DirecTV vs. DISH for RV’s: Satellite TV for your Mobile Home

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Updated Jun 27, 2022 11:14 PM

So you’re thinking of getting satellite TV for mobile home, but what’s the difference between DirecTV vs. DISH for RV’s? The main reason why thousands of people prefer traveling in RV’s is because of the comfort that this type of traveling provides. Television is a huge part of this. It is common for bigger RV’s to have multiple TV sets, which are usually visible from their patio. Since people mostly use RV’s for travel, and thus are always on the move, a cable TV will not work for that type of lifestyle. Simply put, you wouldn’t be able to use cable TV if you’re camping in the woods. And that’s why you need the best satellite TV.

For this reason, most RV owners usually prefer using satellite television because of the many benefits available from this type of service. One of these being the ability to conveniently move a receiver when traveling to different places. In order to receive a signal for your satellite TV, an antenna is required, which comes from a dish. They come in a variety of options to choose from depending on your needs. Today, let’s take a look into DirecTV vs. DISH for RV’s.

You have your best RV solar panels. You’ve got the best RV mattress. Now you just need some TV.

DirecTV vs. DISH for RV’s

When it comes to the satellite business, DirecTV and DISH are the two most recognized companies in the United States. Both of them have their own advantages and disadvantages.

DirecTV for RV’s

DirecTV has a bigger market compared to DISH. This means that they have more channels and a larger array of sports packages for their customers. They also have a larger number of channels, which are available in High Definition (HD). DIRECTV makes use of two satellite bands connected with KA band satellites and KU band satellites.

In order to receive HD channels on your subscription, you will need to have the three pieces of LNB oval dish. DirecTV has a wide range of local channels, which you can have sent via satellite. DirecTV also offers national West Coast or East Coast feeds, which are sent from the regular off-air broadcasting networks.

DISH for RV’s

On the other hand, DISH doesn’t have as many HD channels as DirecTV. This is why they can keep all of their channels while using only a KU band. However, this would still require the use of two satellite dishes.

When you want to change the channels on your DISH satellite TV, the signal would need to go back and forth between the satellites. So you may notice some delay or lag in between the process. This is because the signal received by dome type antenna will need to move to another antenna located on the other satellite. In order to avoid this problem, you may want to purchase an oval dish, which can track both satellites effectively at the same time.

[RELATED: DISH vs DIRECTV Comparison]

It’s important to note that DISH doesn’t offer regular channels to their customers anymore. Instead they decided to incorporate a pay-as-you-go system. This allows users to temporarily disable the service while they’re at home. Then the user has the ability to reactivate it once they’ve decided to move to a new location.

Types of Satellite Dishes

Most RV’s are equipped with the ready-to-go features in order to handle a satellite TV installation. Usually, a roof mounted dome or dish is utilized, as well as important connection points if an external dish is necessary.

Tripods

You may also purchase external tripods, which perform like mounted dishes. They function exactly the same as a dish, which is connected to your mobile home. The only difference is that the dish is attached to a tripod, which is portable, meaning you can conveniently set it up once you arrive at your new location.

Roof-Mounted Dishes

The first rooftop dishes that were implemented for this kind of travel, which are still sold on the market today, are used manually, so you would have to adjust them frequently in order to get the best signal. Modern rooftop units automatically acquire the signals without needing any adjustments.

Most of these units come enclosed in a dome cover for protection. The only downside to this is that the dish is fairly small, because they are specifically manufactured so that they fit inside the dome. The strength of the satellite’s signal directly relies on the dish’s size, which means that dome type units usually cannot get a strong signal like a bigger open dish can.

Here is our dish directv comparison.

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