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I am confused. Usually, when I have to buy something, it is easy to compare benefits. I am looking at Winegard dishes for DISH. Here are three models and their prices:

- RoadTrip T4 - $1,299
- Carryout G3 - $579
- DISH Playmaker - $299

Now, the only difference I can see is that the RoadTrip can be viewed while you are driving. However, in my case, there is a mechanism that does not allow this while the engine is on because of the position of the TV would allow you to see it out of the corner of your eyes while driving.

The Carryout G3 says it has a 20% bigger screen than the G2, but it does not compare screen size to the Playmaker. The Playmaker is really cheap and works only with Dish, but why is it half the cost of the Carryout??? Also, even though the second and third models are portable, they can also be mounted on the roof for a $49 mounting kit.

Does anyone know how you get what you pay for with these choices??

JudyJB wrote:I am confused. Usually, when I have to buy something, it is easy to compare benefits. I am looking at Winegard dishes for DISH. Here are three models and their prices:

- RoadTrip T4 - $1,299
- Carryout G3 - $579
- DISH Playmaker - $299

Now, the only difference I can see is that the RoadTrip can be viewed while you are driving. However, in my case, there is a mechanism that does not allow this while the engine is on because of the position of the TV would allow you to see it out of the corner of your eyes while driving.

The Carryout G3 says it has a 20% bigger screen than the G2, but it does not compare screen size to the Playmaker. The Playmaker is really cheap and works only with Dish, but why is it half the cost of the Carryout??? Also, even though the second and third models are portable, they can also be mounted on the roof for a $49 mounting kit.

Does anyone know how you get what you pay for with these choices??

Take care when purchasing new satellite anything at the moment.

There is a major shake-out going on in the satellite tv industry. If you are able, you might want to wait until the dust settles a bit, on the off chance that whatever purchase you make now, might soon be made obsolete, forcing you to again buy something new/er yet again.

Here's the dirt:

Direc-TV was recently acquired by AT&T (you know, that company that is world-famous for it's excellent customer support - NOT). AT&T has basically been taking a bath on this acquisition, and is in process of re-branding Direc-TV into AT&T TV, hoping to somehow stem the massive subscriber exodus to cord cutting currently going on.

AT&T is currently down 544,000 subscribers (lost to cord cutting) in first quarter, alone. Multiply that out by 1 subscriber = $100.00/mo, that is gotta hurt. A loss of $54,400,000.00 - yes, that is in millions of dollars lost - in this quarter alone. AT&T is basically bleeding money.

https://www.multichannel.com/blog/at-t-needs-to-kill-directv-to-save-it

Subsequent to that, there are now talks of a merger between Direc-TV/AT&T and DISH.

https://deadline.com/2019/06/att-and-dish-network-stocks-gain-on-directv-merger-speculation-1202629085/

It seems that AT&T is looking to corner the market, and create new revenue streams wherever, and however, it can. If AT&T can get DISH, I would bet good money that current DISH receivers will - sooner or later - be made obsolete.

Just sayin'. . .

Anne

Interesting info Anne, thanks for that summary. Will be interesting to see what shakes out.
Velda

Interesting. I certainly hope they are not allowed to acquire DISH because that would make a monopoly! WHo knows what they might charge for service.

That information makes a good reason for buying the second option, which can be used on both systems. As a TV addict, I cannot wait for several months, but many of the satellite dishes can be used on both systems.

we have the playmaker on our roof. not having any problems with it. however...we wanted to get a receiver that was also a DVR - cant use with playmaker only with the Traveler . also cannot have two tvs hooked to wally which works with playmaker.
we used to have the type of dish that unfolded itself on the roof and locked on to satellites - it was with Direct TV - when Direct quit carrying some of our must watch channels we switched to Dish both at home and on the RV. We had it installed in Quartzsite.
don''t you have Dish already?

I already have Dish and am happy with them. I don't want to change to Direct and have to sign a contract and get used to finding my old channels.

I checked around today, actually four hours of checking around. Some places had the satellite and not the mounting bracket or the satellite and the mounting bracket but could not install it until October!! Others had nothing. Finally found one that had the Playmaker, which I have decided I am going to get. It is only $249 so I can replace it some time in the future. No one has the C3 and it will take a long time to order. I finally found a place that had both parts and will install it Wednesday morning in Redding. Whew.

I do need to make sure I can use my DVD player with it.

Judy,

If you have a separate DVD player, you can probably use it without involving the satellite at all. Your tv set remote control settings can be changed back and forth and just connect the DVD player to the back of the tv. Or am I reading this wrong? Pooker

I think you are right. One problem is that all cords go through a pedastal in the upper corner of my front bunk area, so I cannot tell what goes to what. i\I should probably try it out, however., with the new receiver. I do have buttons that switch tV from regular antenna to satellite to DvD player. Except I no longer have a regular antenna as a tree in a grocery store parking lot snatched it a few years ago.