Best Options For TV

[Halo]

I plan to spend a long time sailing round the UK next summer and SWMBO wants a telly to be available when we are in port.
Last year I followed a recommendation for a splitter and amp to get a tv signal from the vhf aerial but I could not get it to work.
In recent months has anyone bought a complete system that works in a fair number of marinas, harbours etc?
many thanks
Martin

 

[pvb]

Telly? On the boat? Whatever next? Before you know it, she'll be demanding dry bedding and hot water.

 

[SimonD]

Internet TV. A smartphone with a 3 contract that includes unlimited data and tethering costs about £15 a month. Use it as a wifi hotspot and get TV on demand on your tablet or laptop. Alternatively, you can get an adaptor to connect your phone to the HDMI socket on a TV.

 

[Spyro]

If you are planing on using it in a marina best solution is a small lcd TV that will run on mains or 12v. If in the marina use the mains this will save the juice in the batteries. If you need to use it on a mooring find one with an external transformer, cut it off and wire the 12v plug to the boat's 12v supply via a fuse. for reception run a coax from the TV to the Cockpit locker (if you have one) and fit a male connector. Get a normal tv aerial mounted on a pole to some sort of bracket so you can detach it and stow it easily. point it whatever way the other aerials are pointing around the marina. have a length of coax connected to the aerial with a female connector on the other end. Connect it when needed to the connector in the cockpit locker.
This aerial will work better than any masthead mounted uni directional aerial. I have this set up. It takes two mins to erect the aerial and a few mins to retune the tv if I'm pointing at a new transmitter.

 

[SimbaDog]

These 2 items work amazingly well :encouragement: better than my previous expensive masthead setup!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003VPJZ48?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Avtex-STH3000-Suction-Mounted-Caravan/dp/B00KFEDMR4

 

[johnalison]

We have a 19" TV that lives in a leather briefcase and an active aerial like the one above but costing less from Tesco, which needs its own power. We run both from the mains when in harbour and virtually always get a decent signal with the aerial under the sprayhood. Except in Dover, which is hopeless. Other friends have their TVs built in.

 

[Jabs]

A Banten Antenna as high as reasonable.

In our case 64 ft above the water, and never had a complaint or any reason for conversation!

Good luck!

Tony.

 

[Richard10002]

Internet TV. A smartphone with a 3 contract that includes unlimited data and tethering costs about £15 a month. Use it as a wifi hotspot and get TV on demand on your tablet or laptop. Alternatively, you can get an adaptor to connect your phone to the HDMI socket on a TV.

Unlimited tethering not available anymore.

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

I have an ordinary TV 230volt via an inverter and I use an aerial, Maxview Omnimax 360. I always get all channels in all marinas and at the swinging mooring in south coast.

 

[Richard10002]

Unlimited tethering not available anymore.

I used a triax UFO aerial and a Samsung 23"TV around the UK and the Mediterranean between 2006 and 2010.

Worked great everywhere, even well offshore passing South Wales.

Get a good omni-directional aerial and a TV that will run off a 12V adapter, and you will be fine.

I've got an LG 24" Smart TV which has a 19V input, and a Samsung 22" Smart TV that has a 14V input, but which seems happy to take 12V or 15V.

 

[SimonD]

Unlimited tethering not available anymore.

Damn! In that case, get TV on your phone and connect it to the TV using an MHL to HDMI cable or Google Chromecast.

I can't help thinking that internet TV is a better option than fiddling around with aerials. You also get the benefit of internet access on board. Mind you, no reason why you can't have both.