I am about to embarce on a "live aboard" adventure (?) and have been looking for information on the installation of a TV. Yes some marina's have cable - mine does not. Flat screen mounting for the actual screen yes - and i am assuming something like Direct TV or the like - ideally along with internet access - but i am having trouble finding information on the actual hookup. I have seen information on "dome" type antennas - is that what i will need? I have heard rumours about smaller - flat HD antennas form Sony. Will i need other accessories such as the antenna version of a "Cable box"?
Marine Television
- Thread starter rwilliamson56
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Satellite TV or direct broadcast?
If you want satellite TV- Dish or Direct, you will need a satellite antenna. Full motion marine units are made by KVH and Raymarine. I have a KVH unit and it was installed in 2003 when we commissioned our 356. You will also need a satellite receiver box just like you have at home, furnished by your satellite provider. The antenna has to be mounted somewhere, usually on a pole, so you will need to purchase and install one. From the antenna come the leads to the satellite box. My unit has 2 leads for 2 tv's should you want them. The antenna is dc powered, but needs to be cleanly regulated power without fluctuations, particularly low voltage (even momentarily below 10.8v) or your card programming will be deleted. I have a transformer that converts 120v to 12v to supply the antenna. I use either shore, generator, or inverter power to power it. You will also need 120v power to the satellite box and the tv.
Initially, I had several instances of low voltage that wiped out the programming on the antenna card before putting the unit on the regulated 12v power supply. Since then, I have only had one outage and that was due to a malfunction of the satellite box that sent too high voltage back to the antenna.
I have had great success with the signal. The antenna is constantly trying to improve the signal, so you can have a much better signal than most people have at home. In choppy seas, it will break lock, but it will find the signal relatively quick. Sometimes in a tight circle, it will also break lock, but also quickly finds the signal.
If you are cruising, you need to set it up with the provider as a mobile unit like an RV. Your local channels won't follow you everywhere you go, but you can change locations by phone and get the local channels wherever you happen to be.
For internet, I use a verizon card and subscription as well as the local wireless in our marina. I have found verizon service most places we go. Portions of the Tenn-Tom waterway were without service two years ago and may have been more fully covered since I went down there. You will only receive signals near shore in coastal areas.
For offshore, I use Globalstar to get grib weather files and e-mail. The last couple of years, Globalstar has been unreliable. They claim to be launching satellites this fall that should make their system workable again. When it works, it is very slow, but does provide basic connection. I think there are some booster programs that work to make it somewhat faster than when I have used it but I have not tried and don't plan to until their system is back up to normal.
There are very expensive systems for internet if you have deep pockets and want service in very remote or offshore.
Someone else can comment on direct broadcast tv - I have never used it.
If you want satellite TV- Dish or Direct, you will need a satellite antenna. Full motion marine units are made by KVH and Raymarine. I have a KVH unit and it was installed in 2003 when we commissioned our 356. You will also need a satellite receiver box just like you have at home, furnished by your satellite provider. The antenna has to be mounted somewhere, usually on a pole, so you will need to purchase and install one. From the antenna come the leads to the satellite box. My unit has 2 leads for 2 tv's should you want them. The antenna is dc powered, but needs to be cleanly regulated power without fluctuations, particularly low voltage (even momentarily below 10.8v) or your card programming will be deleted. I have a transformer that converts 120v to 12v to supply the antenna. I use either shore, generator, or inverter power to power it. You will also need 120v power to the satellite box and the tv.
Initially, I had several instances of low voltage that wiped out the programming on the antenna card before putting the unit on the regulated 12v power supply. Since then, I have only had one outage and that was due to a malfunction of the satellite box that sent too high voltage back to the antenna.
I have had great success with the signal. The antenna is constantly trying to improve the signal, so you can have a much better signal than most people have at home. In choppy seas, it will break lock, but it will find the signal relatively quick. Sometimes in a tight circle, it will also break lock, but also quickly finds the signal.
If you are cruising, you need to set it up with the provider as a mobile unit like an RV. Your local channels won't follow you everywhere you go, but you can change locations by phone and get the local channels wherever you happen to be.
For internet, I use a verizon card and subscription as well as the local wireless in our marina. I have found verizon service most places we go. Portions of the Tenn-Tom waterway were without service two years ago and may have been more fully covered since I went down there. You will only receive signals near shore in coastal areas.
For offshore, I use Globalstar to get grib weather files and e-mail. The last couple of years, Globalstar has been unreliable. They claim to be launching satellites this fall that should make their system workable again. When it works, it is very slow, but does provide basic connection. I think there are some booster programs that work to make it somewhat faster than when I have used it but I have not tried and don't plan to until their system is back up to normal.
There are very expensive systems for internet if you have deep pockets and want service in very remote or offshore.
Someone else can comment on direct broadcast tv - I have never used it.
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Marine TV antenna can get HD TV for free. If you are 20-30 miles from a TV station, the reception is usually quite good. Shakesphere make amplied omni-directional antenna that looks like a pancake. I only need an indoor antenna to pick up 18 stations.
Many marinas are supporting wireless internet and that and www.hulu.com gets you a lot of content for free. That and a simple HD TV antenna might suffice if you don't want to spend a couple of grand on a satellite antenna.
I recently popped for a 22 in. HDTV Toshiba for the boat, but the antenna I have, one of those powered pancake ones mounted on the mast, doesn't pull in many signals, and signal strength is low on the ones it does. It could be interference, tho. My dock neighbor says his reception is much better if he's in the slip bow-out. I'm thinking I might get one of those indoor antenna that look like a model space ship and just lead it out a porthole or something.
Be careful with terms like "HD TV antennas" and "digital antennas" since there is no such thing and this is just a marketing ploy. We have a Shakespeare antenna and pick up signals from the towers 60 miles away. If you are on a fringe area the digital signal is all or nothing and no in bewteen. You need an antenna capable of receiving both UHF and VHF signals and that is it. If you are in a fringe area you will want an antenna with a signal booster or a gain control that will give you better gain. There are antennas and there are better antennas but no HD or digital antennas. If you can find thye original papaerwork on your antenna check that it will receive UHF and VHF, not like your radio. If you get a replacement be sure it can increase the gain or boost the signal. Chuck
do they make small flat panel 12 volt tv's or do I need to use an 12v/120v inverter?
I have an inverter, just don't know which would last longer on my battery
I have an inverter, just don't know which would last longer on my battery
In this forum there was a thread earlier this year. Someone found a TV that uses a 110-to-12 volt converter. He did away with the adapter and just ran 12 volts to the TV. He should be chiming in with some info, but you can alway search for it.
Just purchased a RCA 1500 passive model (omni directional & mountable). It seems to work a lot better than the powered rabbit ears. I currently have a converter box, but have plans for a new flat panel ac/dc model in the next few weeks.
20 In AC/DC Widescreen 1080i LCD HDTV ATSC Tuner NX-545 $250 from Bundle City.
http://www.bundlecity.com/Television and Plasma TVs/AC DC TVs/?sck=15993502
Tell your kids that they can get free freight & 10% off until 6/21.
20 In AC/DC Widescreen 1080i LCD HDTV ATSC Tuner NX-545 $250 from Bundle City.
http://www.bundlecity.com/Television and Plasma TVs/AC DC TVs/?sck=15993502
Tell your kids that they can get free freight & 10% off until 6/21.
They do make 12volt TVs and some TVs step down the 120 volts to 12 volt so you would just have to do some research. But these sets do not like low voltage so in using any of them I would recommend using a DC to DC converter to keep the voltage constant. They will not use any more power and will not be as hungry as an inverter. Chuck
Re: Satellite TV or direct broadcast?
Fantastic information - i will go and look at the KVH site and see which best fits my needs.
Fantastic information - i will go and look at the KVH site and see which best fits my needs.
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