Telly aboard...

[DeeGee]

After a depressing evening listening to the latest advances in treatment of Altzheimer's last night on BBC, SWMBO decided that I must get a telly sorted.

Now, I have a WinTV module for the laptop which worked fine when we had a house, and it was just playing, but now... has anyone any ideas for clever ways to get an aerial sorted. Please regard this as a license for jocularity, you would anyway, but it would be nice if there are any serious suggestions, esp from someone who has actually sorted it. I will NOT fit a dome thing to boat, this has to be purely temporary.... ;-)

<hr width=100% size=1>Black Sugar - the sweetest of all

 

[Evadne]

You can get omnidirectional ariels from caravan shops, but really, the best way to get a good picture from a telly is to lower it from the bows on a short rope, then let go. If you just throw it overboard they will hear the splash and you will be found out.

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[Twister_Ken]

Once upon a time I lived within the shadow of the transmitter at Crystal Palace. No aerial was necessary, the signal was strong enough to get in intravenously. So can I suggest you bung the boat on a low loader and park it somewhere in Upper Sydenham.

Alternatively, a month or two back PBO had an "I did it my way" article about building your own TV aerial using only a Blue Peter presenter, and a wire clothes hanger. It was the cause of minor hilarity amongst certain less-than-serious types around here. I'm sure it's nothing a man of your pespex capacity couldn't manage (or buy one from a TV shop).

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>

 

[Robin]

At least you got your WinTV working, I gave up after it hung for the nth time!

We have ( to use with a 15" LCD TV) 2 aerials, a simple amplified (takes 2AA bats) set top one which works pretty well, but doesn't like the multiple masts I think in marinas. We also therefore have an aluminium 'loft' aerial from B&Q which tucks in between bimini and gantry, if pointed roughly in the correct direction this works in marinas and weak reception areas.
The first set top one from Comet was £20, the B&Q loft one was £8.

By the way I don't think WinTV is a multistandard system, if not it will not work in France, though some might consider that an advantage!


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[robp]

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.skytronic.com/uk/prod/search.php?s=120.910>This</A> works inside and out but IS directional.

I should have added that it is a fraction of the price of the regular ones!

<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by robp on 11/03/2004 16:15 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Stemar]

Anyone thinking of buying the WinTV USB kit should make sure it's the latest USB2 version. USB1 just isn't quick enough for a decent image quality.

If you haven't got USB2 on your computer, consider getting the USB2 anyway, it'll still work as USB1, and you'll have a decent one for when you upgrade.

Both need a strong signal to work, and, as far as I know, are only available as single standard, so if you really want French TV, you'll have to pick one up in France!

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[AndrewB]

This advice is dated as I was last actively a liveaboard 5 years ago.

The problem when in marinas is that all those radar reflectors really screw up the image. I've tried the omnidirectional 'active' masthead ariel but cannot recommend them. Best results have been achieved by getting a berth on the side of the marina nearest to the transmitter, with line of sight if possible, and using an ordinary caravan type portable (outdoor) directional ariel. Fix it to the top of the marina wall if possible, rather than on the boat. An image booster helps in some (but not all) conditions. Generally, better reception is obtained when anchored or moored clear of other yachts.

Free-to-air telly is not bad in England and France, but rubbish in many countries. A lot of Sky disks seem to be sprouting up in liveaboard marinas - no idea how good they are. In the better US marinas, you just plug into the cable.

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[Trevethan]

We have an omni directional antenna on top of the mizzen. boosted running to to TV's well one TV and one PC tv usb job.

Regular picture is crap -- unwatchable really so bough a digital box freeviw... amazing difference -- picture is superb, then bought USB freeview thing -- same huge improvement and I would strongly reccommend going digital.

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[steve_cronin]

One word Denbigh......

Digibox.

Any old aerial and you'll either get a perfect picture or no picture.

In the Uk we used one of those flying saucer aerials, initially pulled up to a spreader in a sort of Turkish waiter's thingymabob (after dark when the bloke with the blue ensign couldn't see it) then later atop a telescopic boathook pole held with two removeable cable ties to the taffrail. On into the digibox, powered by a low power inverter we had then and into the TV. Needed retuning from the home transmitter and voila! All the (then) OnDigital channels with a perfect picture (digital see?)

In Greece we have a B&W TV running off a telescopic aerial and we get a clear picture all the time as there appear to be relay transmitters on every island for the terrestrial.

The only problem is the language. They will insist on slapping it across the bottom of perfectly good un-dubbed US cowboy films (& "Friends" for the wife too!) with perfect english sound tracks - which they always insist on turning down in tavernas!

Steve Cronin

<hr width=100% size=1>The above is, like any other post here, only a personal opinion

 

[rickp]

Re: One word Denbigh......

I've got one of the Hauppauge DEC-1000T mini freeview boxes that runs off 12v - an excellent little box. I see that <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.todayonly.co.uk>Scan</A> are doing them for 52 quid on their 'Today Only' site. Bargain - paid nearer 90 for mine

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[StugeronSteve]

WinTV. Not another b****y game show. Stick a DVD in the laptop and watch it over and over again, then it'll seem just like the real thing.

<hr width=100% size=1>I had a wheel barrow, the wheel fell off.

 

[TFJ]

I bought a WinTV USB a couple of years ago for my laptop but the screen kept freezing up, got an upgrade on line but stillno better, any ideas to resolve it or should it be binned or put on the 'For Sale' section?

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[Robin]

That is what I found too so took mine back for a refund. Shame because when it stayed working it was fine, but if I hadn't taken it back the laptop might have needed swimming lessons!

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[Aeolus_IV]

I believe the WinTV card (or at least mine) is multi-standard -- I'm sure I've picked up european channels (albeit weakly) from my home on the Sussex coast. It's just a pain in the a**e flicking through all of the possible combinations...

Jeff.

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[Robin]

I must admit I'm not sure. Someone in our club has one which works and he believes it does work in France, but as he never goes there that isn't confirmed! Most European countries have the same PAL system as us, but not France which is SECAM. (not really relevant but the USA is NTSC, different again). I wondered if it was in the WinTV software or in the electronics, certainly I couldn't find software to download for France. I think I found though different order codes for WinTV in different countries.

Since I couldn't get ours to stay working (it managed a 1hr 50 minutes once, then froze just as the who dunnit was about to be discovered & named...) it became irrelevant so I stopped looking.

It would be useful for general information for someone to confirm one way or another.

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[DeeGee]

Well, as I mentioned before, I only played with the WinTV USB when at home with real telly available. It didn't lock up then.

I tried last night hoisting an aeiral up with the main halyard and a twizzling string attached for an experiment. I could rotate the aerial through most of 360 deg, but never got a decent picture, so I may have a go with a digital as some postings here have suggested.

Will come back with results in a few days.

<hr width=100% size=1>Black Sugar - the sweetest of all

 

[jimi]

Do'nt know why you want a fat lollipop sucking cop on the boat anyway .. who loves ya baby! Bettter off with Angela Dickinson IMHO!

<hr width=100% size=1>.. whit way roon should it be again ..

 

[pheran]

After years of puting up with rubbish tele on board we decided to go digital/satellite. All you need is a second-hand Sky receiver(plenty available in the usual local yellow ads papers) a dish (Roadpro do a super mini-dish, the Kerstan, I think. This is unobtrusive and can be easily demounted) and a free Sky card (they are required as part of their licensing agreement with HMG to provide this). Oh, and a tele and power suppy of course. Result - perfect tele thoughout the UK, half of France, Belgium and Holland with a range of programs. Only disadvantage is that you have to reposition the the dish every time you stop but this soon becomes a simple 30 second job. It means that where ever we are , we can still get the depressing news that Phoney Tony still lives in Downing Street!

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue>A convert to steel boats and displacement cruising - the only way to go</font color=blue>

 

[bedouin]

I am curious what programmes you find on terrestial TV to make it worth going to the bother of fitting a Telly to the boat!

However given that you are determined to do so, then the best solution to this is to fit a 6' gyro-stablized satelite dish. This should ensure pretty good reception even underway anywhere between 60S and 60N

For a less drastic solution you have the choice of a conventional directional aerial, which has to be pointed fairly accurately at the transmitter (within a few degrees) and an omni-directional aerial which works in almost any alignment but gives a weaker signal and is more prone to interference.

My experience from the inland waterways is that the best solution is a small directional aerial, but this only really makes sense when secure in a marina because it requires a stable orientation of boat to transmitter.

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[DeeGee]

bedouin.. you are hoist on your own petard; how can one who has accumulated such diverse experience of different modes of reception ask why I need a telly?

Actually, I find that the 5 terrestrial channels between them, with recording to give the neccy timeshift, pump out more than enough interesting stuff for my 10 or so viewing hours per week. With UKHistory, BBC3 and 4, I will be hard pressed to choose, or may have to up the viewing rate - but then, beddy, old pal, I RETIRE in 7 weeks time !!!

;-) ;-)

;-)

<hr width=100% size=1>Black Sugar - the sweetest of all