Satellite TV subscriptions are great, especially if you live out past where the sidewalks end, beyond the reach of cable services. But its not so great when you want to go somewhere else. You cant exactly bring down your dish antenna and take it with you. At least you couldnt until now. DISH Network is now offering their new Tailgater that lets you bring your great television content with you to the great outdoors.

Actually, portable satellite antennas are not new, but it is convenient to get one from the same company that provides the service. The Tailgater costs $350, and youll need a set top box to go with it; DISH Network's ViP 211k single-tuner HD receiver will tack on another $150 to the price tag. The good news is that you can use your existing DISH Network account, or if you dont have one, you can get month-to-month service so you dont have to pay for the system when youre not using it. The Tailgater can automatically find the available satellites for your location, and you dont need to worry about aiming the device in the right direction. The system runs on standard 110 volt AC household electricity, but you can run it on a 12 volt DC current such as from a car or boat with an inverter or you can use a portable generator to drive it.

As the name implies, this setup could be the ideal entertainment addition to your tailgate party plans. With a big enough screen (or projector), you might even find that the view from the parking lot is so good that you never even bother going into the stadium to find your seats!