direct tv or dish

CAUTION: click the reviews and Q&A. You will see:

a) The review from 2011 is indeed a V30.

b) The reviews from 2013 and 2014 both show that they were sent a Tailgater and not a V30.

If you click the "4 new" on the main link, you will see even one of the sellers saying that it is a Tailgater in the fine print.

The V30 has not been made for years. I am not trying to talk someone out of a V30. It does work, when it works. However, there are NO known "new" V30's left at this point. Sometimes a used one shows up on EBay. Sometimes you can get a certified refurb one from the manufacturer at this link.

Just trying to save someone a bunch of pain and heartache with that Amazon link. Contact the seller first and ask if it is exactly a "V30" model and not a tailgater, not a V3000, etc. There was only one true "in-motion" model in the "VuQube" line from King and it was a "V30." Those guys are NOT "Amazon" they are Amazon "sellers." So they can call it whatever they want to call it. 2 of the 4 sellers don't even maintain a buyer satisfaction rating above the 70th percentile because of stuff like this.

added: King DOES make an in-motion unit still under their KingDome model line here: http://kingcontrols.com/product/king-dome/
But it is designed to go on a flat style roof. A few trucks do have the flat roofs either on the cab or on the sleeper. Also Winegard makes an in-motion unit here also aimed at flat roofs: http://www.winegard.com/mission/index.php

 

Ok DB ( and others ) I'm assuming no one likes the tailgater and I should stay away from it? Other reviews say it works a little while and quits......

 

I know that Winegard makes a bracket for their satellite dishes that mounts on the back of the cab.

 

Actually it works quite well. The only challenge is physically placing it so that it has a clear view of the sky. The Tailgater (DISH) and the Flex (DirecTV) and the Winegard units all work well. Very few issues with them except for the older "in-motion" units in my experience.

And there are various mounts for all models at this point. Back, top, poles, loadlocks, windows, etc.

 

http://kingcontrols.com/products/

 

Thanks, love the radio call sign from Rescue 51. What's the story on the $7 monthly Dish surcharge for using the tailgater? How do they know? Why would they care as long as your buying the programming?

 

Actually, if you order up another receiver for your house, then they don't know. You just get the same monthly service fee for the extra box as if you put it on the den or whatever.

BUT! ...

Once you are about 100-200 miles from your physical home account location, you will NOT GET your home local network channels any more (ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, etc) because those are specific to your home region. For example, my ABC local nightly news show is NOT the same as yours because mine is for my home town and your is for your home town, etc. That is called a "spot beam" that the satellite companies use so that everyone gets their own "home region version" of the network channels.

Previously they would have a surcharge for mobile units because they would give you either the WEST coast or the EAST coast versions of the networks even while you are far away from home. But I heard that they have either stopped this option or changed it. So now the mobile unit surcharge has to do with "pay-as-you-go" convenience. You can turn it on and off from month-to-month. But that is mainly aimed at the RV customers, when naturally most truck drivers run year-around.

I think that both Dish and Direct are playing with different ways to capture the mobile market. So I think you'll see various developments on these whole "home verses mobile" plans as they mature.

 

Another option now on DISH is to use their "DISH Anywhere" app, which in some ways greatly simplifies things. But it does have it's own limitations.

The app is available for Android, iOS, and online. It is optimized for working with the DISH Hopper w/Sling Receiver/DVR. The app allows you to access your DISH receiver via internet from your phone or tablet while on the road. You can watch live TV and see all the channels you have at home. You can look at your program guide, and set your DVR for programs you want to have recorded, and watch any programs you have already recorded on your DVR. Of course, like any form of streaming, it is going to use a lot of bandwidth for watching programming sent over the internet from your receiver at home. And depending on network speeds where you happen to be, you could possibly experience buffering delays too.

Where this app shines for truckers is for time-shifters that use the DVR, especially if you can get home regularly and can wait to watch your favorite TV programs you've saved on the DVR. That's because you can transfer programming from your DVR to your portable device while at home and on your own WiFi network. You can then take your programming with you and watch it while on the road, without depending on WiFi or your phone's data network. And of course, without experiencing any buffering delays.

Obviously, there will be times you do want to watch live programming. But if you have a hefty data plan (or regular access to good WiFi on the road), and try to limit the live viewing and make the best use of transferring programming from your DVR to your portable device, this might be a suitable option that requires no additional hardware in your truck.

 

if you have the hopper SLING ( I do) just need to add a sling adapter for the truck (wifi required)..... live it but then again I have unlimited data.... grandfathered in

 

Thanks flood. Your post reminded me I meant to say "Hopper w/Sling" on my post, and corrected it. The Hopper w/Sling is the receiver most optimized to work with the Dish Anywhere app.