# Who's got TV?



## Kelcat (Apr 20, 2008)

When we got the MH we thought we'd use it to get out & enjoy the country & why on earth would you need tv. Having stayed off the beaten track a few times now we starting to think we might want sat tv
But...
Do people really use it? we're out all day most days & always eat out - so max 1-2hrs tv per night. Is it worth it? We like to watch movies & I really like reading the digital teletext, and I do like my toys. But £1500 buys a lot of alternatives. I'm not sure sat tv would increase my van use - but it might change where & how I use it.


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

Hi

I like to stick the telly on first thing in the morning to watch the news with a cuppa and sometimes watch a little bit late at night or maybe a film. We certainly dont over do it though but at the same time glad we have got it on board.  

steve


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## framptoncottrell (Jan 6, 2006)

You also get radio channels, which I find very handy: for me Radio-3 and Radio-4 are pleasing connections with home when I'm abroad.

Dr (musical, not medical) Roy


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## wozzy (Jan 3, 2009)

If you like to watch T.V. go ahead but don't spend so much.

get a mini sat. kit, I paid £65.00 for one from aldi works fine . A flat screen 22" T.V. from azda £185.00 thats £250.oo complete. Oh yes the 600w inverter £35.00. 

Keeps my wife and the lad quiet....Course it's worth it :0)


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## Rislar (Aug 16, 2008)

Hi Kelkat, yes, yes and yes, we loved just being able to watch whenever we wanted even though half of he time it wasn't getting used!!! more when raining and chilling in the van, so for us it was essential!!!


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## ChrisandJohn (Feb 3, 2008)

We don't have a TV in the motorhome and don't want one. We listen to the radio a lot and The Archers is the only soap I follow.so I don't miss TV at all when we're away. We've got podcasts and DVDs we can watch on the laptop, plus iPod and iPhone for entertainment, as well as games and books. If there's a programme on while we're away that we don't want to miss we could always record it, though this rarely happens.

I don't suppose this helps you decide though. We all have different needs, habits and lifestyles.and if we went away for much longer periods we might feel differently.


Chris


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## TheBoombas (Aug 23, 2006)

For us it was our first priority.
We dont watch it during the day, but neither of us party or drink (well not much) we enjoy a good serial or film and the odd soap. I say if it's what you like and enjoy at home why not make your van feel like home from home.

The beauty of camping is being in nice places, meeting like minded people and doing what you like to do, so if TV is one of them things Just do it.

We started out with chocolate pot tv antenas (Status) then domestic ones mouted on a pole, then the Aldi sat system all with hit & miss results.

This time round we researched and went for the fully automatic caro system £1400 thats connected to our old Aldi receiver and 15" lcd from curry's. As far as we are concerned it's money well spent. No more fiddling with signals in the rain. Stop switch them on sit back and enjoy...

Brian & Lorraine


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## TheBoombas (Aug 23, 2006)

I just may also add that I sometimes might just drive up the raod in the evening to the New forest and find a nice spot, make a cup of tea and watch a bit of tv ( Not to load as to frighten away the ponies that come to see what I.m up to) It just feels so nice and relaxing to be in a beautifull place, but still feel at home.
May be I'm just weird!!!
Does anyone else just drive a few miles in thier van to escape reality?

Maybe thats another thread I should start?

Brian


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## mandyandandy (Oct 1, 2006)

At home the TV rarely goes off for one reason or another, we both work from home and Andy is in the lounge most of the day so he likes to see Sport, price of oil and reads Teletext. 

In the evening we usually have something saved to watch as I don't come down from the office till 9pm we don't have alot of time. 

Decided when we got the MH we wouldn't have a TV and still haven't and love being without it. Daughter has portable DVD but rarely turns it on as we play games, chat and go to bed early so we have a full day to enjoy the next day. 

Mandy


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## Waleem (Nov 1, 2006)

No need for TV for us. I think there is nothing more depressing than walking around a campsite on a lovely evening and seeing row upon row of people in their vans watching TV! If that's what floats your boat, fine, but If I wanted to do that, I wouldnt bother leaving home...... :?


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Only have an old CRT Pal/Secam TV in the van. Once away from the signal from the Channel Islands we resort to watching French TV. £160.

Not saying it's entertaining but we manage the news and weather OK. French TV is terrible and full of game shows and dubbed American soaps. But it must help with our French.

Come to think about it UK TV seems to be deteriorating down the same road of game shows, soaps, auctions and property make-overs.

Ray.


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

Don't watch much TV at home. Removed TV aerial mount from Van when I fitted solar in February and haven't got around to replacing it yet. Use TV as second screen for portable dvd at the moment.


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

We have a digital TV, which is sufficient for us. Would not dream of having satellite fitted. In UK Freeview is sufficient and when abroad TV only goes on for news and weather and you dont need to understand french for the weather.
Gerry


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## derek500 (Oct 31, 2005)

Our Motorhome is our second home and we like to be as much like home as possible. 

Apart from the obvious news, weather and sporting events we tend to watch a lot of dramas on TV and don't like missing episodes. 

If we're away a short time we'll Sky plus them on our Sky HD box in the van and watch them when we get home, on a longer trip we Sky plus them and watch them in the van and spin through ad breaks etc. Saves a lot of time and electricity to watch an hour show in 45 minutes!! 

Often we're away for up to two months, so wouldn't be without it. 

I find this anti-TV snobbery you get on motorhome forums very tedious. I'm not referring to this thread, yet!!

As to the OP who can afford to eat out every night, I'm afraid that's out of our financial league, if it wasn't we'd be Sky plussing even more!!


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## Alfa_Scud (Sep 27, 2006)

As has been said it's entirely up to you really, but we were of the same opinion as you when we got our van.

We bought it to see a bit more of the country and the outdoors, & get away from things. I like watching films etc, but i also like a read & rarely get chance at home because there's always something to do. Get away in the van with some books & magazines, & the usb stick for music, & we're happy.

Even when out & about over the winter with wet, dark nights I can't honestly say I wished for the TV.

I part agree with Waleem, we were at the Edinburgh CC site at the end of May & I went for a wander about in the evening sun. The number of people huddled up watching the Britains Got no Talent or Idea final was immense - without joke I would estimate that 75% of vans I walked past had it on (not that I was being nosey you understand!!).

I can see the benefits of a TV for extended European trips or fulltiming, but for holidays, I'll manage without Ta


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## bonnieboo (Apr 27, 2009)

Great for the news and those rainy days plus the odd soap now and then.


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Yup. What Chigman said. Plus, if you use your van in Blighty all year around, a TV is very nice to have when it gets dark long before dinner time!

I don't watch much TV at home, but we do like to catch up on our recorded favourites when relaxing together in the van. It is also a boon even in summer when abroad for the long-term weather prediction.

Apart from that, if there is one thing that gets my goat about TV, whether having one, not having one, watching it or not, in this situation or that, it is people who can't understand why anyone should be different to them. They must be awful to live with.

Dave


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## Wupert (Aug 6, 2007)

bonnieboo said:


> Great for the news and those rainy days plus the odd soap now and then.


Wouldn't be without it.


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## derek500 (Oct 31, 2005)

GerryD said:


> Would not dream of having satellite fitted.


If I only had Freesat and not Sky, I wouldn't bother either. Most if not more content on Freeview.


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## 90725 (May 1, 2005)

I don't want to come across as an anti-TV snob, but I cannot understand why people need it so much. About a month ago we were camping at the excellent C&CC site outside Tavistock, eating outside on an absolutely glorious evening. We were the only ones. Everyone else was inside watching their TV's. I thought at the time how sad this is, and how that anywhere on the continent people would be gathering together, getting to know each other, talking, playing games and just enjoying the weather. We have so little decent weather in this country, it does seem a shame to waste it doing something you can do at home all the rest of the year.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Fourteen hundred quid to watch TV in your motorhome !!! 

Have you worked out the cost per night on that set up ?? 

Assuming you are luck enough to get away for 28 nights a year and you keep your MH for 5 years that makes 28 x 5 (140) evenings of TV watching. 

Divide the cost £1400 by 140 nights and you get a cost of £10 per night. Assuming you watch it for 5 hours a night then your whizzo system is actually costing you £2 an hour. 

If you are full timing the cost will be much less per hour but wow is TV really worth that much money ?? 

It is of course personal choice but I can think of a lot of other things to spend £1400 on ( loads of nights in campsite plus ferry crossings and fuel etc !)


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## derek500 (Oct 31, 2005)

Mrplodd said:


> Fourteen hundred quid to watch TV in your motorhome !!!


The majority of MHs I see who have satellite TV, have paid no where near £1,400.

Dishes on tripods and crank-up types are more the norm.


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## AutoMax (Sep 23, 2008)

I think that its a matter of personal choice to have anything you want in your van. As for TV, I worked out that the more we spent on it, the less we watched it. Over the years we reduced our viewing once we got a vcr to record programmes, reduced it more once we got Sky+. Just spent a week away in the new van that has a Cap 900 fitted and possibly watched 3 hours of tv in the week. So those hours have been very expensive.
We live in an age where we want the best when we want it and are willing to pay for that privilege. I will be looking to upgrade it to HD and pvr and will possibly watch it even less, but it will be what I want to see.
We can all argue that what we do is what you should be doing, because we are all seeing life from a different perspective. Those that eat out cant understand those that eat in, those that cycle cant understand those that walk, those that sit in cant understand those that sit out etc etc.
We are all trying to get the best out of what we think of the motorhoming experience so live and let live.
Now wheres one of the 5 remotes in the van


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## Steamdrivenandy (Jun 18, 2007)

It's three years since we got our first van and we've spent 112 nights away so far.

We keep debating about getting a TV, especially since buying the Adria Compact last September as it's got a wonderful weird 'Heath Robinson' TV 'arm' hitched above the bed which swings round over the kitchen for lounge viewing. It's just aching to be used and it seems a waste for it to be inactive.

BUT

We don't follow soaps, we watch relatively little TV at home and haven't missed it. 

We've got the radio for news and weather, MP3 for music, books and magazines to read, dogs to walk, a toilet to empty 8O etc, etc. We're not sure that we'd find time to watch anyway. We've watched three DVD's on the laptop in that time, on wet evenings. Like Waleem we're staggered at the number of people who burrow away of an evening on camp sites. I'd much rather be out chillin' and chattin'.

So I think our TV 'arm' will continue unused and I'll save the money and use it elsewhere where we'd get better value.

SDA


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## Kipper (May 1, 2005)

I think much will depend on your style of motorhoming too. If most or all of your trips away are in the summer months then TV becomes less of an issue. However when its dark at 4pm it can be a different story.

Personally I rarely turn the thing on when I'm away in the summer. Sometimes just to catch up with the news - though mostly I get that through the radio - and to watch the odd drama series that I've been following. In the winter though it will be on most evenings. 

The other factor is where you stay. In the summer I'm rarely on sites with leccy so will be conserving my batteries but in winter I usually migrate to a CC site - ample amps and nice warm shower blocks ...


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## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

Hi.
When we are away in Portugal and Spain over the winter Jan/ Apr it is lovely to turn on the telly to listen and watch something in English that I can relate too.
Being in a foreign land with everything around you in a language and a culture you are not at all familiar with week in and week out becomes very wearing to me, a bit of "normality" even if it is only the telly, its a breath of fresh air.

Others might think different


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

Ok Rule 1 we are all different this I accept 

However I see a mismatch between what people do and what they say which I fail to understand even allowing for rule 1.

For example there have been several threads in the past asking what equipment/satellite etc is necessary if holidaying in Norway. If you want to watch TV so much that you ask the question why spend all that money and effort going to Norway for a holiday, there must be plenty of nice places closer.

In case anyone thinks I'm not allowing for rule 1. I am, its just that most people aren't able to allow enough time for their Norway trip so it doesn't to me seem rational to spend time watching TV there.

As Rule 1 definitely applies I'll get my tin hat.


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## averhamdave (May 21, 2005)

I now have a crank up dish and FTA box (courtesy of Snelly) and a good quality 15" LCD. It all runs on 12volt.

I've done the CRT and Inverter, then LCD and inverter, then tripod, sky box and inverter etc. What I have today is a delight, its up and running in less than a minute, excellent picture no reception probs, at least no as far as southern France and no storage/get it out and set it up probs. Incidentally the tripod arrangement isn't really practical for wild camping and aires etc.

I guess it all cost £700 for the lot, including TV. I fitted it all myself.

In summer we hardly watch it but we are 52 week motorhomers, probably doing over 100 nights a year, and as someone said when its dark at 4....

We also have a few weeks in Spain in the winter. Glorious weather but dark at 6 and cold by 7. Bit of home news and an odd soap is nice.

I don't totally agree with taking costs/financial payback into account. If we did this very few people would buy a motorhome. It would be far cheaper for many to just go 5 star hotel!

I like my whole motorhome setup, TV system et al and its all cost lots, but I can afford it and would probably only blow the money on fancy cars and motorbikes if I didn't do this! :lol:


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## Hintonwood (Mar 21, 2008)

Never. (to the disappointment of our teenage kids).

We love the radio and CD's and silence!

One of the joys of being away.


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## derek500 (Oct 31, 2005)

We went to the Scottish Highlands for Easter. We had a wonderful time, walking, touring during the day etc.

Come 9pm at night I was glued to the TV watching The Masters Golf in HD.

As a golf fan, I wouldn't have considered going away over Easter if it meant missing The Masters. 

Having TV in the motorhome lets you do the things you can't do at home and the things you can.

It's the best of both worlds.


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## yozz (Jan 18, 2009)

The van came with a basic status aerial and booster, one of those omni-directional ones, but I don't carry a TV so I've never used it. I prefer to read, or listen to the radio if I need some background noise.

If I had a working laptop I might be tempted to take that with me.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

We use our oyster satellite dish to listen to radio, mainly BBC4 and 7. Having been away from September till recently we thoroughly enjoyed being able to have radio and tv if we wanted it. We even watched Ireland triumph in the rugby while right in the south of Spain. 

I use a FM transmitter in the back of the satellite box to send the signal to our portable radio (running on 12v) which gives me satellite radio for a power consumption of around 1 amp. I would not be without it, Alan,


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## yozz (Jan 18, 2009)

Interesting that because I've been thinking about getting a decent 12V radio set up in the back running off the leisure battery. You know radio, cd, mp3 plug and a couple of small good quality speakers.


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

averhamdave said:


> I now have a crank up dish and FTA box (courtesy of Snelly) and a good quality 15" LCD. It all runs on 12volt.


Ditto.



averhamdave said:


> In summer we hardly watch it but we are 52 week motorhomers, probably doing over 100 nights a year, and as someone said when its dark at 4....


Double ditto.



averhamdave said:


> I don't totally agree with taking costs/financial payback into account. If we did this very few people would buy a motorhome. It would be far cheaper for many to just go 5 star hotel!


Good point.

All in all, we aid a few hundreds for the system, and it gives us the ability to watch what we like, when we like. We also love to sit outside, enjoying the fresh air and chatting to other campers nearby and passing.

Gerald


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## seanysean (Jun 3, 2009)

I am really disappointed to hear that so many of you watch tv an deven more so that many of you listen to 'radio'? 

I don't mean to be a snob, but what is wrong with reading?


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## seanysean (Jun 3, 2009)

What is with the anti tv lobby. 

Why is watching tv so low brow and radio favoured?


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## Kelcat (Apr 20, 2008)

Hi - glad to have sparked such a debate - funny how the first response pretty much answered my question.
As said by other in the summer months we may well still be climbing, on the fells or just into the pub till late. But as we try to get out every other weekend all year we've already discovered that there are times when I don't want to be in the pub for 6 hours (OK rare times :wink: ) and there are times when the place we want to be is pretty remote -no, pub, food or internet etc.
I read a lot - but the van does not make that special or exclusive.
I also agree that if we considered just the financials then most of us would / should trade in the vans. Inherrently I like technology to work for me so have shyed away from looking at the manual sat's - are they a lot of hassle? I can see they're a lot cheaper which is obviously a plus.


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## erikbloodaxe (Apr 24, 2007)

*Occassional TV*

When on hook up a very cheap solution is a 240v mains 17" DTV/DVD/Radio unit for only £140. Try a Ventura from Comet. I got one this week, it's brill.


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

Kelcat said:


> Inherrently I like technology to work for me so have shyed away from looking at the manual sat's - are they a lot of hassle? I can see they're a lot cheaper which is obviously a plus.


I was definitely going to get a Camos auto sat dome. It seemed to me to be the *right* solution.

Then we spent a small fortune on the house, and we couldn't justify the £1400 or so. We bought a Maxview crankup, and honestly can't see why I ever thought of paying for an auto system. The only advantage of a Camos (to me, anyway) is that it is impervious to wind. Mind you, I'm not _that_ desperate to watch TV if it's blowing a gale outside.

Setting up is easy. Remove compass from handy pocket. Go outside the van, and see which way is north. Leap back into the van, spin the dial until the "N" is pointing north. The position of Astra 2 is shown on the dial. Wind the handle until the numbers in the window show 23 or thereabouts. Twizzle the main twizzly thing until the pointy thing is pointing at Astra 2. Turn on TV and sat box (both 12V, of course :wink: ). Select "INFO" from remote control, and watch the "strength" and "quality" bars whilst twizzling a bit, until you get 90% on one, and something in excess of 70% on t'other. Wind the elevation a bit to see if it improves. Lock in position. Job done.

Until I'd done it, I couldn't believe how quick and easy it was to set up. If you have people around you with sat dishes, you don't need to do the compass bit, and just point the dish in the same direction as everyone else's.

I used my Maxview FTA box to set up a dish at home, and it was just as simple, although I had to mess about with the elevation a little more (no graduated scale.)

Gerald


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

Oh, and I chose a crankup because I didn't want to take up valuable storage space with a completely manual system.

G'waan, buy a crankup. You know you want to.

Gerald


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

TV in a motorhome - Totally defeats the point of having a motorhome.
Mind you it is possible to catch up with Cori, Enders, the Bill, Top Gear and watch Formula 1 in English while in France if you have satellite.

Perhaps Jeremy Kyle for a lazy start on a winters morning and enjoy a good tut tut.

Me never! (apart from those above a a few others)

C.


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## bob44 (Mar 9, 2006)

I'm with the leave-it-at-home TV Brigade.

Even at home it can be a disappointment:

We returned late Fri night with friends, and I put the house TV on purely for Backgound Music (usually a good selection on Sky Music Channels).

Wrong move, ! Every blinking Sky Music Channel available was pumping out different versions of Michael Jackson tributes........ 

So we promptly Switched Off and saved the planet a few mili-amps instead!!

Deffo NOT a MJ Fan, he should have stayed with the Jackson Five, and I forecast Lady Di-like mournings.....

Bob L


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## derek500 (Oct 31, 2005)

CliveMott said:


> TV in a motorhome - Totally defeats the point of having a motorhome.


I've got a motorHOME. I want it to be as much like home as possible - with better views of course.


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## pete4x4 (Dec 20, 2006)

I spent around £50 on ebay buying a sky dish, pole and tripod and dual lnb. I can now position the van where I want without worrying about trees too much and position the dish where I want. 
I take the Sky+ box so have a PVR as well if I want so at least I still get to watch the grand prix or cricket after a days walking etc.
Usually takes 5 minutes to set up.

Also if you hang the monitor/TV from the door you can sit outside and still watch it.

would also like to point out that TV is very good for keeping the kids occupied during those times when all you want to do is sit and drink!!


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## asabrush (Mar 3, 2008)

We have a maxveiw dish and tripod set up(longest time taken to set up was 5mins),take it all all trips but its rarely used. Good for rainy days or crazy(2 yr old ) early mornings.

Space is easy as the dish is cable tied/bungeed to the bike rack.

Each to their own as with all the gadgets.

I do notice a huge difference between my caravan hols as a kid and my kids though.We would be out playing with new friends made all the time or else in one or others vans playing cards or board games,quite often my kids will come back to the van cos all their new pals are watching tv :roll:


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## brockley (Mar 6, 2009)

We spent no more than £400 (a la e bay) for a satellite receiver, TV with DVD player, dish, tripod, solar panel, extra leisure battery, regulator and a device to stop the battery from discharging too much. All works great even in deepest darkest winter, takes at best thirty seconds to set up, at worse forty seconds. Great reception as far as northern Spain at bargain basement price. We use ours a fair bit, more so in winter, but we also like to listen to the radio and read. Each to their own. We also enjoy watching people taking their scooter off the back of their MH and wonder how much it costs them per mile (or do they use them from home too?).

Like I said - Each to their own.


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## TinaGlenn (Jul 7, 2006)

We used to cart a 17" tv about with us until we decided that as we hardly watched it, the cupboard space could be much better filled 8O 

Glenn missed being able to watch the news and the little handheld TV was a pain to get reception on, so we eventually got a little drop down TV with an 8" screen, which is also a radio and cd/dvd player. The van came with a fancy ariel and a free view box and Glenn has since fitted a Crank up courtesy of Snellyvision. 

We use our van all year round and has been said before it is very nice at 4pm on a dark cold and wet day to have something to watch.

Seanysean, as for the reading comment, didn't you read all the posts about the Sony E Reader??? a must for any motorhoming, gadget loving bookworm :lol: :lol: Glenn can now open any cupboard safe in the knowledge he isn't about to be hit by an avalanche of books :twisted: 

Tina


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## jhelm (Feb 9, 2008)

You all haven't helped me at all on my own tv or no tv decision. I agree with both sides. My wife says we don't need one. I would like to have one for the news and the occasional show in the evening especially on winter ski trips. But I'm probably more influenced by the everyone else has one why don't we and the gadget factor than a real desire for tv. Then there is the kid issue, it is very nice to have them quiet and entertained at times without us being involved. For that we put dvds in the laptop, but then they have seen all the ones we have. Oh well, can't decide might as well save the money.


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## pete4x4 (Dec 20, 2006)

I will admit though that the satellite is used the most when abroad to listening to the radio 8)

And I'm more worried about what boy my daughters playing with now :lol:


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

remedi said:


> For £150 you can link to WiFi hotspots that could be 4 miles away and see Live TV in your 'van - even overseas.


Hmm. 4 miles is a long way, even for a £150 gadget. And that assumes you've got a hotspot that close :roll:

I think I'll stick with my crankup.

Gerald


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## Rochdalemasher (Jun 22, 2009)

It wont break the bank for sat tv for your MH. I recently bought a 12/240 volt satellite receiver from Maplins for £50. the HD LCD telly which is 12 as well as 240v for £129 from tesco it has built in freeview and DVD player. the dish i bought from ebay a 60cm dish with tripod for £50 plus p&p i also bought a sat finder from the same place for £8. take me less than 10 mins to set it up each time we use it and it all folds and stows away under the seats when you travelling. Hope this saves ya a few quid!!


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