Oyster Dish. Do I just get a Sat TV?

[davidathomas42]

My god yes it needs a serious clean. Hoping they do a half decent job in the workshop before hand over but I will bet the last penny in my pocket ill be up there with all sorts of cleaning stuff for days.

Anyway. The van has an Oyster Sat dish. I noticed a controller box in the wardrobe. Not sure it had any buttons on it? I only had a quick look.

So. I have looked at Avtec TV's quickly as I had one before with a built in DVD and liked it.
Some say they have a built in Sat receiver that requires nothing else (no sky box I guess) Now I don't have Sky TV. Don't see the point with Netflix and the like these days.

Am I going to get any use out of this dish or is it just a paper weight these days?
I do plan to travel to France and possibly Spain in the van. Would be nice to still get UK channels but I only really ever watch BBC News and Channel 4 for Fraisure. The current squeeze likes to watch Strictly . Does the dish help me do this?

Oh and I have X2 TV points. One in the lounge and one in the bedroom area. Will the dish work on both or will it likely have been wired to just one TV point? I assume that will be a 2nd plug from the regular co axle one.

Will the TV spin the dish to where it needs to go etc?

 

[Happy Jim]

The dish connects to a “controller” that handles the pointing of the dish in the right direction. The controller has an output that goes to a Sat Receiver (separate box or built into TV) - that allows you to watch whatever free channels are broadcasting from the satellite you are pointing at (normal is Astra2 at 19.2E, pretty much the same channels as free view TV in the UK).

 

[eurajohn]

19.2 E is Astra 1 predominantly German or French programmes.
28.2 E is Astra 2 for UK based programmes.

 

[davidathomas42]

The dish connects to a “controller” that handles the pointing of the dish in the right direction. The controller has an output that goes to a Sat Receiver (separate box or built into TV) - that allows you to watch whatever free channels are broadcasting from the satellite you are pointing at (normal is Astra2 at 19.2E, pretty much the same channels as free view TV in the UK).

How do I tell it to point at that satellite? Will that be in the TV's settings to say point over there?

 

[SandraL]

Our 2013 van has same, or very similar, oyster dish on roof.
Its connected to a box that points and decodes the signal. No buttons,just a power switch.
A standard tv is used to display , tuner is in the single oyster box.
Control of box is via a remote, the box has a receiving "eye" mounted in view under wall cupboards.

Of course ours may not be same as yours.

Unlikely you will receive uk channels in spain.

"Anthony oyster tech" is very helpful and knowledgeable and a member on here, works for Oyster.

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[pappajohn]

How do I tell it to point at that satellite? Will that be in the TV's settings to say point over there?

It's the controller which does the telling.... And it may need updating.
If the dish just spins back and forth it needs an update.

 

[SandraL]

How do I tell it to point at that satellite? Will that be in the TV's settings to say point over there?

On the tv we select the dvi input, satellite is cabled to the dvi.

Screen then displays info from satellite box.

Remote from satellite controls box which displays on screen.

 

[Figaro]

The controller finds Astra 2 or other sats automatically.
Oyster dishes are useful, especially if you have no phone signal, but have their limitations, buildings or trees will prevent it working if they are in the line of sight to satellite.
Mine came fitted to my Hymer and I wouldn't replace it or pay for another one, streamimg is the way to go now.
Edit : it's not going to work very far south in France or Spain not at all.

 

[Kups]

Agree, either remove it to save weight and sell it (possibly) on ebay. Or leave it on. Install a mifi and smart TV or ordinary travel tv 12/240 V and get an Amazon Firestick. Only way to go.

 

[JockandRita]

The one which we inherited is an Oyster One set up, which no longer received the necessary digital frequency updates.
A Jackson Leisure update with the installation of an additional LNB pointing at Astra 1, (and a black box type changeover switch) dealt with the problem, ie, the dish tunes into Astra 1 on button "A", and once confirmed, I then switch over to button "B" which brings in UK TV from Astra 2D/E/F.
Whilst it continues to work for us, we'll keep it installed as it works all the way down (at least) to Teruel in Spain.

When Astra 1 stops broadcasting the frequencies needed to keep the dish tuned in, it will be removed, and possibly a rooflight may be installed in it's place. It certainly WILL NOT be replaced with another dish.

We already have the Amazon Firestick and internet connection in place, via a MiFi and a 100Gb per month Vodafone data sim card, so currently have the best of both worlds.

Cheers,

Jock.

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[jumar]

Firstly congratulations on having a natural look to your roof, just like our hymer...

So, we have the same dish, it comes in useful occasionally and will work in parts of Spain, we have just been touring there and can verify this, actually due to some fluke, it will bring in BBC 1 etc in some locations....lets not go there...been through this many times before.

As a back up, the dish works, but also means you have to position your van in the open, you need a signal, which also means you could be without shade, not good currently in Spain, 30 degrees in the afternoon, not applicable in the UK I believe.......that's when an internet sourced TV signal comes out tops....will we be having a dish on the next van, NO....

 

[MisterB]

the tv outlets might not even be connected to the dish (via the satellite dish controller - which tells the dish to point in a specific direction) the output from the sat dish is then fed to a tuner via co ax cable (think of it doing the same function as a sky box) which then feeds the tv set via hdmi/scart cable, depending on age. an avtex or similar with inbuilt sat tv tuner simply does away with the 'sky box'

if youre lucky, someone may have connected the tv points to the sat system, so you may find a screw thread connection as well as the plug in coax type

i would personally keep it unless its faulty and is beyond economical repair, but also invest in a firestick and a decent router - i also believe that TV via the internet is great, but it can be expensive, so why pay for tv programming 100% of the time when you can often watch what you want to for free?

 

[Cheshirecat57]

My view….if it works as you want it to, keep it
If it needs more than £50 spending ( inc extra cost of sat equipped tv purchase) then bin it and go with wifi/mifi, data bundle and firestick

 

[eurajohn]

All of course excellent advice if staying in UK, however if straying across to the continent a consistent and available signal is not always available for a mifi and of course possible restriction to roaming for UK registered accounts might become a problem.
At least with the Oyster set up correctly you will only need a clear view of the sky and to remain within the footprint of the signal.

 

[Figaro]

and will work in parts of Spain, we have just been touring there

May I ask, did you find your oyster dish could receive a signal in Galicia region ? I believe you were traveling in that area.

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[jumar]

May I ask, did you find your oyster dish could receive a signal in Galicia region ? I believe you were traveling in that area.

May I ask, did you find your oyster dish could receive a signal in Galicia region ? I believe you were traveling in that area.

Hi... didn't use dish while in Galicia....I generally use the dish closer to home in Murcia.....It's been successful in parts of the the Catalan and Valencia regions....
In Galicia my data allowance served me well.

 

[68c]

the tv outlets might not even be connected to the dish (via the satellite dish controller - which tells the dish to point in a specific direction) the output from the sat dish is then fed to a tuner via co ax cable (think of it doing the same function as a sky box) which then feeds the tv set via hdmi/scart cable, depending on age. an avtex or similar with inbuilt sat tv tuner simply does away with the 'sky box'

if youre lucky, someone may have connected the tv points to the sat system, so you may find a screw thread connection as well as the plug in coax type

i would personally keep it unless its faulty and is beyond economical repair, but also invest in a firestick and a decent router - i also believe that TV via the internet is great, but it can be expensive, so why pay for tv programming 100% of the time when you can often watch what you want to for free?

 

[davidathomas42]

A lot of interesting info there. Thanks all.

It sounds like its outdated technology. I wont have a TV to test it on unless I buy a Sat capable TV I guess. And if it doesn't work then I have just paid a lot more money for a TV than I need to........I think it might be better down the MIFI route.

 

[jumar]

A lot of interesting info there. Thanks all.

It sounds like its outdated technology. I wont have a TV to test it on unless I buy a Sat capable TV I guess. And if it doesn't work then I have just paid a lot more money for a TV than I need to........I think it might be better down the MIFI route.

Buy a standard TV and cheap sat receiver...worth trying...my TV has a built in Sat receiver but inferior to a stand alone one.

 

[eurajohn]

A lot of interesting info there. Thanks all.

It sounds like its outdated technology. I wont have a TV to test it on unless I buy a Sat capable TV I guess. And if it doesn't work then I have just paid a lot more money for a TV than I need to........I think it might be better down the MIFI route.

I think you should find out exactly which Oyster it is, there are two older types of unit, one requires a separate decoder whereas the other one does not, having a built in unit in the controller, if that type any digital tv will do.

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[davidathomas42]

I think you should find out exactly which Oyster it is, there are two older types of unit, one requires a separate decoder whereas the other one does not, having a built in unit in the controller, if that type any digital tv will do.

Does this help any?

 

[SandraL]

Does this help any?

View attachment 543050View attachment 543051View attachment 543052

I'd say photos are of terrestrial tv antenna and signal booster. Nothing to do with sattelite.

 

[davidathomas42]

I'd say photos are of terrestrial tv antenna and signal booster. Nothing to do with sattelite.

dam it

 

[jumar]

Agree...it's a directional Status Antenna..normally good for Digital TV in the UK....Looks like you could be going down the WiFi route after all....
However your photo of your van roof clearly shows a Sat Dish.....which should have a panel....

 

[Speve]

A lot of interesting info there. Thanks all.

It sounds like its outdated technology. I wont have a TV to test it on unless I buy a Sat capable TV I guess. And if it doesn't work then I have just paid a lot more money for a TV than I need to........I think it might be better down the MIFI route.

We use our oyster V regularly and remember it’s an extra option when WiFi lets you down or you are in Spain and your roaming charges are high? We four options, data WiFi, sat dish and sky box ,sat dish and tv sat receiver and last but not least a Digital tv aerial.
IMHO if it’s on throw get it working you may regret discarding it
you could always give Anthony OysterTech a shout he would be able to advise you on your dish etc

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[Speve]

You might have one of these as well?

 

[davidathomas42]

So been back up today to sort a few bits out prior to delivery friday (fingers crossed)

And in a cupboard is these 2 units.

So I guess when I add my TV ill just hook it up to this and away we go with Sat TV

 

[JockandRita]

So been back up today to sort a few bits out prior to delivery friday (fingers crossed)

And in a cupboard is these 2 units.

So I guess when I add my TV ill just hook it up to this and away we go with Sat TV


View attachment 549525View attachment 549526

It certainly looks promising.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[eurajohn]

The smaller of the two units is the dish controller and the larger one is the decoder, you'll probably find a couple of remote controllers for them as well.

 

[AndyPK]

Our 2013 van has same, or very similar, oyster dish on roof.
Its connected to a box that points and decodes the signal. No buttons,just a power switch.
A standard tv is used to display , tuner is in the single oyster box.
Control of box is via a remote, the box has a receiving "eye" mounted in view under wall cupboards.

Of course ours may not be same as yours.

Unlikely you will receive uk channels in spain.

"Anthony oyster tech" is very helpful and knowledgeable and a member on here, works for Oyster.

Did you get in touch with Anthony OysterTech ,davidathomas42 ….?
He’ll be able to guide you as to what you may need to update, etc.

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