Marine Satellite TV for $250 and no monthly fee

Ahhh, don't say that. I use a Verizon MiFi for our home's internet access and i've noticed it getting slower lately since when we first got it about a year ago. At that time, we moved away from WildBlue satellite internet as that was about useless as far as throughput. I'm not left with any other choices! (no cable or DSL here).

I have created my own DVR using a Windows PC with a couple of capture cards that are hooked to two DirecTV receivers. The PC output goes to a television. In this way, I have a harddrive full of .avi and .wmv files of recorded television shows and movies. I can burn them straight to DVD, or use Windows Media Player to sync them right to a Microsoft Zune player, Creative Zen, etc. to take on the boat.

But...they are all standard-definition. Haven't upgraded to High-Def yet, as I don't have a Hi-Def TV (yet)!! I have to do some home renovations before my wife will allow it!

Tom
 
tdschafer said:
That "No monthly fee" stated is not totally accurate. You need to include the cost of your 3G card in there at some capacity or your cell phone bill if you are utilizing it as a "wifi hotspot". Also as previously stated you need to be near a cell tower to function. I love my dish and after the initial outlay it costs only $5.00 a month for the season! That's about $30.00 a year in these parts! Also, Hellman- You obviously are not boating with small children or are otherwise on Prozac because with 3 kids 6 y/o and under TV is a necessity on my boat!! :smt038
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I suppose, but FOUR TV's?! Each to his own I guess but I thought being out on the boat exploring and enjoying nature was the point. Put down the remote and move away from the Boob Tube!
 
rstaub said:
I suppose, but FOUR TV's?! Each to his own I guess but I thought being out on the boat exploring and enjoying nature was the point. Put down the remote and move away from the Boob Tube!
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Who said I have 4 TV's? It's actually 3 TV's with 2 receivers, I take one from my home for the summer.:smt043
To me boating is about getting out on the water, over to Fire island for the wekend and RELAXING with friends and family. Without some TV downtime for the kids to recharge their energy levels I would have 3 very cranky whining kids complaining the whole time. If that sounds relaxing to you , more power to you my man. To me that is just more stress and since my kids (2, 5, 6) are too young for any real unsupervised boating activities I try to give them aletrnatives to enjoy. Also at the end of the day , after playing in the ocean ALL DAY when they fall asleep I can't leave the area as my most precious cargo is down below. So that being said what's the problem with sitting on the dock, having a drink with friends with the Met's game on in the cockpit??? And why knot??
 
We have the boat as the second bedroom so for $5.00 per month we have Direct TV.
We watch the news/weather and occasional sports.... Mostly the TV's are used for movies.
 
I've got DishNetwork on the boat at the dock. Not quite as low as $5.00 but worth every penny since I spend between 50 to 70 nights on board each season.
 
Nehalennia said:
I wish there was a way to simply record what I have saved on my DirecTV DVR to a DVD in the same quality that it's on the DVR. When we burn it to DVD now it's degraded to a $h*tty quality.
This idea is pretty good, I don't have a TV installed yet. So far with twin 8year olds we have been lucky that they're into doing boating related activities like I did when I was young, like waking the docks with a dip net catching what ever is under the docks, rowing around in a dinghy and hanging with the other kids on the dock.

In the 260DA it's not the ideal "media room" for sure, but it would be nice for these fall/winter/early spring days when it's wet and dark, but we still want to be out there on the water.
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Why don't you just take the PVR with you onto the boat after recording a bunch of shows/movies/etc? That way you would get full HD.

Here's another kinda neat idea I am going to try this summer. Bring a laptop, a PC presentation projector, and a white sheet. Figure a way to hang the sheet high over the transom end of the cockpit (using the rod holders maybe, or inside of the camper back??). Then project a movie from the laptop onto a REALLY big screen, sit back and enjoy.
 
Creekwood said:
Why don't you just take the PVR with you onto the boat after recording a bunch of shows/movies/etc? That way you would get full HD.

Here's another kinda neat idea I am going to try this summer. Bring a laptop, a PC presentation projector, and a white sheet. Figure a way to hang the sheet high over the transom end of the cockpit (using the rod holders maybe, or inside of the camper back??). Then project a movie from the laptop onto a REALLY big screen, sit back and enjoy.
Click to expand...

I've been looking at something like this...

http://www.microvision.com/showwx/

Load movies onto my iphone or ipad, hook something like this up and bingo bango, I've got a boat in theater.
 
Nehalennia said:
I wish there was a way to simply record what I have saved on my DirecTV DVR to a DVD in the same quality that it's on the DVR. When we burn it to DVD now it's degraded to a $h*tty quality.
This idea is pretty good, I don't have a TV installed yet.
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This system would work quite well for you. All you would need is a notebook computer with a large high resolution screen a wireless card and the slingbox. No onboard TV would be needed. You would have access to all of what you have saved and recored on the DirectTV DVR and could play everything on the computer wherever you may be.
 
jrirvine1 said:
No wait, strike that last paragraph, when we cross over into Virginia waters, one enters a dead twilight zone where the only sounds are the faint plucking of banjo’s somewhere behind the shore tree line.
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Jim, this is a very interesting system you've put together, and you've given me a lot to think about for my own boat this off-season. After our trip to the Manly part of the Bay last summer, I can confirm that once you get south of the Potomac the cell coverage gets very spotty. Still a project worthy of serious consideration - thanks for posting the details.

-CJ
 
System has been tweaked and redesigned.

Slingbox-2.jpg


Time to abandon the entire existing coax system and fish new SVGA and HDMI cables to each location to provide for all eventual options. Running the new cables is very easy through the deck storage compartments and using a stout electricians fish tape. In a few years coax is likely to be history for most if not all devises.
 
jrirvine1 said:
System has been tweaked and redesigned.

Slingbox-2.jpg


Time to abandon the entire existing coax system and fish new SVGA and HDMI cables to each location to provide for all eventual options. Running the new cables is very easy through the deck storage compartments and using a stout electricians fish tape. In a few years coax is likely to be history for most if not all devises.
Click to expand...
In a few years the HDMI over coax baluns will be affordable and will be the "savior" to our industry!! I have some applications where it is impossible to run new cables (like in the slide out rooms) and these are awesome. We have been using the HDMI over 2 cat 5's for three years now they are great too. http://www.intelix.com/products/digihdcoax.html
 
Project update: It is finished

Notebook computer (central command) now controls output for video and audio to 4 TV monitors and stereo system.

I can now feed through the system:

Direct TV – via slingbox
Over air broadcast of Digital SD and HD channels
Netflix downloads
DVD collection
Home videos
MP3 music collection
Photographs – great for slideshows of boating adventures
Internet music – Pandora, Slacker, Tunein Radio

A PC TV tuner with external antenna was added to provide for additional system capability and some measure of redundancy should the cell network signal be too weak.

As a side bonus, it is also possible to surf the internet at any monitor location using a wireless mouse and or keyboard.

Conclusions: Inexpensive cool mod, big bang for the buck and worthy of a 5 out of 5 Maryland Crab Cake rating.

Cons: Still wish I had the cool Satellite dome on the hardtop
 
Looks good! They sell the replacement domes, you could put up a shell.:grin: Also, look into the cell booster. Jim has one on sale here on BOE.
 
That is a great way to take advantage of your home CTV/DVR or Dish then use the laptop and air card that some already have on the boat. TV is not what I go to the boat for, but it would be great on football Saturdays with the Vol Navy to be able to see the other games and ESPN.
 
I just wonder how long you can watch streaming video before you use all your "unlimited" 2GB (or 5 with tmobile) data plan using cell data card or mobile phone?
 
boatmailster said:
I just wonder how long you can watch streaming video before you use all your "unlimited" 2GB (or 5 with tmobile) data plan using cell data card or mobile phone?
Click to expand...

Not long...
Slingbox bandwidth requirements:
SD 600Kbps
HD 3Mbps
 
Not only that, but the Slingbox only allows one connection at a time (I know mine does). That wouldn't fly on my boat at nighttime with two kids...

But, it is an interesting setup and a good option (especially if you have wifi at the marina) none-the-less. Well done and thanks for sharing.
 
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