Complete Review- Fortec Star Mercury II

[IA6Newspath]

A couple more quick questions about the receiver...

I noticed that the language selection comes up each time I turn on the receiver. Is there a way to disable this, or will it go away automatically after a certain number of on/off cycles?

Also, I noticed that by factory default, all Ku satellite entries are listed as Universal LNB as opposed to LNB-10750. Is there a way to change all listings from Universal to 10750 all at once, or does this need to be done one listing at a time?

I haven't had a chance to hook up the receiver to my dish yet, but I'll probably have time for that tomorrow. However, so far I'm liking the menu layouts.

 

[drhydro]

Once you actually set up an antenna and scan in some channels the language selection will go away.

I also noticed that all KU satellite entries are listed as universal by default, I think the only way to change them is one at a time as you mentioned.

Hope you enjoy your new reciever as much as I am enjoying mine :-D

 

[Mr Tony]

I know on my Fortec Classic it defualts to UNI for LNB too

 

[Sadoun]

All Fortec receivers default to UNIVERSAL lnbf by design since Fortec sells UNIVERSAL LNBFs only. By having the receiver default to UNIVERSAL, our regular customer who usually buys a complete system (receiver,dish,LNBF) will not get confused.

 

[Mr Tony]

Glad to know that Sadoun

 

[Labgate]

Hello


Thanks for a great review. I'm looking for a receiver right now, my question is : does it handle 4:2:2 ?

Best regards

Labgate

 

[drhydro]

Hello


Thanks for a great review. I'm looking for a receiver right now, my question is : does it handle 4:2:2 ?

Best regards

Labgate

Hi Labgate,
Sorry to say, but no the Mercury II does not support 4:2:2.
Have a happy 4th,
Doc

 

[Labgate]

Thanks

I may try it anyway.

Labgate

 

[linuxman]

Hi Doc,

Nice thorough reveiw. I have a couple of questions since I am in the market for another receiver.

1. Have they ever gotten the blind scan glitch straightened out?
2. Is it compatible with Channel Master either directly, or indirectly?

Fred

 

[updatelee]

channel master does not currently support fortec mercury at all I have no way of getting my fortec scan from the ird to channel master, fortec does have a channel editor app, but it doesnt have an export function.

 

[linuxman]

Thanks for the info.

That's what I wanted to know.

Fred

 

[kstuart]

Fortec have a software update on their web site (http://www.fortecstar.com) v1.3.3 "Improved Closed Captions".

A review of the Mercury II from Tele Satellite Magazine, with color pictures, reproduced with permission, can be found at:

http://64.78.51.244/download/TELE-satelliteMIIarticle.pdf

 

[SatAdam]

I like my Mercury II, You also have a multi satellite scan that will move your dish to all the programmed satellites and blind scan them. Very slick.

 

[Lucky53]

Been using my Merc.II for about 2 weeks now on C-Band fta...Just wondering if any other users are experiencing epg problems..can't seem to get a dam thing with mine..very disappointing..any comments on this issue..

 

[Mr Tony]

Very few channels show EPG on this side of globe. Remember, most of the channels beamed up we are not their intended audience

 

[Lucky53]

Very few channels show EPG on this side of globe. Remember, most of the channels beamed up we are not their intended audience

OK...Thanks for the quick reply!!

 

[drhydro]

I just noticed something kinda cool on my merc II. The signal strength meter actually seems to mean something :-D I had about 1' of snow on my 6' c band dish, when i checked signal quality it was zero. The neat thing was, signal strength was also zero. As soon as I cleared off the snow signal strength jumped to 70% and signal quality to 67% (normal).

 

[Mr Tony]

Doc I misread the post. I thought you said one inch of snow and I was like "damn...I had 6 inches of snow on mine and the signal worked"

Then I saw one foot

 

[drhydro]

Doc I misread the post. I thought you said one inch of snow and I was like "damn...I had 6 inches of snow on mine and the signal worked"

Then I saw one foot

Tony,
I might have had more than that, the bottom 50% of the dish was completely level with snow, ie: it was no longer parabolic lol. I have some pics i took today of my snowbound dishs, will post them in the fta shack. Last storm we had dumped 32-36" of snow on us.

I was really suprised to see 0-3% signal strength on my merc II this morning, the only time i have seen that on any of my recievers is when there is no LNB hooked up.

 

[kstuart]

Been using my Merc.II for about 2 weeks now on C-Band fta...Just wondering if any other users are experiencing epg problems..can't seem to get a dam thing with mine..very disappointing..any comments on this issue..

If you tune to the 4 Bob Jones Home Schooling Educational Channels on 97degreesWest (G25/IA5), those show an EPG in the Mercury II - the only ones I have seen with an EPG that are FTA.
The Channels are called Channel 1 (2,3,4) on transponder 11749/v/7232, should come up in any scan of the satellite or transponder.
The transponder should come up on just about any FTA dish, the strength is pretty good.