check out the new remote control Jockey Wheel SmartBar Canegrowers rearview170 Cobb Grill Skid Row Recovery Gear
Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Post Info TOPIC: Sphere Sattelite TV System


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 172
Date:
Sphere Sattelite TV System


Hi everyone, (reposted from 'I Digress')

I am considering buying an automated sattelite system for the motor home.  The old Wingard, she ain't so good and last trip the winder broke off.

Caravans Plus sells one called 'Sphere' and Coast to Coast RV is the importer, cheapest at under $3k, including VAST decoder.  But only 1 year warranty. 

Does anyone else have one, and if so, how do you like it?

I have already searched this topic but there's not much info on them.

Thanks for feedback

 



__________________


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 5378
Date:

I have no experience on any automated satellite dish

I dismissed buying an automated satellite dish for the roof, as I do not have stabiliser legs on my vehicle

Without stabiliser legs, I assume that each time you move around inside the vehicle, you will momentarily loose the picture
Also in (not so high) winds, my vehicle does rock a bit

It will find the picture again by automation

But....

The way I looked at it, the gearboxes are only made of die-cast aluminium, and probably not designed for continuous operations

I have met many caravans with automated satellite dishes on the roof, and one only RV like mine, who had  $7,000 worth of stabiliser legs fitted

I have no problem using my access antennas, satellite dish on a tripod
It lives on the bed over the cab, while travelling



__________________

Tony

It cost nothing to be polite



Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 1482
Date:

I have been on the USA Winguard website and they sell a crank up Satellite dish conversion unit that attaches to the Winguard crank already installed Cost about $260 US. New handles for the crank system are $29 here. All you would have to do is swap out the LNB for the Australian version.

Drawback they won't sell to Australia. You need someone over there in the US to buy and send over.

 

This is the website page. Middle version would be the one.

 

http://www.winegard.com/crankup/crank-up-buy-now



-- Edited by Yuglamron on Friday 21st of April 2017 05:09:55 PM



-- Edited by Yuglamron on Friday 21st of April 2017 05:10:17 PM

__________________

 

 

 

 

Safe Travels



Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 7640
Date:

We have the Oyster brand . Yes we have hydro stabilisers too . Motorhome. The setting STILL have to be correct !!

__________________
Whats out there


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 381
Date:

Jayco use sphere on their vans and motorhomes. We had one on our motorhome for 2 years travelling around , never had a problem . We had stabilisers but didn't use them all the time and still had good reception . We don't have the motorhome anymore but would consider another one , when I had the portable dish I was always worried someone would pinch it. Only problem I came across with it being fixed on the roof was tree's , so I always asked if there was trees on the site . Ours had a single LNB but I believe they do a dual LNB now better for the new Foxtel Box's.
Cheers
Mick

__________________


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 172
Date:

Thanks GC - that is what I needed to know. 



__________________


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 172
Date:

Thanks Tony & Bev, I didn't consider movement might be a problem



__________________


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 172
Date:

Aus-Kiwi wrote:

We have the Oyster brand . Yes we have hydro stabilisers too . Motorhome. The setting STILL have to be correct !!


 Hi AK, not sure what you mean by the setting have to be correct - won't the decoder or the other thingamy do that?



__________________


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 172
Date:

Yuglamron wrote:

I have been on the USA Winguard website and they sell a crank up Satellite dish conversion unit that attaches to the Winguard crank already installed Cost about $260 US. New handles for the crank system are $29 here. All you would have to do is swap out the LNB for the Australian version.

Drawback they won't sell to Australia. You need someone over there in the US to buy and send over.

 

This is the website page. Middle version would be the one.

 

http://www.winegard.com/crankup/crank-up-buy-now



-- Edited by Yuglamron on Friday 21st of April 2017 05:09:55 PM



-- Edited by Yuglamron on Friday 21st of April 2017 05:10:17 PM


 I really don't want to be winding the damn thing up anymore - but thanks anyway.



__________________


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 347
Date:

Jennifer

No stay away from the Sphere System. We have had our system for over 3 years and was sold to us by Satplus Qld.While it can be very good and we can have television reception in some of the most remote locations, the next day you can have nothing or a problem. It is the most unreliable option that we have in our caravan and continually lets us down.

I think that you traveling as a solo would be continually on the phone to the help line

I have no issues with Satplus Qld  our reason to purchase a sattelite system was to provide a service going across the Nullabor and North West WA. Worked in Adelaide and Perth..

At this date we have another issue while touring Tasmania. Thankfully our base aerial picks up local coverage.

 

Cheers

JohR

 



__________________

"House sitting Barmedman NSW"



Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 176
Date:

Tony Bev wrote:


Without stabiliser legs, I assume that each time you move around inside the vehicle, you will momentarily loose the picture
Also in (not so high) winds, my vehicle does rock a bit

 

 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Sounds very very dodgy to me as I have a caravan with an automatic system and we very rarely use our sabiliser legs and over the last 5 years had no problems as you describe



__________________

Cheers Kay & Dave, & Penny



Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 176
Date:

Wild1 wrote:
Yuglamron wrote:

I have been on the USA Winguard website and they sell a crank up Satellite dish conversion unit that attaches to the Winguard crank already installed Cost about $260 US. New handles for the crank system are $29 here. All you would have to do is swap out the LNB for the Australian version.

 

 I really don't want to be winding the damn thing up anymore - but thanks anyway.


Call John at Satplus, he sells them and he is in Australia



__________________

Cheers Kay & Dave, & Penny



Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 381
Date:

JohnR wrote:

Jennifer

No stay away from the Sphere System. We have had our system for over 3 years and was sold to us by Satplus Qld.While it can be very good and we can have television reception in some of the most remote locations, the next day you can have nothing or a problem. It is the most unreliable option that we have in our caravan and continually lets us down.

I think that you traveling as a solo would be continually on the phone to the help line

I have no issues with Satplus Qld  our reason to purchase a sattelite system was to provide a service going across the Nullabor and North West WA. Worked in Adelaide and Perth..

At this date we have another issue while touring Tasmania. Thankfully our base aerial picks up local coverage.

 

Cheers

JohR

 


Jennifer ,

My sphere had to go back and have the motherboard upgraded because I was having the same issues. This was all done free of charge. 



__________________
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.

Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us
Purchase Grey Nomad bumper stickers Read our daily column, the Nomad News The Grey Nomad's Guidebook