When you’re out on the open ocean, you’re not usually there to watch TV. But, when the sun goes down you might just want to settle in for a little screen time. Your entertaining schedule might call for local sports, too. Cell service can get spotty within about ten miles of shore so what can you do?
Satellite TV on your yacht
So first, you have to have a yacht. Yeah, I know not everyone is so lucky. But let’s say you have done well for yourself and you not only have a yacht, you also have enough left over to put a sweet satellite TV system in. If you’re outfitting one of these bad boys, then a few thousand more for satellite is going to seem like chump change.
You do need to know, however, that you may not be able to get local channels. This is kind of a pain, but it has to be something that you know ahead of time. You’ll get local channels if you’re in your local area… like if you’re in your home harbor, as long as the billing address for your satellite TV account is in the same area as the harbor. Travel too far away, though, and those local channels could vanish.
That doesn’t sound right…
It does make sense if you think about it. This is because of rules designed to protect local broadcasters. After all, the folks in New Paltz, New York, wouldn’t be able to compete with broadcasts from New York City and local advertisers wouldn’t be able to afford commercials. So the FCC says, if you’re in one market, you can’t get stations from another if the same content is available from a local station. That boils down to, if you’re in Miami, you get Miami local stations; you don’t get them from Orlando, Tallahassee, or anywhere else.
What’s more, satellite companies take advantage of this rule to save energy and broadcast frequencies. They actually tailor the signal so if you’re outside the local area, the signal is too weak to get anyway. There used to be a loophole where if you’re from New York City or Los Angeles, you could get your channels nationally. However, that’s practically impossible to do now. Those “spot beams,” the ones that cover LA and NYC, are pretty big. But eventually you’ll find an area where you lose reception.
Here’s another solution for you
If you’re the sort of person who stays close to land, you can get local channels easily by adding a TV antenna to your installation. A TV antenna will give you local channels anywhere you go, as long as you’re within about 40 miles of the towers. This is the missing piece of your entertainment experience. If you’re beyond that 40 mile limit then you’ll start to lose local channels, but then again you’re probably on your way to somewhere exotic and you can look forward to excitement and entertainment once you get there.
If you are ready to outfit a luxury vessel for the best in entertainment, you owe it to yourself to call the experts at Signal Connect. We have installed video systems on more large marine craft than anyone else and we can recommend a complete electronic entertainment package that includes not only satellite TV, but also antennas and internet for the complete experience. It all starts with a call to 888-233-7563, where our professionals will take the time to explain every option to you.
If you’re out on the water, you’re obviously all about entertainment and relaxation. Why not take that to the next level and include all the electronic conveniences of home? Let Signal Connect show you how today! Call us, or if it’s after hours, fill out the form below!
