Satalite TV (Vu Cube)

Monkey44 - you will still have to be in your local area to pick up local channels. With Direct TV and I believe Dish you only have a couple 100 mile range before you loose your local channels. Maybe someone else has the straight skinny on this.

Just thought I would mention this so you don't have a great disappointment.

David -- Thanks ... what I meant was the local pro teams -- Sox and Patriots .. and some of my other my past home teams ... so what I'm looking for is the satellite packages that allow you to see any season of pro teams on the pay channel ... and it takes satellite to do that, because cable TV you can't add that to the cable line in a CG line for just a few days -- with the satellite, you get it no matter where you are -- at least that's what I'm hoping to do anyway.

I know the game time is different, depending ion where you are, but the games are live when you get the pro sports channels ...

Just want to bump this up again and see if anyone has any more good or bad to say about this Cube TV now that it's been around awhile (don't even know exactly how long) --

AM gearing up to go on the road for an extended time again -- and want to make a choice about TV access so I can get specific programs ... this one seem good for me as I travelin a smal truck camper and storage space is also an issue for antennas and other gear for satellite TV...

Hi Guys....

If you're still looking for info on the Vu-Cube, I'll jump in to the discussion. I'm not a full-timer, but I do take at least two 2-3 month trips a year. I've been using the Winegard "throw down" dish, with pretty good results. The only complaint I had about it was how long it took to set up, acquire the satellite with a signal strength meter, and go through the DirectTV setup.....usually took about a half an hour. I bought a Vu-Cube about 2 months ago and I've really been pleased with it. Just generally point it South and connect the cable. Get the azimuth and elevation from the DirecTV receiver and use the remote to position the antenna. It takes about 5 minutes to set up and I get all the DirectTV channels, to include HBO, STARZ, PPV and NFL Network. Since I'm using one of the receivers from my house, I don't get the local network channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX), but I don't watch much of the crap on them anyway. If there is something I want to watch, I use the RV over the air antenna. (I connected everything to a signal splitter, so I just push a button for which input I want...satellite, "airwave" or DVD.)

But back to the Vu-Cube. The unit is weatherproof and light and pretty stable. (I've got the one with the handle and the feet....didn't know there was any others.) It's only a little bit over a foot tall and wide. The only restriction is a clear view of the southern sky. I'm in a CG in upstate NY right now with a lot of trees, so I put it on the roof of the 5th wheeler and put a bungee cord around it to hold it in place against the roof rack. Works like a charm.It's so easy to use that I even used it on the way up here when I overnighted at a couple of CG's. The signal is pretty strong and I haven't lost the signal even in a couple of good thunderstorms up here in the last couple of weeks. There's no maintenance to it....it's a sealed unit. Just wipe it off with a damp sponge and stick it in the camper.

They are pricey though.....$699 from Camping World. But since I've retired, I want to enjoy myself and cut down on any wo....wor.....I can't say that word, you know what I mean To me the expense was worth it, but that's up to you. The 100 dollar Winegard antenna works just as well. I ran into a guy up here from Canada who's had one of the Vu-Cubes for a couple of years (they get the Canadian satellite services too) and he swears by it.

Hope this helps and happy camping!!!

John

monkey> I don’t have a VuQube, but I do have a King Dome system permanently installed on the rig. They are the same type of system in that it finds and tunes in the proper satellite TV signal automatically at the push of a button. Interestingly, the company who makes the King Dome recently bought out the company that makes the Qube.

I have had a chance to see the insides of the Qube. Notwithstanding the electronics, the dish is similar in size to that on my King Dome. Perhaps one third the size of a normal satellite antenna dish. That’s relevant because it will be affected by weather and trees that might obstruct a clear path to the satellite. The smaller the dish the less surface there is to pick up a signal trying to penetrate heavy rain clouds or tree limbs. I have that problem with my King Dome. Thunderstorms are short lived so it’s just something to live with. Unfortunately, the tree issue is more of a problem because my system is mounted permanently on the rig and I like trees around my campsite. Portability of the Qube would be an advantage. If I didn’t already have the King Dome system, I’d seriously consider the Qube.

If this product works the same as my King Dome, then you won’t have an issue with the product as long as you have a clear shot to the satellite. That is something that you will be adding to your campsite check list.

I failed to check to see if the Qube had the capability of a multiple LNB. That feature would provide the user with the capability of connecting more than one sat. receiver to it. For those of us who have a wife that wants soap operas on one tv while we watch the game on the other, it’s keeps the crisis level down.

If I were going to invest the bucks into the Qube, I’d take my rig to a dealer and have them hook it up and prove to me that it works as advertised…soup to nuts.

QUOTE: "If I were going to invest the bucks into the Qube, I’d take my rig to a dealer and have them hook it up and prove to me that it works as advertised…soup to nuts."

Yeah, for sure. I'd do that with an antenna or the Cube ... just to be sure because I'm so tech-stupid, I still have trouble with regular cable TV. Have to get my son to do all the "button-pushing" on set-ups and all that.

Am setting up as we speak to head out once again on a long-term camping expedition -- so have another Q -- because I'm in a TC and have limited room inside, how large is the regular antenna that most guys use?? Is the smaller dish still as good as the larger dish for Sat Reception?? I don't watch a lot of TV, but when I do watch it (mostly pro baseball and football) then I really want it to work because it's not like movies, where you get a second chance at other times.