Let me say this part up front. Solid Signal, the company that underwrites this blog, is a DIRECTV National Accounts dealer and a DISH Premier Local Retailer. Those distinctions might not mean a lot to regular folks, I get it. But it means Solid Signal is in the top, top tier in both organizations. And so, when people ask me which satellite service I like better, I tell them it’s like trying to answer which of your children you like better. Both services have evolved to the point where they’re excellent and it’s just a matter of the details. One service will have something you really want; the other won’t. And that’s how you choose.
The best satellite service for your RV
Choosing a satellite service for your RV really depends on a lot of factors. Do you like what you have? Are you able to add an extra receiver to your current account? (DIRECTV doesn’t let you do this in most installs done after 2017.) Does one have a channel that the other doesn’t? Those are just some of the reasons.
For others though it gets a lot more technical. DIRECTV lets you get practically all the channels by pointing at one satellite, but most of them are standard definition. If you have a small TV in your RV, you won’t notice. DISH gives you all the HD channels, but half of them are on a second satellite. That means channel changes can take a long time sometimes.
DIRECTV lets you suspend service once a year, so you can change your service address and get local channels in the place your RV is likely to go. DISH lets you change your local area a lot more frequently, but only with their more-expensive no-contract plan.
It really is up to you. But let’s say you had one service provider and want to use the other. Does that mean you’ll need a new dish? Let’s dive in.
Portable (gumdrop-shaped) satellite dishes
It’s very common for people to get portable satellite systems like the KING One Pro you see above this paragraph. They’re fairly inexpensive and setup is incredibly easy. Just put it on a level service, connect it to power and a satellite receiver and you’re set.
In some cases, you can use the same gumdrop-shaped dish for DISH and DIRECTV. If you have DIRECTV, you can usually get a DISH Wally to work with it. However, if your satellite dish has the DISH logo on it, it will not work with DIRECTV. DIRECTV receivers don’t natively understand the portable dishes so more expensive, DIRECTV-compatible systems have extra electronics built in. DISH-only satellite antennas don’t have those, so they’re typically less expensive.
Roof-mounted satellite dishes
If the satellite dish on the top of your RV looks something like this, it generally won’t work with a different provider. I’m talking about the KING Phoenix or the Winegard Trav’ler. These devices fold down for travel, and when they are unfolded, they generally resemble the satellite dishes you have at home.
There’s a good reason for that. These devices use a lot of the same parts as home-based satellite dishes. That means they’re not compatible with each other, just like home-based DIRECTV and DISH devices won’t work with each other. Everything about them is customized for the specific satellite provider.
In-motion dishes
There’s a third option here. I’m talking about permanently-mounted gumdrops like the Winegard RoadTrip T4. These systems aren’t terribly different from the other gumdrop-type dishes you’ll see, but they have internal electronics that let them stay aimed while you’re moving.
With almost no exceptions, these devices will work with DIRECTV or DISH. There are generally some sort of switches in them to let you set them for DIRECTV, DISH, or even BELL if you’re in Canada.
How can you know for sure?
This article just gives you the basics. If you really want to know which dishes will let you switch providers without buying a whole new system, you want to talk to the experts. Call us at Signal Connect. We have full tech support available for pretty much all of the RV satellite systems, even the ones we don’t sell. There’s a reason we’re the largest RV satellite activation specialist in the country: we know what we’re talking about.
Find out more. Call us during East Coast business hours at 888-233-7563. If it’s after East Coast business hours, fill out the form below. We’ll get right back to you!
