HDTV via Satellite

ddfarms,

We have DirecTV but do not have Samsung surround sound connected to TV. DH says most HD programs play in duplex and even if hooked up to surround sound, wouldn't play like 5.1 surround or THX (which is how DVD's play through the surround sound). I am not technical on this stuff so hope this tidbit makes sense to you. I think some people have figured out how to get TV sound through the surround but not sure it is worth it.

CJ

ddfarms said:

Can anyone help us with our Samsung surround sound connections? We hooked up a Directv satillite and the TV works. But how do we get TV sound to go thru our surround sound Samsung? Is it possible? What cables do we use or do we need additional cables?

Click to expand...

Hello ddfarms,
On the back of the Samsung Surround receiver, there is an additional input. I believe it's labeled 'Aux Input' or similar. This is the connection you need to use. From here, you have two options.

1. Connect an RCA Audio cable (2 plugs on each end, Red / White) between the DirecTV Receiver's Audio Output to the Samsung's Aux Input.
2. Connect a Headphone to RCA cable ( Red/White plugs on one end, a Headphone connection on the other ) from the TV's Headphone output to the Samsung's Aux Input.

Option 1 above will ONLY let you hear the TV Sound through the surround sound IF you are watching DirecTV.

Option 2 above will let you hear ALL TV sound through the surround sound. As such, I recommend option 2.

What CJ was referencing is that using the analog audio signal from your DirecTV receiver (or TV for that matter) only gets you what's called "Dolby Pro Logic" surround sound. While this is inferior to today's DolbyDigital and DTS technologies, it still provides a MUCH more emmersive sound than regular stereo. I highly recommend utilizing the surround sound speakers and receiver whenever possible.


Warning: Geek info follows!
(inside the quote so you can easily skip it if you desire.)

Quick lesson on Surround Sound:

• Dolby Pro Logic: One of the oldest surround sound technologies. Provides for 4 discreet channels of audio. This technology can be signaled across normal Left/Right audio interconnects like RCA Cables. (Notice only one rear channel that's split between the two rear speakers):
  • Front Right
  • Front Left
  • Front Center
  • Rear Surround

Note: A digital connection is required for the below technologies to operate. There is just too much data to travel in tandem with the normal Left/Right audio pairs.

• Dolby Digital 5.1: All but the earliest released DVD's support this technology. Provides 6 discreet channels of sound. This is the most common surround sound technology utilized today, and is still supported even on High Definition discs. Dolby Digital 5.1 provides the following audio channels:
  • Front Right
  • Front Left
  • Front Center
  • Rear Left
  • Rear Right
  • And the .1 is the Subwoofer or "Low Frequency Effects" (LFE) Channel
• Dolby Digital 7.1: Same as 5.1 above, but provides for 2 additional surround sound channels. Adds channels which are designed to be on each side of the listener (vs In front of, or behind).
• Dolby TrueHD: This is a relatively new technology and is almost exclusively used on BluRay / HD-DVD High Definition discs. Where all of the technologies above this use compression (i.e. They loose some of the audio quality to conserve space and allow for all of the channels they provide), Dolby TrueHD can support 100% uncompressed audio on all channels. This takes up a significant amount of space, is only supported by the absolute newest equipment on the market. Dolby TrueHD provides for 7.1 sound.
• DTS: This is a competing technology to Dolby Digital. I personally prefer the DTS version of surround over Dolby Digital because from my experience, DTS mastered audio tends to have the rear surround channels be a bit more pronounced. DTS Comes in 5.1 and 7.1 varieties, as well as the DTS-HD Master audio to compete with all of the DolbyDigital impliments as above. Same channel count as Dolby Digital, just processed differently.

Click to expand...

Ok, I know this is WAY more information than most require, but hopefully this provides some insight into the mystery behind the different Surround Sound technologies.

Feel free to ask questions.
LK

We are using the Direct-Tv 5 LNB Slim Line HDTV, with the Landmark did have a small problem hooking up to the Jensen. Since then we have went to a Mobile Suites and we are still using the Direct-Tv system. Its mounted on a Tri-Pod and after setting the Tri-pod up, Make sure its level. Then using the menue on the Direct-Tv set up to get you tilt and elevation. Then sweep right to left and when you get the strongest signal lock it down. Don't forget you must have a clear view to the Southern sky. We have used Direct-Tv in our last 4 5th wheels. I believe it to be the simplest to set up. I admit we haven't used Dish net while in the 5th wheel. We also had to quit full timing because Delaine's Mom has some medical issures. Good Luck.... GBY....

Almost forgot we due have the Surround sound but we have a Sony receiver and a Samsung Tv and it works all time. Love to hear Top Gun dvd makes it sound like your there. Only got the Surround sound to work with the DVD player with the Landmark? Never did understand why, the dealership couldn't get it to work either?????

Since DirecTV has launched a new satellite (D11), they are in the process of moving all HD programing to the MPEG-4 format. This will not happen overnight so you do not need to change out equipment real soon.

Because of this, the HD signal will come from 2 main satellites at 99 and 103. Since these are very close to the satellite at 101 a new dish, the slimline 3 will be out soon. This new dish will be simpler to aim since you basically have to find only one satellite. This will be a potential great thing for RV'ers using tripod dishes.

I am definitely looking forward to this new dish.

Anyone notice a loss of signal on HD channels during light rains? We can switch over to a non HD channel and have a signal. The audio is also lower on the HD channels.

Snuffy,

Due to the size (micro) waves of satellite television signals, they are susceptible to "rain fade". Normally during heavy rain though for non-dome dishes.

That said, "yes", I must agree with you. This past weekend, we had some rain. Light rain seemed to be problematic and heavy rain was okay. Made no sense. Only thing I can thing of was that I was not peaked on the satellite. Dunno...

With our Wineguard Roadmaster slim auto dish it takes a lllooonnnngggg time to find the satellite and it is very very very very touchie when it come to the weather. I am going to call Wineguard to see if there might be something wrong or if it is just the dish is so small it makes it difficult to find it. The last time it searched for 2 hours before it found the satellite. And there were no trees within 100 yards. About half the time I have to go on the roof and wipe off the dish even if there in nothing visible on it. Weird...????

It's been a while, so this information may be wrong now...the size of your standard raindrop is approximately the size of one wavelength of a Ku band satellite signal. I'm not sure about the Ka...but, I imagine that there's raindrops out there that will affect it too.

My main satellite dish was rated at something like 4 inches of rain an hour with degraded service down to about 7 inches an hour. Now, that I've sold you that snake oil...personal experience was anything more than 1/2 an inch of rain per hour would shoot the bird down. Funny thing was it did not appear to be the local rain...but, the rain in the atmosphere 20 miles away that would really do you in. This is with a 15 meter dish running several hundreds watts of uplink power.

I would not take anything the vendors say as an absolute truth. The readings they give you are under laboratory conditions. It's kind of like the gain of your CB antenna....6db of gain? In reference to what? You can't give a real number to a relative measurement. Just where are you taking the measurement and what are you referencing that measurement to?

I used to analyze my uplink power on a spare downconverter. We ran 3 db on the high side of the saturation curve. That gave us some leaway. But, we never came close to reaching the numbers the manuf. provided. I've seen a fog bank take down a 6 Gig microwave shot out in the Gulf. And, that was with a 10 foot Andrews solid dish!

We are all stuck with a 18" inch dish and it's will never provide the gain necessary for consistent service under anything other than pristine weather conditioning. And, we are talking a downlink here...and there ain't a lot of signal there to begin with. Get the dish that they use for Alaska and you will see a big difference. I think it's a .75 meter dish.

DirecTV DVR

LK (linuxkidd) or any one else
We have a DirecTV DVR and it takes two connections. We connected it with one connecton. We could only record on the channel that we were watching. We could not watch one channel and record another with one connection. We had to have DirecTV out because the DVR went out. They had to replace it. He said because we only had one connecton to it that caused it to go out. I don't thank that was true. We will see if it goes out again. The only way that we could get the two connection is go thru the window. I do not like that way of doing it. We would have wires going up to the the DVR from the window and that looks bad.
Hope someone out there knows a better way of doing the two connections. Maybe if we can fine the cable splitter and by pass it to the satellite connection we can have two satellite connections in the living room. I know that we can not use the cable connection because of the splitter that goes to the living room and then to the bedroom. Satellite will not work if a splitter is used. It has to have one connection straight to the DVR (no splitters).
Thanks for anyones help. If the DVR goes out again I quess we will have to go thru the window or just use a HD receiver. I sure like to record shows and watch later.
Thanks
Kathy & Warren

We just had the Winegard Slimline for DirecTV installed by Camping World on our 5th wheel. They had some challenges with the existing wiring due to the slideout in the main area. They had to bypass the auxillary box (the one that shows ant, cable, etc.) to get both tvs to work with the dish. Everything works great and we love getting HD reception and both tvs are independent of each other. The only down side is that we cannot get local channels by hooking into the cable at an RV park. Our local channels will always be Los Angeles. Good luck!

Warren & Kathy,

I found a solution to running too cables into a slide out room.

I have HugheNet Dish for our Internet. It requires two cables from the dish to the Modem which I installed inside the entertainment center of our 3400 RL BigHorn.

I used a dual cable wall outlet... for the outside connection... drilling two holes in the side of the slide wall. Cutting into the wall panel... I placed a blue plastic "old Work" type outlet box... with the back end cut out so it fit inside the wall... another dual cable plastic cover for the inside... but I eliminated the coax connectors... and just ran the two wires through the holes... attaching those two wires to my Modem.

Silicon sealed the outside cover... and I attached a plastic runner... sort of a guide so the rubber seal would not catch on the two cable connections sticking out.

I would suggest... you might be able to do the same with yours.... If you need the cables to run higher than I did... it should be pretty simple to snake them inside the side wall of the slide out room to the location you will need them for your receiver.

Hope this helps... Wish You Luck !

kathyo said:

... He said because we only had one connecton to it that caused it to go out....
Thanks
Kathy & Warren

Click to expand...

This is completely bogus. These devices are setup to operate on only one connection if that's what's available. If you have two, then additional capabilities are unlocked.

It sounds like someone was wanting to milk $$ for installation of a 2nd line out of a regular service call.

Don't give into this scheme. If you're happy with one line, then stick with that. If you want the additional capability, then we can discuss the easiest way to get the 2nd feed going. Depending on your coach's existing wiring, it may be quite easy.

Thanks,
LK

It's been awhile since anyone posted to this thread, but I'm going to give it a try for an answer. We just had DirectTV installed at the house and would like to be able to use it with the RV. I have the Receiver, and have links to various tripods and other mounting solutions. However, what's the best value on a dish? We will be using a non-HD receiver.

Gus, I think the best value for a dish is to get one free. I can think of two ways to accomplish that. One is to pm me with your phone number and I will give you one of my spares for the price of shipping it, or get a hold of a DirecTV office near you and tell them you want an extra dish for your rv. They should give you one free. I got a five lnb high def dish no cost, no problem. I think several others have done this as well.
Good Luck.
Peace
Dave

Thanks for the offer Dave,

Let me try the local office. Free sounds like a pretty good deal. If I can't make any arrangements with them, I may get back to you on the Free offer plus cost of shipping. (Or it could be a good excuse to come visit my son in Minnesota. As I recall I pass through Wisconson to get there.)

Gus

Dave,

Just sent you a PM.

Gus

Direct TV

I was told that the satellite companies are frowning on "sharing" the service with an RV. They want us to have TWO accounts. One for home and one for the RV. Rediculous. I would take up the offer for the "free" one by mail.

Direct TV

I'm very discouraged with Direct TV right now. I've had to call them 4 x while camping to go through the commands and then refresh my 5lnb, and we still aren't getting our local channels nor the weather channel, and we are camping just 32 miles from home. Any suggestions? We have 89% on the satellite signal, best we can get.

Different channels come in from different satellites. Have you checked that you're receiving all the channels. If not, your aim is slightly off. I think directv recently dropped two satellites but picked up another, and transferred some channels to the new one.

goldenbetty said:

I was told that the satellite companies are frowning on "sharing" the service with an RV. They want us to have TWO accounts. One for home and one for the RV. Rediculous. I would take up the offer for the "free" one by mail.

Click to expand...

It may depend on the Directv customer service rep that you are speaking with. If one says no, you might hang up and try again. I have one plan, HD, 4 receivers, and one is listed as being in my RV by serial number. They have never said I can't do that, and even had a tech service rep on the phone a couple of times 6 months ago when I was setting up the HD antenna after using the SD antenna for 2 years.