Converting Travler from DirecTV to Dish Network

CoolBreeze · 01-13-2020, 08:02 AM

I'm in the process of accumulating the pieces and parts to convert the Travler (LG2112) to Dish. There are plenty of write ups about that but not so much the interior cabling part aside from the great info posted on RV Senior Moments. I'll be starting with one Wally that I'll move from TV to TV. I'm not interested in the Hopper line at this time.

The rooftop has 3 coax runs + the control cable going into the roof plate. Inside, I can find 2 of the coax + of course the control cable.

If you're still with me here's my question: does anyone know where I might find the 3rd missing coax? I'd like to avoid decaulking the roof plate and/or pulling ceiling panels to fish or find it. There's not a lot of room to get my arm up in there from the front cabinet to poke around.

Also - if anyone has any experience hooking up and using the Wally with a Travler I'd love to hear how it's working.

SLOweather · 01-13-2020, 11:12 AM

Quote:

I'll be starting with one Wally that I'll move from TV to TV.

Keep in mind that every time you power up a Wally, it takes a while (several minutes) to download the guide and get ready to watch.

Sorry, I don't have any Ttravler experience. We have a RoadTrip InMotion, and the wally communicates with it over the single coax to tell it to move between satellites.

grtharris · 01-22-2020, 10:15 PM

CoolBreeze, unless Winnebago has changed things the third coax stops in the roof. Converted our Travler from Directv to Dish when we purchased the coach. After changing out the dish and the lnb removed the Directv power injector and connected the coaxs together with barrel connectors.
Below is the link to the post were I changed to a Hopper 3. You will see the coaxs are a mess where they go through the roof.
http://www.winnieowners.com/forums/f...de-352661.html

CoolBreeze · 01-23-2020, 05:43 AM

Thanks for linking your previous post which pretty much confirms what I was not hoping for, that I would need to open up the roof entry plate and fish down a 3rd cable. It would be a nice-to-have but for now I'll get by with the 2 runs.

BVThunder · 01-24-2020, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoolBreeze

Thanks for linking your previous post which pretty much confirms what I was not hoping for, that I would need to open up the roof entry plate and fish down a 3rd cable. It would be a nice-to-have but for now I'll get by with the 2 runs.

Hope my reply is not too late to help, but we have bad cell service where we are. If you install a Dish Hopper3 in your unit, you only need one coax cable coming down from the dish. That is after you convert the LNB. The Hopper3 needs a DPH42 Hybrid switch with a power inserter which you mount on the roof. The three cables from the LNB plug into the DPH42 and one cable runs to the receiver. Wiring diagrams, instructions and youtube will help you. Best thing is you can now record all prime time shows on the DVR as well as other programs while you watch something else. Didn't have to do the Direct to Dish conversion but that part is not hard from what I've read. Good luck. As for help if you need it.

k9jkfham · 01-25-2020, 07:25 AM

It is my understanding (Not for this change) that any Traveler manufactured after 12/15/19 no longer needs the DPH42 switch. Winegard changed the LNB to make this happen. Only way you can make sure it is manufactured after 12/15/19 is to purchase direct from Winegard. Winegard says to many retailers have the old product on stock.

Morich · 01-26-2020, 10:11 AM

Something for us to consider is the devil is in the details! I'm slowly learning some of the downsides of the Dish setup and equipment, so be warned! They do not tell you lots of those small details and how it changes what you do.
I've spent hours and hours trying to get answers, only to find those answers are not correct.
I am now finding how often I use the RV changes how I have to work around some of the details of Dish. since I am not a full time RV person, the Dish is obviously not powered up except when on trips. Pretty obvious, huh?
The hitch is that the system will remove the Wally from their setup, if it is left for some amount of time. How long and how often the Wally has to be used, seems to be open to discussion from the tech folks but what it does to me as a user is a real pain.
In a two hour twenty minute calling trauma, I finally got them to put it back in service. But they do not have any standard service where you call and say, connect me. We had to go through the complete standard "pidgin english " helpline where they only read from the sheet and it has to be done as the sheet says. That involves unplugging/ replugging the Wally and going through the time consuming process and downloading any upgrades and the guide, before moving on. We went through that three times as each person finally agreed that we were doing our end right. There does not seem to be a way to cut to "reconnect me"!
Unless I can find a shorter method, I am now looking at arranging to have the RV plugged in to power the WAllY and keeping the Tailgater set up to avoid the system shutting me off. I DO NOT want to jump through the hoops for a couple hours each time we want to use the RV, that's for sure.
On the second step of the escalation, they are not sure how long we have to watch TV, nor how often it has to be done to keep it from cutting us off.
Also we find that calling and having them connect up to the local channels where we set the RV, will disconnect the DVR at home from recording the local channels there. No going camping, watching the local there and recording the Super Bowl at home to watch later! Either or, not both!

Magnum108 · 01-26-2020, 06:38 PM

I just did this to my 2013 Meridian. I simply called Winegard, told them what I have. They sent me a new Dish reflector and feedhorn. It came with instructions. I did not need to run any additional wires. I say call Winegard. It was worth it for me

Hofsdad · 01-26-2020, 06:44 PM

Have you tried young the mydish app from a Dish Network? We too used to hate to call but using the app you can “re-authorize” your receiver with the push of a button. We use a VIP211 but I imagine a Wally would work the same.

https://my.dish.com/app

Sorry I think I did that wrong. Was supposed to be a reply to Morich

n9wdq · 01-26-2020, 06:53 PM

we use the "sling" feature of Dish. With a wifi or any internet connection we basically are using the home system remotely. Dish Anytime makes having the physical system unnecessary unless you have no internet access worth talking about.

bobmac · 01-26-2020, 07:33 PM

On my 09 Journey, there were three cables. One at the mid coach entertainment center, the second in a front overhead compartment close to the front tv, and the third in the rear compartment across the back of the coach. Hope that helps but mine was installed in 2008 so it is highly likely things have changed. Good luck,

Magnum108 · 01-27-2020, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hofsdad

Have you tried young the mydish app from a Dish Network? We too used to hate to call but using the app you can “re-authorize” your receiver with the push of a button. We use a VIP211 but I imagine a Wally would work the same.

https://my.dish.com/app

Sorry I think I did that wrong. Was supposed to be a reply to Morich

This is how we do it, with the Dish App. We have Wally and it works great and easy. When we get to a new location, I power-up and synch the antenna, then plug in and power up the wally. Once it is all set up, I get on the app, and change my location. Works like a champ. Sometimes it takes a while to load, and there have been times I need to unplug and replug in the Wally. But otherwise, I NEVER call.

Morich · 01-27-2020, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magnum108

This is how we do it, with the Dish App. We have Wally and it works great and easy. When we get to a new location, I power-up and synch the antenna, then plug in and power up the wally. Once it is all set up, I get on the app, and change my location. Works like a champ. Sometimes it takes a while to load, and there have been times I need to unplug and replug in the Wally. But otherwise, I NEVER call.

Interesting! I should have known as everybody has an app!
But it does show how their customer service works when I talked for two hours and three different levels and nobody mentioned that I could do it myself?
One question, though about how you sycn the dish and then turn on the Wally? Is that what you meant or misspoke? I understood that the dish gets power from Walley? But then most of what I know about it is from their techs, so very much open to being wrong.

The online info I had bookmarked is now gone/moved.

jimbotucson · 01-27-2020, 10:27 AM

When I switched from Direct TV to Dish, I left the Direct TV setup intact and built a platform to hang a portable dish on the ladder. I connected to the portable dish connector inside the inverter compartment and added a Wally in the cabinet where the Direct TV receiver was located. The portable dish supports two receivers so I routed another coax from the inverter compartment up to the bedroom and use a second Wally there. This serves my purposes now and when I can't stand dish anymore, I can always go back to direct TV in the 2010 Journey.