Help with tailgating and tv's.

Submitted by no joke its hoke on

I was wondering what you need to pick up the Michigan game on tv if you are tailgating at the golf course or highschool parking lot? I have seen people with tv's tailgating and a group of us are coming up for the Ohio game but dont have any tickets and thought about trying a tv. Thanks for any help and info you guys might have. Go Blue!

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YtownBlue

September 16th, 2011 at 11:22 PM ^

We just started bringing our Sat/TV last Sat. Bought one of those Honda generators and they purr like a kitten, but pricey. Also, bought a kit with a tripod, dish, finder & cable and everything worked great. Took about 1/2 hr to find a good signal and it was raining so that sucked. Watched the O$U/Toledo game on BTN and had about 30 people around us watching

Joined: 06/16/2009

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mgobleu

September 16th, 2011 at 9:22 PM ^

Well, I guess I was thinking about the game tomorrow, which will be on BTN. But I'd think that UM v. Ohio would be on local ABC, in which case, no you wouldn't need a dish. You'd just need a tv with a tuner and a power source.

Joined: 07/02/2008

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Kramer

September 16th, 2011 at 10:10 PM ^

Has anyone on here actually succeeded getting an over the air signal in AA tailgating? I attempted to last weekend while tailgating at the lumberyard and got nothing. And before you ask if it was set up correctly, I did the same set up in Chicago a week prior and had 20+ channels perfect. I re-ran auto program each time and tried multiple antenna settings. I don't know what I could have been doing wrong. As a back up we had a mobile hotspot, laptop and access to a slingbox, but with that many people using phones, etc the service was horrible and unwatchable. I think the only way to go is satellite.

Joined: 11/03/2009

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Max Power

September 16th, 2011 at 9:25 PM ^

Depending on your cable  provider, you might be able to use ESPN3.com instead of a satilite dish...but then again you would need wifi.....or a hot spot....and youd still need a generator....some cash wouldnt hurt either....Not sure its a better idea but Im sure it is an idea.

Joined: 12/13/2009

MGoPoints: 308

Wolverine In Exile

September 16th, 2011 at 9:46 PM ^

and its a BigTen Network / ESPN game, then you're going to have to go for the over-the-web option... one way to do this:

- Have a laptop with a 3G / 4G phone service internet connection through your phone or mobile hotspot, find a stream of the game, then connect your laptop to the TV with the S-video / HDMI / VGA cable. If you have or a friend has a slingbox, this is probably easier and more reliable than trying to find a random stream on a sketchy website.

 

If the game is on ABC, you'll be able to pick it up just fine on a digital TV with an over the air antenna. You can pick up one of those power converters from Radio Shack / AutoZone that converts your cigarette lighter in your car to a AC outlet.. you jsut have to know how many watts your TV pulls and know hte max output of the adapter so that you don't blow either one out.

Otherwise, just tailgate before hand, and when  you're ready to focus on the game, walk to a campus bar... if you're east of State St by Yost / field Hockey field, then head to one of the bars at corner of State & Packard. If you're at the Golf Course or west of the stadium, walk up Main St to one of the bars.

Joined: 11/08/2008

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jcgary

September 16th, 2011 at 11:25 PM ^

We use a satellite dish.  If any of your friends have Directv or Dish Network you can just bring one of their boxes and find a cheap satellite dish and stand on ebay.  Point it in the right direction and you are good to go.  The power source is the hardest part.  You can run off your car battery but I wouldn't suggest that.  I would suggest either the honda generator that was pictured above or a marine battery with an inverter.  In the Crisler lot we have had no problem getting a signal on our rabbit ears either.  

Good Luck! 

Joined: 07/28/2008

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bikethedistance

September 16th, 2011 at 11:49 PM ^

But this didn't merit its own thread and sorta (not really), fits in here.

Does the BTN have a coverage map for which game will be shown for where you live? I spend a little bit of time looking and couldn't find anything, and my cablebox just says "Michigan/EMU or Purdue/SE Missouri."

I'm assuming I'll get  the Michigan game since nobody outside of Illinois cares much for Purdue (I'm in PA), but I would just like to know if I have to go to a bar tomorrow for the game.

Joined: 02/09/2010

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