20' Series Satellite on 20.64

[ChrisFatboySydney]

Has anyone fitted a sphere sat setup to a 20.64? Trying to work out where the best place to install the controller within the van.

Or has everyone stuck to the portable sat setups? On these has anyone ever managed to use the antenna feed on the offsite of the van for the sat input to the decoder inside the van?

Thanks in advance

 

[Smash]

Just be aware some people have complained about the wind noise they produce at night when trying to sleep.It doesn't take much wind to get a a howling noise from the dish especially when their over 3 mtr up in the air on top of your van.

 

[mfexpanda]

Just be aware some people have complained about the wind noise they produce at night when trying to sleep.It doesn't take much wind to get a a howling noise from the dish especially when their over 3 mtr up in the air on top of your van.

We have one on our van never noticed the howling sound but I do put it down when the wind is at gale force.

Now that we have it roof mounted I'd never go back to carting one around again it just so easy

 

[ChrisFatboySydney]

Where is the controller mounted?

 

[mfexpanda]

Inside a overhead cabinet

 

[Bellbirdweb]

I have a portable dish, but have been thinking of upgrading to a rooftop dish.

I'd mount the controller in the cabinet above the TV, but I don't think you have that cabinet on the later model 20.64

 

[Crusty181]

Has anyone fitted a sphere sat setup to a 20.64? Trying to work out where the best place to install the controller within the van.

Or has everyone stuck to the portable sat setups? On these has anyone ever managed to use the antenna feed on the offsite of the van for the sat input to the decoder inside the van?

Thanks in advance

I use a portable dish and plug it in via the offside antenna plug, works fine. My system is a permanently connected setup (aside form the dish) and the dish resides on a fixed rear bumper mount when not used, so its out of sight out of mind until I need it Ive had the portable sat setup for almost 10years, and I can get it running faster than it takes the Princess to connect the power and water. (sometimes I hide the tap fittings to get a head start)

Ive never really ever thought about the auto dish, I expect because they werent an option way back when I got the first dish, they are very expensive, I don't find the portable system a chore, and can see a couple of potential (positional) drawbacks with the auto dish, that are present with the portable. We use the sat dish almost exclusively and in almost 10 years there has only been one single occasion (at the very start) where I didn't have enough coax to get past the trees.

I have a 20.63, so if you run with the auto dish please post the process. You never know, I may completely change my mind.

but I do put it down when the wind is at gale force

I just put in bigger tent pegs, and go back to watching TV

 

[mfexpanda]

I use a portable dish and plug it in via the offside antenna plug, works fine. My system is a permanently connected setup (aside form the dish) and the dish resides on a fixed rear bumper mount when not used, so its out of sight out of mind until I need it Ive had the portable sat setup for almost 10years, and I can get it running faster than it takes the Princess to connect the power and water. (sometimes I hide the tap fittings to get a head start)

Ive never really ever thought about the auto dish, I expect because they werent an option way back when I got the first dish, they are very expensive, I don't find the portable system a chore, and can see a couple of potential (positional) drawbacks with the auto dish, that are present with the portable. We use the sat dish almost exclusively and in almost 10 years there has only been one single occasion (at the very start) where I didn't have enough coax to get past the trees.

I have a 20.63, so if you run with the auto dish please post the process. You never know, I may completely change my mind.

I just put in bigger tent pegs, and go back to watching TV

I use to do that now I just put on a movie and surround sound .
And open another beer

 

[ChrisFatboySydney]

Thanks everyone..

Decisions decisions.

I like the idea of an automated roof unit but the $3000 cost put me off. When I ordered the van I considered it but I was already over budget and I couldn’t get a straight answer about where in the van it would be installed. The normal spot apparently is where the washing machine is installed near the front door but then you couldn’t run it from the external entertainment unit.

So I figured i’d wait till I had more money. Now that I consider it after having used the van for 6 months I really need the storage space so don’t want to sacrifice a cupboard. If they had said they would install it over the fridge where the other control panels were I might have gone for it but I guess it’s too late for that now.

I’m thinking of the Optima 75 folding portable panel at around $1000 including the vast decoder (satplus.com.au). Am hoping it will just plug in to the external socket (with the Winegard antenna amplifier turned off) and I could then just plug the vast decoder into the indoor or outdoor (entertainment unit) socket - although if it is outdoor I could just wire it straight up to the decoder.

Hard to make a decision..

 

[Macca_75]

The normal spot apparently is where the washing machine is installed near the front door ...

Now that I consider it after having used the van for 6 months I really need the storage space so don’t want to sacrifice a cupboard....

Off topic, but that's pretty much the only reason we didn't get the washing machine and kept the cupboard. I can see the benefits of the washing machine, but will probably end up with a portable one and set it up outside the van on the trips we want it.

Of course, the other option is to cut down the amount of crap the kids pack.....

 

[ChrisFatboySydney]

Off topic, but that's pretty much the only reason we didn't get the washing machine and kept the cupboard. I can see the benefits of the washing machine, but will probably end up with a portable one and set it up outside the van on the trips we want it.

Makes sense. The only problem is the washing machine has been a bit of a godsend given i have 4 kids. I’m leaning toward the portable..

 

[Macca_75]

Makes sense. The only problem is the washing machine has been a bit of a godsend given i have 4 kids. I’m leaning toward the portable..

3 kids here and all the junk they pack so I can see the benefits of it and the benefits of storage.

Anyway - good luck with the Satellite dish.

 

[Base23]

I have a sphere auto Sat on the roof of the basestation and works great.
The controller within the van is only small and takes up no room at all in the over head cabinet. I did move it up to the roof of the cabinet and that gave me more storage under it.

before

after

 

[Bellbirdweb]

Thanks everyone..

Decisions decisions.

I like the idea of an automated roof unit but the $3000 cost put me off. When I ordered the van I considered it but I was already over budget and I couldn’t get a straight answer about where in the van it would be installed. The normal spot apparently is where the washing machine is installed near the front door but then you couldn’t run it from the external entertainment unit.

So I figured i’d wait till I had more money. Now that I consider it after having used the van for 6 months I really need the storage space so don’t want to sacrifice a cupboard. If they had said they would install it over the fridge where the other control panels were I might have gone for it but I guess it’s too late for that now.

I’m thinking of the Optima 75 folding portable panel at around $1000 including the vast decoder (satplus.com.au). Am hoping it will just plug in to the external socket (with the Winegard antenna amplifier turned off) and I could then just plug the vast decoder into the indoor or outdoor (entertainment unit) socket - although if it is outdoor I could just wire it straight up to the decoder.

Hard to make a decision..

I have the Optima 75 and it’s a great unit.

I installed a new through the wall connector for the coax instead of using the external antenna connector.

 

[Crusty181]

I use to do that now I just put on a movie and surround sound .
And open another beer

My surround sound is a camp chair with wheels

 

[ChrisFatboySydney]

I use a portable dish and plug it in via the offside antenna plug, works fine.

I just got my Optima delivered. VAST registration isn’t complete yet but I have managed to get channel 800.

Using the offside antenna plug I can’t get any signal. Not even the signal finder will see anything.

Did you do anything to get it working. I did a bit of a google and apparently the power for the LNB interferes with the Winegard antenna booster so a few people have said it won’t work and I have to wire it a different way.

Anyone have a magic fix for this before I start drilling holes in the wall?

Chris

 

[Bellbirdweb]

I just got my Optima delivered. VAST registration isn’t complete yet but I have managed to get channel 800.

Using the offside antenna plug I can’t get any signal. Not even the signal finder will see anything.

Did you do anything to get it working. I did a bit of a google and apparently the power for the LNB interferes with the Winegard antenna booster so a few people have said it won’t work and I have to wire it a different way.

Anyone have a magic fix for this before I start drilling holes in the wall?

Chris

@Crusty181 seems to have got it working.

I drilled a hole

 

[Drover]

Does the off side plug work with normal TV ???...while I haven't plugged mine in that way I would have thought since the terrestial sockets all go thru the Winegard circuit it would upset the Sat signal, I have used the socket inside to send the signal from the STB to the TV mounted outside, not a great picture though.

 

[ChrisFatboySydney]

Does the off side plug work with normal TV ???...while I haven't plugged mine in that way I would have thought since the terrestial sockets all go thru the Winegard circuit it would upset the Sat signal, I have used the socket inside to send the signal from the STB to the TV mounted outside, not a great picture though.

Yes. I’ve been at a site with Foxtel and the connection was via the offside input.

Interestingly with the Winegard power switch on it would kill the input from the offside input (I knew this because the Foxtel would stop working).

From what i’ve been researching the issue is the LNB power is what kills it.

That hole is looking like the only option.

Chris

 

[Drover]

I've recently upgraded my set up so I can have twin leads for Foxtell but I ran the cables thru the floor into the cupboard where my STB lives.....with sockets mounted on a bracket just under the van, easy to lean down and connect up.