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May be Switching to DirecTV - Info Needed
I'm thinking about switching from Dish to Direct & need equipment & wiring basics from you Direct gurus. Bear with because I'm not familiar w/Direct equipment . . .
I'd like a whole house DVR in the RV with two other receivers -- one in bedroom & one in RV basement.
I just re-wired the coach with quality RG6 (swept to 3GHz) and have two coax lines available per TV.
Here are my qs:
- What equipment do you suggest?
- How would stuff be wired?
- Would OTA come thru one of the receivers or does OTA have to be wired to each?
- Are the remote IR (line-of-site) or RF?
- What do you recommend for a portable HD antenna? (I'd also be getting a Direct version of the Travler)
- Anything else I missed.
Tx guys.
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TechWriter
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04/17/12 11:31am |
Technology Corner
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RE: Mobile DirecTV HD Satellite
I use a Dish, yes Dish, 1000.2 mounted to a DirecTV Phase III Mast Assembly, modified Arm, and SWM SL3 LNB . . .
Long thread here on the concept:
Experimental Small Slimline3 Dish
This is pretty funny. And someone also modified a Dish 1000.4?
I'm a Dishboy, but isn't there a DirectTV portable that would work better than these "hacked" dishes?
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TechWriter
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04/10/12 11:24am |
Technology Corner
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RE: Solar for RV's and home Solar systems.
. . . could you recomend some sites with good educational info for both types of set-ups.
These two sites give consistently good advice which is not true of many other forums:
Household: www.midnitesolar.com
RV: www.jackdanmayer.com
Also, the Escapees Technical Tips section is very good.
But, like Texan said, there's not much difference between residential and RV solar.
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TechWriter
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04/08/12 08:34am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Solar Panel Placement And Other Questions
. . .does anyone put a fuse between the panels and the charge controler?
Yep, and you should to. Others disagree on this forum, but check out Jack Mayer's web site, especially the section on "The Golden Rules of RV Solar and Electric".
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TechWriter
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04/05/12 02:44pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Setup for Dish vs Directv
I am curious if it is more difficult to setup the dish for Dish Network than it is for Directv?
For SD, yet bet. For HD, call it a draw.
Dish's big advantage is portable automatics like the Travler coupled with pay-as-you-go. To be fair, Winegard has two portables that can be used for either Dish or Direct.
If your with Direct, why change?
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TechWriter
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04/03/12 11:26am |
Technology Corner
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RE: Setup for Dish vs Directv
Older post, but should be good...
Dish network - aim dish frustration (2007 - past expiration date)
Dish v direcTV 3 (also 2007)
Dish v Direct 2010
Dish v Direct Aug 2010
Dish v Direct 2011
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TechWriter
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04/03/12 11:21am |
Technology Corner
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RE: sattellites and reviews on new ones?
. . .suggested a Tailgater which he said works with Dish network and sets up simple.....any other good reviews?
Yep, go with a Tailgater. It combines the best of HD portable & automajic in one.
The HD Dish portables like the 1000, 1000.2, and 1000.4 (the best of the 3 IMHO) typically require a heavy duty tripod and a decent signal strength meter to set up. By the time you purchased a dish, tripod, and meter, you've spent nearly enough to buy a Tailgater.
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TechWriter
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04/03/12 11:13am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Exercising diesel gen monthly.. How many do it?
Never.
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TechWriter
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03/24/12 11:59am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Does HD Satellite TV require RG6?
OK, I'm the original poster. My house has some runs of 60 feet or more to the furthermost bedrooms. I think I want to get the RG59 out and install RG6 throughout.
Who might do this? (Not me) An electrician? Or some specialist?
Contact a local cable installer. He'll also tell you if you need it or not.
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TechWriter
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03/24/12 07:50am |
Technology Corner
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RE: Does HD Satellite TV require RG6?
RG6 will handle a higher signal frequency than RG59 will.
BTCNo it won't. It's just less lossy
I think you're both arguing for the same thing.
I'm just finishing up running high quality RG6 in my RV.
Very glad I did as the new DishTV Hopper system requires RG6 (over RG59) for much of the cabling.
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TechWriter
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03/24/12 07:13am |
Technology Corner
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RE: First Chinese Motor Home
It's more insidious than just the Chinese. This Country is being turned into a resource colony.
Who is making the wealth and eliminating American production and Americans' jobs, and buying up America?
Who is leading the charge to devalue our currency and reduce our lifestyle and future to a more sustainable and equitable global economy and economic justice for the third world???
I give up. Who?
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TechWriter
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03/22/12 08:01pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Looking for a new Solar Charge Controller...
There's another option:www.frontpanelexpress.com
COOL site, thanx for the link !!
Just for fun I downloaded their software and it looks like they would charge ~$80-90 to duplicate the panel I made... not including the shape/logo engraving, the edge bevel, and shipping.
That's pretty impressive, I'd need to charge 2X that to even make it worth turning my machine on.
If you (or anyone else) uses Front Panel express to make a panel, please share the info with us.
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TechWriter
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03/19/12 11:05am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Looking for a new Solar Charge Controller...
I really like your new aluminum control panel. How did you make it?
There's another option: www.frontpanelexpress.com
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TechWriter
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03/18/12 06:21pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Solar panel switches
Those that advocate a fuse between panel and controller have no understanding of solar fusing issues.
And those that don't either do not know electrical code.
When you have a PV array in a system with batteries, you need over current protection between the PV array and controller and between the controller and batteries.
Why?
Small system wiring diagram (PDF) - plenty of wiring diagrams at MidNite Solar.
'To Fuse or Not To Fuse' by John Wiles. Just make sure you read the 1st paragraph on page 108.
PV Power Systems and NEC Code by John Wiles. Check out Appendix E - Example Systems.
While a lot of these cites are for large PV systems, the principles still apply to smaller ones.
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TechWriter
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03/17/12 09:54am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Solar panel switches
I recommend something on both sides.
I was thinking that I didn't need to fuse these 2 circuits but now I'm not so sure. The battery side is only 18" long and the solar side only carries a max of 10A. What have others done?
Since you seem to want to do it "right", fuse the PV-to-controller input and the Controller-to-battery output.
MidNite DC breakers will work for both and they double as switches.
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TechWriter
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03/17/12 05:50am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Surge protector or voltage regulator more important?
Plus Progressive has far superior after sale customer support. The other company 0.
Sorry you had a bad experience as I've never had to use customer service from TRC.
However, I did use Progressive's customer support, and you're right, they are very good -- even on weekends.
Nevertheless, they were unable to fix their 50A hardwired unit that I eventually returned.
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TechWriter
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03/16/12 06:13pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Surge protector or voltage regulator more important?
Despite what posters claim, you really can't go wrong with either a TRC Surge Guard 30A Hardwire 34520, 30A Portable 34730, or a Progressive Industries 30A Hardwired EMS-LCHW30, 30A Portable EMS-PT30C.
Like many things, folks tend to sing the praise of the brand they own.
I had one TRC Surge Guard's 50A portable unit for several years. It saved my RV (and house once) from bad electrical systems.
Last year I installed 50A Hardwire Plus 40240. I prefer the hardwired because it ends being more convenient and my unit has a remote that I can monitor from inside.
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TechWriter
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03/16/12 06:09pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Solar Panel vs Roof Real Estate
To get past the roof real estate problem, make a aluminum frame to the height of your air conditioners and mount your panels over top of the air conditioner units.
You're kidding, right? That would put your $$$ PV panels right in the path of every low hanging tree branch and any other obstructions. I'll take a chance on the shade.
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TechWriter
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03/15/12 08:28pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Need all you satellite TV gurus to put your heads together
I am confused on wiring up my satellite TV . . . Triplexer . . .
It's probably best you have a Dish installer do it for you because there are MANY choices. Plus, while well-meaning, some of the replies on this thread have been misleading or wrong.
Triplexers, Diplexers, Separators (but not splitters) are Dish hardware designed to reduce the amount of wiring an installer has to do.
BTW, if someone suggests using "splitters" with Dish networking, they don't know what they're talking about.
In the beginning there were Diplexers and Separators. Before Triplexers, Diplexers worked in pairs -- their job was to first combine (and then separate) the SAT signal from a Dish antenna with a regular UHF/VHF antenna. Separators "separated" the SAT signal from a Dish antenna into a TV1 & TV2 signal for dual-tuner receivers.
Triplexers came later. They just combined a Diplexer and Separator in one adapter.
Again, try contacting a Dish installer directly instead of going though Dish directly. From my experience, the installers have been great to work with.
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TechWriter
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03/15/12 08:04pm |
Technology Corner
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RE: Solar Panel vs Roof Real Estate
Excuse my ignorance on the subject.
If so upgrading my controller to the MPPT (selling the 12v one which is new) will still save me $$ by buying less panels, and roof real estate.
I think that RV roof real estate is where the rubber meets the road.
You only have so much roof space, so I'd fill it with the highest watt panels that will fit. To me, that probably means high voltage panels (i.e., not 12V nominal) with a MPPT controller. But it ultimately depends on what you can fit on your roof.
Also, wire for the future. While you may only have the $$$ for two, 290W panels now, if you have space for more, then WIRE for those future panels. You may be able to put off buying a controller that will handle all those future panels, but wire is cheap and re-running it every time you add panels in a PITA.
Finally, don't buy any more stuff until you do some more reading. As others may have mentioned, check out Jack Mayer's web site: www.jackdanmayer.com.
Good luck.
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TechWriter
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03/14/12 09:08pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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