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Portables Hardware

First Look at the DirecTV SAT-GO 97

Posted by ScuttleMonkey from the isn't-camping-for-being-unplugged dept.
cblount writes "DBSTalk's Earl Bonovich got his hands on one of the first portable DIRECTV receivers. The DIRECTV Sat-Go incorporates a TV, DIRECTV Receiver and DIRECTV Antenna into one conveniently portable design for camping, tailgating, RVing, sitting by the dock or even watching at home."
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First Look at the DirecTV SAT-GO More

First Look at the DirecTV SAT-GO

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  • Camping?! (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Seumas ( 6865 ) on Monday April 02, 2007 @04:47PM (#18579727)
    I hate nature as much as the next guy, but . . . camping? Really?! What's the point, if you're going to sit around watching satellite television?

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by drinkypoo ( 153816 )
      A lot of people "camp" in their RV. Nothing wrong with watching a little TV before you pass out. Otherwise I agree, I don't much see the point either. Personally, I want the same thing but for internet only. I'd be more than happy to carry around a portable satellite modem system.

    • Re:Camping?! (Score:5, Insightful)

      by garcia ( 6573 ) on Monday April 02, 2007 @05:04PM (#18579903)
      I hate nature as much as the next guy, but . . . camping? Really?! What's the point, if you're going to sit around watching satellite television?

      Because the type of "camping" that they are marketing to is not the kind of camping you are probably thinking of. I don't know many campgrounds these days that provide for RVs and general car camping that aren't packed in with very few trees and too many "comforts of home".

      I am guilty of this type of camping frequently as my wife isn't into backpacking and what I consider more serious camping where we don't go near another human for 5+ days. I am happy to make the concessions that we unload the car at the site and don't touch it again until we leave. At least it gets her into the tent for the weekend.

      I just returned from a 5 day geocaching trip to a competition in Missouri (we take it annually) and several RVs were parked in the area that had DirecTV satellite dishes out front. I'm not sure why DirecTV is offering this solution when it's apparent that their standard dishes can be used by these types of campers w/o much issue.
      • I'm not sure why DirecTV is offering this solution when it's apparent that their standard dishes can be used by these types of campers w/o much issue.

        My guess- is that they're really going for the Yurt/Kamping Kabin set. You know, the kind of high tech people who pack the laptop, a BBQ Grill, and this box into a Prius, rent some rustic cabin or Yurt at a KOA or a State Park and pretend to be "Camping" just because they have to walk more than 20 feet to the communal bathhouse.
      • Agreed.

        Another example is where I live, by the beach. The state beach has ample parking for RVs and every weekend in the summer there seems to be a trek of RVs coming from inland. They find a parking spot and pay for the weekend. They setup the RV and have an oceanfront cabin. Not a horrible thing, I would think--if I lived inland, I'd consider buying something like that. All the comforts of home in front of the beach--now including your satellite TV!

        Also, with any luck, it'll keep the rugrats inside w
      • As a former technical support representative of Dish Network, the dishes were very hard to align. Every time you moved you had to figure out the angle, elevation and skew and re-set it. Apparently this will automagically cue into the nearest satellite.

        • Re: (Score:1)

          by Cramer ( 69040 )
          This thing is a single LNB, so there's no skew to worry about. Aiming a single sat dish is simple. If it takes more than 10min, then you shouldn't be doing it. The builtin zip code map will get you in the right general direction.

          A multi-LNB dish is a bit more work, because you're trying to aim at 3 spots at once. And the new 5 LNB systems are just insane; you won't have much success without a sat-finder. (I've seen an experienced, professional installer take over an hour to aim a DISH 1000+.)
          • Haha, yeah, imagine having to explain to the people that he's not just pointing a dish to the sky and that it HAS to be professionally installed for 49.99. They don't like that.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by SeaFox ( 739806 )

        I just returned from a 5 day geocaching trip to a competition in Missouri (we take it annually) and several RVs were parked in the area that had DirecTV satellite dishes out front. I'm not sure why DirecTV is offering this solution when it's apparent that their standard dishes can be used by these types of campers w/o much issue.

        Because I'm sure their "portable" solution is more expensive than just using the standard equipment, and by offering a "portable" solution, customers will mislead themselves into th

      • Re: (Score:2, Funny)

        by tknd ( 979052 )

        ...what I consider more serious camping where we don't go near another human for 5+ days.
        You have your terminology mixed up. Around here that's referred to as "coding," "World of Warcraft," or "installing Gentoo from stage 1."

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Lumpy ( 12016 )
        Ahem, Many RV owners use the RV as a base camp and then set out from there for camping adventure. We regularly drive the RV to the state campground and then after 1 day rest load up and hoof it out the last 15-20 miles on foot to where we are going to camp. It works great and actually makes it easier to convince spouses and friendsthat have not done it before to come along. Allowing some of the weaker party members return to the RV expands the enjoyment.

        And I dont care what any die-hard backpacker tells y
      • "their standard dishes" do have an "issue": They need to be AIMED.

        BWilde

      • Re: (Score:1)

        by davper ( 954176 )
        Agreed, there is true camping and car camping. And I, like you, have to car camp because of the wife. No porcelain, no camping!

        But doesn't the dish need line of site with the satelite? I know on cloudy days, we sometimes loose reception at our company cafeteria. Imagine what a tent or RV roof will do for reception.
    • I'm guilty of that. We roughed it for years in a tent. Now we have all the luxury. RV with TV, surround sound, Xbox, Sat TV. It's good for the kids to calm down at night before they go to bed and stuff. The only time we watch it is if there's a sports game on that everyone wants to watch or something.
    • What I don't understand is how someone who takes an ultralight aluminum and nylon backpack, a compass, butane lighter, food from a grocery store, high tech material sleeping bag, nylon tent, and all of the other comforts of civilization that are incredibly common, can be so condescending towards people who take a tv or laptop with them. It basically boils down to 'my shade of gray is better than your shade of gray.'

      When the "I camp for REAL." crowd starts wrapping an animal skin around their waist and s
      • Ok, I get your point, but camping is supposed to be about doing things you can't do inside. Like fishing, hiking, swimming, cycling, playing catch, and lots of other activities. If you're just going to sit on you ass and watch TV, then you might as well stay at home.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by Belial6 ( 794905 )
          No, it is not to do things that you can't do inside, like swimming, playing catch, and lots of other activities. It is to do thing outside. Often in the woods. This can just as easily be watching TV as cycling. In fact, for cycling, you generally need pavement, or at least some kind of trail. Camping is very frequently about "sitting on your ass". Just doing it in the woods. If you want swim, cycle, and play catch, you might as well stay in the city. The facilities are much better for it. Of course

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by Xymor ( 943922 )
      To be fair, after bittorrent, I only watch TV for news, And I'm more than used to go camping or traveling and packing a portable dvd player or laptop.

      Doing anything out of this basement is already an achievement for me, even if it is just watching tv.

  • Wow! (Score:5, Funny)

    by edwardpickman ( 965122 ) on Monday April 02, 2007 @04:54PM (#18579809)
    Now you'll never have to miss American Idol again......I guess everything has it's downside.

  • The promo picture is awkward (Score:5, Insightful)

    by m_chan ( 95943 ) on Monday April 02, 2007 @04:57PM (#18579843) Homepage
    DirecTV's product page [directv.com] has a picture that strikes me as depressing and conflicting; two happy kids, running towards the sea on a beautiful day with a nerf football ready to play catch, a beautiful "wife", all dragging dad in tow who just can't part with his boob tube. Put the gadget down and play with your kids, dude! And how are you going to see that LCD in the bright sun anyway? Just the same, I signed up. I'm thinking one of these would be great to have when I'm on the road..
    • I would say that this pictures isn't so much "awkward" as it is "depressing". This happy, shiny, bright picture with people smiling is a lot more depressing than any dystopian sci-fi movies/books I've ever seen/read. Ugh.
    • Final Four, or Super Bowl, Dad is saying..."Fuck you, junior, and those arent my kids. Bitch set me up."

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by tsajeff ( 925056 )
      It looks like they are dragging dad along because he is carrying that _26 lb._ suitcase with him. It ain't no laptop!!
    • The dad's just lugging that thing for the kids so they don't miss sponge bob.
    • Ah, but the best part about it to me is that it's actually *not* a bright sunny day. Because the ad agency stuck with the standard formula for outdoor shots, it's taken during "magic hour". Notice the long shadows and warm color balance. Which means this ridiculous family is tromping off to the beach about 30 minutes before it gets dark.

      And come on, what else are you gonna do at a dark beach with your kids besides cuddle up around the warming glow of the TV? Ok, don't answer that.

      • Re: (Score:1)

        by CCRfan ( 1083419 )

        Notice the long shadows and warm color balance. Which means this ridiculous family is tromping off to the beach about 30 minutes before it gets dark.
        Perhaps you are unaware that the beaches on the east coast of the US face sun rise at the start of the day.
    • ...if you like. It's OK with me.

      Sure are sensitive, ain't ya?

  • Multiple Beams (Score:5, Insightful)

    by mrcaseyj ( 902945 ) on Monday April 02, 2007 @04:58PM (#18579845)
    I used to wonder how they could have enough bandwidth to serve wireless Internet from satellite to the whole country and likewise how they could provide local channels to so many different cities. I found out that the satellites can make separate broadcasts on the same frequencies to different parts of the country. I guess the parabolic antenna on the satellite has multiple feed points near each other near the focus of the antenna arranged in such a way that each one only broadcasts or receives for each major area. For a portable system like this you might have to get special service so it would work across the country if you were traveling.

    • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

      by skoaldipper ( 752281 )
      Orbital locations 110 and 119 have a footprint which covers the entire CONUS (continental US). It does not matter where you travel, so long as you orient the skew, elevation, and azimuth of your dish to those orbital locations you will get all channels (provided by your service plan). If you are talking about _local_ channels, I believe there are a total of 20 to 30 separate spotbeams (separate from the main channels) across the CONUS directed to various cities with their own specific frequency (on a spec
      • I know basically diddly squat about dish technology, but I do know that as long as I must point my dish to the South I will likely never own one.
      • There are nationwide feeds of LA and NY channels for people who travel in RVs, etc. That way viewers can see NBC, CBS, etc. without having to worry about moving out of a certain spot beam footprint. Local broadcasters keep regular viewers from watching these channels, so you don't miss their commercials. You have to provide some proof to DirecTV that you are using the receiver in a mobile setting.
    • "how they could have enough bandwidth to serve wireless Internet from satellite to the whole country"

      Time division multiplexing. I have one of these.

      There's an astounding amount of bandwidth there. Study up! Google!

      "likewise how they could provide local channels to so many different cities"

      Same signal to each subscriber... duh. I also have one of these.

  • Camping?!!? WTF? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by schnikies79 ( 788746 ) on Monday April 02, 2007 @05:00PM (#18579879)
    When I go camping (usually 2 or 3 weeks a year), I don't take anything electronic except a cellphone, but even that stays turned off and in the backpack.

    I'm a bit of a luddite and not really a nerd (I don't code, don't like sci-fi, not a gadget nut, etc.) so I guess I just don't understand but if you are going to camp, then camp, otherwise just stay at home. Seriously..

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by spun ( 1352 )
      Some of us are in a bit of a "Green Acres" type situation. This would definitely help me convince my wife to go camping more often.

    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by Marxist Hacker 42 ( 638312 ) *
      I'm a bit of a luddite and not really a nerd (I don't code, don't like sci-fi, not a gadget nut, etc.)

      What the heck are you doing on slashdot? You sound like my father in law- who has yet to allow his second wife to have internet in the house because he's heard all these news reports about how computers cause viruses.....
    • Newsflash: Different people do things outdoors differently than you.

      I love spending time away from the city, in various national parks, beaches, etc. I'll hike all day, cook my food outside, but once it's dark, and there's only so much more sitting around the fire to be done, I like to sleep indoors and I enjoy relaxing with television. I'm not an RV kinda guy, but that's what motels are for. Just because you want to cut yourself off entirely from the world doesn't mean everyone does.
    • I'm a bit of a luddite and not really a nerd (I don't code, don't like sci-fi, not a gadget nut, etc.) Seriously..

      You win the prize for posting in the most inappropriate place ever.

      I mean, that's great for you and all... but... seriously.
    • When I go camping (usually 2 or 3 weeks a year), I don't take anything electronic except a cellphone, but even that stays turned off and in the backpack.

      OK ... so what's your point? Other people do camping differently than you and I.

      I know some Visiting Nurses who have RV's and camp for 2-3 months at any given site before they pack up and head for another state where they're needed.

      Different requirements, different tools, different solutions. It's all good.
    • When I go camping (usually 2 or 3 weeks a year), I don't take anything electronic except a cellphone, but even that stays turned off and in the backpack. if you are going to camp, then camp, otherwise just stay at home. Seriously.

      For a lot of folks - and not all of them seniors - the RV or the boat is where you live, it is where you work. Mobile Internet Satellite [kvh.com]. Magellan Ground Control [groundcontrol.com]

      Then there are the purists who would claim that line-of-sight to a tower is not really camping.

    • When I go camping (usually 2 or 3 weeks a year), I don't take anything electronic except a cellphone, but even that stays turned off and in the backpack.

      I leave the cell phone home. It's out of range most of the places I hike in the Cascades. I take a GPS. When I exit the woods onto a road, sometimes it's hard to tell if the car is parked a mile up or down the road. It's out of sight, but which way? Setting a waypoint where you parked the car is a good idea. Remember, deep in the woods the signal is of
  • Does it come with a super-long straw, so that the same people who need the idiot box 24/7 can also have access to some kind of carbonated high fructose corn syrup beverage 24/7, also? You know, you can get thirsty doing all of that heavy duty television-watching...

    • Does it come with a super-long straw, so that the same people who need the idiot box 24/7 can also have access to some kind of carbonated high fructose corn syrup beverage 24/7, also? You know, you can get thirsty doing all of that heavy duty television-watching...
      Looks like somebody watched Idiocracy. [imdb.com] :-)

  • 70W! This thing is as portable as your car... (Score:5, Informative)

    by hyperventilate ( 661218 ) on Monday April 02, 2007 @05:29PM (#18580147)
    One of the reviewers claims the thing takes up to 70W.
    Didn't say if that max is atypical, or what the average would be.
    I don't view anything over 20W as "portable".

    And anything over 25W is REPREHENSIBLE in a TV Receiver. Those Comcast Cable boxes use 35W ON or OFF which is probably more juice than your new refrigerator is using. How many Coal power plants in the US are dedicated exclusively to keeping the little red lights on the ComCast box lit up?

    So this is supposed to be a better solution for campers and RV's than the standard DirectTV they are already carrying around. But it doesn't sound like the dish aim procedure is easy- you can get automated systems that work while you are driving. This one wont work unless you are stationary.

    My DirectTV Tivo uses 29W ON or OFF, day or night, so thats about $70/year in electricity. But that is a fair sight less than the 70W claimed for this unit! I don't understand why making it portable would double the power consumption.
    • I don't understand why making it portable would double the power consumption.

      Your TIVO doesn't have a built in screen, is my guess- backlight on that LCD could double the power consumption.
    • Cars are pretty portable, dude ;)
    • The flat-panel antenna is much lower gain than a standard Sat Dish (I don't have the figures to prove this, but it seems pretty self-explanatory), so I'm assuming the receiver has to use a lot more gain to get the signal to an acceptable level for processing. This could account for at least some of the additional power consumption. How much? I couldn't tell ya.

    • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

      by Lumpy ( 12016 )
      Sorry but your fridge is using 100-200W and only if you have a tiny apartment fridge with freezer on top.

      Your executive edition subzero side by side it taking 1-2Kw when running. and typically costs 2-3$ a day to run at current midwest electrical prices..
      • I love people who have numbers at their fingertips!

        Happily your numbers are out-of-date. Not too out of date, either. But substantially!
        The EPA's Energy-Star cerification program and the improving regulations have been astoundinly successful, each year for the last 5 or so.

        As you can tell here
        http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=ref rig.search_products_submit [energystar.gov]
        you can get a nice mid-size side-by-side Fridgidaire that consumes only 45W.
        Skimp a little and get the best in class and you are down at 3
  • Think about truck drivers. They already often have the entire normal size dish and have to manually adjust and rotate it whenever they stop. Something like this might be ideal for them since most of all modern trucks have TVs installed these days.
    • This would have to be manually rotated and adjusted whenever they stop too. The dish in this unit still has to be pointed at the satellite, so I'm not sure it would help much in this case other than for more portability.
  • Strikes me that with WIMAX and other streaming video technologies on the horizon DirecTV may be launching this about three years too late.
    • Unless, of course, you live nowhere near a city or dense population area. I have to travel at least 50 miles in any direction to find EVDO, and we won't be seeing FIOS for about 15 years, I'm going to guess that WIMAX won't be hitting my town of 4600 people any time soon.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by rueger ( 210566 )
        In which case you are 90% likely to already have DirecTV. The population of people who a) don't have good high speed access b) don't already have a satellite downlink like DirecTV, and c) would want something like this is pretty small. It's a product with minimal market. Three years ago that wouldn't have been the case. And yes, I've lived and worked in Wise County VA, which is about as far down the gravel road at the end of the Information highway as you'll ever see.
        • Actually, Time Warner offers around 18 Mbit down and 1 Mbit up for $50/mo in my area. We were called "The Next Silicon Valley" at one point in the late 90s, so they built it.. and nobody came. Western MA isn't all bad, though.

  • Is whether or not this thing is the same crap hardware, with the same flaky drivers, as DTV's piece of shit set-top DVR's.

    Who else has had a DR-15 slowly nbuild up lag to any input (from the remote or the face buttons) and eventually stop altogether over about 3 months time? How about 4 of them in a year?

  • Both XM and Sirius have hinted at beefing capacity and using a VC1 type of codec to deliver a select set of on the go TV Channels for the automotive industry.

    I wonder how long before DirectTV has a automotive package that can yank omni-directional service on the go...
  • This may work as a cheaper more portable option for storm chasers like me who like to have the weather channel on the go
    • This may work as a cheaper more portable option for storm chasers like me who like to have the weather channel on the go

      If you are serious about this sort of thing - and you'd had better be serious, given the risks - what you need is a tracking antenna for your vehicle. TracVision Mobile Sattelite [lightav.com] $2000-$3000.

      • Like I said, cheaper more portable., tracking atenna's are nice but pricy and limited to one vehical, with this you could pull over plop it on your hood and get an update fairly quickly.
  • ...it is really going to suck, climbing up on the damn roof every time I want to watch a football game.

  • Re: (Score:2, Informative)

    by account_deleted ( 4530225 )
    Comment removed based on user account deletion
    • Low-profile phased array antennas like this have been used for a while for in-motion satellite internet/telephone/television and for remote uplinks.

      This is the cheap version. It is not electronicaly steered. You have to manualy point it. It has no tracking. This is useless for in-motion use.

  • The KVH TracVision 7 [automotivedesignline.com] antenna for DirecTV reception is much more advanced. The device mentioned in the article has to be aimed at the satellite by hand. The TracVision units aim automatically. Two axes of mechanical positioning, plus a phased array antenna, are used. Rate gyros, a GPS receiver, and an excessive amount of computer power aim the thing. They even use slip rings, so that if you make too many turns in the same direction, you don't lose signal while the antenna cable unwinds. Only 5" thick,

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by crunzh ( 1082841 )
      The review does not say it must be aimed by hand. You can chose to aim by hand but if you punch in your zip code it will autoaim.
  • Where I live (a very very tight rental market), the landlords typically won't let you install a dish on their buildings (nor can you rent in this city with a dog or if you smoke, but that's a whole 'nother post). Anyway, what used to kill me about this problem is I have been missing NFL Sunday Ticket. I may just get this and go watch the game in the park. Or at least stick this thing out on the fire escape on Sunday mornings when my landlord isn't looking.
    • Or at least stick this thing out on the fire escape on Sunday mornings when my landlord isn't looking.

      Find a window with a Southern view. Nobody said the dish has to be outdoors. It just needs to have an un-obscured view of the sky. Set it on the floor in front of the window and enjoy. I have had occasions to do hidden antennas in the past. I have hidden a fringe reception UHF Yagi, FM, Shortwave longwire, and CB antennas from view with good results. Some satelite dishes can be hidden just fine in urb
  • Is anyone else having that reaction?

    Why not just hang a USB-based satellite antenna off a laptop? They're doing it for HDTV, why not this?

    I predict utter failure for this. Years from now it'll figure in a PCWorld article listing the 100 worst tech products ever.
  • Bigger than a Zune. No built-in DVR. Lame.
  • ...what is also the big feature on thios unit: An antenna (formerly "dish") that DOESN'T NEED AIMING!!!!!

    This could be used for mobile purposes (RVers) w/ a std DirecTV receiver. Probably in the works now.

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