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winegard

Yahoo Message Number: 117489
Has anyone else had their TV service cut from Direct TV Ours ended April 1st Very disappointed with Winegard and Direct We are leaving Direct TV and going with Dish Network Does anyone have any info to this problem What Dish is the best if I have to buy a new dish which one is the best and does another company make a dish for RVs because we are not happy with Winegard for ending the service to our Winegard dish Thanks for any info
Bob 2000 Intrigue

Re: winegard

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 117491
I doubt Winegard has anything to do with with the contract dispute between DirecTv and the networks/distributors. We have the same issue here in Yuma. This seems to be an ongoing dispute about $. Last year it was Spectrum cable here in Yuma and I won't be surprised when Dish has the same dispute. If there is a bright side, your OTA antenna should be able to pick up the local stations, assuming you are close enough.

Don
'01 Intrigue #11238
Yuma, AZ (until we escape for the summer)

Re: winegard

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 117493
When u say you "had TV service cut" do you mean u lost channels or the whole service? How did Winegard end your service?

Re: winegard

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 117494
Bob,

You need to explain more....

What satellite model do you currently have?

What receiver(s) do you have?

I received an email from winegard on April 3rd stating that "DirecTV is removing all MPEG-2 (SD Only) content and converting it to MPEG-4 (SD and HD capable) content. DirecTV HD receivers are equipped to receive and decode MPEG-4 signals. Standard definition (SD) receivers are not able to receive and decode these signals".

In other words if you have a SD only receiver it needs to be replaced with a HD receiver. In doing so you can still use your SD Only satellite but will require changes to the cabling. This in no way is because of Winegard, this is strictly because of DirecTV moving in a forward HD Only direction. It's been over a decade since HD became available and since then the writing has been on the wall, and with AT&T taking over DirecTV it appears the process has been sped up to get everyone onto HD.

IMO now is the time to upgrade to HD and replace your satellite and receiver(s) to stay with DirecTV or depending on your current satellite you may be able to just simply change over to Dish Net if its capable.

As for other manufactures, IMO Winegard is still the best and their trav'ler model has proven it over the last decade on HD. Or you can go with RF Mogul who's updated SAT is showing good reviews and claims the fiasco of a few years ago will/can never happen again.

Safe Travels'
Jim Lewis
Infinity Coach

Re: winegard

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 117495
Bob, Did u completely lose Direct service or just some channels?
As Don said I would not think Winegard would have anything
To do with the lost of Direct TV. Are you getting a signal from
Direct or an announcement saying equipment not authorized?
Just trying to get an idea so this group can help U get the problem
Solved.

Dave
2007 Allure 470 40' #31495
W/Tag
So. Cal Mountains and Henderson, Nev

Dave & Jodi
2007 CC Allure 40’ Tag #31495
2012 Jeep GC
Big Bear Lake, Ca & Henderson, Nev

Re: winegard

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 117497
We have had DISH for two years and its Not perfect however, it does work most places and brings in clear signals with a minimum of effort in set up. We have the newest Tailgater and spouse has it set up and scanning for channels usually before he hooks up our Coach services.. After we are fully secured, the scanner has loaded the channels and he then calls DISH to update our current location and that switches us to the Local channels as well. State Parks are usually very poor for reception because of heavy tree cover. He has been unusually 'creative' in where he places the receiver at times but finds signals. Hope this helps.

Re: winegard

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 117501
I don't think it has anything to do with Winegard. Direct sent out notices last year that they would be retiring some of the satellites and the old boxes would no longer work. We have a old dish so we require the old box for it to function. In January we had our boxes replaced so we could still receive a satellite signal. The directv installer who came out to our house knew what to do when AT&T sent out new boxes that wouldn't work because they needed a HD dish inorder to work. He went and found a different box and as he said dummied it down during programming for our non HD satellite. All is well now.
Barbara Holmes
2004 Intrigue 11704

Bill and Barbara Holmes
2004 Intrigue #11704

Re: winegard

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 117504
To make it clear We lost all stations we aren't getting anything My fault with Winegard you profited from your contract with Direct TV now that there is a dispute take some of your profit and reward your customers At least give your customers a GOOD discount on a new RV dish Don't offer your good customers a miserly discount on a dish they have to buy If anyone knows of another company that offers a RV dish let me know I will leave Winegard We already ended our listing with Direct TV
Bob Intrigue

Re: winegard

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 117505
If you have the Traveller antenna, it can be converted to Dish fairly simply. Then you have the option of month to month service if you want. This works well for us.

Re: winegard

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 117510
Bob,

As mentioned by others, it's unlikely that Winegard contributed to your problem.
We switched to Dish last year after 23 years with Directv. AT&T was shifting subscribers from the Directv billing system to the AT&T billing system. In the process, they eliminated all of the DVR functionality from the THR22 DVR we were using. This is the TiVo-capable HD DVR. They acknowledged the problem but had no fix and could not articulate a plan to find a fix. After a month of essentially no TV, we switched to Dish. We watch zero TV that is not prerecorded so while the THR22 still acted like a vanilla receiver, it could not record broadcasts. The problem was later resolved but too late for us.

The Dish user interface is more hinky than Directv/TiVo's. It has the feel of a system that was put together from some government surplus parts that Dish founder Charlie Ergen found in his garage. On the other hand, the Directv DVR user interface, without benefit of TiVo functionality, is not any better.

AT&T's attitude seems to be one of integrating the DBS (Direct Broadcast Satellite) capability into their overall network business as an accessory feature. Rumors abound as to whether DBS will remain in their service offerings. Satellites are expensive to build, launch, and operate. AT&T has a terrestrial network that could benefit from capital improvements at the expense of DBS. Current Directv subscribers could be incented or forced to move to that technology as satellites wear out. All rumors. Do research if you think it may matter to you at some point.

Dish vs Directv programming is another consideration. I understand there are differences but those differences do not affect what we watch.

Our switch to Dish presented a learning curve but we've acclimated without destroying any TV's, remote controls, receivers, etc. The Winegard Trav'ler works fine. We added the Winegard Rayzar OTA antenna. The Dish configuration allows connecting the Rayzar or other OTA antenna to the Dish receiver/DVR so you can have a single program guide. So far, however, we've just changed our service address to get local channels from the satellite. That works as advertised and is one clear advantage to Dish vs Directv.

Good luck with your decision.

Dave M. 2002 Affinity #6103
Dave & Cathy M, 2002 Affinity #6103, 2018 GMC Acadia, Linux Mint 19.2

Re: winegard

Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 117512
I have the old wineguard antenna. When I was in Q last year had the installer the new genie system to my coach. He put a converter box on the roof and rewired the system. You do have to use the genie box plus a satellite box for the system to work. After that I still use the old switch box so I can change from Direct to cable and local antenna. Just have Direct rewire your coach for the new system
Mike
2006 Inspire #51808