Need help with Directv/HD locals...rv waiver etc.

[daraidz]

Hey all,

Just signed up as I was impressed with the overall knowledge on this forum and thought you may be able to offer a newbie some advice...

I'm a current DTv subscriber with 2 receivers...1 HD serving 1 HDTV and a standard def receiver that 2 tv's share.

I also have a motorhome so I'm considering my options to take a receiver on the road with me.

Now for the real issue...

I live in a very small rural area of NorCal. The locals I receive are "hillbilly" standard def...no high def available. I understand the legality and the reasons behind the idea that DTv cannot offer me out of area HD locals. I do not currently have a DNS waiver for the motorhome.

I have asked DTv to switch my service address to a San Diego address thinking this would give me access to the HD locals in SD....not working. My receivers work fine except they do not receive the HD locals or any locals. The guide shows the locals but when selected it says "searching for satellite 771". I've called DTv and they went thru some basic stuff in my receiver but are now wanting to send out a service tech...since I'm not really in San Diego I can't take a service call...They have stated that the dish needs to be re-aligned to receive HD locals in San Diego.

My questions...

-how can I get a HD local with my current dish (oval dish that gets both SD and HD feeds)?

-are there other locals that would be HD that I can receive without changing my dish alignment?

-do I need to provide the DNS waiver paperwork to beat the system? Don't really want to pay another $15 monthly and go thru the hassle of dealing with 2 receivers etc. and not sure it can get completed by the big game on Sunday.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Shades228]

A quick search for RV will answer most of the questions here, but I'll hit on some of the key aspects.

First off falsifying your address is against the ToC and against FCC regulations. If you want to have DNS for an RV you will need to have 2 accounts. Otherwise you will not be able to receive local channels once you are out of your spot beam. Call up and have your address corrected back to your correct address.

As your DMA does not have HD locals the only way you will be able to get them is OTA.

[jimisham]

All SD and HD locals are on spot beams with the exception of the network stations from LA and NYC which are on national beams.
You're way north of the spot beam for San Diego. Depending on where you're located in northern California, you may not be located in any other spot beams except for the locals in the area you live.

[wallybarthman]

Hey all,

Just signed up as I was impressed with the overall knowledge on this forum and thought you may be able to offer a newbie some advice...

I'm a current DTv subscriber with 2 receivers...1 HD serving 1 HDTV and a standard def receiver that 2 tv's share.

I also have a motorhome so I'm considering my options to take a receiver on the road with me.

Now for the real issue...

I live in a very small rural area of NorCal. The locals I receive are "hillbilly" standard def...no high def available. I understand the legality and the reasons behind the idea that DTv cannot offer me out of area HD locals. I do not currently have a DNS waiver for the motorhome.

I have asked DTv to switch my service address to a San Diego address thinking this would give me access to the HD locals in SD....not working. My receivers work fine except they do not receive the HD locals or any locals. The guide shows the locals but when selected it says "searching for satellite 771". I've called DTv and they went thru some basic stuff in my receiver but are now wanting to send out a service tech...since I'm not really in San Diego I can't take a service call...They have stated that the dish needs to be re-aligned to receive HD locals in San Diego.

My questions...

-how can I get a HD local with my current dish (oval dish that gets both SD and HD feeds)?

-are there other locals that would be HD that I can receive without changing my dish alignment?

-do I need to provide the DNS waiver paperwork to beat the system? Don't really want to pay another $15 monthly and go thru the hassle of dealing with 2 receivers etc. and not sure it can get completed by the big game on Sunday.

Any help would be appreciated.

My suggestion would be to add an AM21 off-air tuner and integrate your OTA locals into your set-up - the catch is you need an HD DVR, not just an HD receiver.

[carl6]

You mention you have the "oval dish that gets both SD and HD feeds". There are two possible dishes you could have. The older Phase III dish which does NOT get the newer HD feeds, and the Slimline dish which does. If you are using a Phase III dish it won't work. All of the new HD comes on satellite 99 and 103. Check your satellite signal screens and see if you are getting 99 and 103.

As others have noted, changing service address for the purpose of obtaining different market locals is not allowed per your terms of service. You do need to pursue getting an RV account setup.

[CCarncross]

My suggestion would be to add an AM21 off-air tuner and integrate your OTA locals into your set-up - the catch is you need an HD DVR, not just an HD receiver.

An AM-21 will work with the non-DVR HD receivers as well....so the H21,22,23 can all use one as well.

[wallybarthman]

An AM-21 will work with the non-DVR HD receivers as well....so the H21,22,23 can all use one as well.

Didn't know that - good to know, thanks for the correction.

[rhipps]

When the wife and I arrived in the Orlando area in our motorhome with a couple of our receivers (D12 and HR20-100) from home back on Jan 1st, I called D* and told them my mailing AND service addresses would be temporarily changed until April. They said "no problem" and immediately gave us the local channels here. They did the same thing last year. The trick, I think, is to tell the truth (which we did) about the address change but do not mention that you are in an RV. Of course, this only works if the locals where you are camped are on satellite 101 (unless you are one of the lucky folks that has a multisatellite dish on your rig). Let me add that IMHO, the HR20-100 we have is the best thing around for RVers as you can hook it up to your dish and it will allow you receive and record the "new" OTA digital stations as well as the ones beamed down by D* which in effect lets you record 4 programs at once(2 from D* and 2 from OTA). Very handy if your TV lacks an ATSC tuner.

[CCarncross]

YOu can still only record 2 things at once. 2 OTA, 2 SAT, or 1 of each.

[rhipps]

True. My bad.