I am a DIY tech I initially purchased the RV basic or standard hardware system before going on a cross-country trip. I read lots about Starlink and tried it around town for about 3 months. Just before leaving on our trip I learned about the new High-Performance system and really liked the idea of being online while driving and on the move. I installed it and tried it and really liked it, and was torn to keep both systems in case I ended up under trees where I could not connect. We left on May 15th and we had excellent Internet from LA to Arizona which was amazing! I did end up at an RV spot in Sedona where I was under trees and it internet was very spotty and marginal. I wished I brought my standard portable dish that I could set out away from our RV... Better luck next time, afterall, if you live and work on the road, it all comes down to convenience, time saved, and saftey! right? Thank you for your update, it was informative.
Thanks for all the info! I'm looking forward to those tree-obstructed tests... Unless the in-motion dish is a LOT better, I think I prefer the ability to move our antenna takes priority. We have cellular for in-motion anyway. -chad
I have the Starlink standard and love the ability to park in one spot and move the antennal to a view of the sky. When camping in the Pacific Northwest this summer, there were zero views of the sky from our campsite so I had the Starlink operating from a battery unit with the only view of the sky through the dense trees, connected via WiFi. It sure would be nice to be able to have both, use or the in motion antenna, and if you park under a tree, the ability to use the original external antenna.
Well.. technically you can. You'd just be paying for two data plans and carrying two dishes. Hopefully some quick mount options become available to increase flexibility.
Currently considering building our next tow vehicle for our Airstream with a camper shell and a diesel generator plumbed to our tank, tired of carrying gas and filling our generator. Our solar handles shoulder seasons but not deep summer or winter. We boondock 95% of the time. Considering adding some lithium batteries to the camper shell to power this, then we can park truck w good view of sky and our wifi ranger on the Airstream can pickup and broadcast internet in and around campsite. This also gives us high speed internet wherever our truck goes, that would be killer, say when you are out playing and need to handle work, or download a Gaia map for a new trail you want to explore.
@@MobileInternetResourceCenter but having two data plans is wasteful, why not just plug in the other antenna into the modem? seems the way to go.. can't customer service provide any sensible answers to this?
Heya Chris, just discovered your channel! I'm thinking about spending part of the year in a rural area that doesn't have broadband, so Starlink might be my only option. I wouldn't need mobile, so it sounds like the standard setup would work OK.
Sounds like it needs two things to be attractive for RV users: 1-portability option to get priority access, 2- power saving option where it’s using 1/3 of phase array to keep power consumption down
Can the high performance flat dish be used with a standard roaming plan for $150/month or are you obligated to get the $250/month plan? I found someone selling this dish locally and I'm not interested in in-motion use.
Good review thanks. A couple questions: 1) I would assume you can pole mount this (when adapters become available, or make our own) as opposed to using the provided base? 2) I need more than 26 ft cable length. You noted Starlink and Wineguard may be providing this at some point? Please keep us updated.
@@MobileInternetResourceCenter This is a perfect example of why we (RVers and van dwellers) need something more affordable than a $20k Will-Burt pneumatic mast. There's ABSOLUTELY a market for masts that have 15-30 pounds of cargo capacity (instead of 50-150 pounds), are 20-30 feet tall (instead of 40-75 feet tall), oh and cost around $1000 instead of $20k+. It'd be really nice to have something that goes into a trailer hitch and gets your antennas above the trees without having to deal with a 100% manual pole.
@@PsRohrbaugh interesting we need enough people to reach out to the pole manufacturers I would like one that you install inside of your RV in a corner somewhere poking up through the roof
Thanks Chris! I was Really Surprised that you got your hands on one So Soon!.. Very good Overview! It shows some kinks in the Starlink technical Management Seems to be at odds with how the Starlink Engineers would have better liked a different cable interconnection that how this "Card Table" (Yep! I bet you could play cards on it! :) was decreed to interconnect. It also shows some conservatism in equipment keeping compatibility with older equipment than redesigning everything, like a more functional power / data connection (as separate) than what was the final design. In shorter form I'm basically saying that Elon Musk has his nose too far into the overall design and his Engineers would have been able to produce a better more versatile product than this if they were given more freedom to stray from the initial plug and play decree he originally made before Starlink rolled off the assembly line. I think this new "Card Table" dish clearly demonstrated this. Also: the cost factor of the hardware "Card Table" dish + The Monthly Cost of the RV Plan + Always De-Prioritized = Not worthy; and severely retards the system to the point that it does not warrant the time or expense. AKA this seems like a dud. If they can recognize that Sustained performance is important to their traveling customers (barring obvious obstruction issues) They might have something here.
Yeah I agree with the d prioritize that doesn't really make sense like you're not going to have hundreds of RVers going into a town and stealing all the bandwidth it's just one or two guys in the area at a time most likely passing through with their RVs or venture vans so I don't see the point in deprioritizing especially after we spent $2,500 on a dish
Thanks for the up Chris. Tough question for you. I have the Starlink Maritime system coming. My plan is to use Maritime when moving on long passages with guests on. Then the RV with just crew on in local areas. Can I use the Maritime Dishes for the RV stuff or will I need to order both the Flat high performance Dish and the Maritime dishes. I guess the question is it the Dish that controls the system or just the Router/modem?
Starlink service is tied to the dish, not the router. You will need a separate dish (regular standard dish or flat mount) specifically to be on the RV plan. You can pause it as needed when it is not being used or have the Maritime plan active. It is your decision on the cheaper standard dish or the more expensive flat one.
Interesting video. Enjoyed the comparison with the old starlink for a fixed position vs. the new dish for In morion RV. You spoke of the new dishes power consumption. Would be interested to know how other non-Tesla dishes compare in power consumption? Always great content. Thanks!
Looks like a very solid mount. If you'd have to guess how much of the weight is the metal mount and how much is the (plastic) dishy? About twice the size = about twice the weight plus metal mount?
Oh and im already thinking about a removable mount system on top of the motorhome. Just in case we NEED to move it off for blockage. I am also thinking about putting it on top of an A/C cover. Sturdiness, heat/cooling, and the added clearance height are concerns.
The reason why the FCC is anal about certification of in motion two way sat is that transmitting while mobile or stationary may interfere with non Starlink satelites. So i agree SpaceX will be ( and have ability) to lock small Starlink phased array antennas so they can only be used while stationary. GPS and sensors in antenna allow for locking.
I feel like you might be technically correct, but at the frequencies and power levels we're talking about, the chance of issues are really low. It'd have to be another low earth orbit satellite, with it's antenna (beam / feed horn) pointed right at you, at a frequency that's close enough. I am sure that's possible, and may even occasionally cause an issue if SpaceX officially endorsed in motion operations with the existing dish, but I would honestly be quite surprised if the few people currently doing it actually caused an issue.
Very nice to see the hardware outside of renders would it be advisable to use this dish but not permanently mount it put it on quick releases so that you still can go chuck it in a field with a long cable to get better reception if you're parked under trees ?
We know Winegard and SpaceX will have longer cables available soon, and I expect someone will come out with a quick release mount too. But you can remove it pretty easily from the wedge with just an Allen wrench, so it isn’t going to be too painful to remove if needed.
I think the big dish is best for stealth vans then the smaller dish because the small one sticks out like a sore thumb on top of your van while parked in a city or small town and you want to use your internet without the Hassel and setting it up in front of everybody.
Hi there! Thanks for sharing this info. I have a question about the new antenna, you mentioned that it might not be necessary to use the Starlink router and I can connect it straight to my router from the power supply, but how could I configure the starlink antenna? I need the app? Does the app need the router to be connected? Thanks!
The app can control the very limited things that are involved with configuring the Starlink dish. Our member guide to bypassing the router can be found in this article: www.rvmobileinternet.com/starlink-ethernet-bypass/
One other thing I suggest is measuring temperature on the bottom of the unit while in operation. I know some of us will mount it flat without the wedge. Should that alternative mount allow for heat conduction?
The SpaceX terms for in motion usage currently require the use of an approved mount, which at the moment means the Wedge is the only option that doesn’t conflict with that. But I suspect there will be many more official and unofficial mounts coming out in the months ahead.
Wound this new unit work better offshore? The Bahamas haven’t be officially covered yet but is there any coverage there now. As Starlink network expands its coverage, where do you think these islands are in priority?
Starlink's Maritime service is using two of these dishes - so they are designed for offshore. The plan that comes with this unit is not provisioned for offshore however.
I'm still not happy about proprietary connectors, but the ability to use your own router via ethernet works extremely well for me, and realistically I'm not going to use the dish anywhere besides fix mounted on the roof of my van. DC power input would have been nice, but I have my inverter running all the time anyway. Overall I think this will work well for my use-case. I just wish they offered priority service on the go! I guess we'll really give the peplink a run for it's money :)
For me on a sailboat this dish doesn't work... Its too power hungry and too large. So the question is, do we think Starlink will make a smaller more cruiser friendly option or do I get the dremel out on the standard dishy?!?!
Chris, can you not install the SL Router with the inmotion dishy and plug the Power Supply's network cable into a Max Transit's WAN port or or even an old ASUS AP?
You mention that some folks have routers that can do failover between multiple internet sources - I followed your link but it was hard to understand. Does someone have a link to this style of product?
Bro I want to ask, you buy starlink at your place. But if it is taken to another country, can it still work? And again the country is not yet available starlink service. Is it still working?
Do you know if it's possible to use the new flat antenna with a router that is linked to a RV equipment? For example, we have a RV antenna (the normal one) but we are planning to have the maritime system, use the maritime when we are underway and while at dock or anchor use the RV but, as we will have the new flat antennas installed, do you know if we can use one of those antennas with the RV router? Is the router linked to a specific model of antenna or it recognizes it automatically? Thanks
The router included with both systems is the exact same, and I don’t think they are paired in any special way. But for a complex system like you describe, you are likely better of ditching the Starlink router entirely and using something like a PepLink.
Are you hearing of data caps? I received an email from Starlink saying that I would be throttled to 1 up 1 down if I used more than one terabyte which I haven’t. They did say they will have an option to pay more if I exceeded the one terabyte. Thanks
That is for the business service.. residential is also getting a 1TB cap, but then just lower priority service. Crazy, since Business customers pay almost 5x as much.
@@MobileInternetResourceCenter thank you. Yes this is for the business dish and it is interesting/disturbing that they are adding a cap. They also didn’t say what the added cost would be to uncap just that it would be an added cost. The saga continues.
What I want is a 25' and 50' cables. As well as connector to allow the cable to go through a small hole in the roof of my vehicle. Which already exists. They need a better connecter that is strait. And fits the small holes. Just say'n.
We've been seeing multiple reports of the RV/portable standard dishing getting service offshore lately - we suspect they are testing the laser linked satellites for expanding the Maritime service. Enjoy it while it lasts.
May I ask if there is an IMU (Inertial measurement unit) design on the circuit for the antenna device of the Starlink maritime (flat high performance antenna)?
The Starlink debug log has always reported that there is an accelerometer and motion tracker sensor in addition to GPS, so presumably it has some level of IMU capability.
@@MobileInternetResourceCenter That's awesome. I obviously misunderstood the original Wineguard announcement as I thought they'd be providing equipment to other businesses (OEMs, upfitters). I guess I can wait a few more weeks... Maybe by then SpaceX will have a priority data plan that's affordable! My dream is to steam 1080p video (upload) with no interruption while driving. Hopefully between my Pepwave BR2 Pro, Tmobile 100gb plan, Verizon 150gb plan, and the in-motion SpaceX plan that'll be an option!
HI...I am Wondering. I am Looking for Mobility, Versus 'In-Motion' Sailboat is My Goal. I'm Only Going to Be Traveling at Most, 9 'MPH' I'm Looking for Starlink Where I Can Log In, Anywhere ...most Places, in the World. I'm Wondering if i can Use the $599 Dishy V2 Version, Instead of the HP $2,500 Version. I am Not Going to Running a Cruise Ship or a Tour Bus Needing Internet at 55MPH, or Speeds Excess of 25 MPH at Sea. What I'm Wanting is to Use the Dishy V2 With the 'Mobile' Data Plan. It is the One That is 200 Per Month, Versus Own Country $150 Version.
For ocean use, you'd need the Mobile Priority plan at $250/mo. The $200/mo plan is for land use only - which you can switch to in many ports. At present time, Starlink is allowing in motion use on the $599 dish 'at your own risk'.
As a boat owner, I️ would like to also compare performance and power consumption between between new & old -but with old antenna immobilized /motor disconnected. 100watts and the larger size for the new dishy saddens me. I️ hope SpaceX Sees a market for compact efficient ~10-20M/sec low power consumption marinized system
We don't suspect it would make that much of a difference, the Standard system only has the motor running while aiming, We don't intend to test this, as we don't intend to void the warranty on our system that we need in active testing.
Elon Musk's strategy has been to target premium markets first, and work their way down. That's what they did with Tesla, and that's what is happening here. For example, I am not rich enough to justify the yacht package they had ($10k + $1500 / month), but I am rich enough to justify the current in-motion dish. My purchase gives them the revenue of multiple residential customers. Starlink hasn't even been publicly available 2 full years. I am quite certain that in another 1-3 years they'll have a hardware and service option that works for you. Heck, according to Wikipedia they hope to have world-wide cell phone coverage in a year.
@@MobileInternetResourceCenter you don’t need to disable the motor or damage the little dishy-just set it on a tub (with the pipe able to move without the dishy moving (i heat it stops moving after a minute of trying to reorient) so it stays flat. Then side be side comparison of bandwidth and power consumption between flat/restrained old and new. Just a thought. Thanks for all the GREAT work you guys do!!!!
@@PsRohrbaugh totally agree. They are market driven and need max revenue to pay off the massive launch expense of huge satellite constellation. Start with affordable $500 hardware and $100/month for a few years of beta testing, then raise the prices modestly for home systems. Then lock down in motion and geofencing all bodies of water so marine users pay premium prices -‘cause everything on a boat costs 3 to 4 times more than it would on land
@@MobileInternetResourceCenter absolutely especially after the comments about where do I tuck all this cable. I'd like the in-motion but I think big Dishy on a stick will work well enough for us especially when we turn on portability.
@@MobileInternetResourceCenter not sure where you could mount it on a modern truck to use it while in motion. The roof is sloped forward and height restricted. Idk how I feel about drilling into the fiberglass body. It's way to big to mirror mount. The smaller one I have seen guys mirror mount once parked. But you need to be facing north. They make solar panels that curve with our roof lines. Be super sweet if they could make an antenna like that. My 8 trucks are all connected via cell hotspots. Customers like to track the loads, TV for the guys, etc... 24/7 connection is key. Maybe you could mount it in the space between the cab and trailer. Not much room there with a reefer unit. Have to measure it out.
We been using Starlink for 6 months in motion works perfect. Not sure where you get your inaccurate facts. Also all you have to do is connect to range extender to mesh system. You gotta work on your tech tips buddy.
As we said - Starlink Standard “works” while in motion but it is not FCC certified for mobility, and voids the warranty - and usage in motion is technically illegal in the USA. SpaceX last month tested blocking usage on Starlink Standard once speed exceed 10mph. We suspect that will be turned on again once this system is widely available.
yes look into throttling data during certain times especially around 7pm...its going to get worse as mobile users are treated second class vs perm users many forums complaining about it...this channel nothing zero point zero
7pm is prime time for many folks streaming video, having video chats and generally being home after work. Throttling (intentionally slowing down to a specific speed) is not the same as network congestion (slow downs due to not enough capacity).
