RV Installaton: Home Style Dish and Hopper?

[grc]

I have a VIP722K that I've used in the RV (fulltime) for several years. Dish keeps offering me a Hopper but I have been hesitant because I see people saying that Dish won't install in a RV.

Has anyone gotten the Hopper 3 for use in a RV?

Also, I have the 2 LNB Eastern Arc set to swap out when we travel east. I see people saying that the Hopper needs THREE LNBs - will it work with the 2 LNB Eastern Arc swap out?

Thanks!

 

[Brussam]

Yes on the Hopper 3 from the day it was released. The Hopper 3 uses a Hybrid LNBF headed dish (3-WA, 2-EA). Dish installer came and changed the LNBF head on my tripod and put the Hopper 3 in the trailer.

After Dish left, I changed the LNBF head on my Trav'ler automatic roof dish. Later when the Hybrid DPH-42 Switch was released, I changed the head of the Trav'ler back to a standard DPP head and used the switch. It worked a lot better,

 

[NYDutch]

If you have problems getting Dish to install in your RV, try an Dish authorized retailer. They're often more flexible...

 

[JSheridan]

If you have problems getting Dish to install in your RV, try a Dish authorized retailer. They're often more flexible...

Like, Like, Like...

 

[grc]

I'm thinking I will go for it this winter.

One reason I am a bit gun shy about making changes is that a couple of years ago when Dish network was in a dispute with a network I enjoy watching I got tired of it and decided to change to Direct TV for a while. When the DTV installer showed up he looked at my RV and started making excuses about not being able to do the install. Finally, he said that I would have to have a permanent pole mounted at a cost of $75 for the dish. This, sitting in a RV park!

I said there was no way I was going to pay them to do that when it would all be taken down when I moved again.

The installer refused to do the install and I just stayed with Dish.

 

[NYDutch]

We have permanent dishes installed at our NY and VT base sites, but the rest of the time we use the tripod. With the advent of large scale streaming, plus OTA of course, we haven't been shut out on a program we wanted to watch for the past few years despite the carriage disputes. All of our sat gear is self-installed, so we haven't dealt with installers for our own setups. I have worked with several retailer's people on other folk's RV installs though.

 

[grc]

My coach is a 2005 and the coax is whatever they installed when the coach was built. The existing coax works fine with my VIP 722K. If I get a Hopper 3 will that coax still do the trick or will it need to be upgraded?

 

[NYDutch]

I would try the existing coax first, but running a new RG6 line may get a little better signal level. Whether the effort would be worth it or not, depends on the quality of the existing coax. As I said, try it...

 

[grc]

Talked to Dish today and was told that they won't install in a motorhome unless it is set up in a campground long term. I also asked about using a retailer and was told that they weren't likely to honor the offer Dish is making me on the Hopper3. Here are my questions:

1. Is the motorhome an issue if I use a home style dish and not some kind of automated one?
2. If I use a retailer, do I just Google someone close by and see what they offer?
3. I think the savings I was being offered was around $250 on the Hopper 3 - are there any advantages/disadvantages to my just buying a Hopper3 outright? I see them on Amazon for around $360.

 

[JSheridan]

Talked to Dish today and was told that they won't install in a motorhome unless it is set up in a campground long term. I also asked about using a retailer and was told that they weren't likely to honor the offer Dish is making me on the Hopper3. Here are my questions:

1. Is the motorhome an issue if I use a home style dish and not some kind of automated one?
2. If I use a retailer, do I just Google someone close by and see what they offer?
3. I think the savings I was being offered was around $250 on the Hopper 3 - are there any advantages/disadvantages to my just buying a Hopper3 outright? I see them on Amazon for around $360.

Retailers can generally give the same or better offers that Dish does directly. You should check with one.

There's no advantage to buying the Hopper other than the fact that you can turn it on and off when you're not using it if you have another receiver or receivers on the account. The monthly fee is the same whether you buy one or they loan you one.

 

[Brussam]

What Dish will do or not do often depends on the CSR you are talking to.

For my Hopper 1 installation in my RV trailer, I had to go to a local dealer and used my ground tripod dish to eliminate any issues the dealer would have had with my Winegard Trav'ler. After the installer left, I put in the switches that toggled between the ground tripos and the roof dish.

Dish installed the Hopper 3 in my RV trailer using the ground tripod dish. They swapped out the LNBF head for a Hybrid one and replaced the Joey 1s with Joey 2s. Again, I put the switches back in after the Dish installer left.

I moved the Hopper 3 to my motorhome when we traveled.

 

[grc]

I keep seeing people talk about changing out the LNBF - not clear what that is. Here's a photo of the label on my western arc LNBs - would these have to be changed out? I also have the two LNB eastern arc - would it also have to be changed out?

 

[NYDutch]

You could continue to use your existing LNBF's with an H3 by adding a DPH42 switch. That should be a little cheaper than replace the LNBF's for both arcs...

 

[grc]

Would Dish supply the DPH42 as part of the installation or would I have to buy it?

 

[grc]

Is the switch this one from Amazon? Power insertion module needed too?

www.amazon.com/Hybrid-Switch-Power-Inserter-DPH42/dp/B0788TJNM7

Again, I use a home style dish mounted on a tripod (and 1 TV).

 

[Brussam]

Yes to both. The power inserted comes with the switch