KVH is a company with a long history of innovation. Beginning in 1984, they’ve been on the forefront of marine satellite tech. They debuted their first marine satellite antenna in 1994, just as the direct-to-consumer satellite market was starting to take shape in the United States. Since then, they’ve been on the forefront of satellite communication, not just for marine use and definitely not just for television use. If you look at their timeline, something they have every right to be very proud of, you’ll see that they’ve been right there for every single advancement in marine communications for over 40 years.
KVH is well known for creating systems that withstand time and the elements. Chances are if you put in a KVH system during the satellite TV “rush” of the mid-1990s to mid-2000s, it’s still working for you today. They’re just that well-built. But does that satellite TV system still suit you? Here are some things to consider.
KVH satellite TV systems were built with the most advanced technology available at the time. Of course, the idea of “advanced technology” has changed a lot since 1985, and even more so in the last ten years. It seemed like a technological marvel that you could configure your satellite TV system with a PC in the mid-1990s. Laptops were rare and expensive back then. The communications systems were simple by today’s standards. Keep in mind that the internet as we know it first rolled out in 1994. Things are a lot different now than they were.
If you have an older system, you might find that it’s a bit of a challenge to configure. Those older devices use serial ports to communicate, and modern laptops don’t have them. You can get an adapter like this one, but you’ll still need some confidence in using simple terminal programs. Those apps can be a lot less friendly than your average web browser.
If you have a single-satellite system like KVH’s TracVision TV3, you might not get the channels you want. DIRECTV uses three different satellite locations to provide thousands of channels across the country. By the end of 2024, DIRECTV plans to offer local channels to most areas on satellites only at the 99 and 103 locations. If your smaller satellite antenna only gets signal from the 101 location, you may not get the channels you’re looking for. DISH uses two satellite locations on each coast, but your older satellite antenna may only be able to tune to one at a time.
There’s no question that the future for both DIRECTV and DISH will have multiple satellite locations, and you’ll want to have a satellite antenna that picks up everything you want. Without a multi-satellite antenna, you’ll be locked out of DISH’s Hopper and DIRECTV’s Genie systems. Both of those are modern systems that give users a lot more than simple satellite television.
As I write this in mid-2024, this is the perfect time to do an upgrade to your marine satellite TV system. Why? We’re in a sort of “sweet spot” when it comes to satellite television for marine. In the last 12 months, a lot of folks thought that they could get by with “just” satellite internet. It’s true, there are some new and exciting products in the satellite internet space. The thing is… more and more people are starting to realize that they can’t go “internet-only” on their boat. Marine satellite plans aren’t unlimited. If you’re relying on internet for your video, you can run out of data in four days or less!
At Signal Connect, we’re already seeing people rushing back to satellite TV. Now’s the time to start planning for a TV upgrade before the limited number of marine installers are overwhelmed with demand. It’s happening quick, so it’s time to think about it now.
Call the experts at Signal Connect. We have more marine satellite TV experience than anyone else in the world! We can help you choose the right hardware, we can find an installer in your area, and if you’re coming back to satellite TV we can get that taken care of for you as well. Call us at 888-233-7563 during East Coast business hours. If it’s after hours, fill out the form below and we’ll get right back to you!
The post Is it time to upgrade your KVH satellite TV system? appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.
Continue reading...
KVH is well known for creating systems that withstand time and the elements. Chances are if you put in a KVH system during the satellite TV “rush” of the mid-1990s to mid-2000s, it’s still working for you today. They’re just that well-built. But does that satellite TV system still suit you? Here are some things to consider.
Older systems can be difficult to configure
KVH satellite TV systems were built with the most advanced technology available at the time. Of course, the idea of “advanced technology” has changed a lot since 1985, and even more so in the last ten years. It seemed like a technological marvel that you could configure your satellite TV system with a PC in the mid-1990s. Laptops were rare and expensive back then. The communications systems were simple by today’s standards. Keep in mind that the internet as we know it first rolled out in 1994. Things are a lot different now than they were.
If you have an older system, you might find that it’s a bit of a challenge to configure. Those older devices use serial ports to communicate, and modern laptops don’t have them. You can get an adapter like this one, but you’ll still need some confidence in using simple terminal programs. Those apps can be a lot less friendly than your average web browser.
Older systems might not get the channels you want
If you have a single-satellite system like KVH’s TracVision TV3, you might not get the channels you want. DIRECTV uses three different satellite locations to provide thousands of channels across the country. By the end of 2024, DIRECTV plans to offer local channels to most areas on satellites only at the 99 and 103 locations. If your smaller satellite antenna only gets signal from the 101 location, you may not get the channels you’re looking for. DISH uses two satellite locations on each coast, but your older satellite antenna may only be able to tune to one at a time.
There’s no question that the future for both DIRECTV and DISH will have multiple satellite locations, and you’ll want to have a satellite antenna that picks up everything you want. Without a multi-satellite antenna, you’ll be locked out of DISH’s Hopper and DIRECTV’s Genie systems. Both of those are modern systems that give users a lot more than simple satellite television.
Now is the time
As I write this in mid-2024, this is the perfect time to do an upgrade to your marine satellite TV system. Why? We’re in a sort of “sweet spot” when it comes to satellite television for marine. In the last 12 months, a lot of folks thought that they could get by with “just” satellite internet. It’s true, there are some new and exciting products in the satellite internet space. The thing is… more and more people are starting to realize that they can’t go “internet-only” on their boat. Marine satellite plans aren’t unlimited. If you’re relying on internet for your video, you can run out of data in four days or less!
At Signal Connect, we’re already seeing people rushing back to satellite TV. Now’s the time to start planning for a TV upgrade before the limited number of marine installers are overwhelmed with demand. It’s happening quick, so it’s time to think about it now.
Here’s what you want to do–
Call the experts at Signal Connect. We have more marine satellite TV experience than anyone else in the world! We can help you choose the right hardware, we can find an installer in your area, and if you’re coming back to satellite TV we can get that taken care of for you as well. Call us at 888-233-7563 during East Coast business hours. If it’s after hours, fill out the form below and we’ll get right back to you!
The post Is it time to upgrade your KVH satellite TV system? appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.
Continue reading...
