12V AC Digital Desktop Box
Submitted: Friday, Mar 09, 2007 at 13:54
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Member - Cruiser (NSW)
I am thinking of getting a digital desktop box for the caravan, and it dawned on me that the ones available at the larger electrical retailers like HN, DSE, Tandy etc are all 240V AC, and seeing as I will be spending as much time as possible free based camping (courtesy of Camps Australia 4), that a 12V DC box would be helpfull.
Does anyone know if such a thing exists.
If not I suppose I can just get an inverter and run a standard 240V AC box off it.
Reply By: Flash - Friday, Mar 09, 2007 at 13:58
Friday, Mar 09, 2007 at 13:58
Yes there are 12V DC settop boxes.
I have one and it works very
well indeed. Mines a Conia and cost the princely sum of $69 from Wow electronics but there should be plenty of others.... I believe Humax is another brand.
Cheers
AnswerID:
226348
Follow Up By: Member - Cruiser (NSW) - Friday, Mar 09, 2007 at 14:02
Friday, Mar 09, 2007 at 14:02
Sounds good.
Any contact details for WOW Electronics please
FollowupID:
487191
Follow Up By: Member - Cruiser (NSW) - Friday, Mar 09, 2007 at 14:04
Friday, Mar 09, 2007 at 14:04
Can you please supply the model number of the Conia DTB
FollowupID:
487192
Follow Up By: Flash - Friday, Mar 09, 2007 at 20:08
Friday, Mar 09, 2007 at 20:08
www.wowwicked.com.au/
Can't give you the model at the moment as I'm away from
home with work, but will tomorrow evening if I get the chance.
Cheers
FollowupID:
487252
Reply By: Busy Bee - Friday, Mar 09, 2007 at 14:56
Friday, Mar 09, 2007 at 14:56
Check this out if you want satellite reception.
www.vansat.com.au/
AnswerID:
226361
Follow Up By: Wingwang - Friday, Mar 09, 2007 at 15:53
Friday, Mar 09, 2007 at 15:53
Vansat would be the most expensive in Australia and offer less than some others.
About the cheapest with the best would be Satplus About $200 cheaper for identical setup.
If you are looking for a 12v set top box buy one with a quality Humax with Phillips tuner which is the most sensitive. You don't get cheap boxes with good sensitive receiver. Read all about it there as the Humax is easy to drive which is really important when moving around in a caravan or motorhome
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Busy Bee - Friday, Mar 09, 2007 at 17:15
Friday, Mar 09, 2007 at 17:15
OK thanks for the info. I'll do more research. What I really want to do is use it at
home but I need the 12V system to show that I am a traveller. I understand you can't get a card to access satellite free to air for an address that has normal reception. The advertisers don't want you watching ads from
Alice Springs while you access the footy on Imparja. And what the Packers and Murdochs really want is for you to sign up to Foxtel etc at $50 a month so you can watch the footy, cricket etc.
Anyway this is what I've found out so far. One source reckoned they set themselves up for $320.
AnswerID:
226395
Reply By: garrycol - Friday, Mar 09, 2007 at 18:18
Friday, Mar 09, 2007 at 18:18
JB High Fi sell one for about $98 that is only the size of a cigarette box - didn't work too
well though as reception was worse than free to air. Works of 12v or from a power supply. I exchanged mine for for a normal set top box but they might be OK for you use.
Garry
AnswerID:
226411
Reply By: disco1942 - Friday, Mar 09, 2007 at 23:40
Friday, Mar 09, 2007 at 23:40
It is very easy to
check out the 12 V ones. Just look at the back of the set top box. If it has a 240 V lead connected permanently in back of it - reject it.
If it has a thinner power lead with a round plug then follow the lead to the power brick. Read the output voltage written on the identification label. If it is 12 V then you are OK. You can have an additional lead made up with a plug to suit your van's supply. If you are purchasing your bits from DSE etc take one of the bits along to size up the plug that goes into the back of the box - there are two sizes - they differ in the size of the pin in the middle.
PeterD
AnswerID:
226499