to Heaven, but nobody want to die.  Albert King

 

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We don't watch a lot of T.V., and most of what we watch is on the main channels.

 

Keep repeating ^^^^^^ to yourself.

 

Since you do not watch much tv, don't rush into buying a satellite setup. Just spend a few months on the road, THEN decide if you want to go satellite.

 

It has taken me 5 yrs of 4 - 6+ months on the road to decide I HAVE to have a Dish setup. When we're on the road, we move a lot and OTA just doesn't cut it for me. I figure all the equipment will cost me about $1K. That includes the sat finder. The price MAY come in lower if I go with a bundle. I just have to visit a Dish dealer and discuss what they can do to meet my needs.

 

Suggest you scan thru the Sat tv forum here to see what problems people have encountered when changing service locations. Chat seems to be the best way to change service "location" without changing the "billing address". A few folks have scripted requests they enter into the chat window.

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We used OTA TV only when we were on the road. That was 1997-2003. My how things have changed. We had to beg to use a park's fax line for a few minutes and pay for the privilege even though my EarthLink access lines were toll free. We bought some of the first Blu-ray players and subscribed to Netflix where they sent a Blu-ray almost overnight and we had little time to watch when we were still both working after we came off the road. $8.99 a month was less than renting streams online with 5 or more a month we did manage to watch. Today we have streaming only with Netflix Premium for top resolution at $11.99 a month. Big news is that they now allow us to download their content to our mobile devices and watch them when we are not near broadband. See here: https://help.netflix.com/en/node/54816?catId=en%2F131 I use it for boring waits in the docs office. Yes we have new smart phones, two Moto X Play phones. But we only have 2GB on them shared because with 200mbps unlimited broadband here at home, our phones are always on our router for Internet. We have never used more than 512 MB, not GB, on our phones. So I keep a movie or TV show from Netflix saved on my Surface Pro 3 and I will be to my phones now too. Amazon Prime with an Amazon Fire tablet does this too. We have three of their earlier models two 7" HDX third generation with 64GB or built in storage, and one 8.9" HDX fourth Generation that has 32GB storage. All three are 1080p or higher. The new fire Tablets cost less but are not full HD 1080p. We got ours used. Great tablets!

 

On recording for later. I am at my desktop computer now typing with the USB Hauppage TV tuner on and have "The Rifleman" on in a quarter of the screen. That little $80 or so device works great on Windows 10 and I record shows regularly. It is four years old and works like new. They have upgraded their software with each release of Windows. I can also rewind a show I am watching to show something to my SH. I have this model: http://hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hvr955q.html and can endorse it highly. Great HD! IT records to the hard drive of the computer it is connected to and can erase them too. They also have a dual tuner model that I have not tried.

 

There are several legal OTA DVRs and I bought one from Channel Master when I bought my antenna. It seems to degrade by HD signal a bit. However I do have to try it once more with the amplifier and hooked up to the outside antenna. I can't speak to the other two or three OTA DVRs, as I only bought the one.

 

I just wrote a post over in the "Connecting on the road" forum here that you might like, about what is coming down the wireless pike in the next two years.

 

Even though we are just part timing now, and little of that (surgeries,) we cut the cable in favor of streaming but still watch a majority of our TV with our 26 (20 of interest to us) channels. We did mount a Channel master antenna on the roof and wired it to a 1 in four out distribution amp to our four prewired wall outlets in our new home of last year. We use OTA. Downloads, and Streaming services from Amazon Prime which we had anyway, Netflix, and our newest two streaming services Sling TV, and Curiosity Stream. https://app.curiositystream.com/video/1683 We use the Amazon App for Curiosity on our Fire TVs with the new 4k hardware, wired to our 4k UHD full backlight Vizio M65, and connected with HDMI 2.0 HDCP 2.2 cables.

 

On the road we would likely not use a lot of streaming if any. We can do without things like Game Of Thrones until they are done and we can binge watch free or near. We bought the first five seasons of GOT on Blu-ray discs like new for $40.00. Then we bought season 6 for very little on Prime. We binge watched the Sopranos on Netflix for free or was that Prime? I forget.

 

I look forward to the upcoming GB satellite LEO and fiber offerings. In five years they will all be working. Remember that the first smart phones really started with the Apple and Android offerings in 2007/8, that was just ten years ago.

RV/Derek
http://www.rvroadie.com Email on the bottom of my website page.
Retired AF 1971-1998


When you see a worthy man, endeavor to emulate him. When you see an unworthy man, look inside yourself. - Confucius

 

“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.” ... Voltaire

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BTW,

As already said, OTA is HD, and better than the HD from cable or satellite because it is as broadcast, it has not been compressed and expanded to fit into an existing cable or satellite transponder array. OTA on my upscaling 65" UHD 4k system is stunning.

RV/Derek
http://www.rvroadie.com Email on the bottom of my website page.
Retired AF 1971-1998


When you see a worthy man, endeavor to emulate him. When you see an unworthy man, look inside yourself. - Confucius

 

“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.” ... Voltaire

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It has taken me 5 yrs of 4 - 6+ months on the road to decide I HAVE to have a Dish setup. When we're on the road, we move a lot and OTA just doesn't cut it for me. I figure all the equipment will cost me about $1K. That includes the sat finder. The price MAY come in lower if I go with a bundle. I just have to visit a Dish dealer and discuss what they can do to meet my needs.

 

Our original Dish sat system consisted of a VIP211K receiver with an external hard drive, a 1000.4 dish modified for a no tools adjustment with both eastern and western arc LNBs on hand, a low cost modified tripod, and a basic "tone" type signal finder. Our total cost was a bit under $250. We have since upgraded to multi-tuner Hopper receivers, as well as a more advanced digital signal finder, but the original dish and tripod arrangement continue to serve us well. Oh, and the DishPointer Pro app on my Android phone also makes aiming the dish a much quicker process, especially on heavily treed sites. :)

Dutch
2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A
F-53 Chassis, Triton V10, TST TPMS
2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump
ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/brake system

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We use OTA with a King Jack Antenna. The Winegard Batwing is a also very good antenna.

We DVR with a Tablo.

Then we use the Roku to access/manage the Tablo Recordings/Live TV and hook to TV via HDMI.

It works well. We have been cord cutters since before there was such a term.

We use Antennaweb to get the location of tv antennas in a new area.

 

Been all over the country. Some places are great and some not so great. So, it does depend on where you plan to travel but we have survived on OTA for many years.

If streaming is ever done it is wise to set to low bandwidth. Roku has settings to do very low bandwidth as well as Netflix and other services.

As mentioned streaming has its own issues and costs to consider.

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I mainly use Antenna . Great HD picture. as for Roku or Anything else. If TV is wifi capable an your not deep in the woods. Get a Netflix Acct. If the Netflix acct is not accessible thru TV Hook up a laptop to TV an stream it that way.

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We use Antennaweb to get the location of tv antennas in a new area.

 

 

 

You might try http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d5134dfbbd370b2 a try . It's a bit more 'intense' , but shows a lot more station options that might be available under the right conditions .

Goes around , comes around .

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One size does not fit all:)! Have many tools in you toolbox:)! Etc:)!

 

Satellite - We went with Trav'ler and DirecTV

 

OTA - We have the Winegard RAYZAR Auto (KISS - Push a button, and it does a great job of setting up for local OTA.). For times we're at more extreme distance from a stations antenna, we also have a new crank up Sensar. Due to our current travel cycles, we usually find that the Auto covers all of our OTA needs. (We do not have a DVR for OTA, but as pointed out, they due exist.)

 

Streaming - We do have a Roku, but have not yet hooked it up. We use mostly Netflix and Amazon Prime, and our Samsung Smart TV has covered that for us well enough of now. We have a few more components coming for the Audio/Video cabinet, when they arrive and we pull things out to install them, we will hook up the Roku as the 4K streaming is a nice feature.

 

Internet Connection - We have multiple methods to getting out to the internet for computer usage, and for streaming.

> Primary source is Verizon Samsung S6 in Hotspot mode. We have Grandfathered Unlimited Data.

> Just changed our AT&T plan (My wife's phone.) to a iPhone 7, and added 10GB plan and now have Hotspot capability with this too.

> When traveling in Canada, we activate our Millenicom plan, 50GB, and use a ZTE Z-917 Data Hotspot

 

For accessing as good as signal as possible, we have a Maximum Signal Amp, with roof top 13" Magnetic Antenna. It covers all three of the devices above, and at distant locations to towers, it has made the difference between no to little signal, to useable signal for accessing the internet.

 

> WiFi Ranger Go2 with older Ubiquity Bullet Mobile rooftop antenna booster, is our current WiFi connection and router. The Go2 can also be connected wired or wirelessly to any three of the above devices, to rebroadcast an in the RV WiFi. (This comes in handy, if you find you need to change from Park RV to Phone Hotspot to Data Hotspot devices. By having everything in the coach connected to the WiFiRanger Go2 WiFi, you are not reentering User ID's and Passwords over and over every time you change the source to the internet. (Note: We did just take advantage of the 25% off discount from WiFi Ranger, and order the Elite AC package, to move up to 802.11AC, and replace Ubiquity. (We will move the Go2 and Ubiquity to my daughter's place, as she uses our home WiFi but is just on the fringe of coverage. So she'll get a gain too:)!)

 

I'd swag our usage to the Internet at being 90% Verizon, 7% park wifi, 3% Millienom. I do expect that the Verizon will go down to 80-85% and ATT will pick up 5-10% in the future, as we've just added the new plan to ATT to allow Hotspot. This is based upon our normal travel cycle West of the Mississippi. While we find that ATT and Verizon both seem to have coverage in most of he areas we travel, no question we still have times where only one carrier can get a signal.

 

On TV usage, I'd say we're 65% DirecTV with our DNA changed to the region we're traveling in. 30% streaming Netflix/Amazon. 5% OTA (We do like the local news when we can get it.) And 5% DVD movies and series. (We keep an arsenal of DVD's and DVR'd movies and other shows recorded, for times when our Trav'ler can not connect to a bird.)

 

======

 

OP - Go slow, get out and see how your travels needs nudge you as far as different internet and TV viewing options.

 

Best to you, and all,

Smitty

Be safe, have fun,

Smitty

04 CC Allure "RooII" - Our "E" ride for life!

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Andi and I were just out in Quartzsite Arizona boondocking and Rural Texas as well. We have an OTA and we were able to get a few stations in HD and OTA worked fine. We mostly watch tv when it is inclement weather or maybe an hour or two in the evening. With that being said, we also use Netflix on one of our tv's that we can sign directly on to. We do have a t mobile unlimited plan and verizon 12gb data plan and will watch using a hotspot from one of our phones. We may only watch 8-16 hours a month of Netflix though. Good luck!!

Alan & Andi

2016 Dodge Ram 3500 dually 4x4

2012 Toyota Camry ( Andi's follow car)

2007 Dodge Ram 1500 ( Business Truck)

2009 Wilderness Travel Trailer

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  • 2 weeks later...

Glad I revisited this post. Great info. Do any of you mind sharing what you pay for Direct or Dish?

Happy Trails,

Jim & Ginger/Nomad Hikers

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Retirement 12/2016

Full-time 04/2017

VanLeigh Vilano/Ford F350

Blog site - https://www.trailer2trail.com/

Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=trailer2trail

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It depends on your travel plans. We tend to camp host in remote areas and use a winegard about 80% of the time. With pay as you go, the service can be turned on/off monthly. It's a good option to have.

Greg

Just learned about the pay as you go option. Is that a viable option for full-timers?

Happy Trails,

Jim & Ginger/Nomad Hikers

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Retirement 12/2016

Full-time 04/2017

VanLeigh Vilano/Ford F350

Blog site - https://www.trailer2trail.com/

Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=trailer2trail

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