Satellite TV (DirecTV)

Not a company driver, so not company provided but....I have DirecTV in my truck and only get the local channels when I am within about 350 miles of home. I was told that the networks do not allow them to broadcast the local channels out of area due to their contract..something to do with the way shows start at a certain time and depending on what time zone you are in recieving the show could be a violation of their contract so they won't allow it.

 

I think it has to do with which particular satellites it lines up to. If I remember right there are 7 Directv satellites up there. I heard that Dish is better for this mobile application, specifically to get the most channels, including locals but since I already had Directv at the house and a reciever laying around all it cost me was the VuQube and $5 a month for the reciever.

If I was starting from scratch I probably would have gone with Dish. Now that AT&T owns Directv I don't see the service improving or getting cheaper so come contract time I may be switching. I like seeing our local news and sometimes when I get home it's like I've been on another planet or in a coma for awhile and having to catch up.

 

Interesting... I don't have DirecTV in my truck but sure would like it... I sure to sell DirecTV and think all satellites are viewable from all 48 States... Some of those 7 mentioned above are decommissioned units kept in place as backups should they be needed. Well, they used to be but I am out of it now.

I assume the Networks are not being subscribed to and that's why they are not being offered to your unit... A quick call to DirecTV or your company coordinator should verify that either way.

Also, like sporting events, to "get local" you might need to connect the box up to a phone line now and then... I sold to some RV types that would have to do that to get their sports packages to work on the road like it does at home.... They might be doing something similar with local networks... I highly doubt the box has GPS to know where you are unless it uses the dish setup to guess what state you are in... Meaning the dish would be physically pointing in different directions depending on where it's looking to see the satellites.... Kind of like reverse triangulation.

 

The following post applies to mobile units (not home satellite) to clear this up for you:

a) They don't have a GPS or a way of knowing where you are. They do a thing called "spot beam" the networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX) to about 100-150 mile "cone" shape all over the country. That is how you get your "local news" and "local commercials" even though we are all watching the same CSI show being broadcast. Or the same football game, etc. So there are hundreds of these "cones" all over the country.

b) However, the smart card in your DirecTV or Dish receiver has been sent a code for YOUR cone spot-beam where you live. If you move outside of that beam, your receiver can't decode the beam where you are NOW unless it gets sent the NEW code signal for that cone. And that is a "manual" process - not an automatic one (at the time of writing this post anyway.)

c) If you have DirecTV in a truck or RV, you can fill out a "mobile waver" found at THIS link to allow the receiver to either ALWAYS get the West coast networks, or ALWAYS get the East coast networks. Your choice. But not the local feed in every town in the land.

d) If you have DISH Network mobile plan, you CAN get the receiver authorized every night with a phone call to them. Then you will get the "local spot beam" where you are sitting that night.

DISH uses 3 satellites for mobile units (the 110, the 119, and the 129.)
DirecTV uses one satellite for mobile: the 101.

(transparency disclaimer: I do have a horse in the race on this type of product as we install King and Winegard mobile units on trucks)

 

Heh, what would you guess? Lol. At last check I think t was like 15 bucks per month for all of the networks. Or $2.50 for each one at one time anyway. But since those companies can change prices and policies on a dime, the ultimate answer will come from calling them.

As far as the info needed on the form (and therefore who would have to provide it) check it here --> http://www.directv.com/learn/pdf/DNS_Vehicles_Aff.pdf

 

I track in on satellite 119 which is responsible for Little Rock and 400 miles line of sight. My card code automatically calls home over that 119 to verify im authroized to watched the channel. I use the basic package plus local.

Im getting ready to dump dish and beef my internet up to get that DVR hooked up to it. The rains this week caused me about 14 hours total off line due to liquid water between me and satellite in sky. There are 4 other satellites I can see but Im not authroized to connect to them because these manage other states with a large city in the center of their FEBA.. if that makes sense.

Dish has managed to drown in reruns. Im not any longer willing to pay cash money for three updated channels daily and the rest is the same regurgitated garbage played months, years into the past.

 

I have Dish in mine and the channel box has a card in it that tells what the local channels are. I have the same channels no matter where I am. I dont pay anything extra. I just have the basic HD channel package with HBO and Cinnemax.

I went with Dish because Direct TV could not offer HD channels with mobile satellite.

Hurst