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I talked with DirecTv to try and find out if I could get my local stations from D.C., here in Myrtle Beach in my new home we're having built. I explained to them that I'm sitting in an RV park in Myrtle Beach getting those stations just fine in my coach on our sat. system. They told me you can't receive those channels here. But I explained to them that I am. It seems I should also get them in a home system. Maybe I need to just set up my own dish with our existing box.? Ya think that'll work?

Fulltiming since 2010

2000 Dutch Star

2009 Saturn Vue

Myrtle Beach, SC

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What you get away with does not mean DirecTV will condone. There are provisions in the satellite laws that allow RVers to receive signals in places that houses are not allowed to.

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Mark & Dale
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When DTV changes your service address to your Myrtle Beach location, you will no longer be able to see the DC locals. The signal will still be there, since you are within the DC spot beam footprint, but your receiver(s) will be blocked from receiving them by the software download. You could leave your service address set to your previous location, but that would be a violation of the DTV TOS and FCC rules.

Dutch
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When DTV changes your service address to your Myrtle Beach location, you will no longer be able to see the DC locals. The signal will still be there, since you are within the DC spot beam footprint, but your receiver(s) will be blocked from receiving them by the software download. You could leave your service address set to your previous location, but that would be a violation of the DTV TOS and FCC rules.

Dutch,

Does this mean that when I tour a state, say like Colorado, and I give the satellite provider an address which is eligible for the Denver locals and for the next 4 months I travel over the 70%-80% of the state when the Denver spot beam can be received, I am in violation of FCC rules? That would include being in Colorado Springs' spot beam, or Grand Junction spot beam.

 

Do I have to give a new address when I move every week or so?

Al & Sharon
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San Antonio, TX

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Probably for the exact wording of the local market rules, yeah, I think you would technically be in violation. The fact is though, we all do it from time to time, either deliberately or inadvertently, and we're such a small segment of the DBS market that I doubt anyone in authority really cares. Then there's the issue that sat TV is a one way service, and they have no way of knowing where we physically are at any given time. The bottom line is that the "local market police" are not going to be knocking on our doors anytime soon. And even if there was a way to track us, imagine the problems they'd have with in-motion reception enforcement! :D

Dutch
2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A
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2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump
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I travel over the 70%-80% of the state when the Denver spot beam can be received, I am in violation of FCC rules?

 

The bottom line is that the "local market police" are not going to be knocking on our doors anytime soon. And even if there was a way to track us, imagine the problems they'd have with in-motion reception enforcement! :D

I guess some people failed to read "There are provisions in the satellite laws that allow RVers to receive signals in places that houses are not allowed to."

 

Be aware that ,and probably DirecTV, have departments whose job is to check for "mover" violations. A "mover" is someone who uses a Service Address other than where they are to get Locals from a different DMA.

 

The satellite providers are interested in enforcing these rules not because they want to, but because the Broadcasters want it done. And the Broadcasters have proven to push enforcement with law suits.

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Mark & Dale
Joey - 2016 Bounder 33C Tige - 2006 40' Travel Supreme
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Useful HDT Truck, Trailer, and Full-timing Info at
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They told me you can't receive those channels here. But I explained to them that I am. It seems I should also get them in a home system. Maybe I need to just set up my own dish with our existing box.? Ya think that'll work?

 

Yes, what you are proposing will work. As Mark has already noted, you'll probably get away with doing it for some period of time, maybe forever. But if you are caught you could find your service terminated because you violated the TOS. Other than watching DC sports teams, I can't imagine what the huge benefit is of having DC locals rather than the area in which you live.

Sandie & Joel

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How many RV'ers do you suppose actually meet the FCC requirements?

 

 

RV or truck. If your satellite dish antenna is permanently attached to a recreational vehicle or a commercial truck, you may be eligible to receive distant stations. The “recreational vehicle” must meet the definition contained in regulations issued by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (24 CFR §32828). The “commercial truck” must meet the definition contained in regulations issued by the Department of Transportation (49 CFR §383.5). The owner of the recreational vehicle or the commercial truck must produce documentation that the vehicle meets the definitional criteria and include a signed declaration that the satellite dish is permanently attached to the vehicle or to the truck. The law specifies that the terms “recreational vehicle” and “commercial truck” do not include any fixed dwelling, whether a mobile home or otherwise.

 

Television Broadcast Stations on Satellite

Dutch
2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A
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How many RV'ers do you suppose actually meet the FCC requirements?

 

 

 

Television Broadcast Stations on Satellite

 

Dutch:

 

The statement you cited represents the justification under which DNS service is provided by DirecTV to RVers, truckers and boaters. It doesn't really address the OP's issue of watching an "arbitrary" out of area station (for example, watching DC while in Virginia Beach). As you probably are well aware, with DNS you get no choice of what out of area station you watch.

 

But you do raise an interesting point. I never knew that the DNS "rules" require that the dish be permanently mounted on the RV. This is obviously intended to discourage someone from taking it and installing it at a fixed location (such as a house). I'm confident that there are quite a few RVers with DNS who use portable dishes contrary to what is specified. Furthermore, there's nothing stopping someone from buying his own dish and turning his receiver into a fixed installation.

 

Joel

Sandie & Joel

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So the answer is I might be able to set up my own dish to get it to work. Or maybe not. Maybe I should just put my traveler dish on the roof of my new home. We've been using my dtrs. address for the last 6yrs. without any problem. as a matter of fact we've been watching the local D.C. stations from northern Maine, to here in Myrtle Beach. That's one helluva spot beam.

Fulltiming since 2010

2000 Dutch Star

2009 Saturn Vue

Myrtle Beach, SC

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Mariner, you're dealing with two different issues here. The first is what is physically possible. Yes, it is true that there are many overlapping spot beams. Trying to size a spot beam strictly to a single market is very difficult, so the spot beams are generally much larger than the market they target. And, there may be several markets on a single spot beam. So, you are able to receive the signal of DC programming while in SC.

 

The second issue is one of protecting the market in which you reside. The FCC does not allow you to receive DC programming while within the boundaries of another market, Myrtle Beach. Under law, Myrtle Beach has a right to expect that when you are set up for satellite programming in their market, you can only receive programming from their market. The purpose of this is to protect that market for those Myrtle Beach stations so that they can be financially successful. So, Direct TV programs your receiver to only receive those stations in the market in which you are located.

 

Dish Network and Direct TV don't have any option about which market to offer you. The are required by law to only offer you the local stations for the market you are presently located in and set up for satellite service in. Dish Network got into trouble with the FCC for not enforcing those rules.

 

The exception to all of this is the Distant Networks offered by Direct TV for RV'ers and truckers because they are transient. Dish Network does not offer this service.

 

Bottom line: Can you continue to view DC stations on Direct TV while in Myrtle Beach? Yes, if you're willing to lie to Direct TV and tell them that you are located in DC (service address). Can you legally continue to view DC stations on Direct TV while in Myrtle Beach? No.

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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After the house is built. Change your billing address to the new one. Leave the receivers location at your daughters.

And you will continue on getting the D.C locals. If you are still in the spot beam of D.C.

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Dutch:

 

The statement you cited represents the justification under which DNS service is provided by DirecTV to RVers, truckers and boaters. It doesn't really address the OP's issue of watching an "arbitrary" out of area station (for example, watching DC while in Virginia Beach). As you probably are well aware, with DNS you get no choice of what out of area station you watch.

 

But you do raise an interesting point. I never knew that the DNS "rules" require that the dish be permanently mounted on the RV. This is obviously intended to discourage someone from taking it and installing it at a fixed location (such as a house). I'm confident that there are quite a few RVers with DNS who use portable dishes contrary to what is specified. Furthermore, there's nothing stopping someone from buying his own dish and turning his receiver into a fixed installation.

 

Joel

 

Yes, that was in response to Mark & Dale's post #6 replying to post #5, my reply to Al about moving around within a spot beam with his RV. I covered the OP's residential situation in my post #3. The one that started the "FCC rules controversy" apparently. :rolleyes:

 

I do have a permanently mounted dish on my RV, although realistically I do use the tripod mounted dish far more often for a clear view of the sats as well as Dish EA reception. I suspect there are very few of us though, even with the required permanent RV dish, that carry the FCC required documentation/declaration with us or have it on file with our sat provider other than those subscribing to DTV's DNS. I know I don't...

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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You can receive your "local" channels as long as you are within that spot beam. Our locals are in the Cleveland,Ohio spot beam we are now in Florida in the Orlando, Fl spot beam. We can not see our Cleveland, Ohio locals.. We do not have the DNS service as we take a couple of receivers from the S&B.

 

We never mention when talking to Directv that we are in a RV.

Helen and I are long timers ..08 F-350 Ford,LB,CC,6.4L,4X4, Dually,4:10 diff dragging around a 2013 Montana 3402 Big Sky

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After the house is built. Change your billing address to the new one. Leave the receivers location at your daughters.

And you will continue on getting the D.C locals. If you are still in the spot beam of D.C.

 

 

Hmmm? Interesting idea. Would this scenario work IF DirecTV installed the dish on the home, or would I have to be the installer of the dish? I have a dish that used to be mounted on a home. It's a piece of cake to align it.

Fulltiming since 2010

2000 Dutch Star

2009 Saturn Vue

Myrtle Beach, SC

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DirecTV Installs dishes at vacation homes all the time. It doesn't have to be your service address on record.

Many in a RV's change their service address a few times a year and get the locals in the area they are in.

 

If you install one yourself. Make sure it is a SWM dish.

Full Time since Oct. 1999
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Here is what I would do if I were in your situation. If you really want to keep the Washington, DC locals at your beach house I would simply hire a local satellite dealer (look in the yellow pages, or at the dealer/retailer lists on DirecTV's website) to come out and and install the Dish for you when you get the house built. I'm sure finding one in the Myrtle Beach area won't be very difficult. You would likely have to pay them to install the dish out of pocket, but unless you're a new customer I doubt DirecTV is going to do it for free anyway. To get your actual local channels in Myrtle Beach AND the Washington DC channels you have a few options. Since the house is being built I would have whoever does the electrical run two coax cables to every location you think you might want a TV down the road. One of these can be used for a satellite box, and the other for an over the air antenna. That would give you the option of just switching between the TV Tuner and the DVR if you wanted to watch the local stations from Myrtle Beach on any TV in the house. Or, you can pick up an AM21N off eBay. That would allow you to pull the local stations directly into your DVR guide. But act fast if you want to go that route, DirecTV has discontinued them and resell prices are climbing.

 

It technically is a violation of their terms of service, but if you ever need service all you have to do is explain that you're at your "vacation home" and they aren't likely going to raise any eyebrows.

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"run two coax cables to every location you think you might want a TV down the road".....so old school. Coax is no longer needed with mini Genie remotes...it is so much cleaner. I'm sure there are other situations where a subscriber gets local signals from more than 1 DMA (designated market area)....but we are fortunate to get 3, Raleigh, Richmond and Roanoke....and we still get the west coast feeds, even tho' we are no longer mobile, albeit, not legally.

 

Regards

Gemstone

'06 Elite Suites, '08 Softail Classic, '06 Softail Deuce.

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Well that isn't very accurate... Genie Mini Clients still require coax connections to establish the DECA network they use. Yes, there is a single model "wireless" Genie but it requires a video bridge that also must be connected via coax at some point to the chain, and even then it's range is severely limited. Looking ahead the 61k Genie Mini Client that does 4K isn't wireless either. So not putting two cable runs in would be stupid in a new house.

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So not putting two cable runs in would be stupid in a new house.

 

Wired mini-Genie's require one coax from the SWM splitter as does the Genie itself. I'm not sure I understand why you want two coax to each location unless you are providing for something more than DirecTV.

Sandie & Joel

2000 40' Beaver Patriot Thunder Princeton--425 HP/1550 ft-lbs CAT C-12
2014 Honda CR-V AWD EX-L with ReadyBrute tow bar/brake system
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Wired mini-Genie's require one coax from the SWM splitter as does the Genie itself. I'm not sure I understand why you want two coax to each location unless you are providing for something more than DirecTV.

 

 

 

. Since the house is being built I would have whoever does the electrical run two coax cables to every location you think you might want a TV down the road. One of these can be used for a satellite box, and the other for an over the air antenna. That would give you the option of just switching between the TV Tuner and the DVR if you wanted to watch the local stations from Myrtle Beach on any TV in the house.

 

This is why he said 2 coax cables. Just trying to help.

 

I give them an address in my old home town so I can watch my baseball team where ever I'm at during the season.

 

Jeff :)

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Wired mini-Genie's require one coax from the SWM splitter as does the Genie itself. I'm not sure I understand why you want two coax to each location unless you are providing for something more than DirecTV.

 

I was... one cable run for OTA antenna, and one for DirecTV. Since the OP wants to keep his DirecTV service address where he is from, adding the second run for an antenna would give him the option to get his "true" locals as well.

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"Genie Mini Clients still require coax connections to establish the DECA network they use. Yes, there is a single model "wireless" Genie but it requires a video bridge that also must be connected via coax at some point to the chain, and even then it's range is severely limited.".....

 

Personally, I have never found distance from the video bridge to be an issue....and yes, there is coax coming in from the antenna to the video bridge , then a short 2' coax to the co-located main receiver ...after that it is wireless. Except for the "main" TV where the receiver and video bridge are located, I can move TV's at will, if I want one on the deck in the afternoon, I just move the TV and the mini remote....all I need is 110v. I have had the main receiver in the 5th wheel, and remotes in the house, with an excellent signal at the remotes. Currently the receiver in on the first floor, extreme NE corner of a large home, and no signal problems at the far reaches of the home going thru the wireless video bridge....and floors/walls.

 

Regards

Gemstone

'06 Elite Suites, '08 Softail Classic, '06 Softail Deuce.

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