compatibility with King VQ4100 antenna

Only until DTV finishes shutting down the MPEG2 channels. All SD only dishes are now obsolete. The R22 is still usable if you have an HD DTV receiver on the account.

DirecTV has been shutting down their MPEG-2 (SD-only) feeds since April 2019. So the King VQ4100 needs to be replaced as it only works with DirecTV's MEPG-2.

Going forward we all need MPEG-4 boxes and receiving dishes/domes.

The R22 is a special model. It is MPEG-4 capable, but only if you have at least one HD box active on the account. It was designed in the early MPEG-4 days, as some areas even with SD-only service still needed MPEG-4 to receive their SD local channels. So as long as you already have an HD box and replace the King, then the R22 can still be used (assuming the R22 is already active on the account).

You will need to get a current slimline dish that you put on a tripod/sled mount to manually aim, or the Wingard Trav'ler (DirecTV version) for automatic aiming.

As a note for King, always look at the specific specs not just if it says SD/HD in general. Check by specific provider. For example:

Service compatibility:

DIRECTV® SD programming (does not receive DIRECTV HD programming)

DISH® HD & SD programming

Bell ™ HD & SD programming

That means it is not compatible going forward as does not work with DirecTV's HD (MPEG-4) feeds.

I am hoping to clarify what I think "Juniper" said above...

I have an HR24/500 currently active at home with HD active. (I know this dish only supports SD)

I am thinking of purchasing a king VQ4100 for the RV and will pull that receiver when needed to the RV. 

(I actually have 2 HR24/500 and a Genie)

It sounds to me like I would be stupid to purchase this King unit now since it won't last long or might already not be supported?

@butch_pacific , correct. That dish will be useless very soon.

@butch_pacific 

You got it.

All models with H are MPEG-4 as that carries the HD feed.

So regular HDDVRs (i.e. HR24), and all Genies (HR34, HR44, HR54) are MPEG-4.

Mini Genie Clients (C31, C41, etc.) are MPEG-4 because of being extensions of the Genie, but are not suggested as cannot work by themselves (no tuners/recording space of their own), so are a downgrade to HDDVRs. Mentioning just in case so you don't get a bad "upgrade" in the future.

King VQ4100 is SD/MPEG-2 only. So it would be a wasteful purchase as it will soon be a paperweight for the entire country. Shutdown is in progress already affecting many customers, and completion is expected by the end of the year (unless further delays because of Covid of course).

Currently a slimline SWM dish to use on a tripod/sled mount, or the Winegard Trav'ler will be your options for the RV.

It is suspected the RV dish sellers are not being very informative about this situation is since those dishes technically can still work in some places that they are clearing out stock until the shutdown is 100% done. Plus some of those work with the HD feeds of other TV providers allowing them to still find some use.

Hey @butch_pacific,

We are here to help with your inquiry. The community posts are correct. There are plans to upgrade devices from MPEG-2 (SD) to MPEG-4 (HD), and some have been implemented. We do not have an exact date at this moment in which all the devices will be upgraded to HD. You will need to use your best judgement on which 3rd party device you will get.

Let us know if this helps.

Max, AT&T Community Specialist