MORE INFO PAGES HERE ON OUR SITE:  Click the links directly above to get detailed info for the units presently on the market that work best on a semi truck or RV.

DieselBoss Review and Compare Page:  Truck satellite TV systems

"Getting satellite TV on a truck like you have at home can be a complex process - but it doesn't have to be.  We have spent a great deal of time and energy testing systems and creating methods to accomplish this for over a decade."

Here we review and compare the basics in the following topics:

reddot  INDUSTRY MODEL HISTORY:  You will see pictures of various models over the years on our pages.  We have been evolving with this and other technologies on trucks for going on 20 years.  So some of the terms you may hear when discussing this subject are:  Vu Qube, King, Kingdome, Carryout, Winegard, Portable, G2, X1, V10, V20, V30, in-motion, mobile dome, DuraSat, Tailgater, or Satellite Cube.  These are indeed all legit products or companies that relate to this page topic.

reddot  DISH VERSES DIRECTV FOR TRUCKERS:  Currently, Dish Network is catering more to the mobile market than DirecTV is.  Antenna products made for Dish tend to be a bit less expensive than those for DIRECTV since they are able to build some of the needed smart electronics directly into the DISH receiver.  Dish also has a "pay-as-you-go" billing option.  That option allows for a "no long-term home contract" style of programing that can be stopped and started "as desired" by you (in 30-day minimum blocks.)  However, the special programming choices, pricing, and even the basic channel lineups, can vary QUITE A BIT between these two U.S. content providers.  For instance, the guy writing this article has DirecTV for the NFL football package which shows EVERY single game played regardless of where you are in the country.  Although there are many network channels and cable channels that carry various NFL games, you are still subject to local and regional restrictions.
   BUT, maybe the NFL doesn't matter to YOU one bit.  Maybe it is NasCar, Baseball, Basketball, Hockey, College sports, or Soccer that is more important to you.  The point is that one of the primary differences between the "big 2" providers is in sports package programming.  So the best thing to do is to check their current programming and package lineups if you do not have either one at home yet.  (here are their links:  Dish or DirecTV)

reddot  IF YOU ALREADY HAVE IT AT HOME:  It is BY FAR easier and cheaper to simply add another receiver to your existing home account than it is to begin a stand-alone account just for your truck.  You will get the same package that you have at home in your truck (with 2 exceptions talked about in a minute.)  Both companies will still require a U.S. based home billing address.  And, as stated earlier, Dish is going to make it less painful to start a brand new mobile-only account (at the time I write this anyway) than DirecTV is.

reddot  HIGH-DEFINITION:  At this time, the actual satellite technology broadcasting bands used by Dish and Direct make a distinct difference here.  A physically small dish (usually around 18" to be practical on a truck or RV) CAN use the Dish Network HD band if you have one of their HD packages.  The band used by DirecTV cannot.  To keep it from getting too technical, the actual size, shape, and alignment of the HD process using DirecTV requires a dish setup that is just not practical to fit on a truck at this time.  Remember that HD only starts to make a big difference to your eyes as you get into bigger screens.  We have installed a few 42" screens in trucks and even a 50" once.  At that size, HD does make a big clarity difference.  BUT, MOST TV's in trucks run from 18 - 28 inches and high definition does not make as much of a difference in your decision at those sizes.

reddot  LOCAL AND NETWORK CHANNELS:  Once you get away from your home (50 - 100 miles) you will lose your local network channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, etc.) when using mobile satellite systems.  For DISH Network customers, they need to call customer service each night and request that the local networks be enabled where they are parked.  For DirecTV customers, you can request a distant services waiver at their web site to get either the Los Angeles or the New York local networks at all times.

reddot  EQUIPMENT:  There are only a few choices for mobile practical dishes on the market.  And even fewer for dishes that can be permanently mounted on the back of a truck.  We carry the Winegard and King brand equipment for instance.  Both companies are U.S. based and both have gone to the effort for many years to offer some solutions that go on trucks.  There are a few others (KVH Industries for one) that do offer forms of mobile equipment, but for us at DieselBoss, the VAST majority of trucks we work on do NOT have a flat surface roof to bolt a dome down onto.  (see below about why that makes a difference!)

reddot  SETTING UP MY OWN OLD-SCHOOL DISH:  Yes, this is done all the time.  This is WAY cheaper than a self-pointing unit and many drivers do this.  You need a cheap 18" round dish (try Amazon) and a receiver box and account from one of the satellite companies.  You also need a way to attach it (and usually a way to raise and lower it above other trucks and obstacles.)  You also need a good phone app or signal finder attachment and some skill at where to point it manually.  But I will say that I have seen MANY drivers come up with some innovative ways to attach these to their trucks.  Also note that DirecTV wins on this method because you only need to point it at one satellite.  For Dish, you need at least 2 satellites to get all of your programing.  It is cheap equipment, but the rather large downside is that it can be a painful process to do at the end of the day (especially in winter and high winds.)

reddot  IN-MOTION DISH or DIRECTV, VERSES STATIONARY:  For trucks WITHOUT a flat roof (like low-boys, and mid-roof style) the best option right now is from Winegard, found HERE on this site.  If you HAVE a flat roof that you can bolt a dome down onto, then you also should consider the King Dome or KVH in-motion units found on their respective web sites or in their authorized dealer network.  In-motion units are good for teams where one driver is off duty half of the time and wants to watch live TV while traveling.  REMEMBER though that satelllte TV is a "line-of-site" signal.  This means that you will see the signal drop out when it gets blocked by buildings or trees when you are driving in cities or heavily wooded roads.

reddot  CANADIANS:  Canada also has a couple of service providers - Shaw and Bell.  We have installed units that work with Bell, but we have no experience currently with Shaw.  We get this question a lot, so:  Yes - there is bleed-over of U.S. providers into Canada and vice-versa.  However, all of the providers on both sides require a home address in their country to legally get their service.  You can read between the lines and search the internet for lots of opinions on this subject.

reddot  And finally, SATELLITE INTERNET:   We get regularly asked if there is such a thing for trucks.  The short answer is:  NO.  The long answer is:  Yes, but you will only see it in very large and very expensive news-van, military, or big-bucks corporate remote settings (like some oil-drilling rigs.)  Dish Network and Hughes Net both offer satellite internet for home users, but there is no such mobile capability in place commercially for trucks through one of these satellite TV units.  The cell phone companies have a GIANT head-start on practical mobile internet and we don't see that changing anytime soon (if ever.)

How to install satellite TV on a truck - FOR OUR FULL IDEAS AND GUIDE PAGE  ---->  CLICK HERE
Various Mount Options - FOR OUR FULL Lineup of EXCLUSIVE big-truck satellite mounts  ---->  CLICK HERE

Some of our many installation pictures are show below.  Click any picture to enlarge it.  For the no-drill bracket to be used, the back of the truck needs to be a smooth surface.  By enlarging the pictures below, you can see examples of both "bolted" and "no-drill" installs depending on the rig.

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<MORE PICTURES AND INSTALL TIPS ARE AT THIS LINK>
Installation
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