Avtex Snipe (1 Viewer)

[leeboy]

Thinking of buying an Avtex snipe satellite receiver, are they any good?
Thanks,
Lee.

 

[Scattycat]

Had ours for about 6 months and no problems so far

 

[musson]

Hi friend at work has had one since they came out and tells me it works very well

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[deleted-member02]

I'm thinking of getting one too.

This is a very good price, complete with base plate Broken Link Removed

 

[Wildman]

looks good to me

 

[leeboy]

Thanks for all your replies, can any one tell me if when you buy an item from ebay, you have to pay extra taxes etc as this product is from Germany? it's not clear at all on the ebay site.
Thanks,
Lee.

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[Munchie]

There are no import taxes from within EU countries.

 

[Terry]

Thanks for all your replies, can any one tell me if when you buy an item from ebay, you have to pay extra taxes etc as this product is from Germany? it's not clear at all on the ebay site.
Thanks,
Lee.

Hi Germany is part of EU so there should be no taxes
terry

 

[leeboy]

So I should be ok to order from the link above? If you dig a little deeper, there is a cheaper price from the same supplier, the only difference is the spiel is in German but it's retailing around £493.00 complete with base plate. Think I'll order one tomorrow.
Thanks all, will update when I have it.
Lee.

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[DrRogerRam]

The latest version is the Avtex Snipe Pro Max-maybe compare?

Roger

 

[leeboy]

The latest version is the Avtex Snipe Pro Max-maybe compare?

Roger

Hi Roger,
That's right but at more than double the price?
Lee.

 

[Landy lover]

Why not go to a Motorhome show and look for Capital Stores - they do deals at most shows and are a main distributor or try their website https://www.capitalstores.co.uk/snipe-satellite-tv-antenna they have a special offer on at the moment. We have one and daughter has one and they are excellent - we had a fault occur on one of them after about 18 months - contacted Lee their rep - he gave us a Freephone number - it was picked up the next day at their cost as soon as they received it and checked they sent another unit straight out - we had the replacement within 4 days at no cost to us. Perfect service and well worth dealing with a reputable company.

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[DrRogerRam]

Spot on Lee. We are fulltiming at the moment prior to house-hunting in France next month. We bought it for its claimed performance as far south there as we intend to go. We'll have to see how good it really is when we get there!

We have a 16" Avtex tv & that worked perfectly on digital with our external suction mount Avtex aerial. Got a bit fed up with threading the cable through the kitchen window!

Our Pro Max cost £1300 fitted & has been great in UK-we are sitting on the proceeds of our house sale so loadsa money at the moment . Also I'm not a d-i-y er with the van!

Really just wanted to make sure you got what you wanted-it is a good price.

Roger

 

[leeboy]

Spot on Lee. We are fulltiming at the moment prior to house-hunting in France next month. We bought it for its claimed performance as far south there as we intend to go. We'll have to see how good it really is when we get there!

We have a 16" Avtex tv & that worked perfectly on digital with our external suction mount Avtex aerial. Got a bit fed up with threading the cable through the kitchen window!

Our Pro Max cost £1300 fitted & has been great in UK-we are sitting on the proceeds of our house sale so loadsa money at the moment . Also I'm not a d-i-y er with the van!

Really just wanted to make sure you got what you wanted-it is a good price.

Roger

Hi Roger,
thanks for that. Could you receive digital tv in France just with the stick on Avtex aerial, if so which aerial is it?
Thanks,
Lee.

 

[DrRogerRam]

Hi,
Once we went south in France-nothing from UK. This is it Broken Link Removed

We used campsite wifi & an expat network subscription to watch Silent Witness & other stuff we like. The Snipe Pro Max is supposed to work with the smaller footprint for UK tv BUT we'll see in a few weeks!

Roger

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[leeboy]

Hi,
Once we went south in France-nothing from UK. This is it Broken Link Removed

We used campsite wifi & an expat network subscription to watch Silent Witness & other stuff we like. The Snipe Pro Max is supposed to work with the smaller footprint for UK tv BUT we'll see in a few weeks!

Roger

Could you pick up French channels on the digital through the aerial?
Thanks,
Lee.

 

[DrRogerRam]

Yes we could on a fairly random basis. We mostly use the internet that varied according to the number of campers who were logging on & off. Apparently Filmon.tv is an alternative.

Hoping the new kit will work a lot better for us?

 

[leeboy]

Yes we could on a fairly random basis. We mostly use the internet that varied according to the number of campers who were logging on & off. Apparently Filmon.tv is an alternative.

Hoping the new kit will work a lot better for us?

Thanks Roger, hope all works well with your new kit.
Lee.

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[wingman]

Hi All,

I've read in the blurb that these units run off 12-24 volts. My question is, does that mean it only works from a DC source, or is there a mains (stepped down) option? Reason I ask is that I only have one 12v outlet in the hab area and I use that to power other gizmos.

For security reasons, I would intend to use the unit portably (i.e. place it atop the van by popping it out through a large Hekki roof light and bring it in/hide it when not in use) I don't really want to permanently mount it on top using the plate. However, the 12v outlet is at the other end of the van! I know the units come with 12m of cable, but don't particularly want wires trailing all over the place!

Anyone give me a few setup ideas? Perhaps a separate 12v supply? I have a few small 12v mobility scooter batteries knocking around in the garage that came gratis. Will they do? Presumably, you only need power for the unit when searching for a satellite? Or does it need constant power for the controller?

 

[Lenny HB]

Another Snipe user, very pleased with it, German prices are now very good. When I brought mine last April they were about £1000 in Germany and £640 in the UK so i brought in the UK did get ripped off another 92 quid for the mounting plate.
Did have a fault on it where the motor wasn't switching off when folded down phoned Avtex they arranged for collection and sent a new unit by return, not sure what service you would get from Germany but you are saving a couple of hundred quid.

As for performance, locked onto Astra 2 with UK channels as far south as northern Provence (didn't like it when it rained).

 

[Clive]

Just bought mine off Ebay from Germany. They had an offers buttons so offered £500 + 15.95 P&P. It arrived in 3 days. Powered it up in the garden, it rotated twice, locked on and that was it perfect picture, in fact the signal was stronger than my Sky dish. It only needs the 12v while it looks for it's satellite, once found you can disconnect it's power supply

Hi All,

I've read in the blurb that these units run off 12-24 volts. My question is, does that mean it only works from a DC source, or is there a mains (stepped down) option? Reason I ask is that I only have one 12v outlet in the hab area and I use that to power other gizmos.

For security reasons, I would intend to use the unit portably (i.e. place it atop the van by popping it out through a large Hekki roof light and bring it in/hide it when not in use) I don't really want to permanently mount it on top using the plate. However, the 12v outlet is at the other end of the van! I know the units come with 12m of cable, but don't particularly want wires trailing all over the place!

Anyone give me a few setup ideas? Perhaps a separate 12v supply? I have a few small 12v mobility scooter batteries knocking around in the garage that came gratis. Will they do? Presumably, you only need power for the unit when searching for a satellite? Or does it need constant power for the controller?

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[Lenny HB]

Hi All,

I've read in the blurb that these units run off 12-24 volts. My question is, does that mean it only works from a DC source, or is there a mains (stepped down) option? Reason I ask is that I only have one 12v outlet in the hab area and I use that to power other gizmos.

For security reasons, I would intend to use the unit portably (i.e. place it atop the van by popping it out through a large Hekki roof light and bring it in/hide it when not in use) I don't really want to permanently mount it on top using the plate. However, the 12v outlet is at the other end of the van! I know the units come with 12m of cable, but don't particularly want wires trailing all over the place!

Anyone give me a few setup ideas? Perhaps a separate 12v supply? I have a few small 12v mobility scooter batteries knocking around in the garage that came gratis. Will they do? Presumably, you only need power for the unit when searching for a satellite? Or does it need constant power for the controller?

The 12m cables are from the sat unit to the controller & TV/Tuner, 12v power cable is only 1½ - 2m. Yes they need a 12 v supply when I tested mine before fitting I just used a 12v power supply I had around, if you want to run it of mains just buy a 12v supply for a few quid.
They do say you can switch it off once it's locked on never tried taking off the supply as mine is permanently wired in, but I would have thought the LNB would need a 5v supply to work I would assume the on off switch only cuts the supply to motor & associated electronics.

Why not fit some more 12 v outlets in your van they never have enough anyway. I really do think you ought to consider fitting it on the roof they are quite an awkward lump to move about and take up a fair bit of storage space in their case. To me anything that involves less hassle when you park up for the night has got to be good.

 

[wingman]

Thanks ( and hello again) Clive.

Thanks also Lenny for the comprehensive reply. It was really useful to learn that the power cable is only a max of 2m long. Wouldn't have known that and it changes my plans a bit. Will still buy one though.

I agree about the lack of 12v connections in the hab area. Got two in the cab, but they are pretty useless as they switch off with the ignition.

I've thought about adding extra 12v outlets, but that would be a pain because the leisure battery is 'midships' at best and long cable runs would be required to put one up the front end (the van is 23' 5" long). It's a reasonably new van, so I'm reluctant to drill too many holes! The vehicle (Peugeot) battery is buried somewhere, with only remote terminals for jumpstarting visible! Praps I'm just being lazy and it's not such a big job? Have loads of portable 12v sources hanging around in the shed, so could prob power it from one of those? Laziness again!

As far as permanent fitting of the Snipe goes, I'm not averse to humping it up onto the roof each time, rather than a mounting plate and holes! There's not a storage issue either because there's only the two of us and I have space to poke the case.

Thanks again
James
PS. The best price I can find is £599. Bit reluctant to buy from Germany in case of problems/after sales.

 

[Lenny HB]

Mine is a new van but I've fitted extra sockets, just take your time and follow existing wiring routes, can often take a couple of days to get a cable through, a bit of time spent planning is well worth the effort. I sent the Snipe to my dealer to fit, I think I would do it myself next time, fitted a couple of solar panels & twin reversing camera hardest part of all the jobs was getting the cables through.
The engine battery is under the cab floor if you are RHD it will be on the passenger side takes a couple of minutes to get at, but I would never connect any habitation equipment to the engine battery, you can live with a flat leisure battery flat engine battery you ain't going nowhere.

I normally go for the cheapest option just had a look on eBay UK company selling for £590 including mounting plate, from Germany £527, so at £63 difference having experienced Avtex excellent service I think I would pay the extra. The fault on mine I think I could have fixed myself, but if anything serious could work out expensive shipping back to Germany, cost me £40 to send to my dealer in Belgium, also a mate had a problem with his, again Avtex sent out a new unit by return.

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[wingman]

Thanks again Lenny, especially for the location of the veh battery tip! You're right about using the vehicle battery as opposed to the leisure. Shame really, because it would be quite close to where I'd want the socket.

It's mainly warranty worries on my side I guess. I'm capable of doing it, got tools etc and fitting an extn socket is not beyond me Praps just the weather putting me off at the moment? I'm finding all sorts of excuses aren't I? I've always avoided routing cables and knuckle rash and tried temporary work-arounds first (curly extension leads/adaptors etc). Not the best option in the long run.

The van has 4 x 240v sockets which is great, but you'd think that they would add another 12v socket whilst they were at it!

As far as buying the unit is concerned, the supplier I was looking at was Pulsat in North Yorks UK. Will probably wait a while for the weather to brighten before buying.

Do you happen to know if the pre-programming of these units reflects the recent changes to satellite footprints? Or doesn't it matter?

 

[Lenny HB]

Should be up to date with the last satellite changes, don't think it would make any odds as it was only the foot print that changes the new satellite I think was still on the same frequency. There are 3 channels that are user programmable you link to a PC a via USB port.

My van was similar 4 mains sockets and only 1 12v socket bl**dy useless I've only plugged into EHU3 nights in over 6 years. Never had any problems with warranty issues when doing mods , never have a habitation check either doesn't effect the warranty on a Hymer even my dealer says it's not required, only have the damp check £50 (€60) in Belgium, £160 in UK, guess where I go & it's not rip off Britain.

 

[wingman]

Thanks Lenny.

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[DrRogerRam]

Just as an update to my comments about the Snipe Pro Max-we stayed last night at a site near Dreux & within minutes were watching BBC East Midlands (Derby Fan) & Silent Witness. Now at Parc Verger in the Limousin & perfect reception of UK TV channels so well pleased. Well pleased.

 

[Daz n Tina]

Hi can someone please supply the folded dimensions of the unit with base plate. I would like one but have very limited space. Thank you Daz

 

[Lenny HB]

Hi can someone please supply the folded dimensions of the unit with base plate. I would like one but have very limited space. Thank you Daz

Base is W454 x D316 mm x H188mm, the atenna is slightly wider I'll get a ladder out later an check for you.

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