Moving to Dish?

[Pigman]

I am seriously considering moving from DirecTV since their issues with Distant Network access. I understand that Dish has a some type of DNS for those of us who are spending considerable time in RV's traveling about the country. Unfortunately I have been unable to find any information about how this works and how to set it up. If anyone has any concrete information or suggestions on how to get started, I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[NYDutch]

I probably shouldn't say this since I do like my Dish service, but DTV has negotiated new DNS agreements with all the major networks except ABC I believe. Dish does offer an unadvertised west coast DNS package I'm told. There's also a way to do a free "pseudo DNS" by moving your service address to one of the few DMA's that has CONUS coverage.

 

[joewhite57]

Never subscribed to DTV myself. Had many family members and friends that did. Personally I can’t deal with the latency between remote and hardware and even though many claim the PQ is better especially on premiums compared to Dish, I can’t stand the super letterbox with bars you could fit your foot in.
Apologies in advance. Reading two threads about switching to dish. Not that familiar with RV equipment but many are on this forum. I’m sure some will reply. What do you require? DVR and how many tv’s?

 

[Sea Beagle]

Dish Network for me has always had great customer service.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Pigman]

joewhite57, I'm looking for a hopper and Joey as I have 2 TV's. I'm thinking of using the Dish boxes in my home when I'm home and moving them to the RV when on the road. On the RV I have a RF Mogul automatic antenna that I'll change over to dish and reprogram, but how to get the DNS channels is my problem. The home install looks like it'll be straight forward, but getting switched to Distant Networks on the road is very confusing. DirecTV announced that they had the problems negotiating with the networks. Supposedly they got all of it done except for CW and ABC. 10 days ago they cut off my DNS service on CW and ABC which was as the AT&T spokespersons had been announcing and what had been published in the cable trade journals. Yesterday I lost ALL DNS (PBS, CBS, NBC, and FOX) both east and west coast feeds in SD and HD and when I called they swore NONE of the above networks had completed negotiations. Others with my same service either have full service, partial service or no service. Basically, AT&T hasn't a clue so I think it's time for a change. I've called Dish a few times and the account reps don't have a clue what I need to do, how to do it, or even that Dish had some sort of service like that. Hence, the call for help.

 

[Jim5506]

Not an RVer but from what I've read, most Dish Rvers and truckers simply call in or go on line when they arrive at a new location and change their location to their current DMA.

 

[Tvland1]

I have Dish RV account...I used DishFormyRV to activate my account..I already owned my equipment.Its pay as you go (30 day increments) so there's no promotion prices like you get by signing up for service with the 2yr contract..You can stop and restart service any time with no extra fees...With having the RV account and Mydish app it allows me to change my locals with the app...Very easy to use because It uses your phones location to determine the local market areas.Only takes about 2 minutes and the locals are on..Using a home account you will have to either call dish or use the online chat and change your service address...Dish customer service never knows anything about RV service..Call DishFormyrv

 

[pattykay]

I probably shouldn't say this since I do like my Dish service, but DTV has negotiated new DNS agreements with all the major networks except ABC I believe. Dish does offer an unadvertised west coast DNS package I'm told. There's also a way to do a free "pseudo DNS" by moving your service address to one of the few DMA's that has CONUS coverage.

You are mostly right, but those locals are not exactly "free." They are $12 per month. They are automatically included in the price of Welcome Pack, if that is your base package. However, based on posts from the few subscribers here who have actually been allowed to drop locals from their Welcome Pack subscription, there is a cost for locals, even with that package.

I am seriously considering moving from DirecTV since their issues with Distant Network access. I understand that Dish has a some type of DNS for those of us who are spending considerable time in RV's traveling about the country. Unfortunately I have been unable to find any information about how this works and how to set it up. If anyone has any concrete information or suggestions on how to get started, I would greatly appreciate it.

If you do not want to keep changing your service address to get locals from different markets as you move around the country, then you would need to use a service address in one of the CONUS local markets, as NYDutch mentioned above. The easiest way to find those markets is to look at the list of channels on the 77 satellite, since every channel at that orbital slot is CONUS. DISH Network Channels by Transponder (Unofficial Listing)
The list of markets available at 77 include:

Lexington, KY​

Cincinnati, OH​

Charlottesville, VA​

Moline - Rock Island, IL / Davenport, IA​

Louisville, KY​

Little Rock, AR​

Evansville, IN​

Casper, WY​

Paducah, KY / Harrisburg, IL / Cape Girardeau, MO​

Springfield, MO​

​

joewhite57, I'm looking for a hopper and Joey as I have 2 TV's. I'm thinking of using the Dish boxes in my home when I'm home and moving them to the RV when on the road. On the RV I have a RF Mogul automatic antenna that I'll change over to dish and reprogram, but how to get the DNS channels is my problem. The home install looks like it'll be straight forward, but getting switched to Distant Networks on the road is very confusing. DirecTV announced that they had the problems negotiating with the networks. Supposedly they got all of it done except for CW and ABC. 10 days ago they cut off my DNS service on CW and ABC which was as the AT&T spokespersons had been announcing and what had been published in the cable trade journals. Yesterday I lost ALL DNS (PBS, CBS, NBC, and FOX) both east and west coast feeds in SD and HD and when I called they swore NONE of the above networks had completed negotiations. Others with my same service either have full service, partial service or no service. Basically, AT&T hasn't a clue so I think it's time for a change. I've called Dish a few times and the account reps don't have a clue what I need to do, how to do it, or even that Dish had some sort of service like that. Hence, the call for help.

Is your RF Mogul automatic antenna capable of receiving the 77 satellite? If so, then the above option would work. If you want to keep access to those 77-satellite-delivered locals in your home, then you would need to install a 1000.4 dish with the Eastern Arc LNB, since that is the only dish that integrates the 77 satellite with the typical Dish service (61.5 and 72 satellites). Otherwise, you would need to add a second dish to receive the 77 slot.

Since you specifically mentioned ABC and CW, keep in mind that not all of the markets in the above list include every network in the package. It looks like in Cincinnati, OH and Evansville, IN, the CW is missing entirely. In Lexington, KY and Casper, WY, the CW is carried in standard-def only. Any of the other markets should work just fine, though.

 

[NYDutch]

Here's the complete list of CONUS available DMA's that I use. I have not verified all of them personally, so please advise me of any errors.


Baltimore, MD (SD) 119
Billings, MT (HD) 129
Casper, WY (HD) 77
Charlottesville, VA (HD) 77
Cincinnati, OH (HD) 77
Davenport, IA (HD) 77
Evansville, IN (HD) 77
Ft Wayne, IN (HD) 61.5
Great Falls, MT (SD) 119
Lexington, KY (HD) 77
Little Rock, AR (HD) 77
Louisville, KY(HD) 77
New York City (SD) 119
Paducah, KY(HD) 77
Sacramento, CA (HD) 119
Springfield, MO (HD) 77

 

[Tvland1]

I use the 1000.2 with the 61/72 lnb..My phone location is stuck on Ft Wayne Indiana alot of the time..61.5 trans 7 no spotbeam...and sometimes it will say I'm in New Iberia,LA where METV is part of the locals ... Going to have to get that phone looked at.. LOL

5265​

KLWB

NEW IBERIA, LA (MeTV

 

[pattykay]

Here's the complete list of CONUS available DMA's that I use. I have not verified all of them personally, so please advise me of any errors.


Baltimore, MD (SD) 119
Billings, MT (HD) 129
Casper, WY (HD) 77
Charlottesville, VA (HD) 77
Cincinnati, OH (HD) 77
Davenport, IA (HD) 77
Evansville, IN (HD) 77
Ft Wayne, IN (HD) 61.5
Great Falls, MT (SD) 119
Lexington, KY (HD) 77
Little Rock, AR (HD) 77
Louisville, KY(HD) 77
New York City (SD) 119
Paducah, KY(HD) 77
Sacramento, CA (HD) 119
Springfield, MO (HD) 77

Thanks! I am checking your list against the complete list of all local markets on Dish, available here:

Local Channels on DISH Network (Unofficial Listing)

In regards to individual networks in each package:

It looks like Billings, MT and Great Falls, MT are missing CW​

​

In all of the other listed markets, their complete local package is on CONUS, but for New York City the only CONUS channels are the major networks (CBS, NBC, Fox, ABC, MNT, CW) while the rest of the package is on spotbeams.​

​

Sacramento is similar to New York City, but with a slightly different selection of networks. There is NBC, PBS, ABC, CBS, Univision, Fox, MNT, and Telefutura on CONUS. (I assume the Telefutura listing is outdated, and it is actually UniMas.) The rest of the networks, including CW, are on a spotbeam.​

 

[Sea Beagle]

You are mostly right, but those locals are not exactly "free." They are $12 per month. They are automatically included in the price of Welcome Pack, if that is your base package. However, based on posts from the few subscribers here who have actually been allowed to drop locals from their Welcome Pack subscription, there is a cost for locals, even with that package.


If you do not want to keep changing your service address to get locals from different markets as you move around the country, then you would need to use a service address in one of the CONUS local markets, as NYDutch mentioned above. The easiest way to find those markets is to look at the list of channels on the 77 satellite, since every channel at that orbital slot is CONUS. DISH Network Channels by Transponder (Unofficial Listing)
The list of markets available at 77 include:

Lexington, KY​

Cincinnati, OH​

Charlottesville, VA​

Moline - Rock Island, IL / Davenport, IA​

Louisville, KY​

Little Rock, AR​

Evansville, IN​

Casper, WY​

Paducah, KY / Harrisburg, IL / Cape Girardeau, MO​

Springfield, MO​

​

Is your RF Mogul automatic antenna capable of receiving the 77 satellite? If so, then the above option would work. If you want to keep access to those 77-satellite-delivered locals in your home, then you would need to install a 1000.4 dish with the Eastern Arc LNB, since that is the only dish that integrates the 77 satellite with the typical Dish service (61.5 and 72 satellites). Otherwise, you would need to add a second dish to receive the 77 slot.

Since you specifically mentioned ABC and CW, keep in mind that not all of the markets in the above list include every network in the package. It looks like in Cincinnati, OH and Evansville, IN, the CW is missing entirely. In Lexington, KY and Casper, WY, the CW is carried in standard-def only. Any of the other markets should work just fine, though.

Local channels can also be purchssed seperatly. That is what I read before.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk