Satellite tv

[nigelcanham]

Hi all. If I fit a satellite dish to the van will I also need a Sky receiver? Basically would just like to improve the chance of getting something to watch as the conventional aerial has often let us down. Tia.

 

[Kups]

You will need a satellite receiver box or a TV with built in sat receiver. Depends which sky box you have, I understand that the Q box needs quad LNB but other Funsters will advise. We only use WiFi now as sat dishes are heavy and expensive plus prone to signal loss under trees. Plus you run out of UK TV on Astra 2 in southern France due to the sat footprint having been reduced some years ago. Personally I would not buy one again, rely on MIFI roof aerial and built in router or simply use smartphones and hotspot the TV with an Amazon firestick. This is a common arrangement and much, much cheaper than a dish.

 

[nigelcanham]

You Wil need a satellite receiver box

Thank you. Any sort in particular? Recommendations?

 

[Carpmart]

In this day and age I’d go a different route and look at streaming as opposed to satellite. Even sky are pivoting their offerings and increasingly pushing streaming as their prime offer.

 

[Guigsy]

Given that Sky are moving to streaming, I'd be worried about the useful life of a dish.

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[nigelcanham]

In this day and age I’d go a different route and look at streaming as opposed to satellite. Even sky are pivoting their offerings and increasingly pushing streaming as their prime offer.

Thanks for this. But wouldn’t I need an internet connection/Wi-Fi?

 

[Carpmart]

Thanks for this. But wouldn’t I need an internet connection/Wi-Fi?

Yes you will… for this I’d recommend Starlink.

 

[Jo662]

For the cost of a sat dish/dome,you could get a Firestick and mifi with a SIM card plan and be quids in . I have a satellite dish and very rarely use it now prefering to use a firestick.

 

[Kups]

Thanks for this. But wouldn’t I need an internet connection/Wi-Fi?

To get online most use a smartphone with suitably large data SIM. Alternatively have a MIFI installed such as this one from motorhome WiFi.

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[nigelcanham]

Given that Sky are moving to streaming, I'd be worried about the useful life of a dish.

How about a Freesat receiver? I can’t rely on internet connection/Wi-Fi.

For the cost of a sat dish/dome,you could get a Firestick and mifi with a SIM card plan and be quids in . I have a satellite dish and very rarely use it now prefering to use a firestick.

thank you. I’m a real thicko when it comes to tech. Could you please give me a list of everything I’d need? Never heard of mifi.

Yes you will… for this I’d recommend Starlink.

just checked that out - £85 per month!

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[GeoffnDee]

Which model of TV do you have ? as it may already have a sat receiver built into it . My Avtex TV has a sat. built in and works well with my Maxview Dish. www.maxview.co.uk has information that may be useful to you.

 

[Figaro]

I love my oyster system but it was on the van when I got it and I don't think I'd buy one now as they are quite expensive, but it is so useful for when there's no 4g signal or you have limited data.
Currently on France watching UK TV.
Streaming is the future but you need a decent 4g signal.
Stand alone dishes are much cheaper but not so convenient

 

[Andacami]

I've just removed my Maxview Vucube dish and will be removing the reciever box too. If you have a TV with a built in decoder, this could work for you on the cheap. You'll need cables and roof mounting kit or just long cables and stick the dish on the ground.

I've never found satellites to be reliable when mobile and instead, as others have suggested, have invested in Motorhome Wifi and a Firestick.

It's similar to this: https://maxview.co.uk/product/motorhome-satellite-dome/

 

[Jo662]

nigelcanham
This is similar to the mifi I have.

Huawei E5577 4G LTE MiFi, Portable Travel Wi-Fi, Unlocked Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot for 16 devices, 8 Hours Long Lasting Battery, Easy LCD Screen display use – Black Amazon product ASIN B011YM0OXU
This is the Firestick I have.

Deal: Fire TV Stick 4K, watch TV and movies in vibrant 4K Ultra HD, Dolby Atmos support for surround sound Amazon product ASIN B08XVVPXX4
Alot of people use there mobile phones as a hotspot,but I find I get a better signal with the mifi. And you can place it through a skylight onto the roof to get a better signal,in a lunch box if it’s raining.
All you need that is a good deal on an unlimited data sim and your away.

Much better than paying thousands for a satellite dish imo.

 

[JockandRita]

I love my oyster system but it was on the van when I got it and I don't think I'd buy one now as they are quite expensive, but it is so useful for when there's no 4g signal or you have limited data.
Currently on France watching UK TV.
Streaming is the future but you need a decent 4g signal.
Stand alone dishes are much cheaper but not so convenient

Our situation is more or less the same, ie, whilst the Oyster system works great, we'll carry on with it.
We do have our own Internet, and a Firestick for when a satellite signal is unobtainable.
The best of both worlds.

Cheers,

Jock.

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[Neil S]

Streaming is the future but you need a decent 4g signal.

there lies the problem the 4g/5g signal in some rural parts is pant's for reliable streaming without buffering .
I fitted a 5g external avtex wifi antennae thinking it would work everywhere without interuption and found out its not 100% reliable by any means .
Another reason I'll stick with my 85cm autoskew as it works faultlessly and when streaming isn't reliable I have the dish as an alternative .

 

[Kups]

there lies the problem the 4g/5g signal in some rural parts is pant's for reliable streaming without buffering .
I fitted a 5g external avtex wifi antennae thinking it would work everywhere without interuption and found out it not 100% reliable by any means .
Another reason I'll stick with my 85cm autoskew as it works faultlessly and when streaming isn't reliable I have the dish as an alternative .

That's why I grabbed a Starlink system when they were on sale for £99. Yes, it's a biggish box but what performance! I've still got the 5G MIFI and Smarty sim. Even at the full price I'm now convinced it's the best option providing you can store the kit on board. 150 Gb download all day every day.

 

[Neil S]

That's why I grabbed a Starlink system when they were on sale for £99. Yes, it's a biggish box but what performance! I've still got the 5G MIFI and Smarty sim. Even at the full price I'm now convinced it's the best option providing you can store the kit on board. 150 Gb download all day every day.

Monthly cost ?

 

[Kups]

Monthly cost ?

For roaming subscription (anywhere in the European continent including UK) £85 per month but can be suspended when not required. Actual dates depend on when your contract started. That's with the standard dish and router. £75 monthly for standard residential installation which cannot be suspended. Details https://www.starlink.com/

 

[Neil S]

For roaming subscription (anywhere in the European continent including UK) £85 per month but can be suspended when not required. Actual dates depend on when your contract started. That's with the standard dish and router. £75 monthly for standard residential installation which cannot be suspended. Details https://www.starlink.com/

Not cheap then
Considering I would need it 6-7 months of the year thats over 500+ notes

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[Kups]

Not cheap then
Considering I would need it 6-7 months of the year thats over 500+ notes

No not cheap but dependable. Compare with sim card charges and intermittent zeevice. If you don't need the fast download speed then stick with WiFi.

 

[dunnah01]

For roaming subscription (anywhere in the European continent including UK) £85 per month but can be suspended when not required. Actual dates depend on when your contract started. That's with the standard dish and router. £75 monthly for standard residential installation which cannot be suspended. Details https://www.starlink.com/

Does that allow UK streaming TV or is a VPN still required for some providers?

 

[Manic]

I use one of these Humax freesat boxes, very pleased with it ( this is just an example other used ones available cheaper), I made a lead up and power it from van 12volt and I have a IR repeater fitted so I can have the Humax in wardrobe out of sight.

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Pardon our interruption...

 

[Wh05apk]

I use one of these Humax freesat boxes, very pleased with it ( this is just an example other used ones available cheaper), I made a lead up and power it from van 12volt and I have a IR repeater fitted so I can have the Humax in wardrobe out of sight.

Humax HB-1000S TV Receiver for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Humax HB-1000S TV Receiver at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

www.ebay.co.uk

Pardon our interruption...

Similar set up to us, ours will also record 2 channels as well, useful with time difference when abroad, and storing stuff to watch when rainy, or too windy for the dish.

 

[Kups]

Does that allow UK streaming TV or is a VPN still required for some providers?

It allows uk streaming when connected to a UK groundstation as we are now in Noirmoutier on the Atlantic Coast. But when the connection switches to a non UK groundstation then you need a VPN.

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[Gellyneck]

Our Ferguson TV (rebranded Cello) has inbuilt FTA sat receiver but we prefer the TV guide on this Broken Link Removed.
£45 when we got it!

 

[Manic]

Our Ferguson TV (rebranded Cello) has inbuilt FTA sat receiver but we prefer the TV guide on this Broken Link Removed.
£45 when we got it!

Any Freesat gets a better tv guide.

 

[VXman]

Thanks for this. But wouldn’t I need an internet connection/Wi-Fi?

Yes you will… for this I’d recommend Starlink.

Starlink is a rather over the top and expensive option.

Personally. I get a cheap large data sim in my phone. Turn the hotspot on. Link your smart TV/laptop/tablet whatever you use to watch to the wifi from your phone and hey presto you have BBC iplayer, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, You tube etc all available for free. (minus the cost of the data)

 

[JockandRita]

nigelcanham. Whilst we are using our existing satellite system as it works well, we use the Free To Air, (FTA), receiver built into the TV, which negates the need to buy any form of additional receiver, if all you want are the usual main UK TV Channels, eg BBC, ITV, CH4, CH5, plus numerous radio stations.

For the UK only, I have seen someone using a tiny mobile dish attached to the step of the MH cab, similar to that which Truckers attach to the metal arm of their door mirrors.
For abroad, you'll need something larger and more substantial.............but if it's not already installed on your MH, then I wouldn't bother thinking about it.

A sim card deal with a decent 4/5G MiFi/Router is the way to go.
I have a Vodafone 200Gb sim card at £15 pcm for the home router.
For the MH MiFi/Router, I have an iD Mobile 70Gb sim card at £10 pcm.

If abroad and I need more than the 30Gb max that iD Mobile allow, I'll just buy a local sim card, as I did in Portugal last March.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[Gellyneck]

Any Freesat gets a better tv guide.

Yip but @£45 it was the best option for us at that time.