DirecTV-to-DISH Travler Conversions
Yes, Virginia, you can convert DirecTV to DISH
Updated: January 17, 2020 (Updated in green.)
Updated: August 28, 2019 (Updated in red.)
Updated: July 31, 2019 (Updated text in blue.)
Here’s the Winegard YouTube Installation Video.
Here’s the How-To Manual (PDF)
So you have DirecTV satellite TV and you want to change to DISH. Good for you.
However, you have a rooftop DirecTV Winegard Travler that you bought for a lot of $$$. What to do? Spend another couple of thousand to buy the DISH version of the Winegard Travler? There’s no need to do this.
You can convert the DirecTV SK-3003, DirecTV Slimline (SK-3005) or SWM (SK-SWM3) versions of the Winegard Travler to its DISH counterpart for just a few hundred dollars. Here’s how . . .
First, determine what type of DirecTV Travler you own . . . there are 3 versions: SK-3003, SK-3005, SK-SWM3. However, on 7/31/19 a Winegard Tech Support rep told me via email that the SK-3003 can not be upgraded to a DISH SK-1000.
Hold the mail . . .
As of August 28, 2019, a Winegard Tech Support rep emailed me this:
“I wanted to reach back out regarding our previous conversation on the conversion from DTV to Dish for our Trav’ler products. We had previously stated that the SK-3003 could not be converted, however after looking into it further that is not the case. All three DTV models (SK-3003 / SK-3005 / SK-SWM3) can be converted using the RP-SK11 & RP-SK21 kits.The links you had previously sent are the correct models and can be purchased directly or through our vendors. I apologize for the confusion on this. Please let me know if you have any other questions regarding the conversion process.”
If you’ve been following this saga, we’re back to square one: what I had here originally (before the July 31st update) was correct. But I just had to check out a numb nuts IRV2 poster’s claim. That’s what happens when you listen to fools.
Note that all DirecTV Travler versions require two Winegard kits — RP SK-11 and the RP SK-21:
These two kits have been merged into one kit that Winegard now calls the OE-DISH kit. As of 7/31/19, the individual RPSK-11 and RP SK-21 are still being sold online on Amazon and by at least one dealer. However, you’re better off ordering the OE-DISH kit directly from Winegard (800-288-8094) for about $230.
In addition, if you own a DirecTV SK-3005 (Slimline dish), then you must check both the IDU and ODU software versions (see Winegard Travler Documentation):
DIRECTV TRAVLER (Slimline SK-3005) CONVERSION PHOTOS
DISH HOPPER EXAMPLES
If you have a DISH Winegard Travler, you should connect it to a DISH Hopper with maybe a Joey or two. The Hopper is DISH’s version of the DirecTV Genie — a whole home DVR system.
The Hopper 1 (original), Hopper 2 (Hopper with Sling), and the new 16-tuner Hopper 3 will all work with a standard Winegard Travler SK1000:
Hopper 1 & 2
Hopper 3
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