Dish Network antenna LNB?

[thorski]

I am trying to set up my camper with Dish Network sat tv. I currently have Dish Net at my home.

I was given a dishnet receiver and an dishnet antenna that does not have an LNB.

If when I go camping, could I take one of the programming cards out of one of my house recievers and put it in the camper reciever to get programming? They look like similar model recievers.

Also, I have a couple of Direct TV antenna's with LNB's on them. Are Direct TV antenna LNB's the same as Dish Net antenna LNB's? Can I use a Direct TV antenna to recieve Dish Net programming?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[LakeDocktor]

No you cannot take the smartcard out of your receiver from home. For activation and security purposes, the smartcard numbers must match the receiver number. I have seen DirecTv LNBs work with a Dish Network system and vise versa. However, if you plan on receiving your standard programming and local channels, you will need a multiswitch to control the switching between the two satellites. Where is your camper at? I have exactly what you need.

[thorski]

LakeDocktor-

Thanks for your response!

Now that you mentioned it, I do rememeber that the smartcards have to match the receiver. So, if I want to watch Sat. tv while camping without purchasing another receiver and another subscription, I have to take my house receiver with me when I go camping? I guess that will work, it is just a huge pain to disconnect my home receiver. That is what I was trying to avoid having to do.

So, my old Direct TV dish and LNB will work with my Dishnet receiver? I know you have to point the antenna in a different direction for each provider.

I wasn't too concerned about receiving local channels, so that is not an issue.

I do not have a permanent campsite. We move around from campground to campground during the summer. There are a couple of campgrounds that we really like that have absolutely NO tv reception.

[Dusty]

The cheapest thing for you to do would be to get a second TV in your home hooked up to your dish subcription. Then take that box and put it in your camper for the summer. I think the second box costs $5 a month. I have a trailer on a seasonal site and that is what I do. The hook up is easy. Locating the sat. is sometimes frustrating.

[bigbucks]

that's essentially what I did with my fish house/camper. I have too old legacy model receivers & one of the new style. One of the old ones is hooked up in the garage & that bounces back & forth when I need it in the rolling tv lounge.

[LakeDocktor]

thorski, look online at some auction sites. You can find some cheap receivers that you could pick up for under $20. Just call Dish Network and add that receiver to your existing account. Since you own that receiver, you can add it and take it off your account anytime you want. If you upgrade directly through Dish Network, you may have to pay upgrade fees and the receiver is leased unless you pay full retail price for it. If the receiver is leased, it must stay on the account until your contract is up and by doing the upgrade, you will need to sign into a new 24 month contract.

[thorski]

All great suggestions. Thanks guys.

I do have a second receiver in my house...but both receivers will be a pain to unhook and hook back up, but it is an option.

LakeDockttor-

I have another receiver that I aquired from a friend...he was just going to throw it out because he switched from Dishnet to DirectTV. This is the receiver I had hoped to just slip my smartcard into, but that won't work. What you are saying is I can call Dishnet and add that receiver to my acct for another $5/month. I would assume they would send a new smartcard for it?

Thanks.

[LakeDocktor]

thorski, you got it. Just call them up and tell them you want to add another receiver that you currently have and own. Give them the receiver numbers and they will send you a new smartcard. Is there a smartcard currently in the receiver? If so, they may be able to just add it to the account immediately and then send you a new one in the future.

[thorski]

LakeDocktor, Yes there is a smartcard in the slot. Not sure how old it is though.

I will give it a try and see what happens. Thank you.

Anyone have any tricks to align the dish quickly? I have done it a time or two. The first time I did it I got the signal right a way and I thought "wow, that was easy". The next two times I did it, I could find the signal to save my behind!

[LakeDocktor]

What dish do you have again? If it is a dish500, get a compass and point to 202 azimuth and set the dish at 110 skew and 34 elevation. Make sure your mast is level. It will make aligning the dish that much easier.

[chucker]

I have a two reciever setup and in the summer I bring one up to the cabin. I do get different programming at the cabin, it apears to be the basic package with no locals. Am I missing something in the setup or maybe the wrong dish? Does anybody have any thoughts on how to get the same programming at the cabin (Deer River) as I have at home (Elk River)?