Satellite TV Alternative

I came across a marine satellite system called Track-It-TV, formally Follow-Me-TV, which claims to provide excellent satellite tracking in calm conditions and at anchor for 1/3 - 1/4 of the cost of dome satellite systems (under $900). As far as I acn tell, the major difference is the dome units track bi-axis while the Track-It system auto tracks only horizontal. Any vertical changes must be made manually. Monthly programming is purchased directly from Direct or Dish.

Anyone had good or bad experience with this alternative to the more expensive dome systems?

Jim Cooper said:

I came across a marine satellite system called Track-It-TV, formally Follow-Me-TV, which claims to provide excellent satellite tracking in calm conditions and at anchor for 1/3 - 1/4 of the cost of dome satellite systems (under $900). As far as I acn tell, the major difference is the dome units track bi-axis while the Track-It system auto tracks only horizontal. Any vertical changes must be made manually. Monthly programming is purchased directly from Direct or Dish.

Anyone had good or bad experience with this alternative to the more expensive dome systems?

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Been around a long time. Apparently work well and people praise them. Not a motion device though.

Is it for Dish or Direct TV? Didn't Dish change their frequencies thus the system may no work?

Alaskan Sea-Duction said:

Is it for Dish or Direct TV? Didn't Dish change their frequencies thus the system may no work?

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Also think I read that when aimed at a SD satellite it still works fine for Dish. Pretty sure it was on one of our earlier threads.

I've used one on my boat since 2012 cruising the east coast, Canada, the rivers and across the gulf to Florida and it has worked pretty well. I started out with an western dish and DishTV from the Chesapeake through Montreal and Ottawa via the Rideau. I made the mistake of taking the dish home to Florida when I stored the boat in NY for the winter and when I returned I forgot the LNB and arm. I bought an eastern dish second hand and it worked fine for the next 2 years. I put the western dish back on and it also works great. You do have to set your azimuth and elevation for the satellites that you want to track almost every time that you move. A few time it was difficult to get the elevation right. The first 2 years I used a NY marina address so no local channels where I was. Later I would call about every 200-300 miles and use a local address for local channels. I did leave the tracking power on in a wind storm once and burned out the motor They sent me a new assembly for 1/2 price and only asked for the motherboard back. Fell free to pm me if you want to discuss it further.

Alaskan Sea-Duction Is it for Dish or Direct TV? Didn't Dish change their frequencies thus the system may no work?

It is my understanding that you attach your own antenna dish to this unit. If Dish changed their frequencies causing the system not to work, wouldn't all home-based dish systems not work also?

I've had one for 3 years, using it on the upper Mississippi, Illinois rivers and Lake Michigan. I haven't had any problems and use it with DirecTv dish & receiver. It will track while moving on the rivers or at anchor, small wakes and swinging at anchor and it maintains a signal, it will loose the signal momentarily when making a quick turn. Traveling I would reset the elevation and find the signal after we anchored and started the generator. If the grandkids wanted to watch tv the next day they could until we traveled far enough it lost the signal about 40 miles. It works great for what it's designed for watching satellite tv while at anchor or tied to a dock.

Jim Cooper said:

Alaskan Sea-Duction Is it for Dish or Direct TV? Didn't Dish change their frequencies thus the system may no work?

It is my understanding that you attach your own antenna dish to this unit. If Dish changed their frequencies causing the system not to work, wouldn't all home-based dish systems not work also?

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A while back there was a thread regarding the issue with KVH systems. I have an old, single LRB M-7 and I was able to get Direct TV all the way up the inside passage to Juneau.

Alaskan Sea-Duction said:

A while back there was a thread regarding the issue with KVH systems. I have an old, single LRB M-7 and I was able to get Direct TV all the way up the inside passage to Juneau.

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I have an older KVH system on my boat. I have never used it and frankly never felt the need. My wife OTOH has been badgering me to get it setup. I have never had Dish or Direct TV at home and have never had a Sat TV system on a boat. What would be the steps to go about getting my wife SatTV service using my KVH?

Greetings,
Mr. dh. Send her up to the Captain's Lounge on shore...
We have one 19" TV on a bulkhead in the saloon with an ancient antenna on the FB. MY alternative would be 0 TV's anywhere.

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
Mr. dh. Send her up to the Captain's Lounge on shore...
We have one 19" TV on a bulkhead in the saloon with an ancient antenna on the FB. MY alternative would be 0 TV's anywhere.

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I hear you RTF. I would agree. OTOH, as the t-shirt that one of my patients was wearing today said, "Happy Wife, Happy Life".

Dave,

I would call KVH with the model of the system and see what the possibilities are. Some of the older KVH systems built for DISH are obsolete. It may be possible to reload firmware and make it work with DirecTV. Either way a call to KVH is in order. There is another alternative if you generally are always in cell coverage and use ATT. You could set up an account for DirecTV Now, a new streaming service from ATT that doesn't count against your cellular data. It's small small screen but may fill the bill for only $35 a month. You could also try an off air antenna for local broadcast stations.

Tom

tpbrady said:

Dave,

I would call KVH with the model of the system and see what the possibilities are. Some of the older KVH systems built for DISH are obsolete. It may be possible to reload firmware and make it work with DirecTV. Either way a call to KVH is in order.

Tom

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I agree with Tom on the call. Before I mounted my KVH M-7 I took it to a dealer/repair shop and they updated the electronic boards with new programing from KVH. Cost me about $450.

Thanks guys. I will call KVH.

I recall during a thread a while back on the issues with the older sat systems and compatibility that it would still work in SD with one of the services.

I need to consider satellite for our boat. Yes, I have Directv HD while at my slip though not at anchor. Some years ago when I first started looking, the prices were just beyond what I was ready to spend.

Now I notice that Wally World has "Winegard GM-6035 Carryout G2+ Automatic Portable Satellite TV Antenna with Power Inserter, Black" FOR ABOUT $600!

I intend to get more info. This much I am certain about. Whatever I install, I want to have HD capability. No need for tracking while in motion other than the motion one has while on anchor.

If you want it for while you are at anchor you will need auto tracking. We have one similar to the winegard for our RV and it automatically finds the satellite but if you move it at all you need to start the auto acquisition all over again.

Rogerh said:

If you want it for while you are at anchor you will need auto tracking. We have one similar to the winegard for our RV and it automatically finds the satellite but if you move it at all you need to start the auto acquisition all over again.

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Sure, of course! More later.........maybe much later

EDIT: I just read a user's comment on the Wineguard. He stated there was no problems pertaining to tracking. Now of course a servo system should be able to keep the dish pointed on target. The two things I can think of that could be problematic is first if the drive motor is designed only to lock onto and then rest rather than continuous operation. The other is the response time to correct the pointing errors as the platform moves.

The other limitation to the Wineguard is that it is not designed for HD. My opinion is that this is not just a satellite dish issue it is a pointing issue. HD (at least what I see at our dock) requires precise dish pointing. For the price it is an attractive system although one needs to understand the limitations prior to purchase.

foggysail said:

Now I notice that Wally World has "Winegard GM-6035 Carryout G2+ Automatic Portable Satellite TV Antenna with Power Inserter, Black" FOR ABOUT $600!

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I saw a lot of these last summer. They even make auto tracking and auto find (the sat). I saw one mounted on a tower on a commercial fishing boat in Ketchikan.

Defiantly much cheaper than a KVH system now-a-days.

Camping World:


DISH Playmaker Portable Satellite Antenna - Winegard PA-1000 - Satellite Antennas - Camping World


KING Quest Automatic Satellite for DIRECTV - KING VQ4100 - Satellite Antennas - Camping World