Sorry – forgot the fishing option. So that’s how you do it with Orange. I thought that it might be another bit of software or something.

Cheers, Chris.

Fishing happens more than telly and we have a little library aboard so if we cannot get a signal we have other stuff to do.

I registed with the orange web site so i can see/manage my bill on line. It is there I can see my data use for the dongle.

Nev

We have an omni-max aerial on our cabin roof and this works OK for much of the time whilst receiving digital terrestrial. I reckon that things will improve (well, reception quality will, but I’m not so sure about the programme quality!) when the analogue TV transmissions are switched off completely and they ‘turn up the wick’ for the digital terrestrial at the transmitter end.

Meanwhile, you can get most (but not all) of the digital terrestrial channels FOC on the Astra 2 satellite. We are not prepared to pay the rip-off Sky subscriptions to get the sports programmes we are interested in, so we now have Eurosport Player and we stream some of their programmes via the 3G connection. At around £30 a year, Eurosport Player certainly makes more sense for us. As the 3G data charges reduce (which they surely will, otherwise the market will stagnate), then we will make more use of this player.

Having digital terrestrial and satellite together on board a boat makes a good combination I reckon. There will of course still be occasions when you are located somewhere that prohibits ‘line-of-sight’ on the satellite and, unless you can elevate your digital terrestrial aerial about 20 feet+ in the air on top of a pole, TV viewing will be impossible, so have a good book at the ready, or plan ahead and download via iPlayer or suchlike.

Regarding the Orange software registration (so as to have their data counter working) – how was this obtained? Has registering resulted in your notebook computer effectively being ‘tethered’ to the Orange service, or is everything still accessible by any device that you authorise via the encryption on your router?

Cheers, Chris.

We did the same but brought a cheaper ariel from Solwise. It works great and allows unhindered access to the net while aboard using our 15 quid a month orange dongle. I have found that by registering with orange we can now see the data we have used which was a concern when not using the native application that is installed when connecting the dongle direct to the computer.

I just need to resolve my tv ariel and then we will be sorted in a no messing about way for tv and internet while aboard.

Take care

Nev

Said boat moved off Shadehouse today just after we passed on our way to Kings Bromley for our monthly domestics. Apparently it has a 2′-6″ draft and a rounded bottom, so OK for most canals and was built in 1963!

Cheers, Chris.

I think this boat was at Tixell when we came past early last week and much activity was going on – not uncommon I can imagine on this boat. They certainly have taken a slow run down to fradley….. can’t fault them for that.

Nev

Already doing that and I have been for two weeks now whilst walking back and forth to my Blackbird. Nothing posted yet.

I would be amazed if whosoever owns this land gets planning permission for any dwellings, well first off anyway. A car park is ‘low profile’ relatively speaking and, subject to proper road access and a balanced risk assessment regarding making use of that access, etc. might stand a chance. I understand that the local residents have been kicking off about the parking nuisance along the lane. Something will have to be done about this because the lane is becoming seriously ‘narrowed’ and it ain’t gonna be long before there is a serious accident. In fact, I’m surprised (but pleased!) there have not been a few already. The local residents might get their wish, but not in the form they expected!

Watch this space as they say – I shall post an update if I see a notice go up. Looking ahead, there will be road widening scheme and a white line down the middle, followed by a mini-island and then traffic lights because the mini-island keeps getting snarled up, etc.

You can be sure that the whole area will get screwed up – its just a matter of time.

Oh deep joy, Chris.