Does anyone have any feedback on HDTV antennas? Good ones? Bad ones? Indoor antenna vs outdoor antenna? Does it help to use an outdoor antenna and put it high on the air?
on-board tv
- Thread starter palmbeachboater
- Start date
We have used the Mohu Leaf with okay success. They are inexpensive and easy to mount inside the boat.
There are no High Definition antennas, its just a marketing ploy. Now getting back to TV antennas we use a Shakespeare omnidirectional 120V amplified signal antenna positioned high in the mast. It is the same antenna that we used with the previous analog TV and does a good job bringing in most stations within our viewing area. We power the TV and the antenna through the inverter when on the hook or underway.
Antenna...
I hoist a "Boat-tenna" on the main halyard with 75 ohm cable attached to the downhaul on it and feed it into the boat through a cable connection port on the cabin trunk.
Inside the cable is connected to a analog/digital converter box (Radio Shack sourced) and its output is fed into a combo DVD/flat screen TV. Initiate a channel search and it finds active broadcast digital signals and feeds them to a pre-set channel (3 or 4), just like a VHS or DVD player would.
In a marina with cable, the box puts the signals through its own tuner but you have to have it search for active channels each time you use a different cable provider source.
I hoist a "Boat-tenna" on the main halyard with 75 ohm cable attached to the downhaul on it and feed it into the boat through a cable connection port on the cabin trunk.
Inside the cable is connected to a analog/digital converter box (Radio Shack sourced) and its output is fed into a combo DVD/flat screen TV. Initiate a channel search and it finds active broadcast digital signals and feeds them to a pre-set channel (3 or 4), just like a VHS or DVD player would.
In a marina with cable, the box puts the signals through its own tuner but you have to have it search for active channels each time you use a different cable provider source.
I spend most of my summers living aboard and I like TV. But when out on the hook TV really is not much of an option. Talking to people with those antennas is ok for local broadcasts but ESPN or HLN your out of luck. Fortunately in our location 3G and 4G cellular is readily available. So my wife and I bought a Slingbox and now get all the normal cable channels from home to our Ipad connected to our flatscreen TV. We have an unlimited data plan so we even watch netflix. ( Binged watched Orange is the new black and House of cards on the boat) I would seriously consider a slingbox over mounting an antenna. But it has to work for your situation.
I also want to mention the utility of slingbox. We were on a trip when we wanted to watch a game broadcast only on the local stations at home. Where we were did not have it so we slingboxed in and watched the game on our Ipad.
I also want to mention the utility of slingbox. We were on a trip when we wanted to watch a game broadcast only on the local stations at home. Where we were did not have it so we slingboxed in and watched the game on our Ipad.
Not sure I'd go with the TV antenna. I'm experimenting with a WiFi Repeater, a smart tv and Roku3. The repeater is a http://www.jefatech.com/product/RV-KIT-REPEATER ($200) with a antenna on the mast
The repeater might make my neighbors happy too.
I'll let you know how it works in the late spring. But the SmartTV doubles are a monitor and the Roku ($85) converts Wifi to Netflix, Amaxon, HuluPlus etc..
So If I can get a strong enough Wifi signal, I won't miss the broadcast TV
Pat 'Blue Skies' Portsmouth NH
The repeater might make my neighbors happy too.
I'll let you know how it works in the late spring. But the SmartTV doubles are a monitor and the Roku ($85) converts Wifi to Netflix, Amaxon, HuluPlus etc..
So If I can get a strong enough Wifi signal, I won't miss the broadcast TV
Pat 'Blue Skies' Portsmouth NH
It would seem Majestic UFO are popular here in Oz. I have one and its simple strong and gives good signal.
an outside antenna is the best... as opposed to the inside type.
as for the mounting of it, you need to find where the signal is and mount it there... it makes no difference high or low, on the port or the starboard, fore or aft... the signal will be where the signal is...and the best signal is not always where your boat is.
when you find out where it is strongest on your boat as it sets in your slip, it may, and probably will change as soon as you move the boat to another slip, or back it into your slip or sail it....
my experience with the small compact external outside antenna, is that it makes very little difference if its a boosted model or a non boosted type... it DOES make a difference if its inside or outside... definitly, outside where the signal is coming from is best.
when you hook the "booster" module up to it, you MUST have it plugged in to work, but I see no difference in the signal with it hooked up and plugged in, than I do without the module in the system at all.... it still works fine as an unboosted model..
the only difference between a boosted model and a non boosted model is the extra module that comes with it for more money. it attaches between the coax and the tv, and plugs into a 120v outlet.... without any signal gain as far as I can tell.
if you want to use it as an unboosted model, you must remove the module from the coax.
for those that want to get away from the dock with the tv, any of the larger truck stops carry all this stuff in 12v (tv's, antenna's, CD/DVD players, microwave ovens, ect..)
my boat came with the TV, so even though I have it to watch a movie with my wife (cuz SHE wants to), for the most part, when im on the boat i want to tune out the rest of the world.
because the rest of the world messes heavily with my dreams and plans
as for the mounting of it, you need to find where the signal is and mount it there... it makes no difference high or low, on the port or the starboard, fore or aft... the signal will be where the signal is...and the best signal is not always where your boat is.
when you find out where it is strongest on your boat as it sets in your slip, it may, and probably will change as soon as you move the boat to another slip, or back it into your slip or sail it....
my experience with the small compact external outside antenna, is that it makes very little difference if its a boosted model or a non boosted type... it DOES make a difference if its inside or outside... definitly, outside where the signal is coming from is best.
when you hook the "booster" module up to it, you MUST have it plugged in to work, but I see no difference in the signal with it hooked up and plugged in, than I do without the module in the system at all.... it still works fine as an unboosted model..
the only difference between a boosted model and a non boosted model is the extra module that comes with it for more money. it attaches between the coax and the tv, and plugs into a 120v outlet.... without any signal gain as far as I can tell.
if you want to use it as an unboosted model, you must remove the module from the coax.
for those that want to get away from the dock with the tv, any of the larger truck stops carry all this stuff in 12v (tv's, antenna's, CD/DVD players, microwave ovens, ect..)
my boat came with the TV, so even though I have it to watch a movie with my wife (cuz SHE wants to), for the most part, when im on the boat i want to tune out the rest of the world.
because the rest of the world messes heavily with my dreams and plans
We just bought one of those to put on our boat. How did you route the cable? Did you have to drill the mast?
I just did the same setup with an AT&T hot spot. The hot spot wifi goes thru a slingplater device connected to the TV. Works great but who/how did you get unlimited data? I have unlimited data on my iPhone (AT&T) but can'transfer to a hotspot or use the iPhone as the hotspot else AT&T takes away the grandfathered unlimited data plan. How did you do it???
I'm wondering if something like the following would work? I'm thinking of using it on my "land yacht". Camping World sells a unit called the DISH TAILGATER, which automatically acquires satellites. You couple that with a DISH receiver and you're in business. DISH has a program where you can start and stop the service at your pleasure. I wish DIRECTV, where I'm a subscriber, had the same type of program but they don't. I think DISH also has a set up for boaters. Just a thought for what it's worth.
Don: I have a KVH Trackvision 4 -2003 model and use Dish. With Dish, you add a box to your service for $5.00 per month. With the KVH, you have your normal channels wherever you are and your locals for network TV for the area you are actually in. At a dock, I think the tailgater would work great, particularly if it sat in the dock. At anchor, you will likely have problems stabilizing the system. My KVH unit tracks and stays locked on to the satellites.
On our recent trip to Florida from Kentucky Lake, we had our standard Nashville, TN locals until just south of Pickwick on The TN River, then Columbus, MS, then Mobile, AL, then Panama City, Fl, then Tampa, then Punta Gorda where the boat wintered we had Ft Myers channels. When changing areas, you just call Dish, give them your address and zip code and within 5 minutes the new locals are on your system. There is no additional charge for this as it is included in your basic Dish plan. When we returned home from the boat, we had the locals transferred back to our house. At the boat, which is 1-1/4 hours away, the locals received on KVH are the same as at home, so we don't change anything.
Your tailgater system should work the same way. There is a phone app that will show you where the sats are so you could set the antenna to see the two sats you need.
Off shore crossing from Panama City to Clearwater, we lost coverage from PC about halfway across and called Dish on our sat phone and the Tampa channels came in. The tracking system worked even in some 6 foot wave conditions and stayed locked on.
On our recent trip to Florida from Kentucky Lake, we had our standard Nashville, TN locals until just south of Pickwick on The TN River, then Columbus, MS, then Mobile, AL, then Panama City, Fl, then Tampa, then Punta Gorda where the boat wintered we had Ft Myers channels. When changing areas, you just call Dish, give them your address and zip code and within 5 minutes the new locals are on your system. There is no additional charge for this as it is included in your basic Dish plan. When we returned home from the boat, we had the locals transferred back to our house. At the boat, which is 1-1/4 hours away, the locals received on KVH are the same as at home, so we don't change anything.
Your tailgater system should work the same way. There is a phone app that will show you where the sats are so you could set the antenna to see the two sats you need.
Off shore crossing from Panama City to Clearwater, we lost coverage from PC about halfway across and called Dish on our sat phone and the Tampa channels came in. The tracking system worked even in some 6 foot wave conditions and stayed locked on.
Don: KVH has newer models now but they all work the same. My Trackvision 4 is 2003 vintage. Newer ones are HD. If you like TV on board, this is the best system for it.