Television on the boat.

[Pete]

So, to keep my Admiral happy, TV capability on the boat is a necessity on most nights after the sun goes down. Thus my personal choice of "no TV" does not make the option list. But, I did finally act rationally and cut the cord (virtual) to DirecTV. Long boring story why this was the only reasonable path for me, that I will not include.

Bottom line is I now have to find some sort of mobile TV capability. The most obvious approach to me is an "over the air" antenna for broadcast channels only. Thus I have come to the group for advice on this subject. My current thinking goes only as far a thinking an antenna that would fit under the KVH 18" dome I have would make the solution very easy with existing wiring and the antenna hidden from view. But, all advice would be most welcome, as I am truly starting from zero with a solution. Specific product recommendations based on your experience would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Boatsb]

I sell many of the Shakespeare antennas and they come with everything but the mount. It's an amplified and powered version and I'd not use the existing cable. I think they're around a hundred dollars.

 

[Pascal]

I ve cancelled directTV about a year ago an now use an appleTV to stream Amazon Prime and other apps like fox news. It takes a good connection (i use a cell modem) and good router but worth it. There are so many on demand services now that you dont really need regular TV

One caveat is that you need to have cable or sat service back home to get the on demand programming

The one service i will not subscribe to for obvious political reasons is netflix...

 

[Scarlett]

Just curious Pascal, what are the political reasons to not get Netflix, this is new to me, I guess I live under a rock.

 

[Boatsb]

That's a new way to describe life in California. With all the lefty liberals there you didn't notice obummer and Susan rice a roni?

 

[Boatsb]

By the way I dont consider streaming services the same as television. Television is a wireless transmission system for getting programming over the air. Satellite is pretty much the same. Streaming services (OTT) need internet.

 

[Pascal]

Well netflix has a bunch of uber liberal host and series, including signing a former presidetn to develop content... you know... the guy with the same middle name as a former iraqui dictator.

Netflix also heavily donated to a number of far out there campaigns like a black lives matter activist baltimore mayor.

Yes, streaming isnt TV but with so many options it is pretty good altenative to TV on a boat. Nowadays you pretty much need internet anyway so i d rather pay $70 a months for celullar data card instead of $70 + $100 or more for a decent sat package plus $2000 for an antenna

Now if you have DirecTV at home you can get extra re eivers for $10 a month but sill need the $2000 antenna

It all depends on what you want to watch... i realized i was watching fox news 90% of the time... not worth $120 a month when i can stream it

Oh... and yes... not a penny to HBO as long as maher as a show....

 

[madhatter1]

I agree with the no Netflix thing. But enough about that. To answer the OP's question between the over the air HD TV and (what works for us right now) a DirectTV streaming app with a bunch of channels we always have something to watch. Cheap too!

 

[dottieshusband]

My solution was to drop DirectTV.. $120 a month. My boat already had a big Shakespeare type flying saucer mounted under the upper helm cowling (Glomex). It's excellent for over the air HD channels, inc all local and national channels. I then swapped out all the TV's (because they were stolen), and replaced with "smart" TV's. Smart TV's connect to streaming services like Hulu and Amazon Prime. And also allow you to "screen share" with your smart phone. So, I got Amazon Prime, I get " free" Hulu with my sprint unlimited plan, and I pay $25 a month for SlingTV... I stream SlingTV on my phone and screen share with the smart TV, or use the marinas wifi and connect directly the TV to stream. The smart TV allows me to toggle input sources, over the air TV, DVD, HDMI (for fire stick), or screen share... So now instead of 120 a month, I pay 120 annually for Amazon prime, and 25 monthly fro Sling..haven't missed Direct a bit.

 

[Boatsb]

Needs for tv differ.

At home I have the full cable package for all the things I like. Keep the Spoiled Pusified Overpaid Revolting Trying Showoffs (look at the caps) .


When I'm on the boat at the dock I get the same as the house plus the off air. I watch more and more off air lately. When we are on the water tv is such a small issue the off air is more than enough.

 

[Dan Mapes]

We used Directv on Freedom for 17 years and with the original stock circular dish. Eventually we went with the 18 inch oblong but never used the large hdef antenna. One of our dock neighbors had the hdef antenna mounted on a board pointed up through their canvas bridge enclosure. We had ours on a board pointed through the enclosure or on the aft deck lid when we could not clear the hard top over the bridge.
When it came time to cruise down the East Coast and the Bahamas we used the Follow Me TV disk tracking system. When we were tied up at the dock I would use it to point the dish and then shut it off. As long as I did a good job of stabilizing the boat with the lines it was just fine unless I moved around on the boat quickly. Freedom was 13.5 in beam and my 230lb frame was enough to rock the boat. If the antenna was aiming to the beam this would change the inclination enough to drop the signal temporarily.

The follow me was mounted aft of the arch on a pole that was anchored in the arch with a soft mount on the hard top below. Weight of the assembly was carried by the arch. The bottom of the pole fit into a block that was drilled out to mate with the pole. The block was screwed down to the hard top.

 

[pizzazsdaddy]

If you are in an area with close enough access to multiple broadcast channels, the over the air solution is reasonably simple if you can still find a Spectrum 813 Antenna with a built in 36-40db amplifier. You can also use any roof mount antenna without built in amplification, but you need to add a 36db amplifier near the tv antenna input. I've done this on several boats. And yes, smart TVs will give you all the wi-fi content you can handle.

 

[Boatsb]

I install a lot of the 14 inch Shakespeare amplified antennas. They work fine where I go and i dont need tv when I'm out to sea. The boats a getaway not a more of the same.

 

[tom5518]

You can also use any roof mount antenna without built in amplification

Would something like this work?

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I like the Dish Network equipment much better than Directv. I use my dish receiver with an Intellian I2. The receiver is also connected to an over-the-air antenna and acts as the tuner for the digital signal. It also downloads the programming guide for the local OTA channels so I can see what is on or coming on and can even set the DVR based on that. All HD and easy to use. I have heard many complain about KVH, but my Intellian just works.

 

[Boatsb]

More often its the service than the dome.

I have not had one customer ask for dish. They all want the sports packages from direcTV. The fun with Direct is no one there has any knowledge of the marine system and customer service is not a priority AT ALL.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

More often its the service than the dome.

I have not had one customer ask for dish. They all want the sports packages from direcTV. The fun with Direct is no one there has any knowledge of the marine system and customer service is not a priority AT ALL.

I get all the sports channels on Dish. I can't imagine what I might be missing. And at $73/month for service to the house, the boat, and the motorhome, I can't complain.

 

[Tim Powell]

Dial 1800 6013142 try it for 20,00 bucks i get 32 chanels no wires just plug into the tv antemma about 5 inches tall
so so cheap and easy you will need to do it soon now can get 2 for 20.00 dollars plug an!!d play
CAN NOT GET CHEAPER THAN THAT

 

[Boatsb]

I dont ter more than 2 channels with the little indoor antennas.

I sell bunches of these because they work up and down the coast here.

 

[Tim Powell]

I dont ter more than 2 channels with the little indoor antennas.

I sell bunches of these because they work up and down the coast here.

I have that in the cabin and sticks in the bed rooms was simple to hook up no wire, the dome does out perform the stick.