Satellite TV

If the "dream" is to be receiving UK main channels via satellite technology then that depends where in Europe you are going to be, compounded by the dish size that is viable on an automatic system suitable for a caravan.

Basically if North of the Loire you will be okay, south it starts becoming more challenging.

To get the ever weakening UK channels signal as we go south  needs an ever increasing dish size, and or good weather. The trouble is auto systems tend to have restrains on the dish size, the more so if we have a caravan with its rather delicate roof structure.

Where are you thinking you "need" UK satellite TV in Europe, that's key to the validity of the answer?

UK tv is not a priority 

Just English speaking

Maybe film channel  ect 

The user and all related content has been Deleted User

I am sorry as I have zero knowledge on what viable options from other satellites cover your requirements.

Our own practice for "canned" entertainment abroad, is to record films etc that might be of interest transmitted through the year in SD on a spare Humax Freeview PVR. Then load these onto a number of 32 GB USB sticks for use in our Avtex. [The technique is not enabled for HD recordings.]

In practice, we view very little of what we take, having most evenings lost ourselves sitting out in the warmth, keeping an eye on the world, whilst enjoying a decent red.

i’m with you here on every aspect. maybe i am going in the wrong direction. i think a decent tv that will link to wifi. and my netflix account maybe all we need. 

now the question. what tv and what’s the best wat to get on the internet 🤔

Hi, first off let me say that I am in agreement with the other posters and your self.

I have as others wasted hours trying to get a signal when I could hav just sat and chilled but my wife likes to see the UK news so have persevered.

In order to make things easier I ditched the old Sky box I had been given and bought a Cello Satellite TV, as in the sat tuner is built in.

We have been pleased with the TV ,it is a lot cheaper than an Avtex, and the setup is certainly easier with all UK channels available via a 60 cm dish in the Landes region last year.

Last year our friends, who liked the TV, bought a Cello that is a Smart TV so that he can connect to it and view things like, I believe, Netflix, Sky etc.

As we dont have any TV subscriptions its no advantage to us but may be suitable for you. This is the one that they have;

https://celloelectronics.com/product/22-smart-full-hd-traveller-tv-with-satellite-tuner/

On the TV, I would certainly go the Smart route and one with a satellite decoder [ideally a Freesat ™] as that adds flexibility without extra clobber wiring etc.

Ours is an ageing Avtex with just a generic rather than true Freesat ™ satellite decoder, okay but the "failing" here is the satellite decoder has no electronic programme guide. That is more an irritant than a show stopper as abroad as well as at home we can find a TV guide on our mobiles, but that is just a bit more hassle best avoided if possible.

The TV can record, I like that feature although it is either watch or record not both at least differing channels. I can "can" an F1 race off the German satellite and still be out enjoying the Sunday afternoon.

The issues with pulling things in from the internet are basically "bandwidth" and GBs at your disposal. I have not played in Europe for a couple of years but in our much loved France the available bandwidth and its consistency through a programme, even paid for Wi-Fi was typically inadequate.

That might be resolvable via a smart phone's tethering ??? but it really "Hoovers up" one's roaming GB allowance. An now out of the EU their obligation on phone providers to furnish UK visitors with "like home" mobile services, is going to be something that needs resolving one way or another, no guarantee here. There is buying a Continental SIM with adequate data option, just needs the cost reviewing.

Back on the satellite, I use a 65 CM portable Triax dish. Given not too challenging weather I get a consistent signal on our UK serving satellite cluster down as far as Martel area in the Lot, along the Dordogne riverside. South of there it becomes hit and miss and more weather dependant. Basically just so irritating, therefore too much hassle.

Thankfully I have for whatever reason a natural aptitude to set this up with near zero hassle, in places within a viable signal and being portable can move it about on site to find a view of the satellite.

I only ever use my TV on Freeview in the UK. We don't bother taking it when abroad. Can't say I've found the evenings drag at all. If I was overwintering in the sun, I suppose I might then miss my cultural input.

Whilst presently having an ageing Avtex, if that went belly up it wold not be replaced with a "camping specific TV" but a quality domestic TV.

This is despite being at "home" near  a100% summertime off grid caravanners, I would go back to coping with the limitation of 12 VDC rather than mains, by using my pure sinewave inverter. We did that for a decade pre getting the bundled Avtex, using a SONY 15" TV.

So any replacement will be a quality Smart domestic TV with integrated satellite decoder from either SONY, LG or Samsung. The Avtex is okay but not brilliant and silly money for what you get relative to a recently aquired domestic LG. The inverter is a tad more parasitic in energy use, but the solar set up easily copes with that for the few hours use we ever make of a TV.

After years of struggling to set up a freestanding satellite dish we decided to bite the bullet with our previous motorhome and have an 85cms automatic dish installed on the roof. We used this all over Europe until they decided to narrow the signal range but even then we could still get all UK channels of free to air via our Avtex TV with a built in satellite tuner. We have recently changed motorhomes and as yet we have not decided to have another dish as we are uncertain about going abroad at the moment. An automatic dish is a big investment, best part of £2000 for the type we had and you can spend more! There are various freestanding set ups than have a degree if automation which might take some the the frustration out of setting it up.

David