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Circe

By Circe
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Circe Community Regular

Circe

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We're out on a long cruise at the moment - absolutely wonderful - but now that things have switched from analogue to digital, we have no working telly.

 

In the hope it might help, we picked up one of the Maplins suitcase satellite dishes but as yet haven't been able to get it to work anywhere - town, city or middle of nowhere. Nice clear line of sight tonight, but it's still not happening.

 

It's not the end of the world, but with 3 kids on board it's nice to have TV access on occasion.

 

What would you suggest? Not after anything fancy - basic channels would be absolutely fine if we can get those. Any recommendations very gratefully received.

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Ex- Member Veteran II

Ex- Member

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We're out on a long cruise at the moment - absolutely wonderful - but now that things have switched from analogue to digital, we have no working telly.

 

In the hope it might help, we picked up one of the Maplins suitcase satellite dishes but as yet haven't been able to get it to work anywhere - town, city or middle of nowhere. Nice clear line of sight tonight, but it's still not happening.

 

It's not the end of the world, but with 3 kids on board it's nice to have TV access on occasion.

 

What would you suggest? Not after anything fancy - basic channels would be absolutely fine if we can get those. Any recommendations very gratefully received.

 

 

Read this thread, posted earlier.

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=49277&pid=917521&st=0entry917521

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BlueStringPudding Veteran II

BlueStringPudding

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I have that satellite dish and it works fine wherever there is clear line of sight. I check it's pointed in the right direction using a compass (well, a free compass app on my iPad) while standing away from the boat - the boat makes the compass go a bit doolally.

 

Have you tried different angles of height for it? You might be pointing it too high or too low. I think it's a great bit of kit. The only drawback I've had (apart from the dish blowing away once!) is that it can be a bit bouncy in windy weather which mucks around with your signal a bit.

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Circe Community Regular

Circe

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Yes, we've done the compass thing on the iPhone and spent a few hours in several locations trying all manner of angles. I'd read that it was good - might well have been on here - but finding it beyond frustrating at the moment.

 

Had hoped to get it going tonight - we're moored completely in the open.

 

Will keep trying...

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Grace and Favour Veteran II

Grace and Favour

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Yes, we've done the compass thing on the iPhone and spent a few hours in several locations trying all manner of angles. I'd read that it was good - might well have been on here - but finding it beyond frustrating at the moment.

 

Had hoped to get it going tonight - we're moored completely in the open.

 

Will keep trying...

 

Have you made sure the LBwhatsit (that little round barrel shaped thingamajig at the end of the satellite dish arm) is at the correct point of rotation in the holder

(I think ours is at -14 degrees

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Mat B Collaborator

Mat B

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Assuming you have internet, I use this method:

 

1. Sat pointer website to give me the basic direction to point.

 

2. Watch the screen as you move the dish about until a picture appears.

 

3. Use the tone facility to fine tune the direction. (On mine it's "info" then "1")

 

(When fine tuning remember there are 3 ways to move the dish: up-down, left-right and rotate)

 

I can usually get set up in a couple of minutes.

 

m@

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dor Veteran II

dor

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It has pleasantly surprised me how quickly I can set up my aldi dish that I've had for a couple of weeks or so. It has a little clinometer on the side to get the elevation right which is very useful, but the satfinder is essential. I just fix the mount to the roof, check the angle (150deg) and elevation then gently swing it back and forth. Takes barely a minute.

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Guest

Guest

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We're out on a long cruise at the moment - absolutely wonderful - but now that things have switched from analogue to digital, we have no working telly.

 

In the hope it might help, we picked up one of the Maplins suitcase satellite dishes but as yet haven't been able to get it to work anywhere - town, city or middle of nowhere. Nice clear line of sight tonight, but it's still not happening.

 

It's not the end of the world, but with 3 kids on board it's nice to have TV access on occasion.

 

What would you suggest? Not after anything fancy - basic channels would be absolutely fine if we can get those. Any recommendations very gratefully received.

 

We just use a cheapo Freeview TV with built in DVD player bought from ASDA. We have a cheapo Bush Freesat box from Argos and a dish but it rarely gets used as 99% of the time we can get a picture with our fairly decent aerial which we got from here -

 

http://www.aerialsandtv.com/touringaerials.html

 

The aerial is so good we often don't need to put it up - it even picks a picture up just laid on the boat roof... :lol:

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john6767 Veteran II

john6767

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We are using the satellite here in Llangollen for the first time since analog was switched off last year. Not having much practice at setting it up I use a meter which was a few quid from ebay to help. I use Nicholsons to get the general direction and then the meter until it picks something up, and then maximize the signal. It is easy to get the wrong satellite though, so you know then to move it slightly east.

 

I amazes me now how well our "egg whisk" aerial picks up all the freeview channels now, even yesterday it was getting ITV but no BBC, so I decided to break out the satelite dish.

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carlt Veteran II

carlt

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Not really on topic but a reasonable place to post this.

 

I spotted a 16" Freeview telly, with built in DVD player and working on 12 volts for £79 in Morrisons, in Bridlington, last week.

 

Not buying tellys regularly and not an habitual visitor to Morrisons, I don't know if this is as cheap as it seems, nor if it is a nationwide offer.

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Ynot Contributor

Ynot

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Its definately a bit of a black art. I find that a compass (away from close proximity to the boat) and a spirit level to be essential. Once you can establish roughly where the satellite should be, and that it is clear of obstructions, the LNB has to be off set (rotated)at a small angle but the arm holding the dish should be level left to right and marginally lower than level back to front. It does take paractise, but is good when it all comes together. My early experience gave me as much of a headache just getting the boxes to talk to each other as the alignment.

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cotswoldsman Veteran II

cotswoldsman

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Not really on topic but a reasonable place to post this.

 

I spotted a 16" Freeview telly, with built in DVD player and working on 12 volts for £79 in Morrisons, in Bridlington, last week.

 

Not buying tellys regularly and not an habitual visitor to Morrisons, I don't know if this is as cheap as it seems, nor if it is a nationwide offer.

 

Aounds fairly cheap to me carl. I bought a 12v with Freeview and DVD last year from a TV shop in Leicester and it cost £139. I have to say I have yet not been able to get great pictures, in my opinion with the change over to digital in most places I dumped my Satellite quite a while ago. the only thing I miss not having is The BBC Midlands News.

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Circe Community Regular

Circe

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Thanks everyone - really do appreciate the help :)

 

We're a bit further along the Avon tonight, and with a bit of fiddling, a lot of advice following and a bought-today satellite signal finder we now have BBC1 (with picture and sound!) Wooohooo!

 

Unfortunately it's in black and white, but hey - we have a telly :lol: The set itself is great for DVDs, which is what we mainly use anyway - none of us watch much TV, so very glad we don't have to replace it.

 

Not sure what's causing the B&W - faulty cable or receiver? Even the menu screen in black and white. Any guesses? You've been fab thus far :D

 

Circe

 

How are you connecting the TV to the satellite receiver?

 

SCART - it came with the receiver and the connection is nice and secure.

 

Signal strength - 89% intensity, 74% quality tonight. Last night was 79% intensity but we struggled to get it above 14% quality.

 

Feeling less like taking an axe to it tonight ;)

Edited by Circe
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