Satellite tv and internet

[Rv gypsy2]

First time decision 

i need constant internet an tv on the go. I’m confused on where to get it .? What to buy?  So confused! Help, 

[GR "Scott" Cundiff]

Getting internet while traveling can be a challenge.  While campground WiFi *can* work at times, more often than not you'll need a cell based solution.  Here's a blog I did on the topic that might help a bit: http://pastorscott.com/travel/advice-getting-internet-while-rving/

Ways to watch TV in a RV

OTA: Over the air can be a great approach.  Depending on your location you might get many channels or none.  Best of all it is free.

Satellite: Lots of channels, depending on the package you buy.  Dish and Direct are the USA providers.  Dish seems to be the most popular.  You'll have to have some kind of dish: a dome or a house style dish.  Either approach needs a clear view of the sky to see the satellite.  If you camp in wooded areas this can present a problem.  As you can guess there's a learning curve to it - more so for the home style dish. 

Streaming: Lots of people in traditional stix and brix are "cutting the cable" and getting their TV entertainment via the internet.  The problem is that streaming uses a lot of WiFi bandwidth.  Campground WiFi very likely won't be good enough.  Even if you have a solid cell signal streaming data on your cell plan might get expensive.

DVD's, etc.: You can get around trees blocking your signal and WiFi being insufficient by watching a DVD, etc.  Of course, that means no live sports, news, etc.

Campground Cable: some campgrounds offer cable TV.  However, it is becoming less common as fewer campers use it.

Here's my write up on using a home style dish: http://pastorscott.com/travel/using-a-home-style-dish/

 

Edited August 30, 2019 by GR "Scott" Cundiff

[Zulu]

7 hours ago, Rv gypsy2 said:

i need constant internet an tv on the go.

Did you mean to say "constant internet and tv on the go"?

Do you have a business or something that depends on a constant Internet connection? Does the Internet connection have to be particularly fast (like for streaming video)?

[whj469]

I think the Dish is lower in cost then DirecTV and that may be the reason that they are more popular? I had been "hot spotting" my cell phone for internet but last summer, 2018, I got an ATT internet device for internet but of late the price is way to much! Hundreds of dollars! When I call they tell me that is all I can get, 50 Gigs per month! I need to get rid of ATT for internet.

[SWharton]

A few years ago ATT offered a car connect plan for $20/month, unlimited but might be slowed if tower is busy after 22G. I have never been slowed down. Have you looked at" https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/overview/

There are unlimited plans out there at reasonable prices..

 

[Mark and Dale Bruss]

We used the AT&T $20 plan for our GM Car as back fill for our Verizon plan.  Neither was reliable enough for streaming Video as an alternative to satellite TV.

[Dutch_12078]

We use our grandfathered AT&T $20 hotspot plan and grandfathered $65 Verizon hotspot plan, both unlimited data with no throttling, for streaming along with our Dish satellite service. Pretty much everywhere we've been, one hotspot or the other has had speeds that easily handled streaming TV programming. In a few really weak signal areas, we turn on our Max Amp RV cell signal amplifier/repeater that helps a lot. As I type this, we're using the DishAnywhere app on our FireTVstick to stream a recorded program from our other Dish receiver that stays at our Southern Adirondack family cottage to our campsite near the NY/Canadian border.

[trailertraveler]

On 8/30/2019 at 4:57 PM, GR "Scott" Cundiff said:

Streaming: Lots of people in traditional stix and brix are "cutting the cable" and getting their TV entertainment via the internet.  The problem is that streaming uses a lot of WiFi bandwidth.

If you have or get a phone or tablet that will support MHL to HDMI, you can watch whatever you can stream on your device on a larger TV screen. There are data plans that allow unlimited data on the device. The connection may be slowed some during times of high usage but I have not experienced it to where it was obvious and affected streaming.

 

2 hours ago, Mark and Dale Bruss said:

We used the AT&T $20 plan for our GM Car as back fill for our Verizon plan.  Neither was reliable enough for streaming Video as an alternative to satellite TV.

Our experience has been similar; however, streaming often works on the phone or tablet when it does not when using a Mifi or tethered phone through a router with devices connected to the router.

[LindaH]

9 hours ago, whj469 said:

I think the Dish is lower in cost then DirecTV and that may be the reason that they are more popular?

At one time, at least before DirecTV was bought out by AT&T, the prices for the various packages weren't all that different between the two companies.  I haven't checked recently to see what the current pricing structure is for DirecTV.

One of the reasons that Dish may be more popular is because they're much more RVer friendly, especially since DirecTV's billing was migrated to AT&T.  You can still call up Dish, or do an online chat, and change your service address to pick up new locals.  That's apparently very difficult to do now with DirecTV from everything I've read here.

DirecTV does have DNS from either NYC or L.A. (I guess these are still available since the merger with AT&T?).  Dish's DNS is currently only from L.A.

[Blues]

2 hours ago, LindaH said:

DirecTV does have DNS from either NYC or L.A. (I guess these are still available since the merger with AT&T?).  Dish's DNS is currently only from L.A.

I signed up with DirecTV in 2003, and got DNS with both NYC and L.A. feeds.  At some point they quit offering that to new customers, and they would get either NYC or L.A., but I guess I'm grandfathered because I'm still getting both the east coast and west coast feeds.  It's one reason I'm reluctant to give up DirecTV. 

So far, the reported terrible customer service from DirecTV after the merger with AT&T hasn't affected me because I don't ever change my service address, and my east coast/west coast DNS works the same wherever I am.

[SWharton]

x2. We never change our service address. If, for some random reason, I want local stations(usual reason for changing service address) I just put up the antenna.

[Dutch_12078]

Since we often stay in a given area for a couple weeks or more, we like to have the local stations available and our roof antenna is not always up to the task. Fortunately, our Dish Outdoor account allows me to switch locals with just a few of taps on the MyDish app on my phone.