Are the satellite domes all they're cracked up to be?

 
 
 
 
 
 
Blag
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Are the satellite domes all they're cracked up to be?

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Posted: 18.10.2012  ·  #1
I've always wondered...

We've never had much time for watching telly on our camping trips, but one thing I have noticed is more and more MH's seem to be fitted with the satellite domes on the roof...

We have a little briefcase Maplin camping satellite kit with a 39cm dish. We've used it the odd time for longer stays just to keep an eye on the weather or keep the kids entertained on really wet days, but truth be told its just another "on offer" gizmo I couldn't resist for €40. :whistle: It only takes minutes to set up and tune-in using the little black box thingy that goes between the dish and receiver so I dont really see the burning need for automatic tuning when the time to manually set up a dish is not unreasonable?

What really sparked my attention was one time, I was sitting outside my tent watching a chap climb up the roof of his MH and remove the fibreglass (or plastic) dome from his satellite dome and was fussing with the internals. What caught my eye was how tiny the dish was?

I've had a few different dishes on the house over the last few years and I came to the realisation the size DOES matter with dishes...

Our 39cm dish works grand unless rain comes on hard but that little dish in the dome appeared to be smaller than our maplin 39cm jobbie?

So. Are the automatic Satt domes all they're cracked up to be?

Or are they Gizmo's YOU couldn't resist... :fgrin:

In my folks camper theres a 50cm flat panel satt dish in one of the lockers... I must take it out and see if its still working...


baguette
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Re: Are the satellite domes all they're cracked up to be?

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Posted: 18.10.2012  ·  #2
Sat Domes are the job in high winds, there is no need to take them down like ordinary dishes. There are also 'in motion' versions which stay locked on as you drive allowing tv to be watched by passengers or the radio channels on satellite to be listened to by all.

However, the down side is that the dish size contained within the dome is relatively small so the regular type, for example an Alden 90cm, will get a reception far beyond where a dome will fail.

If, for example, the South of France, is the limit of your travels a dome will perform well but if you plan to head for the south of Spain, Portugal, the east of Germany, Italy etc. the biggest 'ordinary' dish you can get is best.


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Re: Are the satellite domes all they're cracked up to be?

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Posted: 18.10.2012  ·  #3
We had a dish on a tripod before buying a dome. We wanted to see if we would get the use out of it before committing to the extra expense.

I must say the tripod version worked very well but we found we used it more in the winter months when the night were longer. Unfortunately this is the time the weather is worse and I got fed up getting soaked while setting it. The dish inside the dome is quite small but I think they equate it to a an equivalent larger size somehow. o.O

The tripod/freestanding versions could not be used if you are on an Aire.

The self seeking dome is great and has worked well as far as the south of France but as baguette says a much bigger dish would improve the range. This isn't a problem for us as we rarely switch the TV on during the summer trips but is handy if you have a favourite radio station from home which you simply can't do without. LOL


Blag
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Re: Are the satellite domes all they're cracked up to be?

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Posted: 18.10.2012  ·  #4
On a slightly different note, I picked up a DVB-T receiver in a supermarket in Italy earlier this year. (another irresistable gizmo :whistle: )

I didn't expect much for the price, I think I paid €20 for it but I was pleasently surprised.

It simply plugs into a laptop and automatically tunes into local digital TV & radio channels... It proved invaluable at the time. We were in Italy at the time of the earthquakes earlier this year and we were hungry for information at the time so €20 was worth the shot.

When I got home i was doubtful it'd work but by gosh it did!

All Irish digital terrestrial tv & radio channels in the blink of an eye and as simple as plugging this 'dongle' into the laptop USB, stick the magnetic ariel somewhere outside and start up the program... voala..

Heres something similar on eBay. -
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DVB-T-…0368730912

Mine has a slightly bigger telescopic aerial but this un is close.


Ally
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Re: Are the satellite domes all they're cracked up to be?

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Posted: 18.10.2012  ·  #5
My son has one of those, we used it at the Battery bar Cookstown, he got as many channels as I did with the Status 530! it does Saorview then? mpeg4 compatible?


Blag
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Re: Are the satellite domes all they're cracked up to be?

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Posted: 18.10.2012  ·  #6
Quote by Ally

My son has one of those, we used it at the Battery bar Cookstown, he got as many channels as I did with the Status 530! it does Saorview then? mpeg4 compatible?


Yeah, all the saorview channels.

The biggest bonus for us was running it through the laptop. We dont bring a tv when camping but we always bring the laptop for internet and work stuff so it cuts down on the camping accessories... TBH, on the rare times we do set up the "telly", we use this gizmo more than the satellite dish, less fuss.

We have another "dongle" for running the satellite channels through the laptop (after the decoder). Another ebay find.

Now that we're destined to upgrade from tent to MH, I can see more technology 'stuff' on our future camping trips. The kids have already picked the spot to mount a big flatscreen in the camper :'(


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Re: Are the satellite domes all they're cracked up to be?

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Posted: 18.10.2012  ·  #7
Quote by Blag

Quote by Ally

My son has one of those, we used it at the Battery bar Cookstown, he got as many channels as I did with the Status 530! it does Saorview then? mpeg4 compatible?
The kids have already picked the spot to mount a big flatscreen in the camper :'(



LOL.


Blag
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Re: Are the satellite domes all they're cracked up to be?

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Posted: 18.10.2012  ·  #8
Quote by mark
LOL.


And there was talks of playstation3 too... but I put paid to that thought fairly quick... :lol:


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