BajaNomad

Directv reception for RV

HCR - 10-7-2009 at 07:37 AM

Don't have sattelite now as I generally stay in U.S. RV parks that have cable.

Am thinking of signing up for DirecTV and getting a dish for a U.S. residence address. Question is-- will I be able to get a good signal from Baja?

losfrailes - 10-7-2009 at 07:50 AM

Depends on where you are in Baja.

As far south as Guerrero Negro, you can probably get adequate signal with a smaller dish.

Further south, you will need a very large dish. 1.2 meters at least, better with 1.8 (or even larger).

Good Luck with it!

Bajajorge - 10-7-2009 at 10:08 AM

Directv gets good reception in Baja, you won't get your local network stations though because they're spot beamed. I heard DishTV subscribers have problems.

rob - 10-7-2009 at 11:29 AM

It's the other way around in Baja Sur - Dish good, Direct bad.

mulegemichael - 10-7-2009 at 11:56 AM

no DTV in mulege now...we use starchoice and get 150 channels

losfrailes - 10-7-2009 at 02:52 PM

Well some answers here that are unrelated to the below question.

Quote:
Originally posted by HCR
Am thinking of signing up for DirecTV and getting a dish for a U.S. residence address. Question is-- will I be able to get a good signal from Baja?

tripledigitken - 10-7-2009 at 04:06 PM

Wanting to make the same purchase myself for an RV, with the intention of getting something compatible with use in Baja Sur I was interested in this thread.

But I am more confused now than before.

What provider will be the best choice for Baja Sur?
Are Direct TV and or Dish affiliated with starchoice?
Will the smaller dishes commonly used with RV's either on the roof or on tripod going to work in Baja Sur?


Thanks to anyone that can answer these questions.

Ken

comitan - 10-7-2009 at 04:42 PM

Ken

For an RV the Starchoice dish is the only one small enough. I have the large one and it measures 36X26. Its the one that works this far south, La Paz.

losfrailes - 10-7-2009 at 04:44 PM

Will try to help here, but rest assured my comments will be jumped on!

Starchoice is Canadian and you need a Canadian affiliation in order to get it. There are providers who will, for an annual fee, set you up and you can enjoy that system. Lots of the programming is in french, altho there is plenty of USA programming. It works with a small dish and there are many Canadians (and friends of Canadians) who use it. It is probably the best choice for an RV up and down the length of Baja. You just have to be ready to deal with the non-USA programming. Starchoice is not affiliated with either Dishnetwork nor DirecTV to my knowledge.

DirecTV works fine even with the smaller dish about as far south as Guerrero Negro (the state line between Baja Norte and Baja Sur). Further south and you would need a very large dish for DirecTV.

The same thing applies for DishNetwork as for DirecTV. South of Guerrero Negro a very large dish is needed for any decent reception.

I personally am using DishNetwork, have a 1.8 meter dish (way too big to tote around on an RV) and get everything except the locals, which are spot beam. Of course I am not in an RV, but am groundbound.

I have had both DishNetwork and DirecTV in the past and they both work, with limitations. Other DirecTV users state that DTV does not work very well in Baja Sur.

Good Luck with whatever you choose.
Quote:
Originally posted by tripledigitken
Wanting to make the same purchase myself for an RV, with the intention of getting something compatible with use in Baja Sur I was interested in this thread.

But I am more confused now than before.

What provider will be the best choice for Baja Sur?
Are Direct TV and or Dish affiliated with starchoice?
Will the smaller dishes commonly used with RV's either on the roof or on tripod going to work in Baja Sur?


Thanks to anyone that can answer these questions.

Ken

tripledigitken - 10-7-2009 at 04:57 PM

losfrailes,

Thanks for clearing it up. Looks like a challenge to get a setup for an RV for me in Baja Sur.


Ken

HCR - 10-7-2009 at 06:01 PM

I thank you for your responses also and I concur that it looks like getting a good signal in the south isn't likely with bringing my own dish.

[Edited on 10-8-2009 by HCR]

YARDSAIL - 10-8-2009 at 06:48 AM

I am south of La Paz.....Direct tv has very little reception here, 3 or 4 channels no mater how big a dish you have.... Dish works great, but if you want all the channels on sat 110 and 119 you need 2 dishes, of at least 1.5 meters in diameter...119 gets you most of the channels. There is a third sat. for Hi Def. I know nothing about Starchoice

Pescador - 10-8-2009 at 08:59 AM

Because Los Frailes is a permanent resident he mounts his dishes permanently but there are people who use the big dish and put it on a temporary base and secure it with weights, cables, etc. If you are coming in to a campground for one night, it probably does not make sense, but if you are staying in a place for a week or so, it can be done. You need to have a system for aiming the dish, which has to be done when the wind blows or you move, or the dog bumps in to the dish, or you have too much tequila and bump in to the dish, or whatever.
Some of the guys who would use starchoice would have a smaller dish, and have it mounted on top of a motor hom or RV and would have to aim it after parking and then be set until they moved the unit.
I have seen people doing the same thing with their Hughes Net Dishes for internet. So you have to decide how important it is to you, how much time you are willing to spend aiming and setting up, and where you are likely to be spending your RV time.