Convert DirecTV single LNB setup for Dish Network

[Ken Meyer]

I'm thinking about switching from DirecTV to Dish for my RV and can't figure out what to do for the dish.

I'm currently using a single, old-style LNB 18" portable dish receiving just the 101W DirecTV satellite in low definition. My new Dish network setup would be simple too: I just want to get a couple of channels, and they're both on the 110W satellite. I want to use a Wally. I don't need/want a triple LNB setup for the channels I want (the small, single LNB dish is easy to store in the RV and easy to aim).

The question: will that old DirecTV LNB work to receive the 110W satellite on Dish or do I need a new LNB? If so, which one? TIA.

 

[nelson61]

You need something like this (amazon). you will see models with either 1 or two cable connectors - either model works. Be sure it is DishPro - not Legacy.
You can strip the outer plastic housing cover off if needed to make it fit.

 

[TheKrell]

You need something like this (amazon). you will see models with either 1 or two cable connectors - either model works. Be sure it is DishPro - not Legacy.
You can strip the outer plastic housing cover off if needed to make it fit.

View attachment 157292

Won't the old legacy (presumably what that old DirecTV LNB is) LNBs work with a wally? Of course if he wants to (1) add a disk to the wally and (2) get two sat tuners going simultaneously, he would need a DishPro LNB.

Ken, note that the above Dish LNB probably will not fit on the arm of your 18" dish without a yoke to change the shape to a D. IIRC the old DirecTV LNBs were rectangular.

Full disclosure: I once set up a DirecTV dish and LNB with my old 4900 for my mother to receive Sky Angel. Unfortunately she had the beginning stages of Alzheimers and couldn't work that 4900.

 

[chainblu]

Won't the old legacy (presumably what that old DirecTV LNB is) LNBs work with a wally?

When I first got a Wally, I used a (Dish) Legacy LNB pointed at 61.5 just to see if that combination would work. It did. So, I'd guess what the OP wants to do is possible.

 

[Ken Meyer]

OK, thanks for all that. Here's the existing setup:

It doesn't use the yoke for mounting, so D vs rectangular won't matter. But can a Dish LNB be mounted as shown? Maybe by cutting away the housing?

Or is the consensus that an old DirecTV LNB will work with the Wally as long as I'm not doing a two tuner setup? Maybe Dish uses different switching voltages or something to get odd/even transponders?

So why don't I just buy a decent folding satellite dish intended for Dish network in the first place? Winegard doesn't make this nice simple model any more. It's real easy to just slap this on the ground, put a rock on it for stability and aim it to a single satellite in about 30 seconds. And it fits in the small storage compartment of my camper.

Thanks again.

 

[HIFI]

The lnb that nelson 61 posted should work just fine, you'll just have to take the plastic outer (gray) casing off and it will look very similar as the one you have mounted now.

 

[Ken Meyer]

Perfect, thank you all!

 

[ethanlerma]

Here is what those DP Dual's look like without their enclosure, so it should work as HIFI says. I would definitely try the LNB you have first though, DP Dual/singles are becoming pretty rare and therefore stupid expensive (got a few for $15 a pop only a few years ago)

 

[TheKrell]

Or is the consensus that an old DirecTV LNB will work with the Wally as long as I'm not doing a two tuner setup?

I wouldn't say there is consensus. But I believe it will work, and chainblu said it did work for his test. Do you want a neat installation like your photo above, or the kluged installation like ethanlerma shows in his post above mine? The latter appears to have a two-piece adapter which you may or may not want to fiddle with.

 

[HIFI]

just be aware that you may have to run a check switch on your wally but it may go through multiple checks from the "legacy" lnb so it may check from 29 to 38 tests just don't be caught off guard.

 

[bobtet]

Winegard Dish Network Playmaker Dual HD RV Satellite TV Antenna Black Nice Shape | eBay

<p>Winegard Dish Network Playmaker Dual HD RV Satellite TV Antenna Black Nice Shape. </p><p>This comes as shown with no receiver or cables. </p>

www.ebay.com

why not just buy this???

 

[Ken Meyer]

Just a quick followup--this worked exactly as several of you said it would--I replaced the DirecTV LNBF with a DishPro LNB and voila! it got a good signal ( tried it first with the original DirecTV LNBF and and it showed zero signal strength).

why not just buy this???

I do actually have something similar--a King One Pro which can work with either DirecTV or Dish, and I am using it with the new Wally now. But, as you imagine from the size difference between the two, the 18" dish gets about twice the signal strength on a given transponder as the dome antenna.

But the bigger problem is that this setup is for camping, often with lots of trees, and the 18" dish can be moved wherever I need it to get a line of sight through the trees. I found the dome worked fine in Arizona and Utah, but very often unusable in Oregon and Washington.

Thanks for all the info.