12V AC Digital Desktop Box

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

Check this out if you want satellite reception.

www.vansat.com.au/

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.

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

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