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First Look at the DirecTV SAT-GO
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."
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 $70/year in electricity. But that is a fair sight less than the 70W claimed for this unit! I don't understand why making it portable would double the power consumption.
Orbital locations 110 and 119 have a footprint which covers the entire CONUS (continental US). It does not matter where you travel, so long as you orient the skew, elevation, and azimuth of your dish to those orbital locations you will get all channels (provided by your service plan). If you are talking about _local_ channels, I believe there are a total of 20 to 30 separate spotbeams (separate from the main channels) across the CONUS directed to various cities with their own specific frequency (on a specific transponder) of any one satellite. If you travel outside that local footprint, you would simply need to reprogram that _reciever_ for a new local spotbeam. It would be nice if DTV GO has software to automagically adjust to the new spotbeam you travel and the hardware to accept all those various local spotbeams (and a mobile service plan to match). Otherwise, you might just be SOL for your locals.
I hope, when they die, cartoon characters have to answer for their sins.
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Sorry but your fridge is using 100-200W and only if you have a tiny apartment fridge with freezer on top.
Your executive edition subzero side by side it taking 1-2Kw when running. and typically costs 2-3$ a day to run at current midwest electrical prices..
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.