Dish or dome

[Fjb]

currant thread on this forum is quite old looking for more up to date information on what to buy dish or a dome help most appreciated
cheers fjb

 

[Dan and Jan]

Welcome to the fun. This should be interesting.

 

[Southdowners]

Hello and welcome!

 

[DavidG58]

we have a dome, adds height which we think might have cost us on tolls, adds a vulnerable plastic lump on top

that said we can set it up in seconds from inside, even if it fails we can put a DVD on and the locals think we have TV

watched a german in France try four places on an aire, kept looking at us watching TV (on this occasion we actually were) dish down move try again, kept looking our way, moved repeat, get crosser, go off aire scowling in my direction

not saying domes get better reception, but they do it in stealth mode, no obvious spinning dish on roof

what would I buy next, neither, I think internet is the way forward

 

[Bailey58]

As DavidG58 said, we too have a dome and it puts us just above 3m but stealth mode does avoid the skyward glances from the neighbours when you pull on site and immediately want to watch the footie which started five minutes ago. The Oyster we had on the old van was a bit hairy in high winds.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[hilldweller]

currant thread on this forum is quite old looking for more up to date information on what to buy dish or a dome help most appreciated
cheers fjb

When talking telescopes big is beautiful. You can get a bigger telescope without a dome.

 

[EX51SSS]

 

[Fjb]

Thank you for all the welcomes great information so far looked at height most domes seem to add 30 cm and 17 for a dish but seems to me that the dome even with the extra height would still be more aerodynamic

 

[Larrynwin]

Have had a dish but always a pain when wind is strong, now have a dome which is fine in all weathers and UK reception.
A dish is now limited across the water following signal footprint changes.

 

[JeanLuc]

We have a Camos 40 dome (now branded Roadpro). We have been very satisfied with it over around 7 years now. A large dish will always beat a dome at the fringes of a reception area. For example, we lose English channels towards the bottom of France. However, since the new Astra 2 beam was ‘tightened’ a few years ago, you will struggle with anything other than a very large dish in northern Spain and eastwards of the western fringes of Germany.
In the UK a dome works excellently and the greatest benefit is that it is unaffected by high winds. This is important in winter and if you like visiting places such as northwest Scotland where gales can be severe.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Chris]

We have a dome, but I don’t know if it’s better than a dish.

Nor do I care to be honest.

 

[Spanner]

HELLO and Welcome

This is what we use and we're very happy with the performance, compact, sturdy and never been a problem in the wind

 

[bigtwin]

Thank you for all the welcomes great information so far looked at height most domes seem to add 30 cm and 17 for a dish but seems to me that the dome even with the extra height would still be more aerodynamic

To be clear, you’re talking about fitting one to your motorhome and not your Ferrari?

That being the case, the extra 0.25 square metre frontal area of a dome isn’t going to make a dramatic difference to your drag co-efficient.

Your decision should be based on:
* how often you are likely to experience high’ish winds (dome)
* whether you expect reception south of the south of France (dish)

Ian

 

[Solwaybuggier]

We’ve just gone from a RoadPro dome to a dish (Oyster V) - the dish is certainly more sophisticated and can get a wider range of satellites. It’s also significantly dearer and as has already been said there is more of an issue in high winds.

I hope we’ll get better reception at the fringe of the footprint area, but haven’t tested yet, and updates look easier.

It may depend on where you mostly plan to use it - northern UK l’d plump for a dome, southern France I’d opt for a dish.

 

[DBK]

There is a third alternative, the Snipe which gets good reviews and seems to be more stable than a dish in high winds.
But a dome won't be more aerodynamic than a folded dish. At typical road speeds it will offer more resistance but the increase will be tiny compared to the drag from the rest of the vehicle so not worth bothering about. The dome would need to be a teardrop shape like a cyclist's helmet to offer some small advantage.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[StanandShirley]

Got a snipe wired into an icescript thingy! Umpteen channels Back Home but down here in Altea nothing worth watching

 

[Pia]

Dish is good in Portugal we were picking up channels but our neighbour with a dome had nothing...depends where you travel most

 

[eddie]

I don't think that even dish badgers (sorry Manufacturers) would argue that the best possible chance of getting reception further a field is with a dish

If you were not travelling so far, so say that you intend to stay in the UK a dome will work as well as a dish

 

[EuroTrotters]

Hi,

We have had the following:

*Maxview Crank-up
*Oyster Satvision II
*German Equivalent of Avtex Snipe
*Now have an old Kathrein Manual.

*Maxview crank up was the best we have ever had.
*Oyster Satvison was a bloody night mare and cost a small fortune in upgrades and replacement motors. On one occasion, we sent the Module to Oyster SatTech in the UK for an upgrade. They claim it did not arrive for 4 weeks so did without for almost 6 weeks whilst they decided what to do. Charging me a small fortune to update it. (it was fitted when we got the MoHo. Would never pay that sort of money.
*Avtex Snipe Worked once and had to be sent back to Germany at the suppliers cost. They offered a refund or repair. Replacement failed.
*Kathrein Manual that came with our 18 year old MH now works in the UK only. I don't bother with TV abroad anymore. We use DVD'S Books or play cards.

No Experience of DOMES>

 

[The Dudess]

We have had both. Currently have a Maxview dish and it's excellent except when it's windy and then we always put it down. On our previous motorhome there was a low hanging branch, very small, almost a twig, which caught the dome and smashed it to bits. In summary, dish best if it's not windy, dome best if it is windy but is quite delicate.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[two]

Plan B:
Abandon all TV equipment and save weight
Buy a paper and good books
there is no obvious solution for satellite