Tailgate setup - Dish or DirecTV?

**one wolf** · 08-05-2009 12:05 AM

Please forgive me if this has been discussed - I will continue searching for a similar thread. Also, I orignally posted this in the sports forum but was redirected to both the D* and E* forums for better advice, so apologies for the multiple threads in multiple forums.

My buddies and I have been tailgating at our alma mater football games for 22 years - it's as much fun for us now as it was back when we were in school and I hope we'll be doing it for at least 22 more years.

We're upgrading this year to HDTV and thus the old DTV box/dish we used to use with the 36" CRT won't work.

Here's the primary question: what's our best (cheapest) option for HDTV service given our needs:

Only used 8 weekends in the fall every year
College football - ACC in particular. We want to be able to catch every possible ACC game. SEC secondary.

That's really it. I realize that neither Dish or DTV offer any kind of plan that lets us pay for only the 8 saturdays we need it and that's fine... but what I don't want is a 2-year commitment or the such.

My gut feel is that we need to buy a HD dish and receiver off criagslist and then activate it through someone's existing account before the season, then turn it off after the season. This sound right?

If yes then the only other question is Dish or DTV. From what I can tell, ESPN's Gameplan Package is available on both. Aside from that are there other college football programming differences between dish and dtv? Specifically ACC?

Thanks very much in advance for any help.

**bross** · 08-05-2009 09:00 AM

You can get a pre paid account from Dish, where you buy a receiver upfront and then purchase programing time as you want it. A lot of RVers use this option and only purchase programing when they're using their RV. I'm not sure whether it's available in HD or not. Call Dish and ask what's available.

**sportsfan42** · 08-05-2009 09:08 AM

Just set up your dish and take a box to the tailgate, we do it all of the time.

**bobvick** · 08-05-2009 09:27 AM

If you are wanting HD I am not real sure about the sports packages, but I think that Dish would be easier to align for HD quickly using the 110,119,129 locations with a Dish 1000.2.
DirecTV relies on Ka band satellites at 99 and 103 for HD and they are more particular to tune.

**digiblur** · 08-05-2009 09:59 AM

That would be a pain to line up a DirecTV KA dish out at a game. I'd go with the 1000.2 with DishNetwork, a lot easier to aim. Works well on a simple tripod, a redneck tripod for that matter.

**bobvick** · 08-05-2009 12:47 PM

Originally Posted by digiblur

That would be a pain to line up a DirecTV KA dish out at a game. I'd go with the 1000.2 with DishNetwork, a lot easier to aim. Works well on a simple tripod, a redneck tripod for that matter.

I guess if the OP wanted a really quick way to set up DirecTV or Dish for that matter he could invest in a BirDog meter.

**lakebum431** · 08-05-2009 01:06 PM

I do quite a bit of tailgating myself. I have E* at home so that is what I use tailgating as well. I have two 32" HD TVs in my tailgate setup now and have them connected with a Dish 1000.2 and a couple receivers. I tailgate in basically the same place every week and have it down where I can set up the dish, align it and be ready to go in about 10 mins. Nothing other than a tripod, dish, compas and level. I have not used a D* dish so can't be help there, but if you decide to go the E* route I'm happy to help with any questions that you may have.

My best advice - practice a couple times at home so you "get the hang of it" before you have to do it in front of your buddies. It isn't hard by any means, but can be harder when people want to get ESPN gameday on ASAP and you get flustered.

**gampp** · 08-05-2009 05:19 PM

I'm looking to add HD to my tailgate as well. In looking at the channel lineup, it seems that all of the HD feeds (except for ESPN) that I would need are on the 129 satellite. Do we need a 3LNB dish, or could we use a simple 1 LNB pointed at 129 hooked into an existing 722 and still get HD?

**one wolf** · 08-06-2009 09:04 AM

Good stuff here - thanks for the replies.

I see this unfortunately:

DISH Network - Pre-Paid Packages - 1.888.825.2557

Customers with pre-paid accounts are not eligible to receive local channels or Regional Sports Networks.

I wonder why.

**delta_charlie** · 08-06-2009 11:16 AM

Hi one wolf and the group, What do you have at home for TV? If you had Dish HD at home I think you could add a second HD receiver (for a second room) at a low cost. The ViP 211 might work well for the second receiver. You could then take this second receiver to the tailgate.

BTW - my HD comes from 61.5 using a single LNB and a Dish 500. Very easy to setup.

Hope this helps, DC