That power consumption is really good. My standard consumes ~65w when turned on. So ~23w is a 2.8x reduction. The speeds you're getting are about the same as what I get from my Standard. I rarely see anything above 150mbps.
Good video folks. Thanks for sharing the experiences. It helps with my decision to go forward with the mini. You mentioned losing signal while under tress. I expect that'll happen frequently with me too, especially being frequently off grid. I'm wondering if getting a second dish that can be moved to a wider-space location for such instances. Bernie, from Alberta, CANADA.
Hello! Thanks for the feedback and the question. I think it depends on where you are going. If you are boondocking and there is a clear area nearby, why not just move your van to it? Then no need for another antenna. Personally I would just manage the fixed antenna, or get the portable antenna and set it up when you park. But not both. Thanks for watching!
The minimum voltage the mini requires is 12v. Depending on the draw and size and length of your cable, i the voltage can drop below the minimum requirement. Adding a 12-24v boost converter in between will ensure you don't drop below that minimum voltage.
Most of those boost converters are roughly 80-85% efficient in the real world. If you can size the wire and length to reduce the voltage drop, straight 12v is the most battery efficient way to run the Mini, especially if you are out for extended period of time and every watt matters. It use straight 12v with my Mini and it works perfectly if you size the wire and distance appropriately.
This is what I call a very useful video. Thank you. I do have flat mount standard Starlink which works awesome. However, like yours, I have a small RV and the bulky router takes too much space in the back, I am thinking of switching to Starlink Mini, do you have any thoughts? Any ideas of how much performance I would lose?
Hello! Thanks for watching and your feedback is really appreciated. It takes quite a bit of time to do these videos. As far as your question, if you can afford it, I would just go with the mini and drop the separate router. You will save space and use less power. For a small van that makes sense to me. I can't compare bandwidth but others have suggested it is similar between the mini and traditional. Thanks again and safe travels!
Question. How is the WiFi signal in your van ha in the Mini outside of it? My concern is can it penetrate the tin can? Since the router is outside in the mini. We’ve been full time in our Sprinter for almost 3yrs running a Flat mounted Gen two on the roof. I like the idea of saving a bit of power with the mini. Thanks for the video. Sub’d ❤
Hello! Thanks for watching and for the question. We did not notice any degradation using the wifi inside the van. Our antenna is mounted towards the back of the roof and we had plenty of signal even up front in the seats while driving. Thanks for the sub, it is appreciated! Hope that helps.
Currently in my RV I'm using the high performance dish. I'm going to be downsizing from my super c motorhome and my only concern is while camping under moderate trees the high performance dish still works while my neighbor with the mini gets nothing. Have you experienced this?
Hello! Thanks for the question. When we parked the van under majority tree cover, we were unable to get service. When we had partial cover, often it would work. I have no basis to compare the high performance antenna to the mini, but it sounds like you had a good comparison your neighbor. Thanks for watching and good luck!
i have about version 3 starlink at my house. i'll be traveling through alaska in the spring. so i think i'll buy mini-star link and hook it into my van. no problem. However, when i get home I want to get rid of my home starlink and use the van mini-starlink system...get rid of the main house starlink. the only problem i see is cost. $150 per month instead of $120 ? i wonder if starlink will let me keep both at $150 instead of just the mini-starlink?
Hi there! Thanks for watching and sharing your thinking. I can't comment on what Starlink might allow, but I understand the home Starlink is both faster and has a higher priority for data, and it costs less. So I am not sure I would permanently switch to mini for your home. I might suggest leave home as it is and get mini for your trip. With a Roam plan you can pay $50 a month for 50GB of data while travelling (and pay extra for more data if needed). When you get home you can pause your plan and you don't pay $50 until you need it for another trip, at which time you could turn it back on. You will continue to save the $30 plan difference with your home plan intact vs the $150 mini plan. You have the 1-time cost of the mini antenna but sounds like you will buy that anyway. If you will never need the mini for another van trip I see there is a way to sell your antenna to someone else. Just some things to think about. Thanks again for watching!
Hello! Thanks for watching! We were out for the Bear 100. There is some footage of that race in our other video ua-cam.com/video/zB-ERDEDuP8/v-deo.html. Hopefully our runner will get to go to Western States one of these days. Take care!
Hello! Thanks for watching and for the question! We do fine sleeping in the Pocket. There is not a lot of extra room but it works well for us and we are very comfortable. It is a nice upgrade from our old pop-top pickup truck camper, or a tent. I have read about people building an extension so the bed sticks out a little further into the cargo door area. Maybe that would help. Best of luck!
Thanks. I’ll be setting up my Mini in the next few days.
Awesome! Hope it works out well for you.
That power consumption is really good. My standard consumes ~65w when turned on. So ~23w is a 2.8x reduction. The speeds you're getting are about the same as what I get from my Standard. I rarely see anything above 150mbps.
That is great info for other viewers thank you for sharing, and watching!
Excellent show. Enjoyed the star link test
Your feedback is really appreciated, thank you for watching.
Good video folks. Thanks for sharing the experiences. It helps with my decision to go forward with the mini.
You mentioned losing signal while under tress. I expect that'll happen frequently with me too, especially being frequently off grid. I'm wondering if getting a second dish that can be moved to a wider-space location for such instances.
Bernie, from Alberta, CANADA.
Hello! Thanks for the feedback and the question. I think it depends on where you are going. If you are boondocking and there is a clear area nearby, why not just move your van to it? Then no need for another antenna. Personally I would just manage the fixed antenna, or get the portable antenna and set it up when you park. But not both. Thanks for watching!
The minimum voltage the mini requires is 12v. Depending on the draw and size and length of your cable, i the voltage can drop below the minimum requirement. Adding a 12-24v boost converter in between will ensure you don't drop below that minimum voltage.
Thanks for watching and for adding that useful info. That may be what was happening with my longer auto extension cable.
Most of those boost converters are roughly 80-85% efficient in the real world. If you can size the wire and length to reduce the voltage drop, straight 12v is the most battery efficient way to run the Mini, especially if you are out for extended period of time and every watt matters. It use straight 12v with my Mini and it works perfectly if you size the wire and distance appropriately.
This is what I call a very useful video. Thank you. I do have flat mount standard Starlink which works awesome. However, like yours, I have a small RV and the bulky router takes too much space in the back, I am thinking of switching to Starlink Mini, do you have any thoughts? Any ideas of how much performance I would lose?
Hello! Thanks for watching and your feedback is really appreciated. It takes quite a bit of time to do these videos. As far as your question, if you can afford it, I would just go with the mini and drop the separate router. You will save space and use less power. For a small van that makes sense to me. I can't compare bandwidth but others have suggested it is similar between the mini and traditional. Thanks again and safe travels!
@@Outapkt Thank you and appreciate your quick response...you guys are awesome!
Question. How is the WiFi signal in your van ha in the Mini outside of it? My concern is can it penetrate the tin can? Since the router is outside in the mini. We’ve been full time in our Sprinter for almost 3yrs running a Flat mounted Gen two on the roof. I like the idea of saving a bit of power with the mini. Thanks for the video. Sub’d ❤
Hello! Thanks for watching and for the question. We did not notice any degradation using the wifi inside the van. Our antenna is mounted towards the back of the roof and we had plenty of signal even up front in the seats while driving. Thanks for the sub, it is appreciated! Hope that helps.
Currently in my RV I'm using the high performance dish. I'm going to be downsizing from my super c motorhome and my only concern is while camping under moderate trees the high performance dish still works while my neighbor with the mini gets nothing. Have you experienced this?
Hello! Thanks for the question. When we parked the van under majority tree cover, we were unable to get service. When we had partial cover, often it would work. I have no basis to compare the high performance antenna to the mini, but it sounds like you had a good comparison your neighbor. Thanks for watching and good luck!
i have about version 3 starlink at my house. i'll be traveling through alaska in the spring. so i think i'll buy mini-star link and hook it into my van. no problem. However, when i get home I want to
get rid of my home starlink and use the van mini-starlink system...get rid of the main house starlink. the only problem i see is cost. $150 per month instead of $120 ? i wonder if starlink will let
me keep both at $150 instead of just the mini-starlink?
Hi there! Thanks for watching and sharing your thinking. I can't comment on what Starlink might allow, but I understand the home Starlink is both faster and has a higher priority for data, and it costs less. So I am not sure I would permanently switch to mini for your home. I might suggest leave home as it is and get mini for your trip. With a Roam plan you can pay $50 a month for 50GB of data while travelling (and pay extra for more data if needed). When you get home you can pause your plan and you don't pay $50 until you need it for another trip, at which time you could turn it back on. You will continue to save the $30 plan difference with your home plan intact vs the $150 mini plan. You have the 1-time cost of the mini antenna but sounds like you will buy that anyway. If you will never need the mini for another van trip I see there is a way to sell your antenna to someone else. Just some things to think about. Thanks again for watching!
Were you out west for western states ?
Hello! Thanks for watching! We were out for the Bear 100. There is some footage of that race in our other video ua-cam.com/video/zB-ERDEDuP8/v-deo.html. Hopefully our runner will get to go to Western States one of these days. Take care!
I also have a pocket. Do you both fit in the bed ? I find it impossible to sleep when I bring my wife along.
Hello! Thanks for watching and for the question! We do fine sleeping in the Pocket. There is not a lot of extra room but it works well for us and we are very comfortable. It is a nice upgrade from our old pop-top pickup truck camper, or a tent. I have read about people building an extension so the bed sticks out a little further into the cargo door area. Maybe that would help. Best of luck!