Satellite Receiver / Audio Amp

[aread2]

I've commissioned a boat. Build starts in June. I'm looking at installing a satellite dish - 3 children who get quite crabby if they don't get their fix of CBBC/Dr Who etc. I'm thinking about getting one of these http://www.towsure.com/product/14006 from Towsure as a cheaper alternative to an all-singing and dancing self-seeking jobbie. What would be a good receiver to pair up with it? I was thinking of visiting Richer Sounds for a sound system but I'm not sure they will have anything that will run on 12v. Does anybody have recommendations in that area?

[chris w]

You can get a complete satellite kit including the dish, receiver, LNB and various fixing brackets etc for around £80 from Maplin, Aldi etc. Many forum members have bought this unit and have been extremely pleased with it. There was a thread on it just before Xmas IIRC. maplin occasionally do specials on this one - it has been as low as £60 from time to time.

 

see here

 

Chris

[Gary Peacock]

 

This is one of the best true mobile dishes on the market HERE

 

I have fitted a lot of these with very little problems.

 

If you want to view subscription channels the new receivers are better than the older offerings but are going to cost you about £130.00 for a legitimate one. But you can pick up receivers from about £5.00 at car boot sales, don't worry if the remote is missing they are standard unit and only about £20.00 or just use the one from home.

 

I don't know of any really good 12v stereo systems but before we got good multi voltage flat TV's we used to use those Sterling "Drink can size" inverters without any problems so that is an option.

 

Another would be to just get a good TV with decent speaker and built in DVD/CD player do you really need any more audio system then?

Edited April 1, 2007 by Gary Peacock

[whammy]

I've commissioned a boat. Build starts in June. I'm looking at installing a satellite dish - 3 children who get quite crabby if they don't get their fix of CBBC/Dr Who etc. I'm thinking about getting one of these http://www.towsure.com/product/14006 from Towsure as a cheaper alternative to an all-singing and dancing self-seeking jobbie. What would be a good receiver to pair up with it? I was thinking of visiting Richer Sounds for a sound system but I'm not sure they will have anything that will run on 12v. Does anybody have recommendations in that area?

 

 

 

Dont want to teach my granny to suck eggs but with the dish from towsure which is fixed permanently to the roof you might have to watch bridge heights of your preffered cruising area, might be aan expensive crunch on some bridges I have been under. Tad expensive as well. The kerstan dishes recommended above are first class and are cheaper, the receivers I use are pace ds430n for sky and chan 4 and 5 and technomate receiver for the sport/footy on the other sats.

 

[NB Willawaw]

With the exception of the very expensive auto-tracking dishes, I'm beginning to think that the medium priced satellite set-ups are not the best vfm for narrowboats.

 

I've got a Maplin system and its works very well (cost was £79 I think) when the boat is still, but its on the top of a long pole and any movement in the boat causes the picture to momentarily break-up (usually in the middle of a good film on the excellent Film 4 freeview film channel).

I am now going to get a foldable tripod and mount it lower down - the tripod is £50 on its own.

By the way, I have found that gusts of wind can also cause the dish to flip over when using the supplied suction cup mounts (middle of the night usually), so I dont use this mounting method.

Also the freeview does not include ch4 or 5 in the line-up as these are encrypted, but there are lots of other good channels to watch and the radio coverage is brilliant. Also, the whole system works from 12VDC.

 

By the way, I have just bought a Logik DAB Receiver from PC World for £50. It also plays my MP3 tracks through its large speaker.

Edited April 6, 2007 by NB Willawaw

[chris w]

I've got a Maplin system and its works very well

 

 

For anyone interested, Maplin have a special offer on their satellite dish and receiver kit at the moment @ £54.99

 

Chris

[aread2]

Dont want to teach my granny to suck eggs but with the dish from towsure which is fixed permanently to the roof you might have to watch bridge heights of your preffered cruising area, might be aan expensive crunch on some bridges I have been under. Tad expensive as well. The kerstan dishes recommended above are first class and are cheaper, the receivers I use are pace ds430n for sky and chan 4 and 5 and technomate receiver for the sport/footy on the other sats.

 

It folds flat. The main advantage as I saw it was that you can point it from inside the boat whilst watching the screen.

[NB Willawaw]

Valid point about being able to see the TV screen whilst tuning.

 

Towsure is just one of many outlets for Maxview.

Maxview also sell the same portable suitcase system that Maplin sell, but as their own branded product.

 

The systems that you are referring to, do fold down but still use about 20cm of headroom in the folded position, which on a caravan is no big deal. On a narrowboat, that 8" can be be crucial.

 

You can utilise a sat-finder box to align the dish manually if you can't see the TV screen.

 

I just put the portable dish on the roof near a window and by looking through the window, just align the dish for maximum reading on the tuning bar indicator on the info window of the TV. This window is generated by the satellite receiver and sent to the TV through the SCART.

 

 

It folds flat. The main advantage as I saw it was that you can point it from inside the boat whilst watching the screen.

Edited April 8, 2007 by NB Willawaw

[Chris J W]

There's Freesat From Sky to consider, too. I'll probably get this for mine.

 

You can, if you've the readies, get an autotracking dish too.

 

[An aside story. One of my, so called, friends is very adamant that you can't get satellite TV on a boat. Very adamant. Almost angry adamant - if you see what I mean. When I showed her an ad in a mag for the autotrack system she was, despite all the evidence in front her, still adamant that you COULD NOT do it! What is it with some people??]

[chris w]

Valid point about being able to see the TV screen whilst tuning.

Maxview also sell the same portable suitcase system that Maplin sell, but as their own branded product.

 

You can utilise a sat-finder box to align the dish manually if you can't see the TV screen.

 

I just put the portable dish on the roof near a window and by looking through the window, just align the dish for maximum reading on the tuning bar indicator on the info window of the TV.

 

The Maplin/Maxview box generates a loud tone on the TV whilst tuning. Turn the dish, and listen for maximum tone level and you're tuned in. Very straightforward and no need to see the screen whilst tuning.

 

Chris

Edited April 8, 2007 by chris w

[carlt]

The Maplin/Maxview box generates a loud tone on the TV whilst tuning. Turn the dish, and listen for maximum tone level and you're tuned in. Very straightforward and no need to see the screen whilst tuning.

 

Chris

That sounds similar to my method. SWMBO emits a loud tone from inside the boat whilst I do the outside adjustments.

[NB Willawaw]

Yes I know and you are technically correct but it irritates me and spoils the peace. Also, you need to be near an open window to hear the tone. I also find the bargraph easier to tune against.

 

The Maplin/Maxview box generates a loud tone on the TV whilst tuning. Turn the dish, and listen for maximum tone level and you're tuned in. Very straightforward and no need to see the screen whilst tuning.

 

Chris