Bell Expressvu in the States

[DCinBC]

Hi,

I am hoping the experienced people here can provide some advice. We live near the border in BC (near Washingtn State) and RV in our trailer a fair bit...mainly summers, weekends, and Spring Break.

So we are looking at getting a PVR & Satellite system and escaping from Shaw, and are close to choosing Bell Expressvu.

After speaking with the somewhat knowledgeable Customer Service people at Bell, they advised us that yes we could take the system with us, but we are not allowed to view it in the States. We would need to have another complete system with a US provider. Is this a Canadian rule or US rule and what is accepted practice. The Bell agent said that we would be cut off if they found we were in the States.

So, my options as I see it are:

a) get Expressvu and do what I want and risk getting in trouble
b) just watch the PVR recorded shows
c) plug into cable at sites in the US that have cable
d) ?

I also need to figure out how to get a second dish and stand as I don't want to take the one they mount on the house....Bell wants $99 for it...

 

[angiodan]

It is Bell's policy. Technically, they are not licensed to provide service in the US. However, that doesn't mean you can't do it. Bell will shut off service if they find out, Starchoice seems to not really care.

I wouldn't plug your PVR into a phone line in Canada, and definitely don't do it when you are travelling the US. Also, don't call Bell from a phone outside Canada.

You can find a cheap second dish on Ebay for your RV.

 

[diogen]

The Bell agent said that we would be cut off if they found we were in the States.

The agent can't tell anything else - BEV isn't licensed to do business (i.e. sell its programming) in the US.

a) get Expressvu and do what I want and risk getting in trouble...

The biggest trouble you can get into is lose the signal and only if you explicitely tell them you are in the US.

RE: a spare dish. Look at the local "for sale" sources: for about $50-60 you should be able to get a dish with 1-2 LNBs.

Diogen.

 

[DCinBC]

Phone hookup to PVR?

That helps clarify things a lot. The question is that why do we need the phone line hooked up?

Also, we camp a fair bit and Bell says that we are supposed to phone and tell them we are leaving and they "deactivate" the receiver. When we go camping and end up at a remote spot, we may not be able to have phone contact (no cel signal at a lake etc. or in the US. So any recommendations for this one?


Also I need to set up my receiver in my RV and found out that my wiring might not work as there is an amplifier jack that may prevent DC voltage the receiver needs. Not sure if I am allowed to post a link from where I found my info Satellite TV for your RV

http://www.ccis.com/home/mnemeth/amp1.jpg

There is a small switch on the amplifier front face that allows you to select between cable and antenna. The problem is in the amplifier design.... the amplifier will not allow DC voltage to pass through it. Your satellite receiver places voltage on the coax cable that is needed to drive the LNB at the satellite antenna. Blocking that voltage will keep the satellite antenna from working. You can try it and see if your system will work, but it's unlikely, as most of the common designs in use are incompatible with satellite TV. I think it's best to install a separate jack for your satellite antenna... you know it will work and it won't interfere with your ability to receive cable TV if you should want to.

I'd rather not have to re-wire everything...is there a way I can use the existing wires, perhaps split it into a different plug with two cable output jacks?

Thanks a bunch!

 

[angiodan]

The phone line is mainly so they can charge you for pay per view.

Conventional signal splitters do not work with Evu so I don't think that would work. Your other option would be to just lose the amplifier completely, and have just a plain coax hookup. Did you ever use the cable tv connection? If not, then this would be the easiest way for you to use the existing wiring, especially if you are planning on taking your dish with you all the time.

 

[techn0mad]

The phone line is mainly so they can charge you for pay per view.

Not 100% true. They also audit your location by calling the phone number you gave them. Check out the description (apparently written by someone who works at BEV's tech center) on Wikipedia: Bell ExpressVu - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cheers,

 

[Texassatguy]

The newer RV's have two input connections on the side of the rig, one for Cable and the other for Sat.

Mine is a 1999 and has only the cable input which goes to the amplifier. This one cannot be used for Sat. I ran a separate cable for Sat. right to the back of the Sat. receiver from the dish. A bit of a bother but it works fine. If you want to have an outside connection you could put it in but it must go directly to the Sat. receiver.

I use Bell and RV a lot without a phone. I told Bell up front that the room the TV is in does not have a phone and I was not going to put one in. They were OK with that as lone as I don't use PPV.

Happy camping.

 

[DCinBC]

Hi,

I am in Oregon now in our RV and looking to pick up a Dish ... Can I pick up one that will work with my Bell 5900 PVR that we brought? Is it simple to "plug and play"? Of course need to find the satellite...

What should I pick up and what do I need to align it? What stores are good choices?

Thanks,

Don

 

[comcast]

here ya go, buddy.

Address: portland
Latitude: 45.523°
Longitude: -122.670°
Satellite: 91.0W Nimiq 1
Elevation: 29.0°
Azimuth (true): 139.2°
Azimuth (magn.): 122.0°
LNB skew: -27.3°, 90 - 27.3 = 62.7



I recommend a 1000.2 DPP dish. everything is integrated and easier with cable runs.