posted
Had a person call today and want a DataStorm for a few months until 'Ray Baughn' (spelling unknown) was released later this year. Supposedly now working in Europe and being introduced here this year. She thought it will be the top system with only a small antenna on the roof ;-) for both up and down loading. It didn't sound like a real satellite system but I was wondering if anyone has heard of it????
Don
Posts: 3414 | From: Eugene, OR | Registered: Jun 2004
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Here's a clue....Satellite broadcasts cannot be done with a whip antenna. More likely it is the high touted, but poorly produced, high speed cellular.
-------------------- Bill Adams Winegard Company Posts: 15778 | From: Traveling the Western US | Registered: May 2003
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Sounds like a mixing of RaySat and Databahn. There are a remarkable number of people who are convinced that Raysat's phased array dish will actually transmit, even though the company does not say it will anywhere I've seen.
Others are convinced that the Databahn will be a really small dish solution.
posted
Don, People are confused by RaySat's claims because RaySat does claim that their phased array antenna will transmit. I was there at CES when they said it. There are 4 PA antennas under the dome and the 4th one was for the transmission.
-------------------- Bill Adams Winegard Company Posts: 15778 | From: Traveling the Western US | Registered: May 2003
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I know one of the people who works there. She used to be a national sales manager for Winegard. She confirmed at the CES show that the RaySat would both send and receive satellite internet through the phased array antennas. Now I understand that she was simply repeating the company line, but I stood there and listened to the president of the company explain the same thing to some other visitors to their booth. You and I both know that there is not currently any affordable technology that could make this a reality but that was the company line at CES.
-------------------- Bill Adams Winegard Company Posts: 15778 | From: Traveling the Western US | Registered: May 2003
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Thanks Bill & DonB, after reading some of the posts I'm sure it was the RaySat system she was referring to. They must have given an impressive sales pitch at the CES show. She was more than sold on it! It's really to bad because she has a need for internet now and it sounds like RaySat will NOT be superior to DataStorm.
Posts: 3414 | From: Eugene, OR | Registered: Jun 2004
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They have been working on this system for over 4 years and still have not been able to get a product to market that is affordable. The system will work and currently is working on some mobile platforms like trains and planes, but the modem costs $20,000. That's one big hurdle to overcome.
-------------------- Bill Adams Winegard Company Posts: 15778 | From: Traveling the Western US | Registered: May 2003
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The only system that they have "currently working" is the rail-car mounted TorpedoRay. As a system that actually exists, there is more information available, and it most definitely is not two-way satellite. It is satellite download, and uses cellular upload. It also uses cellular download when the satellite is blocked by tunnels and other obstructions.
The problem with the SpeedRay (automotive) and EagleRay (next generation rail) is that they are extremely close-mouthed in writing about how it works. Verbal can always be denied in the future as a "misunderstanding."
There's a technological disconnect in what they tell us. The TV version of the SpeedRay does have some information available, and from that we know it needs a Ku signal in excess of 52 dBW. The internet product is supposed to work "with any existing internet service." Look at the footprints and tell me how and where you are going to have 52 dBW!
posted
Sorry, my post was not meant to say that RaySat had such a system, but I was under the impression that these "kinds" of 2-way mobile internet connections do exist in some form.
-------------------- Bill Adams Winegard Company Posts: 15778 | From: Traveling the Western US | Registered: May 2003
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I haven't been able to find any system that "for sure" does 2-way connections with a Geo satellite, which is the only way to get reasonable costs. It's also what most of us mean here by 2-way; I'm sure you would agree.
Looking at the new commercial aircraft and marine systems, for example. First is Inmarsat, and there's no question that they are not truly broadband and have high per minute charges.
Second is Connexion by Boeing. They don't say what they use, but they have high download and low upload, with high costs, so you pretty much have to figure the return channel is sat-phone-like. The just-announced pricing for the marine Boeing product is $2800 per month, for which you get up to 5mbps down and 256k up, and it includes 2000 minutes. After that, $1.25 per minute.
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