SiobhanBAA
Guest
Hi all, we are looking for an automatic satellite dome system that will work off 12v and hopefully also work in Europe - can anyone suggest a model?
Thanks in advance
Thanks in advance
Obanboy666
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A dome will be ok in the UK but no use in Europe since the new satellite came on stream this year.
I believe even an 85cm dish will only work in France and northern Spain.
Im no expert and other members who travel into Spain will hopefully offer advise on what your options are.
I believe even an 85cm dish will only work in France and northern Spain.
Im no expert and other members who travel into Spain will hopefully offer advise on what your options are.
Siimplyloco
Guest
Hi all, we are looking for an automatic satellite dome system that will work off 12v and hopefully also work in Europe - can anyone suggest a model?
Thanks in advance
If all you want is Astra 1 and the UK News channels then you will be fine with almost any dish. South of Lyon you can forget Astra 2 and the BBC!
John
wineciccio
Guest
You would be better off investing in a laptop and downloading FILMON, ok this only works if you can get wyfi, but as the other posts suggests forget the dish, my mate Tony from Hastings has an 85 dish on top of his bolero, and just inside Spain he couldn't not pick up anything other than what has been mentioned already above. I may be in the process of changing my camper and to tell you the truth i'm leaving my camos 45 automatic on it, it has become useless abroad.:cool1::cool1::cool1::cool1::cool1::cool1::cool1::cool1::cool1::cool1::cool1:
Siimplyloco
Guest
Agreed. FILMON is the way to go!
SiobhanBAA
Guest
Thank you guys! So a dome will still be good for use in the UK...?
El Veterano
Guest
We have a Megasat dome and could only get Sky news by mid France, and by the time we reached the Spanish border there was no reception at all. My conclusion is that domes are fine if you just want to use them in UK or possibly in Northern France. Certainly if the camper hadn't come with the dome already on the roof we have we would never have considered buying one. Better still forget TV all together, or if you simply can't miss an episode of Eastenders then just get an old metal coat-hanger on a pole or Filmon is the was to go and save yourself £1,500.
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Solwaybuggier
Guest
Agree with Siimplyloco - it depends what you want. With a Roadpro 40 cm dome we got Astra 2 down as far as Bordeaux, and some channels a bit further south.
But on Astra 1 there are loads of other channels - I sat watching the FA cup final in the eastern Algarve from a German channel. And some of the films were in English with subtitles. Filmon is great - but only when you have good wifi, preferably not on your own meter!!
But on Astra 1 there are loads of other channels - I sat watching the FA cup final in the eastern Algarve from a German channel. And some of the films were in English with subtitles. Filmon is great - but only when you have good wifi, preferably not on your own meter!!
SiobhanBAA
Guest
Just to clarify; we will likely spend most of our time using the dome in the UK, although we are planning a trip to the Sahara next year.
We've only had our current van since October '13, we took it into the arctic circle in Norway through Denmark and Sweden and we also went to Dublin to attend a convention for our business (don't ask, we have a very weird business that involves zombies!) and having the dome available for future work trips would be a plus. As you can imagine, we don't necessarily stay in picturesque spots where you want to sit and enjoy the view; after a day in a convention centre, tucking up in bed with a glass of wine and a bit of TV is the best bet for an evening!
We already have a TV with a built in DVD player installed, we just thought access to TV as well might be a bonus... but no one here seems too taken with them!
We've only had our current van since October '13, we took it into the arctic circle in Norway through Denmark and Sweden and we also went to Dublin to attend a convention for our business (don't ask, we have a very weird business that involves zombies!) and having the dome available for future work trips would be a plus. As you can imagine, we don't necessarily stay in picturesque spots where you want to sit and enjoy the view; after a day in a convention centre, tucking up in bed with a glass of wine and a bit of TV is the best bet for an evening!
We already have a TV with a built in DVD player installed, we just thought access to TV as well might be a bonus... but no one here seems too taken with them!
phillybarbour
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We have a TracVision 4SL since 2010 which works brill in UK and Northern Europe, never had a single issue just plug in and go (other than a software update early this year). Glad we bought it at that time, however if I didn't have it I may consider other internet based options if I was buying now.
Siimplyloco
Guest
SiobhanBAA
Guest
My clarification was too clarified...?
John H
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Don't know about domes but we have an 85cm dish and are currently on our way to Spain via Italy. It may be of use to know that we got reception all the way to the Austrian/Italian border at the Reisa Pass. We didn't get reception at Lake Garda but picked it up again when we started heading west again at Lake Maggiore. We retained reception all the way into the French Alps, the Ardeche and Sommieres. However, at Marseillan Plage (near Sete and Agde) we have lost it. We plan to go next to the Pyrenees and then into Spain, so will post a final "footprint" when we get there!
PS We have used "Film On" in southern Spain before but the trouble is that it buffers a lot unless you have the kind of reception that you can't get on most campsites!
PS We have used "Film On" in southern Spain before but the trouble is that it buffers a lot unless you have the kind of reception that you can't get on most campsites!
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colinm
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We have had an iSat for nearly two years, not had chance to try it in Scotland yet, but has worked ok in england and northern france, cost was £600 diy fitting, it is much more compact than a dome. The same company also does a 85cm folding dish at about £1000 diy fitting. Another option is Snipe.
tommytli
Guest
i have a 40cm camos. Before the footprint change i got normal channels (bbc etc) as far as the austrian italy border. now i lose them in northern germany :-(
i still got most of my sky tv channels as far as sorrento this year. Well thats when my pitch didnt have a tree blocking the signal that is lol
i still got most of my sky tv channels as far as sorrento this year. Well thats when my pitch didnt have a tree blocking the signal that is lol
asel
Guest
Automatic dishes 85cm will give far better coverage than a dome, a manual dish will do the same at a fraction of the cost.
The only advantage of dome systems is they can be used when on the move, a feature few motorhomers want or use, great foe coaches and ferries.
The only advantage of dome systems is they can be used when on the move, a feature few motorhomers want or use, great foe coaches and ferries.
SiobhanBAA
Guest
Thank you for all this awesome info!
As we live in the Scottish Highlands (and also camp here a lot) we also wanted to avoid the issue of high winds... and to be honest, we are also lazy, so the idea of pushing a button and getting tv is appealing
Finding the feedback very useful!
As we live in the Scottish Highlands (and also camp here a lot) we also wanted to avoid the issue of high winds... and to be honest, we are also lazy, so the idea of pushing a button and getting tv is appealing
Finding the feedback very useful!
Obanboy666
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Wouldn't be without my satellite, Oyster Caro Vision 50cm dish.
Fully auto, just park up press 1 button and watch tv. I use a spare Sky multi room box with an inverter and with my Sky card can watch same channels as at home, will be watching the Ryder cup this weekend in Cumbria. Much better than arsing on with an aerial imho.
I'm an avid tv fan and sad as it may seem to some will move to another poi if i cannot get reception.
Solwaybuggier
Guest
No, it's not the only advantage. The main advantage compared to a rooftop dish is that you are not vulnerable to high winds. We previously had an Oyster Caro, which was fine, but whenever it got windy we got nervous - with an 85 cm dish, the situation would have been worse. With a dome we don't have to worry about winds.
Of course the footprint for an 85cm dish will be bigger - and presumably a manual dish, ground mounted, gets round the high wind issue. It's a matter of personal choice - for us, where we spend a lot of time, a dome's convenience works best, but clearly if you want to spend a lot of time in the area where a large dish gets Astra 2 but a dome doesn't, that would not apply.
It's worth looking at the footprint maps on Roadpro's website to get an idea of likely coverage: https://www.roadpro.co.uk/retail/product_level_2.aspx?prod=Satellite+TV .