off grid alternatives to cable and satellite?

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  • DConlyGuy
    DConlyGuy Registered Users Posts: 80 ✭✭
    this is a picture of my rasrasberry pie 3 this little computer only cost me 33 bucks and you put linux on it and can run it off usb power. i made this post using it
    600 watts of solar panels,Epever 30 mppt , 2 PWHR12500W4FR battery's in 24 volt setup
  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
    edited December 2016 #33
    For example, if you have an Android device (Tablet) go to google store and search for "PHONE' Apps there are,  hundreds, I use one and it is great and a lot cheaper than the old Quallcom Satellite phone...
    Looked like a great idea until I got this message:

    Oops...


    Unfortunately, we were unable to register your Talkatone account.

    Please contact Talkatone Support at support@talkatone.com for assistance.

    I am shocked that technology failed to deliver.........

    EDIT: Well it seems to work OK. Allowed me to hear how really terrible my phone connection is. Also that my smartphone service no longer carries my customized message. I hate technology when it is backfiring. Which is quite often.
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
    cisco_ken said:
    Netflix now offers you the ability to download a show to your tablet or phone and watch it later on your TV. Even with a slow ISP this should solve your problem.
    I am so shocked that my tablet quit beaming Netflix downloads to my Roku after *one movie*.

    Is it merely a coincidence that debt has skyrocketed as micro technology continues its inexorable march? Through the mud.........
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    I use Google Hangouts DIALER  for outgoing calls only, not the Hangouts faux Social media part, and apart from a 1950's delay sometimes it is clear and stable.. might work for you too?


     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
    I use Google Hangouts DIALER  for outgoing calls only, not the Hangouts faux Social media part, and apart from a 1950's delay sometimes it is clear and stable.. might work for you too?


    Thanks! Google Hangouts has earned a 4.0 star rating. ZenUi Dialer has earned 4.5 stars. Inclined to give ZenUi a shot at 4.5 stars.
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    DConlyGuy said:
    this is a picture of my rasrasberry pie 3 this little computer only cost me 33 bucks and you put linux on it and can run it off usb power. i made this post using it

    Just curious what browser you're using?
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
  • DConlyGuy
    DConlyGuy Registered Users Posts: 80 ✭✭
    edited December 2016 #38
    linux version of chrome called chromium  plus look up retropie for it too this little thing can do so much for such a cheap little computer 
    600 watts of solar panels,Epever 30 mppt , 2 PWHR12500W4FR battery's in 24 volt setup
  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
    DConlyGuy said:
    this is a picture of my rasrasberry pie 3 this little computer only cost me 33 bucks and you put linux on it and can run it off usb power. i made this post using it
    Without a screen, how does it do much of use? Attached to a smartphone? Lost on something.....
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
  • DConlyGuy
    DConlyGuy Registered Users Posts: 80 ✭✭
    edited December 2016 #40
    it uses hdmi so you can hook it up to anything that has hdmi, power is just mini usb 5 volts and it has built in wifi the hard drive for it is micro sd card
    600 watts of solar panels,Epever 30 mppt , 2 PWHR12500W4FR battery's in 24 volt setup
  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    Is it capable of being used as a Server? Seems like it could...
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
  • DConlyGuy
    DConlyGuy Registered Users Posts: 80 ✭✭
    id go here to really learn about what it can do  https://www.raspberrypi.org/
    600 watts of solar panels,Epever 30 mppt , 2 PWHR12500W4FR battery's in 24 volt setup
  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    DConlyGuy, I looked quickly at the HELP section and the Video section, at the bottom,  takes one to another page and then says the Vimeo videos are gone but "go Here" then  when you click on the link there is a black screen...???
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
    edited December 2016 #45
    I am asking a rasberry seller what makes his unit "camera ready." Waiting for a response...

    EDIT: Seller says it has "camera interface". I'm not sure what that means...
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
  • DConlyGuy
    DConlyGuy Registered Users Posts: 80 ✭✭
    edited December 2016 #46
    it does have a camera plug in as you can see in this picture. the box i have for it came with heat sinks and the fan and box for 6 bucks it also has a play for a led screen to hook directly to it but i have no clue on how the camera or the display works. i just know for the 33 bucks it a little amazing computer
    600 watts of solar panels,Epever 30 mppt , 2 PWHR12500W4FR battery's in 24 volt setup
  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
    The 5 MP camera and cable are less than $20. I could not resist this computer and may try out the camera after I have tried out the computer for a bit.

    All of the mainstream products double as surveillance toys of Big Brother complete with "more back doors than an NFL stadium. Making me not so much of a fan. Surveillance is little more than high tech hunting done by predators regarding their chosen "prey".  We can be sure this little beauty will also have back doors. The surveillance community currently dominates online discussions of Linux. One can buy a lot of brains with tens of billions of borrowed money...

    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
  • St8kout
    St8kout Registered Users Posts: 33 ✭✭

    On a side note you didn't mention OTA (over the air) broadcasts. I come across people all the time who grew up with cable and don't seem to know that you can receive HDTV network broadcasts with an outside antenna (depending on how far away from the city you live). So if you got nothing but Netflix..... Just sayin.'

  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
    St8kout said:

    On a side note you didn't mention OTA (over the air) broadcasts. I come across people all the time who grew up with cable and don't seem to know that you can receive HDTV network broadcasts with an outside antenna (depending on how far away from the city you live). So if you got nothing but Netflix..... Just sayin.'

    Good thought but UHF/VHF are not effective at crossing mountain peaks then descending into a valley. My ex-neighbor tried a giant antennae and got a few local Spanish channels. That was it ... as I recall. He was trying to learn Spanish and was quite pleased with himself.
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
  • St8kout
    St8kout Registered Users Posts: 33 ✭✭
    edited December 2016 #50

    So you are REALLY remote. Yeah, you pretty much need line-of-sight for TV broadcasts.

    I had thought about buying a house in Mt Charleston, about an hour's drive from Vegas (mountain top living with the big city nearby) but the thought of having to drive that far for even a gallon of milk or whatever turned me away. (They don't allow any stores or even gas stations up there).


  • Marc Kurth
    Marc Kurth Solar Expert Posts: 1,142 ✭✭✭✭
    Mt. Charleston used to be an undiscovered gem when I hiked there in the 70's. I loved the canyons.
    I always have more questions than answers. That's the nature of life.
  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
    Heh....I just bought 10 gallons of milk and threw 8 in the freezer. One learns to adapt after spending thousands on supplies so one doesn't have to drive to the hardware store every few days. While I was at it, I decided I might as well prep for tumultuous times since I was already 1/2 way there. Every day I wonder if that was a good idea. Sometimes it seems...yes. Other times?

    Now....I'm the hardware store.
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
  • just starting
    just starting Registered Users Posts: 235 ✭✭✭
    Have a b+ pi it's my plan to use a 50' antenna with the pi using a Linux kudos server to record to a hard drive and let the kids transfer to tablets. They have cool accessories like a ups so it All ways has power I like the rpi900.i have not bought yet has cool options and a 900mhz transmitter. And you can run it off its own 12 v system. With a small 35 ah battery and panel even get a touch screen that's HDMI so cool.
    200ah LiFePO4 24v Electrodacus Sbms40 quad breaker chest freezer to fridge- Samlex PST 1524 - Samlex pst3024  - 1hp shallow well pump-Marey 4.3 GPM on demand waterheater - mama bear Fisher wood burning stove, 30" fridgarair oven ,fridegaire dishwasher  Unique 290l stainless D.C. Fridge-unique 120l portable fridge/freezer 
  • WaterWheel
    WaterWheel Registered Users Posts: 375 ✭✭✭
    If you've got fast internet Sling TV may be an option.

    Conext XW6848 with PDP, SCP, 80/600 controller, 60/150 controller and Conext battery monitor

    21 SW280 panels on Schletter ground mount

    48v Rolls 6CS 27P

  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
    If you've got fast internet Sling TV may be an option.
    I think that starts at about $20/mt? Wonder why people don't talk about it like they do with Netflix.
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
  • WaterWheel
    WaterWheel Registered Users Posts: 375 ✭✭✭
    From what I understand about Sling TV it is new and constantly streams a set channel like the History channel.       I think Netflix is more of a pick one movie and watch it.       

    But I don't have either so maybe others who have one or the other can chime in on this discussion. 

    Conext XW6848 with PDP, SCP, 80/600 controller, 60/150 controller and Conext battery monitor

    21 SW280 panels on Schletter ground mount

    48v Rolls 6CS 27P

  • inetdog
    inetdog Solar Expert Posts: 3,123 ✭✭✭✭
    well out here at the end of 200 miles of road and down an isolated valley, we don't have much choice...  so it is one of 2 sat. connection  companies...  There is a new option coming soon (To a ______ near you) that promises to be faster and  a bit cheaper..

    Anyway,  look for Waking the Dead, a British series about a Cold Case Squad..  good series!

    Look for " KNOWlledge - Programs"   https://www.knowledge.ca/schedule



    well out here at the end of 200 miles of road and down an isolated valley, we don't have much choice...  so it is one of 2 sat. connection  companies...  There is a new option coming soon (To a ______ near you) that promises to be faster and  a bit cheaper..

    Anyway,  look for Waking the Dead, a British series about a Cold Case Squad..  good series!

    Look for " KNOWlledge - Programs"   https://www.knowledge.ca/schedule


    For all of you who are in marginal reception areas for broadcast TV, the site http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper is an invaluable resource.
    It gives directions and strengths calculated on the basis of actual topography. One of the more interesting facts that comes out is that "sharp" hills and mountains will actually difract a substantial signal into the line of sight shadow on the far side.
    Knowing the correspondence between nominal channel and RF channel will allow you to manually program marginal stations into your TV set instead of being at the mercy of the signal strength at the moment you are trying to "learn" the channels.
    And if you have more than ten feet of coax between you and the antenna a good low noise preamp mounted at the antenna can make a world of difference, especially for TVs that have a poor RF stage.

    SMA SB 3000, old BP panels.
  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
    inetdog said:
    well out here at the end of 200 miles of road and down an isolated valley, we don't have much choice...  so it is one of 2 sat. connection  companies...  There is a new option coming soon (To a ______ near you) that promises to be faster and  a bit cheaper..

    Anyway,  look for Waking the Dead, a British series about a Cold Case Squad..  good series!

    Look for " KNOWlledge - Programs"   https://www.knowledge.ca/schedule



    well out here at the end of 200 miles of road and down an isolated valley, we don't have much choice...  so it is one of 2 sat. connection  companies...  There is a new option coming soon (To a ______ near you) that promises to be faster and  a bit cheaper..

    Anyway,  look for Waking the Dead, a British series about a Cold Case Squad..  good series!

    Look for " KNOWlledge - Programs"   https://www.knowledge.ca/schedule


    For all of you who are in marginal reception areas for broadcast TV, the site http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper is an invaluable resource.
    It gives directions and strengths calculated on the basis of actual topography. One of the more interesting facts that comes out is that "sharp" hills and mountains will actually difract a substantial signal into the line of sight shadow on the far side.
    Knowing the correspondence between nominal channel and RF channel will allow you to manually program marginal stations into your TV set instead of being at the mercy of the signal strength at the moment you are trying to "learn" the channels.
    And if you have more than ten feet of coax between you and the antenna a good low noise preamp mounted at the antenna can make a world of difference, especially for TVs that have a poor RF stage.

    Thanks for the solid effort. They want me to torrent coverage from Denver. I have absolutelygivenuponontechnology at this moment in time. Cause nothing is dependable for me. #sob
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries