Hardware Models/TracNet 100

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A TracNet 100 next to TracNet branded peripherals

The TracNet 100 is an MSN TV 2 box produced by KVH in 2006 as an internet/media solution for vehicles (primarily RVs and boats/ships). It was part of KVH's TracNet/TracVision product line and featured Verizon EVDO connectivity and an attachable antenna. The initial price of the TracNet 100 was $1,995, including the price of the included antenna, keyboard and WiFi router. You would have to pay $60 to $80 extra for the price of the MSN TV 2 service and Verizon EVDO.

Features

The TracNet 100 shares its main functions with the regular RCA MSN TV 2, but boasts EVDO and the ability to use the box as a hotspot for WiFi-Enabled mobile devices, such as laptops and phones.

Technical

The TracNet 100 has 16 ports. Those ports are VGA, Composite Audio, Composite Video, IR Extender, Phone in, 2 USB ports, 5 Ethernet ports, S-Video, Antenna-in and PCMCIA/PC Card. The PC slot would always be occupied by the (ordered separately, but free) Verizon EVDO card, so it's unknown whether or not regular PC Cards would work with the box. Power had to be manually wired into your vehicle. The front of the box has power and activity LEDs. It is possible that the box operated on a different server than regular MSN TV 2 boxes, because all of the available photos show a slightly customized version of Dialup Home. According to PC Today, "The box features upload and download speeds ranging from 400 to 700Kbps and is capable of reaching up to 2Mbps, and in areas where EVDO is unavailable, the TracNet system automatically switches to standard lxRT cellular data service, which has a maximum upload of 144Kbps and typical speeds of 50 to 80Kbps."

By all technicality, the TracNet 100 is a Kyocera KR1 EVDO router and an MSN TV 2 stacked on top of each other. All of the ports line up, and the MSN TV 2 has an unpopulated VGA header, which was used by KVH for this box. The IR blaster was likely wired into the front IR, and the patch cable between two ethernet ports on the box is likely the only thing connecting the KR1 and the box.

TN100-Back.jpg

A chart of the back of a TracNet 100 Unit

TN100-Front.jpg

A chart of the front of a TracNet 100 Unit

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