Questions About Satellite Dome Compatibility

[TechDoc]

I've been searching on these forums and all over the internet for help, because Dish and DirectTV have been absolutely no help.

The boat we just bought (SR 390MY) came with a SeaTel 1898S satellite TV dish/dome. According to the specs in the manual left behind by the previous owner, it is a Ku band dish. I have called both Dish and DirecTV and so far no one could tell me if either service is compatible.

if my research is correct, Dish is now mostly broadcasting via new Ka band satellites, but DirecTV may still support Ku. To complicate things further, the SeaTel website address in the manual doesn't seem to work anymore, so the company may be out of business.

Questions:

Is anyone familiar with this brand/model?

Any ideas regarding compatibility?

What is the current, lowest priced option for getting a Dish or DirectTV compatible antenna dome on a boat? I saw a TracVision HD dome for $11,000, but other options as low as $2,500. I am assuming $2,500 means standard definition, but does it also mean it's being phased out?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Ctsearay]

Ok from my History with getting the dome M1 to work with current tech took months and well over what I could have bought a new system for from Defender with all current technology. I figured the dome was the expensive part and I already had it so why not just build off of it? Well hind site is 20/20 and had I to do it over again I'd just spring for the $2500-$3000 and get all new equipment with the bells and whistles. I had well over 9 hrs on with tech support from 3 different companies trying to get it all going and buy a piece from here a price from there the delay time and the cost of the shipping for each part, then having to get back on with tech support and move up the tech level chain each time. Then the tech support is only open certain hours so adjusting my schedule to get to have enough time to work though the chain. I can recommend DirectTV only because of the seasonal shut down they allow. Our blog has more of our history on it.

But IMHO I would Call Defender and Ship a new unit and save the headaches and heartaches. Sorry buddy

 

[tdschafer]

The $2500 options that you are talking about tend to be SD for directv as they transmit their HD signal off of a different satellite lower on the horizon. But, I believe that you can still get Dish network in HD with those options. I'd check the Tracvision site to be sure or call the tech support there. I've always had good results speaking with them. I recently called as I have an older model M3 with 2 receivers sitting in my garage that I bought from another CSR member. The tech explained that in my region we only use one of the satellites for all channels (SD of course) and that directv may upgrade the system but he did not expect that for at least 5 years. He also said that since there were so many systems out there of this configuration that directv may leave this satellite active indefinitely but he had no guarantees.
Sorry I can't give you any Intel on SeaTel.

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[TechDoc]

Thanks for the replies.

Supposedly the seller had the thing hooked up and working up until 2 weeks ago when we closed. He had to return his receiver, but left everything else on the boat. Looking at the TracVision and Intellian web sites, their lower-end antennas are Ku, just like my SeaTel. It seems the best Ku option is DirecTV, if what I'm finding online is correct. I just want one knowledgeable person at DirecTV to confirm this, before I sign up for service.

I did find a company in Florida that installs SeaTel antennas. It looks like SeaTel is still around, but out of the lower end market. They still make big antennas and systems for mega-yachts. I am going to reach out to the company in Florida, since they mention my antenna on their site, and may have some answers.

If not, I'll call TracVision and Defender to see what my options are.

Still happy to get more advice if anyone has anything to add to the discussion.

Thanks again!

 

[electricaldoctor]

We have a Sea-King Satellite dish. We have Bell ExpressVu at home, so we just bring a receiver and get everything that we subscribe to at home. Works great for us.

 

[ZZ13]

Thanks for the replies.

Supposedly the seller had the thing hooked up and working up until 2 weeks ago when we closed. He had to return his receiver, but left everything else on the boat. Looking at the TracVision and Intellian web sites, their lower-end antennas are Ku, just like my SeaTel. It seems the best Ku option is DirecTV, if what I'm finding online is correct. I just want one knowledgeable person at DirecTV to confirm this, before I sign up for service.

I did find a company in Florida that installs SeaTel antennas. It looks like SeaTel is still around, but out of the lower end market. They still make big antennas and systems for mega-yachts. I am going to reach out to the company in Florida, since they mention my antenna on their site, and may have some answers.

If not, I'll call TracVision and Defender to see what my options are.

Still happy to get more advice if anyone has anything to add to the discussion.

Thanks again!

I bought the KVH TV1 new from BOE Marine at the beginning of the year for just under $2K. They matched any competitors advertised price. It included the antenna, TV Hub, DirectTV receiver and cabling. It only supports Ku band. I have Direct TV and they only use Ku band for standard def broadcasts. They put their HD broadcasts on Ka band and that antenna is over $10K from KVH. I have DirectTv at home so the only recurring cost is $7 per month for another receiver. I get every channel I get at home except Velocity (one of my favorites, darn it). I don't miss HD at all when on the boat. Once I completed the install it was very easy to get the receiver registered and activated by DirectTV.


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[Skybolt]

I also have Sea-King, most older sats are all SD. HD is a recent development for mobile equipment like ours. There is a company called solid signal that may be able to help you out: http://www.solidsignal.com/ For me DTV changed there encryption keys and now I have to manually tell the sat to which sat to lock on too every time I power cycle the boat, or simply put switch to my gen and back. I just added an UPS to power my sat dish because of this ...

Direct Tv and the like will not be able to help you out, they pretty much read off of a scripted page and have no idea about a boat or rv equipment.

All SD equipment will be phased out in 2019, that is when DTV will start to phase out SD from there satellites or so they say.

Here is the installation manual for your series dish: https://www.cobham.com/media/71147/124769_A.pdf

Good luck with your decision, I am not sure I will pay 6K to "upgrade" just to be able to occasionally watch tv on the boat. I'll get sat wifi first and stream everything from my house.

 

[tdschafer]

One thing to remember. You need the primary box that goes with the dish to control the dish. My M1 sends 40vdc through the coax to power the dish & I believe it also is part of the technology that tells the dish where to lock on. I know that I can't just bring a box from my house & plug it into my dish. I do use a house box for my second Tv but, I needed to buy a signal de-stacker as my dish receives a stacked signal from the satellite.

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[Skybolt]

One thing to remember. You need the primary box that goes with the dish to control the dish. My M1 sends 40vdc through the coax to power the dish & I believe it also is part of the technology that tells the dish where to lock on. I know that I can't just bring a box from my house & plug it into my dish. I do use a house box for my second Tv but, I needed to buy a signal de-stacker as my dish receives a stacked signal from the satellite. ...

Not sure that is completely true, or I mis-read your post. I have an HD DTV sat receiver for my SD satellite dish. The dish itself locks on to the satellite signal without the receiver being plugged in at all. My Sea-King dish has all of the sats listed in it's control unit as I can select manually which sat to lock on to. My friends M1 also has this feature, but setup a little differently.

The company Solid Signal will get you service without you having to call DTV. They will send you an HD receiver for free, but you will have to pay the equipment lease of ~$5/month.

 

[ZZ13]

Direct Tv and the like will not be able to help you out, they pretty much read off of a scripted page and have no idea about a boat or rv equipment.

That actually was not the case for me during the actual installation. I called them up and told them I wanted to add a third receiver to my plan and that it was going to be mobile and connected to a KVH TV1 antenna. They told me which antenna type to select for that antenna and walked me through all the other parameters for my setup. However, I did not use them for general information or advance research. I got that info from others who had done this before me. So when I called them I knew exactly what I wanted them to do for me and just kept it to that.

 

[Skybolt]

That actually was not the case for me during the actual installation. I called them up and told them I wanted to add a third receiver to my plan and that it was going to be mobile and connected to a KVH TV1 antenna. They told me which antenna type to select for that antenna and walked me through all the other parameters for my setup. ...

This was Direct Tv you spoke with? Or a third party selling there equipment? I can't even get them to resend the activation without jumping through hoops. I had to use there web page to get that done. Everyone I have ever spoken with at DTV has known absolutely nothing about a mobile sat antenna.

Now calling Solid signal or Sea-King was a different story, they both have helped me out immensely.

 

[ZZ13]

This was Direct Tv you spoke with? Or a third party selling there equipment? I can't even get them to resend the activation without jumping through hoops. I had to use there web page to get that done. Everyone I have ever spoken with at DTV has known absolutely nothing about a mobile sat antenna.

Now calling Solid signal or Sea-King was a different story, they both have helped me out immensely.

Yes, Direct TV. Their phone support was great. I gave them the serial number of the receiver. They looked it up in their data base (KVH got the receiver they packaged with my purchase, from DirectTV) and they walked me through all the configuration screens in short order.


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[Skybolt]

Yes, Direct TV. Their phone support was great. I gave them the serial number of the receiver. They looked it up in their data base (KVH got the receiver they packaged with my purchase, from DirectTV) and they walked me through all the configuration screens in short order. ...

I wish I had your CSR. That would have saved me a few days in the beginning.

 

[TechDoc]

Thanks again everyone, for the replies and information.