How to Get Satellite TV on Your Boat

DISH and DIRECTV each excel in different areas. Let’s run down some of the pros and cons of each.

For sports fans, it doesn’t get a whole lot better than DIRECTV. The provider has a larger number of dedicated sports channels than DISH, and more channels overall.

Just know that you might miss games that are broadcast on local channels, depending on where your boat is located. Local channels on satellite TV operate using spot beams to the intended area and can be picked up only if you’re within a few hundred miles of the target area.

DIRECTV also offers a great package selection, with everything from budget plans that start at $44.99 per month^† up to top-tier packages that include premium channels like HBO®.

Read frequently asked questions about DIRECTV.

DISH has a solid number of channels to choose from and the top-tier packages are reasonably priced at just $94.99 per month.*

It does require a two-year contract, but the upshot of that is the prices are locked for two years, whereas with DIRECTV you’ll see a price hike after one year of service. DISH also scores well in customer service and customer satisfaction surveys.

The best part of DISH, though, is the DVR. We think the Hopper 3 is the best on the market by far. It has tons of storage space and the ability to record up to 16 shows at once, so you can load it up with content to watch while you’re out enjoying the high seas.

Read frequently asked questions about DISH.

Most satellite dishes—even “fully automatic” ones like the DISH Playmaker from Winegard—are designed to be used when stationary. The automatic satellite tracking on these dishes is more like automatic satellite finding—it will lock onto a satellite, but it won’t follow the satellite if the dish moves. Since a boat is constantly moving—even when anchored—this is a problem.

You’ll have to pay a lot to get a dish that’s constantly tracking. Most cost around $1,500 and some even go up to $13,000. If you just want to watch while docked, you can get away with a cheaper model. But if your goal is to catch the big game on the open ocean, it’s going to cost you.

The size of the satellite dish doesn’t make much difference on land, but it can be important on the water. Satellite TV providers aim their satellite signals toward land masses to maximize signal strength where the bulk of customers are, so the farther away from land you are, the weaker the signal gets. Larger dishes are more sensitive, so you can get a stronger signal when you’re out at sea.

If you want HD channels, check the specs for any dishes you’re looking at to verify it supports HD. This is mainly an issue with DIRECTV: many dishes that support both DISH and DIRECTV can pick up DIRECTV in only SD. If you want to watch DIRECTV in HD, look for a dish that explicitly says it works with DIRECTV HD signals.

If you’re planning on sailing to Europe or South America, your satellite TV may not work. Many dishes have components that are localized to a specific region, and they won’t decode satellite signals from other areas. This component is called the LNB, or low noise block, and it’s what converts the satellite signal into something usable by set-top boxes and DVRs.

If you plan on doing a lot of traveling between different regions, consider a dish that has an LNB that works across different regions. You won’t have access to your US-based satellite TV plan, but you can pick up regional international networks.

Yes, you can get both DIRECTV and DISH satellite TV on a boat. You’ll need a special (and expensive) marine satellite dish designed for use on a boat and compatible with either DISH or DIRECTV, but it’s absolutely possible.

You need three things to get DIRECTV on a boat: a DIRECTV package, a marine satellite dish that’s compatible with DIRECTV, and a set-top box or DVR that’s compatible with DIRECTV.

The best marine TV antennas are made by Garmin, Intellian, and KVH. For stationary antennas to use while you’re docked, Winegard is the gold standard.

A satellite TV package for a boat can run around $125 per month, and the marine satellite TV dish can cost several thousand dollars (up to $13,000 in some cases), depending on the model you go with.