Direct TV Genie December 09, 2017, 11:52:28 pm I had started what was becoming quite a tome, so will simplify to asking if anyone uses a Genie in their rig. Ldy Lulubell's previous family installed a Winegard Trav'ler, & said they just took the box from the house to the rig. When I went to the Escapade in Tuscon in '15 I was ready to make the leap with the vendor there & dump the cable as soon as I got home, but then the vendor said he couldn't arrange for an installation at the house & I should take care of it all when I got back to Missouri, so I've just let it slide for almost three years 'til I'd totally had it with the cable provider in September.All I've found is the manual for the factory-installed crank-up dish the original owners had. I've looked back through the archives, and I've gone online where I've read that I can--or cannot--use the Genie. I've got two pages of notes from what I tried last weekend, but here's the gist of it: when I hooked things up last weekend, the dish raised into position; the interface box indicated it was locked onto 101, 110, & 119; the remote that is programmed with the Genie powered on both the Genie & TV, just like it does here at the house, but the TV simply had the "No Signal/LG" floating across the screen.I remember reading somewhere on here not to tell the company when ordering, or the installer, that an RV was in the picture--something about extra charges...techs get confused because they're only trained to program for stationary applications...various complications, so I'm hesitant to call the young man who did the install, even though he lives right here in town.So, I can go deeper into the weeds with what I've tried already, but first need to know if I'm on the wrong path with using the Genie. If so, then I've got to figure out another course--or if I can use the Genie, I need guidance from the Wizards.Thx, in advance--Lynne
Re: Direct TV Genie Reply #1 – December 10, 2017, 01:39:46 am Lynne,The Genie mini receivers that reside in alternate rooms rely on the Genie main receiver. The mini can do (EDIT) search functions but receive the transmitted signal from the main receiver/recorder to do so as well as relying on its storage to record shows viewed on the mini’s. This is my understanding as it was explained to me by the DTV tech and the installer.Now, perhaps the main Genie receiver/recorder could function normally in the LD. No one has said it wouldn’t as far as I know. It’s worth a try. Just remember that the Genie Mini’s can do no more than receive the the information from the main Genie.I hope I’m understanding your situation. I do know that DTV no longer manufactures the small DTV non/Recording receiver than Todd demonstrated at the Mothership when we picked up our LD in 2015.I also understand that Dish allows RV owners to use their service on a stop and go basis where the satalite service can be paid for on a temporary use contract. That’s an option that I wish DTV had. On the other hand DTV can be viewed data rate free on your AT&T smart phone or tablet at no additional fee.Best of luck.Kent
Re: Direct TV Genie Reply #2 – December 10, 2017, 10:34:04 am I know the Genie can be used with the Trav'ler...just like the Hopper can be used with the Trav'ler for Dish customers.I don't know the details, though. However, there are lots of knowledgeable people over at the Escapees Discussion Forum in the Satellite RV and Radio On The Road Forum. Ask away over there. 1 Likes
Re: Direct TV Genie Reply #3 – December 10, 2017, 11:30:38 am "On the other hand DTV can be viewed data rate free on your AT&T smart phoneor tablet at no additional fee."Does DTV have PBS? Virtual hugs, Judie
Re: Direct TV Genie Reply #4 – December 10, 2017, 12:03:26 pm "Does DTV have PBS?"Yes, but not if you use your home receiver or have an additional receiver ($6.95/mo) on your home account and are out of your home area. You need an RV account and then choose either the LA or New York feed. An RV account was $67/mo last I checked.
Re: Direct TV Genie Reply #5 – December 10, 2017, 12:29:00 pm We don't have any account - home or RV. I guess Play PBS is the best option when one desires only one channel. ;-> Virtual hugs, Judie
Re: Direct TV Genie Reply #6 – December 10, 2017, 01:30:41 pm Thx for the quick response, Kent & Linda. I should have been clearer--I was trying to use the main Genie because I did understand from the original installer at the house that the mini-Genies in the kitchen & basement were just extensions dependent on the main unit. RE: "...perhaps the main Genie receiver/recorder could function normally in the LD." That was my understanding from what the previous owners did, & so had thought I could just make the same connection in the rig that I disconnected from in the house, e.g.,coax from the dish into the house into the back of the main Genie unit = coax from rig's roof into the entertainment center into the Genie, and HDMI from the Genie to the HDMI port on the TV in the house = HDMI from the Genie to the HDMI port on the TV in the rig...but somewhere the equation ain't balanced. I'll check at the Escapees & Radio on the Road sites.I know ATT advertises that "DTV can be viewed data rate free on your AT&T smart phone or tablet at no additional fee." but that's of no use to me since I don't have a cell phone (much less a smart one) or tablet. I was able to get the ATT rural phone & internet for $60 that was discussed on the forum last winter & I can take that with me--though the 12 volt adapter that worked so well with my Walmart Straight Talk router doesn't work with the ATT router (I have to plug it into the power strip in the entertainment & use the inverter, as with the TV).Judie, I've been able to pick up PBS with the OTA Jack antenna nearly everywhere I've picked up the other national/regional channels (ABC/CBS/NBC/etc.). In fact, I've picked up the subchannels that aren't even on my Direct TV or previous cable feed (like PBS Create which has lots of the cooking/gardening/crafting shows, or METV with reruns like Wagon Train/Rifleman/Perry Mason/etc.). I've picked up some OTA channels out of the Kansas City market better at the farm six miles south of town (not significantly closer to KC than the house in town) & on a hill than when the rig is in the driveway at the house. It certainly depends on the market & how strong the OTA signals are--can't find much of anything in the middle of Kansas & 50 miles north of Chillicothe near the Iowa line is pretty dead (though we had TV up there in the late '50s when I was a preschooler on my dad's homeplace, in opposite directions: one channel out of St. Joe to the SW & one out of Kirksville to the E, with an antenna on the roof--I remember what a big deal it was when we got a a rotor & Daddy didn't have to lean out an upstairs window to turn the thing by hand).Thx, again--Lynne
Re: Direct TV Genie Reply #7 – February 11, 2018, 02:17:25 pm You can use the Genie box in your RV, but you cannot use the standard dish on the roof anymore. Most of the manual portable dishes on stands you see can still work, but they need an additional piece of equipment (converter box) installed on the cable to your Genie. There are also a number of self-pointing dish set-up that work with DTV. I opted to just have a lot of things recorded on the DVR when we travel and forgo getting an expensive satellite dish for TV. you can watch anything you've previously recorded at home without having to have a signal.David G
Re: Direct TV Genie Reply #8 – February 12, 2018, 03:09:07 am Quote from: David Gardner - February 11, 2018, 02:17:25 pmYou can use the Genie box in your RV, but you cannot use the standard dish on the roof anymore. Most of the manual portable dishes on stands you see can still work, but they need an additional piece of equipment (converter box) installed on the cable to your Genie. There are also a number of self-pointing dish set-up that work with DTV. I opted to just have a lot of things recorded on the DVR when we travel and forgo getting an expensive satellite dish for TV. you can watch anything you've previously recorded at home without having to have a signal.David G Hi, David--Thx for your response. I knew the factory-installed manual dish wouldn't work, but the previous owners had installed an automatic Winegard Trav'ler. I can't seem to find a manual for anything but the manual DSS from the original owners. Everything I've read about this makes the process seem simple & straightforward...but I just feel simple as I've tried to accomplish this. When I power on the interface box, the Trav'ler cranks itself up & the interface box indicated it was locked onto 101, 110, & 119. I have both black & gray coax coming through the roof from the dish, & black & gray coax coming from inside the entertainment center (from the inverter or something--it's behind the panel that has a Xantrex rocker switch, push-button switch to power the Jack OTA antenna, some kind of splitter labeled cable/antenna). I tried making the same connections in the rig that I disconnected from in the house (i.e., coax from the dish into the house into the back of the main Genie unit = coax from rig's roof into the entertainment center into the Genie, and HDMI from the Genie to the HDMI port on the TV in the house = HDMI from the Genie to the HDMI port on the TV in the rig) with both the gray coax & the black coax. The remote that is programmed with the Genie powered on both the Genie & TV, just like it does at the house, but the TV simply had the "No Signal/LG" floating across the screen , so I've either not connected something or there's something to program on the TV or the Genie isn't accepting the program from the dish (when the dish at the house was moved a few months ago to its permanent location, the tech had to reprogram the Genie because the power to the dish had been interrupted or something). You mentioned a "converter box" & I saw that in the online directions that I found & I don't see anything inside the rig but the interface box--where would I get a "converter box"? I would even be glad to do what you've done & watch what I've already got recorded on the DVR & use the OTA to pick up networks for news & PBS, but I get nothing--the remote only powers on the Genie & TV, with no other functionality. ...and so, I remain in a dithering state of confusion (well, temporarily suspended, since the rig's nestled in her machine shed at the moment)--but I'll be glad for any suggestions to try the next time I head out to exercise the genn/etc.Thx, again--Lynne
Topic: Direct TV Genie (Read 285 times)
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Topic: Direct TV Genie (Read 285 times)
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