Welcome to Motorhomefacts, we are a thriving motorhome community (Largest in Europe). Why Not JOIN NOW and get instant access to more of the website. It costs nothing to join and only takes a few minutes. We have 200,000 different people visiting our site monthly and this amount of motorhomers in one place guarantees a fast response to any questions you may have. We also have unique facilities not found elsewhere such as our Online Logbook, stopover tracker, Motorhome directory with Ebay type feedback and the largest repository of motorhome campsites reviews found anywhere
I'm very interested in one of the above systems as it seems to offer a good compromise between a dish and a dome. I'm particularly keen on its low stowed height, and its reduced susceptibility to strong winds.
I know that a few people on here have had them fitted and, initially at least, were very pleased with them. I'd be very grateful for any more feedback.
I've also been trying to find a website for Alden, but so far, Google has failed miserably! Does anyone know the URL?
we have an oyster caro fittednverysimilar concept flat dish low profile parked and min disruption with wind and gives good choice of sat positions if within footprint never going to pull in bbc in southern spain though
We did have initial problems but that was due to a programming error in the decoder/sat finder box which Alden have now fixed. We were just unlucky in getting a dud box. (We now have separate sat/finder and decoder boxes, which is IMHO a better option.)
If it fails to lock on during the first rotation I am very surprised, and the picture is very stable - even in quite strong winds. It has an auto-park facility, so if you forget and go to drive off it lowers itself as you switch on the ignition . . . . not that I have ever forgotten of course!!
Mrs Zeb was dead against a dome "spoiling the look of the van", so the decision was not negotiable. The "dish" is invisible when parked, and (on level ground) can only be seen from some distance away when raised. (A dome can trigger the height sensor on French autoroutes, and put you in a higher category - Wakk44 is still smarting!!)
The LNB cannot be skewed, while other Planars can I believe, but the further south we go with (hopefully) better weather, the less TV we watch, so the extreme range is not a vital criterion for us. We have used it as far South as the Dordogne (the Vezere to be very precise) with no loss or degradation of any channel.
We got it from VanBitz, and the fitting was (as expected) very neat and professional. When it went wrong there was no hesitation from Eddie in fixing it - which is one very good reason why I would recommend him.
We have one on our HRZ, chosen for its small size, low profile and relatively light weight. It was fitted by Van Bitz in 2008, and has proved reasonably reliable, with only one issue, caused by a cable strand parting company in May this year. Roadpro seem to have now given up dealing with Alden, but that's may just be a policy issue.
We have had problems with the associated Zehnder box, but that's another story.
Like all satellite dishes, its performance in high wind is a bit suspect, but it's been fine in all parts of the UK working on Astra 2S.
hi pommel 1. we bought our Alden from outdoor bits at a very good price we have had a oyster a dome and now Alden and the Alden seems to come out the best . its an orbiter platinum( curved 80cm dish ) its perforated ( like sky dish only bigger ) and comes with judt one small box that doe.s everything you can leave the dish up longer then a oyster and we have picked up t.v further down Spain than we did we our dome or oyster . Eddie is the man to ask . email eddie@vanbitz.com .jud p.s if you order the alden ask for a hi isolation cable switch with an A & B button to switch from the decoder or sky if you want sky that is
Thanks everyone for your assistance. I think we're now almost certain to go for the Flat Sat. I also like the idea of a dome but my 'van is already almost 3m high and I've had more than enough encounters with low trees on continental sites!
Just for clarity (if the image appears?) this is the Alden Planar Flatsat.
Dave
hi zebedee. sorry but i do know what a flat sat is i have had 4 different sorts of sat systems . i was showing the performance of a 80cm Alden and the reception quality i am not knocking the fat sat but its performance is only as good as a dome just before barcelona you start losing channels and outdoor bits have a sale on the 80cm dish saving a few hundred pounds that's all i was saying. jud
hi zebedee. sorry but i do know what a flat sat is i have had 4 different sorts of sat systems . i was showing the performance of a 80cm Alden and the reception quality i am not knocking the fat sat but its performance is only as good as a dome just before barcelona you start losing channels and outdoor bits have a sale on the 80cm dish saving a few hundred pounds that's all i was saying. jud
Hi Jud
I don't understand why you are miffed, and I certainly wasn't. I never thought you were knocking the flat sat - and why would I care if you did? It's all down to personal opinion and individual preferences!
The original post asked specifically about a flatsat. You obviously know what it is, but plenty of other members do not, so I posted a picture. Simple as that.
Strictly speaking your input about the 80cm dish didn't answer the OP's question, but that's no problem since it was (as usual) very helpful and added to the fund of knowledge on the thread. (It's an excellent system I agree, but not as good in the wind as a flatsat - which was one of the two initial questions the OP wanted answered.)
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum You cannot attach files in this forum You cannot download files in this forum
All times are GMT + 1 Hour Page 1 of 3Goto page 1, 2, 3Next
Germany
Waving in memory of Peter and Fiona
Fighting with Mavis´s MESO WARRIORS 
