TV on da Boat? Qsts and configurations

[dkall]

I didn't know if this was communications or systems but here goes. I'm in the final 6 months of prep and working on some of the creature comforts.

Thus TV. I have a Follow Me (not yet hooked up). I'm wanting to dump the signal into a computer like an iTV or HD Home run from elgato or something else. Then I figure when we have time to either put on a CD or copy the file to a computer to watch the show.

Basically we've decided to not get a flat screen and permanently attach it to the boat. We can watch whatever we want on a laptop and move it to where ever we want. We like the idea of moving the movie / show to where we are not always going to the same place to watch it. So the computer will be a hub for our entertainment.

I am open to all thought and how others have configured their system. The computer we'll use is a Mac and I even have XP loaded on it so if worse comes to worse we can use the "Dark" side stuff.

Thanks and Fair Winds

[Pblais]

Laptops work quite well for this especially playing DVD's. Some of the satellite TV receivers are only so so on a boat until you get into the better higher end dishes that have multi directional tracking but that maybe isn't your issue right now. Follow Me may be OK at the dock in FL. You should be able to get a USB video input and then record to disk or watch real time from the VHF signal.

Making DVDs is the key to making it really work if you travel a far. Most anchorages usually set up a DVD exchange where they get passed around and copied. It's something you may want to get into. Plan on bringing a boatload of DVD recorder media and get a few of the decryption tools.

Most reception from satellite can get shaky after you head far enough in any direction from FL (other than north) so it's DVD based video entertainment or not much.

We have also a different setup but do use laptops too. Laptops have multiple purposes including Navigation and wifi Internet. Our setup is low budget since I just don't care that much. We also have just a basic 15 inch non HDTV LCD TV and the CD player also plays DVDs, MP3, CD's and a host of others. The TV can handle multiple inputs that can also include the antenna on the spreader. Over the air regular VHF TV dies in 2009 and after that you will need a HDTV tuner for over the air TV. The range on reception is almost nothing except in a major city so I wouldn't invest in it myself. It's about the last place I want to be - where I can get over the air HDTV. Dish stuff won't really change one way or another very much.