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On this last trip the satellite receiver started acting up. It is a KVH with a Sony receiver.
The techs diagnosed it and found the receiver has failed. The recommendation was for a TracStar SV360. The reason they stated for going all new is communications problems with the newer receivers and the KVH, whereas the TracStar has an integral receiver and a single wire.
What do any of you who understand these matters think?
TracStar was founded by the guys who were the engineers of the Star Wars projects in the past and have been the leaders in developing the technology for home use of satellite communications. KVH's orientation was first in the marine biz and probably better marketers.
It stinks to have to replace an entire system; but as we all are learning, some of us later than earlier, technology changes at a nonlinear rate; what was hot a month ago is junk today.
I am told that TracStar will support its systems indefinitely once you have one; with software updates and the like; although that's a trip to Orlando.
As a side note, even with a specific name and extension provided by a preferred customer supplier for Moto-Sat, they never returned a phone call or an email on a relatively simple issue.
Having an older Moto-Sat, we're deciding what to put on the roof of our coach other than money to attract television programming, if anything at all.
This is getting to be a fragmented and difficult to follow marketplace and it seems that the best information comes from the people who sell the products, which in my book is about no information at all.
Pity those who bought the monster Data Storms at over $6K each who can now largely be replaced by a $140 card on a laptop.
I put the Trac-star on my coach at Parliament last month and so far, so good. I had an older KVH that was not supported by the factory any more and was pretty much out of options. It took the service guy at Parliament maybe 45 minutes to change out the antennae and the controller used the same single wire coax from the roof. Easy. Amazing thing, and I'm not making this up, was the new unit acquired 60% signal strength through the metal roof of the service bay. I was getting Direct TV inside the building! I didn't think that was possible.
At any rate, the new system is super quick to acquire and we never lost the signal all the way back home to Pensacola. The old system was constantly losing the signal and would have difficulty reacquiring. I didn't know how good it could be until I bought the Trac-star.
End of testimonial:D
Jon,
I'd determine if the receiver failed or the KVH RF card. If its the receiver (the unit inside the coach), buy a new one at Radio Shack, Best Buy or Circuit City or take one from your house. The RF card is replaceable on many KVH units (if thats what failed).
As a trial, I'd try pulling a receiver (any DTV home unit) that I know works and trying it in the coach.
We have a KVH L3 (in motion, two LNB's) and it works great. Much better than the new low profile units that "dew up" when the coach is not in motion.
There will be a lot of changes in TV and internet reception from satellite in 2006, so the longer you can wait, the better off you are (within reason, of course). Cant live with out TV.
:)
I was up in NY today so I am now getting around to reporting what I did.
The problem is the receiver, and the receivers now available do not communicate with the KVH, so I located a company in Cocoa Beach FL that sells used receivers. The system is five years old and the antenna works for now.
I bought a receiver and because the electronics are developing so fast I am going to nurse the current system in the hopes that the next time it pukes the available systems will be more reliable and have other benefits.
Thanks for your replies.