Looking for information on types of services available on the road for truckers for TV and internet. Info. please
TV services on your truck
- Thread starter mforrester62
- Start date
There are several ways to get TV in the truck. One is with an over-the-air (OTA) HD antenna to pick up local television signals. Another way is, which I have, is to use the Dish Network Tailgater, which gives you satellite TV in the truck. You won't get local channels (ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox) with satellite, though.
How do you like it ?
I like it a lot. We have Dish at home, so the only additional cost (other than the receiver and antenna) is $7. But if you don't already have Dish, you can get it with a pay-as-you-go thing, where you prepay each month. DirecTV has the same thing, only DirecTV is strictly SD resolution, no HD channels.
You want to get the latest version of the antenna and not the older, taller VQ2500 (which I have). Here it is at Amazon, but you can buy it anywhere, including from Dish.
The satellite can be portable, or it can be mounted on the roof of the truck using a standard Qualcomm mount or mounting it directly to the roof (like I did). The satellite gets its power from the coax connected to the receiver. The receiver will need to be run off an inverter. Basically, you park, then fire up the receiver (only certain receiver models work, as they have the software to control the satellite), and you tell it what state you are in. Within a minute or two it will have located all 3 satellites and then download the program guide (the guide can take 2 or 3 minutes more), and you're good to go.
You will want to unplug the receiver, or use an extension cord with an ON/OFF switch on it, to kill the receiver when you're not actually watching it, because it'll draw between 2 and 5 amps even when it's turned off (like many home appliances these days, parasitic amp draws). So unplugging it or switching off the connection entirely is the way to go.
You want to get the latest version of the antenna and not the older, taller VQ2500 (which I have). Here it is at Amazon, but you can buy it anywhere, including from Dish.
The satellite can be portable, or it can be mounted on the roof of the truck using a standard Qualcomm mount or mounting it directly to the roof (like I did). The satellite gets its power from the coax connected to the receiver. The receiver will need to be run off an inverter. Basically, you park, then fire up the receiver (only certain receiver models work, as they have the software to control the satellite), and you tell it what state you are in. Within a minute or two it will have located all 3 satellites and then download the program guide (the guide can take 2 or 3 minutes more), and you're good to go.
You will want to unplug the receiver, or use an extension cord with an ON/OFF switch on it, to kill the receiver when you're not actually watching it, because it'll draw between 2 and 5 amps even when it's turned off (like many home appliances these days, parasitic amp draws). So unplugging it or switching off the connection entirely is the way to go.
Thank you . Sounds great .
I've got Direct TV and ive got a actual dish on the van. I turn the power on and the dish raises up and find the signal. You can get both SD and HD with this set up. I got this cause of the HD. Don't know if I'll go this route with the new van when that comes.
I have AT&T Uverse at home and I can go on an app and watch anything on demand or anything recorded on my DVR