Satellite TV

pepmyster

I need to throw this out to you guys. I've been wanting a satellite system for our boat for awhile now, Does anyone have any input to give on good ones (KVH, Intellian etc.) for Bell express vu. ANY input would great. Thanks guys!!!

Black_Diamond

Do you need it to be active while underway?  If so you'll need the tracking type. If at the slip only, a few by me just have a dish on a pole. 

pepmyster

Does not have to be active while underway. Just that, we like to be on the hook a lot, and, since I have a big Bell account, just adding a receiver on the boat would be cool instead of watching what is around us on the antennas. Putting a dish on my dock is , for me, out of the question. I would feel like I am at home.

Black_Diamond

I bet you'll need a KVH tracking type. They have that smaller unit now, I've looked at that before but adding it either means raising it over my radar or raising my radar over it. Be a hassle for me. I like the concept though 

MarkB

Pep, you are talking $$ - I think last time I checked it was in the $3000 - $4000 range to get a tracking satellite dome.  I've seen lots of people put up a stationary satellite dish on a tripod. It works well, and doesn't look all that bad.  The dishes these days can be small.  It would be way cheaper to do this.

pepmyster

Went to the Toronto boat show, we talked to reps from Intellian and Ray. Ray's are made by Intellian. I do realize the cost and ,again, talking to the First Mate, know that the cash could be spent in better areas. I know, I know. By the time I'd be all said and done, it would be about 2500$. Only for tv. That's the worst part. I might have to put this dream on hold,again.

Handymans342

Makes no sense to have TV on a boat unless you live on board IMHO. 

Dream_Inn

well, we certainly aren't live aboards, but we are on the boat every weekend from April thru October, rain or shine.  & lots of 3 day weekends and 2 10-day trips.  Now, we don't use the TV much, but it is nice in the morning to turn on for some local news and once in a while in late October to watch a Sat night college football game.  I don't have a dish, that'd be tough to justify for my use.  But I could still see the reasoning...I know someone that bought a dish used (for under $1k) and then added to his already monthly bill for like $6.

Handymans342

Yes, it all depends on where you boat and the signals you can receive as well with out a dish. Just to get a dish and pay for the service does not make sense for just weekend use. Maybe cable when at the dock. What is a good price for monthly dish service without locking in to a 2 year agreement? Cant you watch TV on an Ipad? 

raybo3

Makes no sense to put 4 coats of bottom paint on either but what the heck..... 

Handymans342

Ray, are you bashing my bottom paint? 

MarkB

Ray, don't want to change the topic, but if you ask Interlux for their spec, they recommend 4 coats of barrier paint to "guarantee" it is water tight. Then you can put on 2 coats of antifouling paint.

raybo3

Not trying to change the topic here but we were talking about bottom paint not barrier coat and no I would never bash your bottom paint.....LOL

MarkB

Yeah, you don't need 4 coats of anti fouling paint.  Bottom paint is too generic of a term, and normally refers to the entire paint system  - barrier plus anti fouling, so I misunderstood you.

Dream_Inn

 Geez guys, you can certainly tell the ones that need to get back on their boat soon!!

raybo3

So true Dream missing it big time. Mark barrier coat only goes on once so I call anti-foul paint bottom paint........

Black_Diamond

We had out '100 days till launch' party last Friday at the yacht club.  So creeping closer.

pepmyster

Love the comments on the antenna issue. Where did the bottom paint come into play?????? I love the way that snuck in!!!!

Stodge

I'm replacing the old 13 inch w/VCR TV on our boat for the same reason we had one before.  We anchor out a lot.  Most times, but not all the time, someone is rafted up with us out on the hook.  When it's just us it's nice to have the TV.  I had a home made TV loop antenna that I put on my VHF antenna like a hat which got pretty good reception.  On clear nights I could pick up some of the stations in Toledo.  We also keep some movies on the boat like Jaws, Boat Trip, etc.  So having TV on the boat makes sense for us.

What I don't get are the wine bottle fridges on boats.  

pepmyster

I guess we'll put the budget somewhere else on the boat. We'll keep bringing movies and such. I don't know why they don't wine fridges on boats. Probably because of the size. Wine does not last long on our boat anyway!!!!!!

MarkB

On the Canadian side of Lake Ontario I get about 40 channels through my digital dish. Even channels from the US. 

pepmyster

Hi Mark, I am also there but near Morrisburg. Not too many stations. I am using the Shakespeare model antenna. Which one do you use?

MarkB

I think it's a Shakespear 10" dish. I am in Oakville Ontario. You might want to check your coax connection. I know when I got my boat the connection at the dish had partially been severed. I fixed this and got many more channels. Also make sure your signal amplifier is powered and working. 

pepmyster

All cables were in the wrong way. When I got upset that I got no channels at all, I took a look at the factory wiring. They put the in into the out to the splitter. Reversed all, then I got 5 HD channels.

Cableguy Greg

Pep, if you are only using the antenna on the boat and not the shore inputs, eliminate the splitter and put the antenna cable directly into the amp. It will eliminate the splitter loss and give you more signal. That splitter was backwards to combine the signals from all three inputs, the antenna, the starboard shore and the port shore. It sounds wrong, but it was correct.

pepmyster

But the way it was from them, there was NO channels at all. When reversed, all good. That's what happened.

Cableguy Greg

Because of the backwards splitter, you were loosing too much signal. If you eliminate it, you will gain more signal and possibly more channels. I gained 8 or 9 channels when I eliminated the splitter and connected the antenna directly to the amp.

pepmyster

I will try that. Thanks!

Capt Ron

hey Pepmyster... just tie up with us and I guarantee you won't be watching TV... LOL

pepmyster

That, my friend, would be coooooooooooool.