Sattelite TV/Or Not?

S

sarbog

Member
Aug 22, 2008
135
Emerald Isle NC
Boat Info
'05 340 Sundancer
Garmin 7610xsv
1951 Penn Yan 9' Aerodinghy/2018 AB 9vl w/ 15 hp Evinrude 2-strk
Engines
Twin 8.1 Horizons v-drives
After upgrading plotter and adding radar I am pondering adding satellite TV, such as a KV1 dome and dish Network, or similar. However, that will be pricey in both equipment and subscription for something that will be only occasionally used. TV is used almost exclusively in Marinas. I am beginning to think a better alternative would be to upgrade TVs to smart TVs, inexpensive nowdays, and go with somehting like an Amazon Firestick ($50 +/-, onetime) and Sling TV ($25 +/-, per month subscription). WiFi dependant I realize, but it is a rare occasion that we are at a marina without WiFi, and home marina WiFi is excellent. My Gomex picks up local network broadcasts fine. Am I missing something? Anyone with experience?
 
I'm in the same boat as you (no pun intended) I have the equipment but don't want to spend $100 month on dish service
I have the smart tv and stream while at the marina. I've also used Apple TV to stream from my phone or iTunes.
i would still love all the network and cable programming. the reliability of the sat over wifi is a big factor once you leave the marina. On travel days the family really have nothing to watch. I'm told by the time you get what you want from dish it's $100 month not $30 as advertised.
 
FootballFan said:
Our dish bill with HD service runs around $80-90 a month.
Click to expand...

We too have Dish at home and it runs about the same. I have been told that once the antenna is added to the boat, you can take a receiver from home and get the same service as you do at home for no more $$$$.

The other thing we have with Dish is DishAnywhere app. As long as we have a WiFi or cellular signal, we can watch on the boat whatever we can watch at home. Receiver has a built in sling box. Apple TV will mirror iphone or ipad with the app.

Bennett
 
We go where there is no TV except by satellite. We do not have a system. We have VCR and DVD player and read a lot of books. The BIG boats have sat TV but it is nice to create ones own entertainment. We have internet via cell and used to have it via sat phone but it was very slow and the rates went to 1,800 a year.
 
I have the M1 on my boat with directv and wouldn't trade it for anything. You see, it comes down to personal preference & priorities. I have 3 small children (although they are growing fast) that utilized the sat system countless times. I also enjoy watching all my sports when out on the boat. The marinas that we spend most of our time at on Fire Island don't have wifi. I have directv at home so the boat is an extra $6 a month in the summer. Then I shut the receiver off when the boat is hauled. And as Joe said, my crew watches the tv frequently during long cruises. So as previously stated, it comes down to your personal preference.


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Todd
 
tdschafer said:
I have the M1 on my boat with directv and wouldn't trade it for anything. You see, it comes down to personal preference & priorities. I have 3 small children (although they are growing fast) that utilized the sat system countless times. I also enjoy watching all my sports when out on the boat. The marinas that we spend most of our time at on Fire Island don't have wifi. I have directv at home so the boat is an extra $6 a month in the summer. Then I shut the receiver off when the boat is hauled. And as Joe said, my crew watches the tv frequently during long cruises. So as previously stated, it comes down to your personal preference.


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Todd
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Couldn't agree more... Love my Direct TV system... And for $6 a month for 5 months.. It's well worth it for my 3 year old to watch Mickey alone...


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Our new to us 420 came with the KVH M3 satellite dome installed, so we were lucky there. We signed up for DISH TV at about $75 per month, which is totally month to month and can be turned on or off at any time - no contract. We don't have free WI-FI at our home marina, and the WI-FI service at marinas we frequently visit is sporadic at best, so streaming wasn't really an option for us. If we had great WI-FI like the OP and others have stated, I would have gone with the cheaper streaming option. I installed a 32" LED TV in the cockpit, and now we spend MUCH more time on the boat on weekends with family and friends in the winter than in the past, since we can watch live sports. Totally worth it for us.
 
Same as Todd. Have DirectTV at home so adding the boat receiver is just $6 per month for another receiver to the home plan. Although it is going up to $7 in February. Unfortunately my boat did not come equipped so I had to drop $2k on the KVH TV1 hardware. I kept the Glomex installed to get The four big networks and PBS when I have the boat outside my local station satellite cone.
 
Question-Will the installed satellite antennas pick up a signal in a marina with covered slips?

Thanks,
Bennett
 
We know if you have direct at home its $6 to add the boat but that would mean i have to switch my entire house to direct tv to make it acceptable. I want to add a standalone digital library and the wife's attitude is "we didnt buy a boat to watch tv on it" shes right but i like my news in the morning
Im lucky the glomex picks up the local stations like theyre in HD.


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I found a kvh m1 on craigslist last year I think It was $1200 for antenna and direct tv receiver. I moved the tv from the cabin to the cockpit and upgrade the cabin to a 40" led. I also added a second direct tv box for about $200 for the box an additional $6 per month. My total monthly is $30 for basic service and I suspend it for 6 months out of the year. That's all the kids really need and its less of a hassle trying to setup the apple or firetv's on the wifi. I do have a slingbox at home and occasionally use the app onboard but when the wifi is flakey its a pain. I think we stayed 3 nights total at marinas last year and made use of their wifi. Most of the time we were on the hook or picked up a mooring with weak wifi coverage.
 
We have Dish Network at the beach house. I'll have to look into whether it is comporable to add the boat for minimal amount as is Direct TV. If so, that might change my evaluation. Still, no kids to entertain so It is not like it will be extensively used. Quality of WiFi is a concern when travelling and either route I go I will be upgrading the TV in the cabin.
 
We have had Tracvision for about 8 years. Our decision to buy was when traveling, most marinas do not has cable any more. We pay about $50/month for service
 
sarbog said:
We have Dish Network at the beach house. I'll have to look into whether it is comporable to add the boat for minimal amount as is Direct TV. If so, that might change my evaluation. Still, no kids to entertain so It is not like it will be extensively used. Quality of WiFi is a concern when travelling and either route I go I will be upgrading the TV in the cabin.
Click to expand...
Nice thing about Dish is they broadcast their HD channels over the Ku band. DirectTV only puts standard def channels on that band. The cheapest KVH is the TV1 and it only supports Ku band. So I only get SD on the boat (which I don't care). I'd have to go to the mega-expensive HD7 antenna to get HD with DirectTV on the Ka band.
 
Last edited:
ZZ13 said:
Nice thing about Dish is they broadcast their HD channels over the Ku band. DirectTV only puts standard def channels on that band. The cheapest KVH is the TV1 and it only supports Ku band. So I only get SD on the boat (which I don't care). I'd have to go to the mega-expensive HD7 antenna to get HD with DirectTV on the Ka band.
Click to expand...

I agree! My 15" & 19" tvs look fine on standard def. I wouldn't spend the $12k for the HD7 either, at least not on my little 33 footer!!


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Todd
 
i have a tracvision 4 on the boat, if I was to activate it am I limited to what company I can use?
 
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