What about TV

[johnrupp]

We use DIRECTVNow. Works on either wifi or your cellular connection. If your an Att wireless customer it doesn't go against your data.

 

[BandB]

We use DIRECTVNow. Works on either wifi or your cellular connection. If your an Att wireless customer it doesn't go against your data.

It's a good option if you're consistently where you have either a good WIFI or Cellular connection. I hate that they, and others, don't list the available stations anywhere on their website.

 

[johnrupp]

It's a good option if you're consistently where you have either a good WIFI or Cellular connection. I hate that they, and others, don't list the available stations anywhere on their website.

We started the service just before Christmas when they were offering the 100 channels for $35 a month. So far no complaints.

It's nice because you can have two devices connected at the same time.

 

[dhmeissner]

Actually we did buy a TV for when we are in the marina. I got one with wifi, so we can stream TV using our iPad as sort of a server, and directly if on line the TV can connect to Hulu and Amazon. When we're on the water though I won't be bothered by network tv, 99% is garbage imho especially in this day and age in America. YMMV.

 

[catalinajack]

If you're within 50 miles of a TV broadcast antenna, you can buy an HD TV antenna, which will pick up most of the regular broadcast channels (CBS, NBC, ABC and FOX) as we'll as many other non-cable channels. You can find them at Amazon (where else?), or even Wal-Mart.
Jim

Maybe, maybe not. We are located within 40 miles of Baltimore and Washington yet reception is spotty. Meanwhile, we are able to get a strong signal from the CBS station in Dover, Delaware which is probably some 80 miles distant. Make no assumptions about the viability of any OTA tv signal at any particular location.

 

[catalinajack]

Sailboat masts?

 

[psneeld]

Maybe, maybe not. We are located within 40 miles of Baltimore and Washington yet reception is spotty. Meanwhile, we are able to get a strong signal from the CBS station in Dover, Delaware which is probably some 80 miles distant. Make no assumptions about the viability of any OTA tv signal at any particular location.

You may need either a new antenna or amplifier.

I replaced an insidel RCA amplified that I had weather sealed and used outside.

After a few years it seemed to be weaker than several other fried identical antennas.

I bought a $75 Shakespeare, mounted it on my mast....we now get msny more channels.

I think we never got less than 10 channels the entire length of the Chesapeake, with at least 30 channels from Baltimore to past the Patomac River.

 

[ranger58sb]

Maybe, maybe not. We are located within 40 miles of Baltimore and Washington yet reception is spotty. Meanwhile, we are able to get a strong signal from the CBS station in Dover, Delaware which is probably some 80 miles distant. Make no assumptions about the viability of any OTA tv signal at any particular location.

Seems odd. You know you're just around the corner from me, and we get decent coverage, given networks and their secondary stations and so forth.

Our antenna isn't anything special, just an amplified Glomex of some vintage.

The set-up allows for direct connect to cable (have to turn the amplifier off for that) but I've only used it once -- just to see how it worked. That particular marina didn't have a great line-up...

Anyway, maybe your antenna isn't helping enough?

I do get some blockage on some DC stations, due west from us. Might be worse, this year, since a new sportfish moved in next door (on the DC side of our boat) and he's got a tuna tower, so he's much taller than we are... Dunno about that, yet.

-Chris

 

[rwidman]

What is funny is that I have TV aboard with over the air antenna and get more channels while at anchor than at the marina, don't know why?

We sometimes go to Savannah, GA and dock along the riverfront. We get no channels. Anchored 30 miles away on the way there or on the way home we get all the Savannah channels.

TV signals are line of sight and if there is something significant between the transmitting antenna and your receiving antenna, you may not get a useable signal. The docks in Savanna are at the bottom of a pretty high cliff covered with buildings. I suspect that's why we don't get any signals.

 

[Nomad Willy]

I've been negative about TV on boats in the past but could see TV on my new 13" i-pad. So then if I'd watch it on the pad why not on a wall screen?

I'll never have either (I don't think) but when your stuck at anchor in the wind and rain ... .
I basically only watch news and politics. But I can read a book (do quite a bit of that) w/o bombing everybody else in the boat w it.

WesK wrote;
"We sometimes go to Savannah, GA and dock along the riverfront. We get no channels."
I'd love to go to Savannah and walk the town.

 

[rwidman]

............ I'd love to go to Savannah and walk the town.

They have an "Oktoberfest" party on the riverfront the first weekend in October. As an "Oktoberfest", it's pretty lame, the same food trucks that sell shrimp and grits most of the year are selling "German food" that's no more than what you can buy at the local grocery store but it's an excuse for us to cruise for a week.

Last year we missed it because it was the same weekend as hurricane Matthew. I suspect they cancelled it and I'm not sure how the docks fared.

Supposedly, St. Patrick's Day is the big party but it's a bit cold to cruise that time of year.

It is a great place to visit.

 

[catalinajack]

Seems odd. You know you're just around the corner from me, and we get decent coverage, given networks and their secondary stations and so forth.
-Chris

My antenna is a new Glomex so not likely an equipment problem. I do get that Dover, DE station so methinks it's local interference. I got much better reception before this marina began hauling boats for hard storage last fall. One can never be certain but I think all those boats are in the way of good signal acquisition. In the direction of Dover there is nothing but water. That's why I said "maybe, maybe not".

TV signals are pretty much line of sight. I hail from a small town in the Berkshire Hills in NW Connecticut. Before cable TV, the folks who lived in the valley (downtown, such as it was) got lousy reception, even with rotary antennae. The folks at the top of the hill got much better reception. To solve the problem, a community antenna was installed at the top of the hill and the signals rebroadcast. Problem solved.

 

[BandB]

The stations we watch primarily are just not available by regular antenna, they aren't the local over the air channels. 90% of our television is networks only available on cable or satellite or online.

 

[catalinajack]

Another twist - in addition to an OTA antenna which does work but with reduced reception at our marina, we have an Intellian dome with Dish TV. This unit works just fine. We get local channels by using a Dish RV account which can be turned on and off at will. The twist is that the feed from the OTA is wired directly to the Dish receiver such that the program guide for the stations being received OTA are integrated with the satellite stations. It's pretty slick. All one has to do is enter a setup screen and ask for a scan of local channels and the receiver does the rest.

When it comes time to change locations as transient boaters do, one just needs to call Dish (or on-line), and enter a new zip code. Voila! New locals! Far easier than DirecTV.

 

[BandB]

When it comes time to change locations as transient boaters do, one just needs to call Dish (or on-line), and enter a new zip code. Voila! New locals! Far easier than DirecTV.

Ok, how much do you really watch local stations when in an area not local to you? We don't even watch them much when home.

 

[ctbarbarian]

All the time,, CBS,NBC,ABC, Fox local news.
local weather and usually a little national news
They carry sports, CBS will carry the Masters
and Fox, the US OPEN.
So TV is important to me at certain times. I don't
live by the tv but its a nice option to have.
Internet too, paying my bills, checking my emails,
so if I'm going to do this for 2 months a year, I like to
stay informed.

 

[catalinajack]

Ok, how much do you really watch local stations when in an area not local to you? We don't even watch them much when home.

We watch them for network news and TV programs, not the local news whether that be acquisition via OTA or thru Dish TV. To each his own. For folks that don't watch TV, well, there's a good solution. Don't turn it on. That's not you. but it always amazes me that when someone asks a technical question about TV on the water, we see all sorts of seemingly condescending responses about how "they" don't watch TV. How does that help answere the question that was posed? I just don't get it.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Jack,
Yes network news.
Local news is just a police blotter and sports page. And now endless stories about how a little kid lost his legs and now plays football. Trivia all.

I like the political commentary like Fox, MSNBC and CNN.

 

[BandB]

All the time,, CBS,NBC,ABC, Fox local news.
local weather and usually a little national news
They carry sports, CBS will carry the Masters
and Fox, the US OPEN.
So TV is important to me at certain times. I don't
live by the tv but its a nice option to have.
Internet too, paying my bills, checking my emails,
so if I'm going to do this for 2 months a year, I like to
stay informed.

We get all that but the local weather without local television. We watch virtually no network shows, but can still watch them on a dish. We watch a lot of cable shows. Local network stations really don't have that much sports now. They have the NFL but then it takes Sunday Ticket if you want your home team. NBA and MLB and NHL are all cable. College sports are mostly cable. And, if a golfer, then the big tournaments are network, but you also may like the Golf Channel.

Guess I'm not saying I don't care to have network tv, as I do want it. However, it's a very small part of my total television watching so can't live without cable or dish. Definitely can't live without internet. I'd give television up before internet.

 

[ctbarbarian]

True Internet is as necessary as clean diesel.

TV is a luxury, like A/C

 

[BandB]

True Internet is as necessary as clean diesel.

TV is a luxury, like A/C

Wifey B: A/C a luxury?

Yes, TV is a luxury, like A/C. Neither are luxuries in my world.

 

[sbu22]

Not an LB, but have TV. Use a Glomax with amp, 12v., on the mast about 20' above water level. Depending on weather, sunspots, what have you, it's good for up to 30 miles (reliable) and sometimes 50.

The TV's primary function seems to be as a target for things swung, thrown, or spilled by small children. TV viewing seems to slip somewhere in the hierarchy below watching paint dry when we're on the boat. Major exception: Saints games.

 

[FF]

"TV signals are line of sight and if there is something significant between the transmitting antenna and your receiving antenna, you may not get a useable signal."

Thats the price of digital TV , a great picture or nothing.

Analog had ghosts and secondary reflections , so a distant station could be viewed , just poorly.

For weak stations a better amplifier seems to help more than a different antenna form.

Remember probably 95% of TV are hooked to some sort of provider , so a great tuner is not a priority any longer for TV man.

 

[BandB]

Remember probably 95% of TV are hooked to some sort of provider , so a great tuner is not a priority any longer for TV man.

Vizio is pushing new models without tuners for just that reason. I've actually owned tv's without tuners for years. They were officially labeled as "Displays." Had them hooked up to computers.

 

[hmason]

Funny how dock mates without TV seem to happen by when there's a good game on or a big news event. The "Captains' Lounge" at the marina has a big TV and it seems to be quite busy most nights.

The wife has a separate TV in the stateroom so she can watch her programs and I can watch what I like in the saloon. Especially pleasurable on a hot day with the A/C on. I vote for all the luxuries of a dirt home for liveaboards like us.

 

[ranger58sb]

Remember probably 95% of TV are hooked to some sort of provider , so a great tuner is not a priority any longer for TV man.

I get a kick out of the TV ads for the wonderful knew devices that let you get "real HD channels" FOR FREE!!!!!!!!!

"The government has passed this new law that mandates broadcasters transmit "over the air ways" (gasp!) and all you have to do it plug in this nifty new technology "Mighty Stick" (or whatever) "HD digital antenna" and you'll have "all your favorite channels in your house, at the campsite, your boat..."

"No need for those pesky TV providers who charge megabucks for their cable/fiber/dish access... and no need for all those bazillions of stations they deliver but you don't watch... and you could save $100000 over the next 10 years with The New Mighty Stick!!"

"Only $19.95!! (Plus shipping and handling.)"

"But wait!"

"Call now, and we'll double your order -- so you can enjoy HD TV at your house and also on your boat at the campsite at the same time!"

"Just pay separate shipping and handling."

Maybe mostly aimed at the "kid" market of young folks who have grown up not knowing that OTA TV has been around since 1936 or so... and not knowing that new "government law" is a couple decades old by now...

-Chris

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. 42. "...and you could save $100000..." WOW! Sign me up...