TV Ariel or Satellite dish

[Outdoorrambo]

Wanting to watch TV in our Campervan but there's no ariel or sat dish.
We only want to watch free view so what's the best option to receive free view channels?

Thanks

 

[Vanderek]

Go for a Firestick, no messy aerials or dishes.

 

[Outdoorrambo]

Go for a Firestick, no messy aerials or dishes.

Nice idea, i assume this has to connect to the sites wi-fi (or use your mobile as hotspot?)
Do you find most sites wi-fi adequate for streaming via the firestick?

 

[FrankNicklin]

Nice idea, i assume this has to connect to the sites wi-fi (or use your mobile as hotspot?)
Do you find most sites wi-fi adequate for streaming via the firestick?

On Site Wifi will be pretty poor unless they have invested heavily in the right kit. Wifi distribution over large outdoor areas is extremely difficult and can be expensive. I would not rely on it for streaming anything. What might be good on one site could be a complete disaster on another.

You could just run an external aerial cable through your skylight if you don't have a fixed aerial.

 

[Outdoorrambo]

Doh, having a senile moment, dongle with the fire stick, job done

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[Neil S]

Go for a Firestick, no messy aerials or dishes.

All very well to you have weak or non existent phone signal , plenty of areas in the U.K. where the phone network is “pants"or ok for making calls / texts but once you start streaming in hiccups , buffers

 

[FrankNicklin]

Doh, having a senile moment, dongle with the fire stick, job done

Absolutely no guarantee it will work. If you cant get a mobile signal then you are unlikely to be able to stream via hotspot or any other MiFi device. We have a roof aerial and so far we have not had any issues receiving a TV signal, but struggled to get a mobile signal in a few places especially out in the sticks.

 

[Neil S]

Doh, having a senile moment, dongle with the fire stick, job done

better to fit a direction tv Ariel such as vision plus 540 , I had to many let downs with using the phone network in more rural parts

 

[sgl5gjr]

We've been to Bolton Abbey CAMC.... mobile signal is pretty much hit n miss.... TV is either a lead into the small choice of stations they provide or a Satellite..... which we ended up with

 

[Nonna]

Insurance for satellite is more expensive for MHs than an aerial. Presumably it's the same for camper vans?

I have an omnidirectional aerial. It looks like the Starship Enterprise
So far I've not had any real problems.

Some sites with less good reception offer TV aerial sockets on the pitches for which I have a cable. The only let down with this is having to run the cable through a window & swap it between whichever TV I want to watch.
It's no problem in summer but not ideal if bitterly cold.
I've seldom had to use the cable, though. The aerial is normally good enough.

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[LithiumConvert]

Freesat. No brainer.

 

[dunnah01]

Freeview through an omnidirectional aerial in the UK works most often but you need to retunne your TV at each new site. Most UK sites seem to be surrounded by big trees so Freesat via satellite often can't be used. If you do get line of sight the wind is often too strong to use the dish. Site wifi is a waste of time but streaming if you have enough data is usually OK.

 

[MisterB]

netgear M2 with a sim car will do everything you want, perfect for a firestick and streaming ..... i have just sent for an EE sim, so we can 'gift' data to it.

we also have a stralink, but tend only to use it when 'overseas' but when we do, its been absolutely perfect (though £85 per month ,,,,) and allows phone calls etc, laptops, ipads etc to be connected.

 

[FrankNicklin]

netgear M2 with a sim car will do everything you want, perfect for a firestick and streaming ..... i have just sent for an EE sim, so we can 'gift' data to it.

we also have a stralink, but tend only to use it when 'overseas' but when we do, its been absolutely perfect (though £85 per month ,,,,) and allows phone calls etc, laptops, ipads etc to be connected.

£85 a month, I would rather read a book. Plus the M2 is only as good as the signal it receives. Not all sites have good 4G signal for streaming.

 

[MisterB]

£85 a month, I would rather read a book. Plus the M2 is only as good as the signal it receives. Not all sites have good 4G signal for streaming.

i suggested the M2 because its proved to be ideal anywhere in the UK and in Europe for me and others - i accept that any router is only as good as the signal it receives BUT the netgear M2 really is that good !

i also take on board the £85 per month for starlink is very costly, but it works for a lot of people and the OP didnt ask for cost free options, they were looking for a way to access freeview, both of which my suggestion would provide.

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[Verteuil Man]

Wanting to watch TV in our Campervan but there's no ariel or sat dish.
We only want to watch free view so what's the best option to receive free view channels?

Thanks

Depends where you are going. A firestick will work fine if you have access to a good broadband connection and speed. If you are relying on mobile broadband be aware that in the countryside the speeds are not like they are in the towns and cities and over a weekend you the firestick will gobble 50gb of data.
An aerial will work almost anywhere in the UK. You will have to returned as you move around.
Satellite will work in the UK and Northern Europe down to the Spanish border (depending on the size of the dish). Once the Satellite is locked there is no need for retuning.

 

[FrankNicklin]

As a rule of thumb and according to Netflix streaming an SD movie is around 1GB per hour, HD movie around 3GB per hour and UHD movie around 7GB per hour. So 3 hours a day streaming HD movies is 63GB a week or around 250/260GB per month.

 

[Thornebt]

Insurance for satellite? Did you mean installation?

Insurance for satellite is more expensive for MHs than an aerial. Presumably it's the same for camper vans?

I have an omnidirectional aerial. It looks like the Starship Enterprise
So far I've not had any real problems.

Some sites with less good reception offer TV aerial sockets on the pitches for which I have a cable. The only let down with this is having to run the cable through a window & swap it between whichever TV I want to watch.
It's no problem in summer but not ideal if bitterly cold.
I've seldom had to use the cable, though. The aerial is normally good enough.

Ncence

 

[Stealaway]

Free view aerial with amplifier is all you need. Simples
All the others are not as reliable and more costly .
We do take an harddrive with films and series to Europe.
Smart phone gets you all the UK news you need

 

[scotjimland]

When there is no terrestrial TV signal or poor or non existing phone signal a sat dish comes into it's own..

it doesn't need to be a an expensive roof mounted model, . I use a small portable Multimo dish that works a treat

you get Freesat anywhere in the UK .

Multimo Reception Areas

Multimo dish , my review

find used models on ebay

Zehander AX 40 Multimo Satellite Antenne | Caravan Breakers ..

Zehander AX 40 Multimo Receives both analog & digital signals via 40cm dish Mobile & stationary use Compact & Powerful Design No assembly Necessary Quick & easy adjustment via one fixing screw Cable fixing in unit base Weatherproof & maintenance-free!

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