Leave it to DirecTv to be vague

[Paladin]

I sent a message to DirecTv in hopes of finding out for once and for all if their coming change over to Mpeg-4 compression will make mobile domes and especially in-motion obsolete.

Here is the reply I got:

"Thanks for writing and I can certainly understand your concern and inquiry about your mobile dish being compatible with future compression types that DIRECTV will be using.  Your information has been sent to me for review, and I'll do my best to provide you with the best in class customer service that you deserve.

Any proposed new equipment or enhancements to current equipment and signal delivery are subject to change until a formal announcement is made, so I don't have any information that I can share with you right now. I have, however, forwarded your email on to our management so that they can have a record of your request."

Here's the thing: DirecTv has already begun the switch in compression (at least according to their release) and I doubt it's subject to much change, they've already invested a large sum in the change. Also, my understanding is that in-motion simply will not work due to the differences in locking onto the additional sat.
I really suspect that they don't want address the issue because there is no work around.
Winegard says that Dish network in HD will work with their domes though I'm not real clear on the reasons why. Obviously different satellites but is that it? I wonder why on Dish you wouldn't need an elliptical dish with more lnb's to also see the Ka band?
Does anyone know?

Maybe a crank up dish or other stationary type is in my future........

[Kubla]

guess I will not be getting an in-motion setup for my Direct TV account, bummer, guess you can still set up a standard dish once you get there

[buswarrior]

The future of in-motion may be the internet?

The same flat round unit mounted on the top of the airplanes is also making its way onto the roofs of motorcoaches, both charter and line haul.

Just when you get comfortable with how the world works...

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[artvonne]

  The only thing I can see that might make a difference is if the in motion cannot solidly lock onto a satellite and keep it locked. There is not a lot of room for error as the signal is such high freq, if your locking on solid now I would not see why it wouldnt stay locked if they go to compression. If they make this change, are they changing frequency? Do you need a different LNB or receiver? Are they putting up a different (Ka band) satellite? Ka band is higher, but I thought all the mini dish stuff was already Ka band and the in motion stuff could track it.

[Paladin]

I really don't know too much about it. They say that HD uses both Ku and Ka bands, I forget the satellite number off hand but maybe others remember it. DirecTv is switching from Mpeg2 which is standard to Mpeg4 compression which is HD and uses more bandwidth. My understanding is that in order to receive HD you need another lnb which receives Ka. All of the home dishes sold in the past dozen years or so are supposed to be ready to go already, these are the Slimline Phase III series and similar. The dishes in the domes that we use are supposedly not large enough for the lnb or the signal and they obviously do not have the extra lnb.

I was told that the satellite target that the Ka needs to lock onto is very small and in motion setups would have a hard time locking on or maintaining a track while in motion.

That's about all I know but either way, both Winegard and DirecTv say that in motion HD is highly unlikely but a stationary dish set up after parking is always an option.
I'm trying to educate my self on the differences between Dish and DirecTv and why we can supposedly get HD with Dish but not DirecTv.

[artvonne]

  I forgot Ka band is 26-40 Ghz (gigaherts) vs 12 -18 Ghz for Ku. Higher the band, the more accurate (line of sight) you have to be with the satellite. The old C band dishes were big because the waves were big. K band (old Ku) was much smaller waves, and Ka smaller yet. They go to Ka and you can forget about watching TV much, even fog will likely blow you out of service.

  Makes me angry, that America invented TV and we had awesome coverage. You could put up an antenna 100 miles out of town and still pull in the big city TV stations, and NOTHING, not even the heaviest rain, would even flicker the picture. Not you can barely get a signal 25 miles and the slightest mist blows it off. Real great system to have for when the weather is bad.

[white-eagle]

Why don't we all just quit watching?  Talk to your wife/girlfriend/concubine, see the kids, enjoy the fresh air, meet your neighbors, and have a happy hour, or just get on the bus board.  i'd get more done if i didn't have this and the TV 

on the other hand, direct is not going to drop consumers, so don't expect anything that will disable most of us from watching anytime soon.  my TV is about a 22" which is fine.  HD doesn't make a whole lot of difference on a small screen.  the difference is if you have a 40" in or so.  then it gets fuzzier as it get bigger screen.  Not enough pixels until you get hd.

Winegard sells their 5 lnb directv dish, but it doesn't work going down the road.  also a 3 lnb dish for dish.  the dirctv unit locks onto a couple ka sats, and i think 3 ku sats.  i think dish just does ku right now, but i don't know.  i do know they have at least 2 satellites you must get to get all the stations, but i think all are ku. 

i don't think directv is going to drop anyone real soon and now is not a good time  to force change and purchases.

[oldmansax]

Why don't we all just quit watching?  Talk to your wife/girlfriend/concubine, see the kids, enjoy the fresh air, meet your neighbors, and have a happy hour, or just get on the bus board.  i'd get more done if i didn't have this and the TV 

I'm with you, Tom

We haven't had TV in several years...... of course, technically we're old fogies I guess.   

I don't see where we've missed much. We do have a dish that picks up the free-to-air (FTA) satellite. Most that's on there is religious stuff but we get BBC news, Al Jazeera news, & one channel that broadcasts REAL old TV. I'm hooked on the Cisco Kid right now.   

We have a regular TV antenna that picks up whatever local stations  there are in wherever we happen to be.

I just can't see paying for lots of stuff I don't watch & mostly don't like.

TOM

[jjrbus]

At least the response is in English     JIm

[Ace]

We had two tv's in our bus but opted to take the one out of the br.
It not only allows for more sleep but also allows more room with added peace!
Man I WAS going a different direction with this but you get the idea!

[buddydawg]

We had two tv's in our bus but opted to take the one out of the br.
It not only allows for more sleep but also allows more room with added peace!
Man I WAS going a different direction with this but you get the idea!

More 'peace' is a good thing

[Paladin]

In this wacky world there are actually people who want to watch tv for whatever reasons they may have and thus the thread about DirecTv.

[white-eagle]

if you notice, i did try to post some "useful" on topic info.  For those "wacky" people who actually want to watch TV and in answer to your question.