Camos Dome

[Caroline]

How do you get on with yours, would you reommend the 30in or 40in?

Static or in motion?

 

There seem to be lots of gadgets that can be used with it like the GPS.

 

Has any one any experience of any of this?.

 

Thanks

[flicka]

Hi Caroline

I can't speak from experience.

There was a Roadpro catalogue with this month's MMM, which had a lot of information regarding the various different Domes & Dishes.

Alternatively there is info on their website

 

http://www.roadpro.co.uk/retail/catalogue.aspx

 

Others should be along & will be able to give their personal experiences.

[Syd]

We have the larger size static dome on our caravan and we are VERY happy with it, quick and simple and gets the required results

[davenewellhome]

Hi Caroline, the main differences between the 30 and 40 CM (not ins) is the 40 is 10CM higher and has a better range. As they are both currently the same price I see little point in opting for the 30CM with its smaller reception footprint.

 

Static or in motion? Well this choice is pretty simple, do you want to use it while driving or only when you're on site? It can be used while the vehicle is in motion which can be useful if you want to listen to UK radio stations while driving on the continent, alternatively if you have rear seat passengers they could perhaps watch TV while traveling. If you don't need the UK radio while traveling abroad and there are only one or two of you on board then the static is probably all you need.

 

D.

[Shaun]

I have the static 40cm model, which came with the panel van, both of them at just under a year old. I struggled with the Camos and even had the Roadpro chap willing to visit me to sort it out. Two years later and I remain underwhelmed by it.

 

To begin with, I couldn't get a signal outside my house so I drove to a wide open space, but couldn't get the Camos to latch onto anything. It whirred incessantly but to no avail. I then drove back home, stopped outside some shops and it latched onto a satellite in a jiffy. Confusing or what?

 

Thereafter, it soon became apparent that parking anywhere near tallish trees was a big no-no. Therefore, before we picked our pitch at a typical club site, we'd have to find somewhere as open as possible just to pick up the required satellite for bog-standard BBC, ITV, etc.

 

After a year of this malarkey, the control box came under scrutiny, because often the motor on the roof wouldn't kick in when we switched it on. All wiring was checked, but it was fine. Next morning, it was as if there had never been a problem, because the control box would talk to the motor as it should, so we were bemused as to what the problem could be.

 

It took me an age to conclude that I had to do a hard reset whenever it misbehaved, essentially holding down the 'pick-your-satellite' button, for a minute or so. What a palaver.

 

I think we're in the minority, and it seems we must have a temperamental control box. However, that aside, that doesn't excuse the tree problem and sometimes the Camos not picking up satellites even in open spaces.

 

Shaun

 

[trooper]

I have had the 40cm model for 3 years and have found that as long as it has a direct line of site to the satellite it is reliable and fool proof, it has to be for me, wouldn't be without one.I have had it working under trees where there is a gap in the right place.

[davenewellhome]

Shaun: "I have the static 40cm model, which came with the panel van, both of them at just under a year old. I struggled with the Camos and even had the Roadpro chap willing to visit me to sort it out. Two years later and I remain underwhelmed by it."

 

Perhaps you should have had the Roadpro chap out to sort it out while it was still under warranty?

 

D.

[Shaun]

Agreed, Dave, but the guy had to travel some distance and at the time I wasn't convinced it wasn't simply down to me not getting a handle on how it all worked. Frankly, as it came pretty much free with the van - the dealer being pretty clueless as to what it was - I couldn't get too worked up about the free nipple on the roof!

 

Now, a couple of years later, I can circumvent the control box's antics by resetting, but find the ongoing 'correct' positioning of the van in order to get a decent signal, something of a pain.

 

Shaun

[Syd]

This must be unusual or I am very very lucky.

We park up anywhere, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Spain, simply switch on and have NEVER failed to receive programs, agreed tree's do make a huge difference.

If you are having this much trouble surely it would be worth getting in touch with RoadPro and having their local agent have a look at it

[PJay]

Have to say, we think it's very good, true you have to watch for tress, in line of sight. Have been able to get sat in France, Spain and Portugal. Much better than the old Maxview, were we had to line it up, and basiclly "fiddle around" to get reception. We have the 40cm Camos BRILLIANT

PJay

[Shaun]

I am listening to these positives, but in this green and pleasant land of ours, trees are difficult to avoid, especially when the main clubs have set up shop in some picturesque, but woodland-like locations for their sites.

 

Camos literature does clearly state that buildings and trees are likely to adversely affect the signal, so I've never felt it appropriate to complain when this actually does happen!

 

Shaun

[takeaflight]

Hi Shaun

 

Do you sell sat dishes by any chance.

 

Cheers Roy

[Shaun]

Good one, Roy. Nah, I've no experience of other types of satellite TV, so I wouldn't have a clue as to how the different types compare. I'm just speaking as I find.

 

Shaun

[Caroline]

Thanks all, has any one experience of the GPS add on you can get?

[davenewellhome]

Hi Caroline, I don't know of any GPS add on for the Camos dome, what does it do and where have you heard of it please?

 

D.

[tonyishuk]

Could be mixed messages re GPS

 

I think the Camos uses GPS to fix the satellite before using the sat signal, to finally get the fix.

 

Rgds

[Caroline]

I read it in the latest Road Pro Magazine, costs about £250, works of a card!!!. Was not sure about updates, if it was via the saterlite if it would be constantly up dated, this might just be wishful thinking. (!)

[davenewellhome]

Caroline - 2010-04-13 1:11 PM

 

I read it in the latest Road Pro Magazine, costs about £250, works of a card!!!. Was not sure about updates, if it was via the saterlite if it would be constantly up dated, this might just be wishful thinking. (!)

 

Hi Caroline, I've just scoured the Camos dome pages of the current 2010 Roadpro catalogue and I can find no mention of a GPS add on. Can you tell me what page its on please? Also what is it that this GPS add on will do?

 

D.

[Caroline]

Morning

 

Read about it first on page 4 and then again on page 74, I have just looked at the catalogue on line.

 

Caroline

[Dave Newell]

Hi Caroline, what you have been looking at is a stand alone sat nav system made by Camos. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the dome satellite TV system. Nowhere in the Roadpro catalogue does it mention that it is an add on for the dome.

 

D.

[Caroline]

Ah! I was getting worried when some one like you comes back and no's nothing, I just made the connection with the name, shame would have been nice if it was always bang up to date.....I live in a dream world.

 

Thanks for taking the time to look in to it for me, I guess it is not widely known about, looks a bit expensive compared to the more well known systems.

 

Caroline

[davenewellhome]

I am glad we got that sorted out, I was worried that I'd missed something I could be selling :D .

 

D.

[Patricia]

Shaun - 2010-04-11 5:43 PM

 

I am listening to these positives, but in this green and pleasant land of ours, trees are difficult to avoid, especially when the main clubs have set up shop in some picturesque, but woodland-like locations for their sites.

 

Camos literature does clearly state that buildings and trees are likely to adversely affect the signal, so I've never felt it appropriate to complain when this actually does happen!

 

Shaun

 

Buildings and trees will stop the signal no matter which system you use. The dome, being on the roof, has an advantage over ground level systems and I find it brilliant. I have used mine for two years now travelling in the UK, France and Spain and usually find that the dome has latched on to the signal before I have left the driving seat. It has also worked in heavy downpours when the house antenna has lost the signal. At times I have been in heavily wooded areas with no problem but it did let me down once when I was parked next to a sapling! My only reservation is its height which is picked up by the French autoroute technology, incurring an incorrect higher tariff and necessitating a phone call at the unmanned pay booth to rectify the error. Small inconvenience for such a great time and stress saving piece of equipment.