Satellite dish or wifi antenna?

Sep 24, 2020
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Satellite dish or wifi antenna?


v

Using 2 TV's in my new MH


alphatronics SL-32 DSBAI+
and
Avtex L219DRS Pro or L219 DS FVP

Apologies for the messed up font but cant change the size, (not the easiest site to navigate for a confused old fellow!) Lol Any advice appreciated. Thanks
 
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Oct 8, 2006
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Satellite will work anywhere - provided you don't park under trees! - but cellular wi-fi (which is what you are displaying here) could - note <could> - be very expensive depending how you use it.

Incidentally if you look along the top of the box in which you are typing you will see a T with an up-down arrow at the side of it - that is the font size adjustment. If the change you wish to make is for only part of the page then highlight the part you want to change first.
 
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Jun 16, 2020
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If its for use in this country I would just rely on a decent aerial. Reception is massively better than it was few years ago. I am rarely disappointed. And many sites that have poor reception have a TV socket.

If I am unlucky I have a portable hard drive with masses of stuff on.

When abroad we rarely bother with any TV.

John
 
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Nov 16, 2015
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I use hard drive for films when abroad, or just watch local TV for the news. I watched a bloke once in Vermenton ! France , drove in at about 3 pm, tried three different pitches to get a sattelite signal, then cleared off at 5 pm. But if you like Eastenders that much !!!
 

JTQ

May 7, 2005
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The Avtex TV have a generic Satellite decoder built in so only require a free standing dish complete with the LNB and cable to be into watching UK TV channels. With our Triax 65 cm dish we get TV all over the UK and into France to the Dordogne. The free-standing dish offers more flexibility in siting it for a clear view of the satellite than a roof mounted dish that to move to avoid trees requires moving the unit.

Here in the UK a terrestrial Freeview signal as said is more available than it used to be, but you are restricted to the local channels, whereas with a satellite you can watch your own homes local channel or any locality you choose.

Our caravanning is part of our life style, it is not holidaying, so as we watch selective and limited amounts of TV at home, we tend to do the same when away. Using the Avtex's record facility we capture things we would watch, should we wish to be doing otherwise than watching TV when transmitted; just as at home.
 
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Sep 24, 2020
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Satellite will work anywhere - provided you don't park under trees! - but cellular wi-fi (which is what you are displaying here) could - note <could> - be very expensive depending how you use it.

Incidentally if you look along the top of the box in which you are typing you will see a T with an up-down arrow at the side of it - that is the font size adjustment. If the change you wish to make is for only part of the page then highlight the part you want to change first.
Thanks for the heads up on font, didn't see that. Cost differential will pay for about 3 years of high data usage. hate parking under trees so we avoid that in any case. Ddint think you could get UK terrestial channels on satellite abroad? Then also no Netflix Amazon or Sky?
 
Sep 24, 2020
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The Avtex TV have a generic Satellite decoder built in so only require a free standing dish complete with the LNB and cable to be into watching UK TV channels. With our Triax 65 cm dish we get TV all over the UK and into France to the Dordogne. The free-standing dish offers more flexibility in siting it for a clear view of the satellite than a roof mounted dish that to move to avoid trees requires moving the unit.

Here in the UK a terrestrial Freeview signal as said is more available than it used to be, but you are restricted to the local channels, whereas with a satellite you can watch your own homes local channel or any locality you choose.

Our caravanning is part of our life style, it is not holidaying, so as we watch selective and limited amounts of TV at home, we tend to do the same when away. Using the Avtex's record facility we capture things we would watch, should we wish to be doing otherwise than watching TV when transmitted; just as at home.
And you can still see UK terrestial programmes in the Dordogne? Free standing dish is not an option for me unfortunately. The Avtex with Freeview does not have a record option, however it does have a 7 day catch up, so Avtex has to be without Freeview to have the record and DVD option.
 
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Still not clear on which option is best. In 3 years time I think Satellite will be non preferred.
Negatives are can't use the satellite in high winds, its weight, its cost, its lifespan, its wind resistance when driving and additional height added to the top of the motorhome. Wifi Antennae is 5 inches less height, and technology will improve when 5G comes along. 4G on Antennae is vastly superior to mobile phone 4G. No need to record anything its all available to download from the internet and the Netflix/Prime/Sky channels are all accessible.
 

JTQ

May 7, 2005
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And you can still see UK terrestial programmes in the Dordogne? Free standing dish is not an option for me unfortunately. The Avtex with Freeview does not have a record option, however it does have a 7 day catch up, so Avtex has to be without Freeview to have the record and DVD option.

Lets just clarify one point, you can't actually get UK "terrestrial" as such in France, but exactly the same "content" as we get terrestrially you receive via a satellite system.

In France etc you access the same satellite cluster, carrying its same content as you would if using satellite here in the UK. The beam for that satellite cluster is focused on the UK, as you move away from the UK the signal strength weakens and with our 65 cm size dish further than the Dordogne it starts to become too weak for consistently working.

The Avtex L219DRS pro can record, unlike most Avtex it can indeed record another program whilst watching another program. See this in its Features This requires a USB stick to record onto. If like earlier Avtex TVs it may be limited in capacity to the use of a 32 GB stick. [Hopefully by now they are allowing the use of external drives way above 32 GB, but I have not checked if they have moved forward.]

The manual for the L219 dsfvp also identifies it has two USB ports designated for recording.
 
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Aug 24, 2020
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I like the look of the 5g wifi - not so concerned about telly but Mrs Gozza is self employed and at least needs to be able to check her emails while we're away, and if she could rely on a usable Zoom connection while we were away, we'd be able to do more sneaky weekends away.

What price have you been quoted for the 5g wifi thingy? I couldn't see a price anywhere on the web page.

We're not so bothered about TV (well I'm not anyway!) but years ago we were staying on a remote site with no TV reception on the weekend that a new Doctor Who series started...apparently that's a big deal, and Mrs G and Junior G were not pleased with me!
 
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Lets just clarify one point, you can't actually get UK "terrestrial" as such in France, but exactly the same "content" as we get terrestrially you receive via a satellite system.

In France etc you access the same satellite cluster, carrying its same content as you would if using satellite here in the UK. The beam for that satellite cluster is focused on the UK, as you move away from the UK the signal strength weakens and with our 65 cm size dish further than the Dordogne it starts to become too weak for consistently working.

The Avtex L219DRS pro can record, unlike most Avtex it can indeed record another program whilst watching another program. See this in its Features This requires a USB stick to record onto. If like earlier Avtex TVs it may be limited in capacity to the use of a 32 GB stick. [Hopefully by now they are allowing the use of external drives way above 32 GB, but I have not checked if they have moved forward.]

The manual for the L219 dsfvp also identifies it has two USB ports designated for recording.
Thanks
yes by "Terrestial" I mean the regular channels broadcast by mast in the UK. I wasnt clear whether the USB's on the TV's are for Dongle input or recording output, I didnt see this anywhere?
 
Jun 16, 2020
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Still not clear on which option is best. In 3 years time I think Satellite will be non preferred.
Negatives are can't use the satellite in high winds, its weight, its cost, its lifespan, its wind resistance when driving and additional height added to the top of the motorhome. Wifi Antennae is 5 inches less height, and technology will improve when 5G comes along. 4G on Antennae is vastly superior to mobile phone 4G. No need to record anything its all available to download from the internet and the Netflix/Prime/Sky channels are all accessible.

If a choice of channels across Europe is what you are looking for I would be seriously looking at the WiFi direction. Data cost has plummeted, coverage is much improved as has the technology which is still being developed at pace, VPN’s are improved and cheaper than ever. Satellite has remained static in comparison.

Possible downside is reception. Options might be keep a couple of providers accounts on the go. If it’s possible to use your phone as a hotspot then extra data only sims are avoided. In my case I am on Vodafone and she is on Virgin. But the backup is a hard drive.

My Avtex is a few years old now but it’s so slow and limited for an expensive set. Unless you are wanting to go off hook up just get a domestic TV. Better quality and more for your money.

John
 
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I like the look of the 5g wifi - not so concerned about telly but Mrs Gozza is self employed and at least needs to be able to check her emails while we're away, and if she could rely on a usable Zoom connection while we were away, we'd be able to do more sneaky weekends away.

What price have you been quoted for the 5g wifi thingy? I couldn't see a price anywhere on the web page.

We're not so bothered about TV (well I'm not anyway!) but years ago we were staying on a remote site with no TV reception on the weekend that a new Doctor Who series started...apparently that's a big deal, and Mrs G and Junior G were not pleased with me!
Not got to price yet but Thanks.
 
Sep 24, 2020
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If a choice of channels across Europe is what you are looking for I would be seriously looking at the WiFi direction. Data cost has plummeted, coverage is much improved as has the technology which is still being developed at pace, VPN’s are improved and cheaper than ever. Satellite has remained static in comparison.

Possible downside is reception. Options might be keep a couple of providers accounts on the go. If it’s possible to use your phone as a hotspot then extra data only sims are avoided. In my case I am on Vodafone and she is on Virgin. But the backup is a hard drive.

My Avtex is a few years old now but it’s so slow and limited for an expensive set. Unless you are wanting to go off hook up just get a domestic TV. Better quality and more for your money.

John
Thanks WiFi it is, just hope that the 2020 model Avtex TV is improved, at this size there does not appear to be many quality TV's available and dont want to go any bigger.
 

JTQ

May 7, 2005
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You can as I did for many years power a mains TV from 12 V DC, using an inverter, in my case a small Wattage decent pure sinewave unit. There would be some greater parasitic losses but I measured mine and it was smaller than I expected.
This opens up a far bigger choice of TVs, and IMO with somewhat better picture and sound quality options.

Before buying Avtex, [or I suspect any TV] it might be prudent to download the manual to better understand what you are buying, not that Avtex TV manuals are as informative as they might be.

My biggest grip with our older Avtex L186drs is the very slow auto tune it has, a feature on a product designed and marketed for travelling about, ought IMO to have been really optimised to be as "slick" as technology allows. I don't dislike the TV but am not impressed by it, certainly not for what it cost.
 
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Jul 18, 2017
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Looking for advice over whether to go for Satellite Dish roof mounted only versus Wifi Antenna for watching TV ?
We have an auto Oyster 85cm dish on our caravan with twin LNB and auto skew. No issue with signal in France around La Rochelle where the dish wa facing into a large tree, but have not had the opportunity to try it in Spain. I know our Satfi RV dome worked okay down as far as Valencia in Spain for Sky programs.
 
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My biggest gripe with our older Avtex L186drs is the very slow auto tune it has

I'm surprised at that...when we're setting up, Mrs Gozza is in the 'van as soon as I've got the steadies down. She makes it one of her first jobs to start the TV tuning, and it's ready to watch long before we're ready to watch it.

That said, we're not TV connoisseurs so maybe we're accepting something that most people wouldn't.
 

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