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First Look at the DirecTV SAT-GO

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on 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."

2 of 97 comments (clear)

  1. Camping?! by Seumas · · Score: 5, Interesting

    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?

  2. 70W! This thing is as portable as your car... by hyperventilate · · Score: 5, Informative

    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.