Issues with using Direct TV Steaming with StarLink. Anyone with experience?

[Al F]

Is there anyone with experience using Direct TV Streaming over StarLink internet? I am a brand new StarLink and Direct TV Streaming user here.   I am still in the trial period for both.  (I am a long term Dish satellite user)  I am having problems with receiving the correct local channels.  We are located about 20 air miles W of Portland, OR and want the Portland local channels.  We also change our local channels about 15-20 times a year.  Sometimes every couple of days, other times we stay put for a few months.  Changing locals for Dish is a bit of a pain, but it works.   Our hope is to move to StarLink so we have strong internet speeds everywhere we go, including places w/o cell service.

When I initially installed and configured the new Direct TV dongle (Gemini) and connected it to my StarLink network, I started receiving the Seattle local channels.  (My billing address is in the San Antonio, TX area.)  I spent about 1.5 hours in a chat session with Direct TV.  They changed my home address (and probably billing address) to our son's address just outside of Portland.  Then doing a factory reset to the Gemini and re-configuring, the Portland locals connected.  

Overnight I turned off the Gemini and the next late afternoon when I turned it back on, I found out I was connected to the Medford, OR (far south Oregon) local channels. 

This morning I turned on the Gemini and we were still had the Medford locals.  I turned off StarLink and connected to the internet through my Verizon jetpack.  Still had the Medford locals. 

I continued testing, by doing a factory reset on the Gemini and configuring to my Verizon jetpack.  Lo and behold, I now have Portland locals.

My conclusion:

--  The Gemini at configuration (and maybe at other times) will change the local channels to where ever the over-the-air internet connection, connects to the ground station.  With StarLink satellite, it connects to the ground station in many different locations maybe several hundred miles from my physical location .  In my case that could be anywhere within a few hundred miles of Portland.

--  While the billing address may affect where the local channels are selected (which is what I believe I have read on DTV's website is supposed to happen)  it seems as though the locals key in on wherever the ground station is located. 

Does anyone have experience using Direct TV Streaming with StarLink?

I am probably going to cancel Direct TV Streaming over this.  Also there are lot of things with using the remote, selecting recordings and things in general are not working nearly as well as Dish does.  It could be that Direct TV Satellite DVR works better.  But this Gemini thingy isn't working for me. 

Edited July 13 by Al F
Made one statement clearer.

[Chalkie]

I have no insight to the stated issue but it does lead me to ask a question. What is the importance of having local TV stations in one place when you are hundreds of miles away? I have seen this same "issue" on a number of internet and RV forums. Can't "local" news be obtained in other ways? For example, I no longer live in Colorado Springs but I do look at the Colorado Springs TV stations websites to check on the local news as my son still lives there. Any actual programing I can get on network feeds via streaming or over the air channels. I just never understood this back when we used Dish or Directv satellite TV or now using Starlink and streaming. I usually check online with my laptop but those local Colorado Springs stations all have news apps that I can get on my Roku streaming device if I actually wanted to watch it.

[RayJay]

I've streamed Dish on and off for over a year now with Starlink. No problems even while others are streaming other services.

 

Later...

Ray

[Al F]

On 7/14/2024 at 11:17 AM, RayJay said:

I've streamed Dish on and off for over a year now with Starlink. No problems even while others are streaming other services.

 

Later...

Ray

Did you mean Direct TV Streaming or Dish streaming over the internet? 

From the research I have done, the only way to stream Dish Network is to have a Hopper or DVR connected to the internet. Once that is set up then when you are in a remote location you can connect your streaming device to the Hopper over the internet.

[Al F]

On 7/14/2024 at 7:25 AM, Chalkie said:

I have no insight to the stated issue but it does lead me to ask a question. What is the importance of having local TV stations in one place when you are hundreds of miles away? I have seen this same "issue" on a number of internet and RV forums. Can't "local" news be obtained in other ways? For example, I no longer live in Colorado Springs but I do look at the Colorado Springs TV stations websites to check on the local news as my son still lives there. Any actual programing I can get on network feeds via streaming or over the air channels. I just never understood this back when we used Dish or Directv satellite TV or now using Starlink and streaming. I usually check online with my laptop but those local Colorado Springs stations all have news apps that I can get on my Roku streaming device if I actually wanted to watch it.

People have their reasons why they do things the way they do them.  Many times I wonder why they do it that way.  I usually don't ask why they do it that way.  I just wonder and continue on my way. 

Many people still get TV from the local channels with an antenna on their roof.  Others, when they can, get local channels from a satellite or internet streaming they like to do it that way. 

To each their own.

[D&J]

12 minutes ago, Al F said:

Did you mean Direct TV Streaming or Dish streaming over the internet? 

From the research I have done, the only way to stream Dish Network is to have a Hopper or DVR connected to the internet. Once that is set up then when you are in a remote location you can connect your streaming device to the Hopper over the internet.

You can stream Dish from anywhere with the Dish Anywhere app. Not all is available unless you have a Hopper but all the normal programming is available by using the guide. I can cast it from my phone to the TV just like I do with all my streaming services. 

Denny

[Al F]

1 hour ago, D&J said:

You can stream Dish from anywhere with the Dish Anywhere app. Not all is available unless you have a Hopper but all the normal programming is available by using the guide. I can cast it from my phone to the TV just like I do with all my streaming services. 

Denny

Yes.  One big requirement to use the Dish Anywhere app though: 

You MUST have a satellite dish and hopper set up, operational, and connected to an internet connection somewhere. 

If you don't leave your hopper at home, operational and connected to an internet that you pay for monthly, you are out of luck. 

Quote from my dish.com:

"All you need is an internet connection

Connect your Hopper to the internet to unlock the amazing features of DISH Anywhere®."

[D&J]

16 minutes ago, Al F said:

Yes.  One big requirement to use the Dish Anywhere app though: 

You MUST have a satellite dish and hopper set up, operational, and connected to an internet connection somewhere. 

If you don't leave your hopper at home, operational and connected to an internet that you pay for monthly, you are out of luck. 

Quote from my dish.com:

"All you need is an internet connection

Connect your Hopper to the internet to unlock the amazing features of DISH Anywhere®."

I don't own a Hopper and have no receiver connected to the Internet all the time. The only Internet connection we have is our phone hot spots. The only receiver we have is a 211K.

Denny

[Chalkie]

18 hours ago, Al F said:

People have their reasons why they do things the way they do them.  Many times I wonder why they do it that way.  I usually don't ask why they do it that way.  I just wonder and continue on my way. 

Many people still get TV from the local channels with an antenna on their roof.  Others, when they can, get local channels from a satellite or internet streaming they like to do it that way. 

To each their own.

Thank you. That was a very well stated non-answer of the question asked.

[Al F]

RayJay and D&J,

Thank you for the information about streaming Dish.  I loaded the Dish Anywhere app on my phone, and I see that I can access "NON local channels" from my phone. 

However when I tried to view the local channel stations shown in the guide for my account, the app gave me a message:  "Your receiver is offline, please attach your hopper to the internet to play this content."

A lot of the info I provided at the beginning of this tread was about being able to receive local channels as we travel.   Local channels are not available unless the DRV (receiver) is powered on and connected to the internet.  

[Al F]

3 hours ago, Chalkie said:

Thank you. That was a very well stated non-answer of the question asked.

Well, while you kind of did "ask a question", the rest of your post explained why you didn't think it was necessary to have access to local channels.  I really didn't think you were really all that interested on just why someone would want the local channels. 

[D&J]

3 hours ago, Al F said:

RayJay and D&J,

Thank you for the information about streaming Dish.  I loaded the Dish Anywhere app on my phone, and I see that I can access "NON local channels" from my phone. 

However when I tried to view the local channel stations shown in the guide for my account, the app gave me a message:  "Your receiver is offline, please attach your hopper to the internet to play this content."

A lot of the info I provided at the beginning of this tread was about being able to receive local channels as we travel.   Local channels are not available unless the DRV (receiver) is powered on and connected to the internet.  

 

I dropped locals off my Dish account years ago and just use our OTA antenna or stream the shows we want. If you want a guide there are apps that have local channels by zip code.

Denny

[D&J]

16 hours ago, D&J said:

 

I dropped locals off my Dish account years ago and just use our OTA antenna or stream the shows we want. If you want a guide there are apps that have local channels by zip code.

Denny

 

I'm using an app called On TV Tonight, it's easy to use and when traveling all you need is a zip code to get a local guide. When running locals through our Dish receiver the guide is almost useless.

Denny

[Chalkie]

20 hours ago, Al F said:

Well, while you kind of did "ask a question", the rest of your post explained why you didn't think it was necessary to have access to local channels.  I really didn't think you were really all that interested on just why someone would want the local channels. 

I can see that. Yes, I did explain why I did not think it necessary for me. But I really am curious as to the reasoning behind why anyone would see a need or be adamant about the requirement to view home locals. What can I say? I like understanding what makes other folks tick.