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Old 08-14-2016, 02:56 PM   #1
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Satellite questions

2017 Sunset Trail 290QB.
When we bought the unit the old guy that gave us our introduction tour of the camper admitted that he didn't know much about the brand.
we were told that one cable connection in the back of the unit was for cable TV and the other for satellite. Neither are labeled and this doesn't make sense to me.
Anyone have experience with portable satellite dishes and how the connections work?
We're looking a buying a dish for Directv.
Want a portable so we don't have to permanently mount it on the roof.
Can you also use them for your home?



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Old 08-14-2016, 03:03 PM   #2
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My model has the satellite connection on the right and the cable on the left. I use Dish and have the Dish Tailgater antenna, which is portable. When you connect it, the cable also provides power to run the antenna inside. Just need to point it in the general southern direction. Don't think you can use it for your home, but it works anywhere as long as there are no obstructions such as trees. Even then you can usually work around them. Don't always get HD though because sometimes all three satellites don't make a good connection. With Dish Network they only charge an extra $7 a month for the months you use it if you already have an account at home.
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Old 08-14-2016, 03:18 PM   #3
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You have to look hard they are marked. On mine as you are looking at it the cable is on the left and the Sat is on the right.
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Old 08-14-2016, 03:20 PM   #4
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Thanks Steve,
Are your satellite and cable Jacks labeled?
How do you tell them apart and what's the difference?

We currently do not have satellite in our home for tv.
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Old 08-14-2016, 03:28 PM   #5
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I've read people like Fhenn say they are labeled. For the life of me, I couldn't find any label or markings whatsoever, so I figured it out by trial and error. I think I also read another post stating the same. I labeled them myself.
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Old 08-14-2016, 03:32 PM   #6
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Ok. So what's the difference? We have a tv in the bunk room, living area, and one we hang outside. Will the satellite work at all three locations we have cable jacks?
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Old 08-14-2016, 03:34 PM   #7
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One more thing, when you use cable or satellite, be sure to turn off the antenna booster button otherwise you get interference.

With the satellite systems, you will not only need the exterior dish antenna, but you will need a receiver. I purchased mine together as a unit.
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Old 08-14-2016, 03:40 PM   #8
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Ok. So what's the difference? We have a tv in the bunk room, living area, and one we hang outside. Will the satellite work at all three locations we have cable jacks?
I don't know. I haven't played with it yet, but I think the outside connection is only for cable. If you want satellite outside, you can run a separate coax to a receiver outside directly from satellite dish. I plan on putting in a splitter near my living area receiver and running a coax outside when I want to use it. That way I shouldn't need another receiver. Just not sure how I will be running the coax. May just be on the floor, or create a spot to run it out. Probably won't make it too labor intensive. I only have the one inside and one outside tv possibility.
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Old 08-14-2016, 05:55 PM   #9
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Having been through the trials of the 'divorce dish'....

I sold my portable dish and got the winegard travler for directv- push a button and it finds the HD station...

more expensive, but much cheaper than a divorce and the hours fought setting up...

to those of you that say 10 minutes to set up - you are smarter than me and my wife, and my two buddies and their wives
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Old 08-14-2016, 06:25 PM   #10
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Having been through the trials of the 'divorce dish'....

I sold my portable dish and got the winegard travler for directv- push a button and it finds the HD station...

more expensive, but much cheaper than a divorce and the hours fought setting up...

to those of you that say 10 minutes to set up - you are smarter than me and my wife, and my two buddies and their wives

The newer portable ones pretty much do everything for you, as long as you have a semi-clear sky. But that is true for roof mounted ones also.
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Old 08-14-2016, 08:24 PM   #11
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that's good to hear !
and they are HD as well ?
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Old 08-14-2016, 11:11 PM   #12
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that's good to hear !
and they are HD as well ?
Yes, they are HD. As you probably know, there is the possibility of connecting to three satellites. If you only get good signal on one or two of them, then not all or even any stations will be in HD. Tress, mountains, buildings that are too close and in direct line between the dish and satellite can lessen the quality. If you have no obstructions, you should have HD on the same channels you would at home. On my recent six week trip I had various results, but always had signal.
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Old 08-15-2016, 05:57 AM   #13
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Having been through the trials of the 'divorce dish'....

I sold my portable dish and got the winegard travler for directv- push a button and it finds the HD station...

more expensive, but much cheaper than a divorce and the hours fought setting up...

to those of you that say 10 minutes to set up - you are smarter than me and my wife, and my two buddies and their wives
x2. Divorce dish, I like that! I got the wineguard traveler too and loved it. So did my blood pressure. Obviously a moral or mental failing on my part but I never could get a simple dish lined up.

If I got a new system I would probably go with the portable cube since you can't get a signal under trees. The only problem is how do you prevent it from walking off?
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Old 08-15-2016, 09:17 AM   #14
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x2. Divorce dish, I like that! I got the wineguard traveler too and loved it. So did my blood pressure. Obviously a moral or mental failing on my part but I never could get a simple dish lined up.

If I got a new system I would probably go with the portable cube since you can't get a signal under trees. The only problem is how do you prevent it from walking off?
Stormseeker, I agree that with you that one of the cube or tailgater's advantage is that it is portable so that it can be moved if obstructions are present. As far as keeping it from walking off, if I leave and am not comfortable with the location I am in, I just bring it inside the trailer and then put it back out when I return. Most of the time I set it on one of my slides and it is not very obvious it is even there unless someone is looking for it. I would be interested if anyone knows of one being stolen. I've had yet to hear of it, but I'm sure it has happened somewhere...
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Old 08-15-2016, 07:01 PM   #15
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I am pretty sure that the Cube & Tailgator are SD only. I run Directv and a SD receiver box and 100 ft of coax to a old house dish so I can walk all over the camp site(s) looking for a signal (sorry neighbor). As far as home use just have a dish on the house and a spare to take on the road. Dish Network does have a pay as you go plan I've been told.
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Old 08-15-2016, 07:31 PM   #16
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I have the wingaurd traveler on the roof and carry a wingaurd carry out in the belly. We have had a few instances where the expensive roof top one won't work but the little portable reliable one will
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Old 08-15-2016, 07:56 PM   #17
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I am pretty sure that the Cube & Tailgator are SD only. I run Directv and a SD receiver box and 100 ft of coax to a old house dish so I can walk all over the camp site(s) looking for a signal (sorry neighbor). As far as home use just have a dish on the house and a spare to take on the road. Dish Network does have a pay as you go plan I've been told.
I've been using the Dish Tailgater and can testify that it does have HD. But as I stated earlier, it depends on the quality of signals from the three satellites.
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Old 08-16-2016, 07:48 AM   #18
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Tailgater does receive HD.
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Old 08-16-2016, 05:32 PM   #19
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To address the question of "what's the difference?", the satellite dish is powered by the receiver and it needs an uninterrupted run between the receiver and the dish. The other connection (cable) includes a signal booster for the OTA antenna and it also has splitters. The cable/antenna signal can be boosted and split. The satellite connection needs to either be a straight shot or needs a special splitter. Either way though, it can't go through the signal booster, even if it's turned off.

Here's a mod that I did in our old trailer back when builders only provided one coax line.

http://www.flamingsquid.com/images/satellite_rewire.pdf
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