KVH and Direct TV, can someone explain the local channel situation?

dpvandy01

dpvandy01

Well-Known Member
Sep 6, 2007
2,535
Cincinnati, Ohio/Ohio River and SW Florida Gulf
Boat Info
2007 38 Sundancer
&
2014 Sea Fox 256 Commander
Engines
Twin 8.1L Close Cooled V-Drives & 300 Yamaha OB
I activated my KVH TracVision M1 with DirectTv yesterday and had a fantastic experience with the KVH tech support. The DirectTV end on the other hand? not so much. KVH ended up putting us on a three way call with DirectTV until we got up and running. BUT, DirectTV was unable to activate my Local Channels. I am using the boat in Cincinnati and the lady told me first of all that my local channels were only going to get reception while I am in the 45233 zip code?? WHAT? now I understand if I roam several hundred miles from my service area like say to Louisville I wont get their locals but I can be out of the 45233 zip in less than 5 miles. So within a 30 mile boat trip all in Cincinnati I will pass through 45052, 45001, 45233 (my service zip), 45204, 45203, 45202, 45208, and 45228.. now all of theses are CINCINNATI OHIO so all of these are get the same "LOCAL" channels. Does this sound right to anyone? To compound the problem I need my "service area code" and the lady from DirectTV told me to call my installer who was Rob, (a mechanic at Sea Ray). Since I bought the unit used Rob has no earthly idea, he simply mounted my unit and ran the cables. As it stands now I do not have ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX or the other small locals. Does anyone have experience with this setup and possibly know where I might find the "service area code"? The knuckle head at Direct kept insisting that I call my installer to have them program my dish with the proper code.... we did have a very serious language barrier as I'm most certain English was not her native tongue and my Farsi is a bit rusty.

Further info
TracVision M1
with DirectTV M10 receiver
new Access Card issued to me and assigned to my DirectTV account.

Thanks for any insight

Daniel
 
I have purchased the m1dx from Jim and will install it next weekend if the mount for my mast arrives. My conversations with KVH have been enlighting, likewise with Direct TV. KVH is great, Direct has no idea how to handle a boat tell them you have an RV, they understand that, maybe. When you are on the move they have a mobile package which does not include the local channels. This package is different than your home package.

What I have been told to do instead of an RV package is to activate an additional receiver for the HOUSE and Install the new box on the boat and it should work. I have a friend with an RV that does this. He goes to a lot of college games and claims to have no problems. KVH has been very helpful to me. KVH told me they would help me when I am ready as they have had this problem many times. Call KVH again and ask them to activate your account. Now if my custom mount will just arrive I will you know how it works.
 
I've had a KVH M1 for several years. It is registered to my home DirecTV account (ie home address) as a "extra receiver" ($7/month). I boat on a local lake that is several zip codes away. I receive the same locals that I do at home. Moreover, we have towed two hundred miles away and still received Atlanta-local stations on the M1.

The bottom line is that the spot beam used by the satellites for locals channels cover a large area--much larger than a zip code. All DirecTV really needs to know is that the M1 is an additional receiver on your account. Its physical location is irrelevant--within a relatively large area where your locals channels are transmitted from the satellite. If you go outside that area, you'll simply not receive locals.
 
If you don't have existing service with DirecTV, then I would simply register the new account with your home address. Ordinarily, if you didn't already have a dish installed this would result in truck roll to perform dish installation and alignment. To head that off, you can let hem know its KVH mobile hardware (probably easier to indicate RV as DirecTV is confused by the concept of boats). At that point, your account will receive local programming according to your home address. If they seem inquisitive, simply tell them you boat (or RV) in your front yard and leave it at that. Details seem to confuse them in these types of activations.

DirecTV is great once you're activated--communicating with them in most circumstances is a study in how customer service has gone awry.
 
I recently purchased a 470 with all the directv and kvh equipment in place. It took me several weeks going back a forth with kvh and directv. Each of them said I needed to call the other. I finally told DirecTV I was for a home install. When the installer arrived I gave him the story and he had me going in minutes.
Bottom line...don't say its for a boat, just order it using home address.
 
As said, call KVH. I called and a nice lady gave me all the 3 digit codes I wanted for areas I go. KVH should give you all the codes you need and just change in the menu screen as needed in route.
 
Just tell them for it's for your house....
 
Telling them it is for my home at this point won't get me my local channels until it give them the "location code",,, as I understand it. So, does anyone know where i find it or how I go about programming the location code?? I'm going to call KVH tomorrow perhaps they might have some insight.


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One phone call to KVH, they gave me the code walked me through the modification, connected me directly to DirecTv and 6 minutes from start to finish I have my local channels and all is working as advertised. Happy boater


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Great thread! Thanks for posting. I recently purchased a used M-7 and will be installing on my boat this summer. Once I get it mounted, my thinking is to hire an installer to run the wires and get the system running.
 
Direct TV moved local channels from satellite 119 to High Def 99 and 103. Was working last weekend… not today. Was on hold with Direct TV for over an hour… walk through multiple settings, trouble shooting, etc. Called KVH and immediately told us what happened. Only way to get at this point is to upgrade our KVH to their big dome. Guses no more locals…unfortunately on our lake is remote and streaming isn't reliable. If anyone has suggestions on this new issue please let us know!
 
AngieRonS said:
Direct TV moved local channels from satellite 119 to High Def 99 and 103. Was working last weekend… not today. Was on hold with Direct TV for over an hour… walk through multiple settings, trouble shooting, etc. Called KVH and immediately told us what happened. Only way to get at this point is to upgrade our KVH to their big dome. Guses no more locals…unfortunately on our lake is remote and streaming isn't reliable. If anyone has suggestions on this new issue please let us know!
Click to expand...
Depending upon what system you have, you should receive from DSS 101 and DSS 119. AT&T is migrating off of 119 slowly but surely.
A recent article on it -
https://blog.solidsignal.com/tutorials/whats-left-on-directvs-119-satellite/
 
I am wanting to be done with KVH and DirectTV.

my cooling fan on the control unit has gone out, not sure I will replace.
 
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