If You Had to Buy a New FTA Receiver

[stogie5150]

What would you buy and why? I like my CS 5K and the Sonicview is a hacker's box I've established that, but if I were to want a new box that was good with a motor, good blind scan, and good PQ, what would ya buy and why?

Also considering buying a Vbox for my BUD, this Toshiba is just too clunky. I need something a little more user-friendly since my wife is going to be learning the in's and out's of FTA since we dropped D*.

Be frank, I can take it.

 

[Anole]

If all my FTA hardware were stolen or blew up tomorrow, I'd buy the VisionSat IV200, as reviewed by Iceberg.
It seems to blind scan, it can record, and there don't seem to be any significant negatives.
The price is even modest, ranging from $140 to $160, last I looked.

I'd like a hi def receiver, but the stuff that is in hi def are feeds that I don't really want to watch.
There's nothing else available to watch that appeals to me.
As for PBS, I got several PBS locals, and get them in hi def already.
Plus, most hi def receivers don't record, and I'm never going anywhere without record capability, again!

But that's just my opinion, as it suits my taste.
Lots of folks don't know what they're missing without record capability, so their loss.
Some are sports fans who'd love the feeds in HD.

And yes, I had already come to this conclusion months ago.
Just don't shove a Visonsat in front of me for too low a price, or I might have to pounce on it!

 

[gabshere]

depends on your needs
ok you already have a coolsat 5k ( which i like the menu system and it has a 5 yr warrenty if you buy from a authorized dealer)
you have the sonicview....... reason i'm saying this is you should be able to use a loader and swap channel list between them if you got another ( i know i have two coolsats)

i like the ability of using a channel editor and cleaning up my channel list no matter how much scanning i do ( and pushing it to both boxes )

now i do have a traxis 3500 and like everything about it (the menu system takes a bit of getting used to ) the ac-3 thing ( doesn't work yet) the remote is basic and not layed out near as well as the coolsats but the traxis 3500 is everybit as fast or faster scanning than the coolsat. and its low priced at $80.

now i'm currently using my coolsat with my other as backup and dish tuner and the traxis 3500 sits idle. you are welcome to test drive it if you want.
to see if you like it.

 

[stogie5150]

I have been snooping around on new orleans craigslist tonight and someone has Coolsat 6k's for 160.00. That price includes shipping...but I googled his number and it is fairly close to my house, might be worth a drive, wave some cash in his face, say 140.00, and see what happens....

I am getting ready to buy a Gateway AMD 6000+ computer this weekend with a HD OTA tuner card and all the goodies...I'll have HD covered. I just want a good box with a motor that isn't too complicated.

 

[Mr Tony]

stogie
I personally like the Coolsat 5000 I have. Fast blind scan, been running a motor now for 2 years and easy to use options. Sure the meter sucks but that small negative is easy to get around.

I like the Visionsat too. Blind scan is good, runs a motor fine, and can hook up an external hard drive. Only drawback is when you get to using switches it will not blind scan on anything but port 1. Use a 22k and it works fine

The Coolsat 8000 has OTA built in for digital channels and can do HD but no blind scan

 

[updatelee]

I love my fortec mercury II, fast & accurate motor controls, excellent blindscan. My only issue is that all my other ird's in the house do not have blindscan, and my one ird that does (the mercury) has no way of getting the channel list off it in a compatible format for other irds. sharpc's channel master app doesnt support mercury II.

 

[Tron]

I like the Visionsat too. Blind scan is good, runs a motor fine, and can hook up an external hard drive. Only drawback is when you get to using switches it will not blind scan on anything but port 1. Use a 22k and it works fine

Iceberg, has there been any word on a possible fix for the switch/blind scan issue? If a firmware fix is on its way, that box really interests me

 

[Mr Tony]

I know they are working on it but havent heard anything recently.

 

[voomvoom]

If I absolutely had to buy a new receiver, right now, and not wait for the Passion. I would buy a Qualitv, because it already does 4:2:2 and HD. It doesn't have Blind Scan or an OTA Digital Tuner, but I can survive without either.
There seems to be twice as many 4:2:2 sports feeds as last College Football season? And there are more HD sports feeds as well.

Al

 

[tdti1]

You can't go wrong with Pansat, Coolsat, Traxis, Fortec for a SD unit.

For HD mite as well get a pc based setup for now, and wait for a receiver that mite be worth your money in the future.

 

[W_Tracy_Parnell]

I have the Fortec CNA and have owned the Coolsat 4000 and Pansat 3500. Coolsat is the most user friendly IMO. Fastest blind scan and channel change-which is important when looking at news feeds. Like many, I am waiting for news on the Passion. If that doesn't pan out I may go to the Coolsat 5000 until a workable HD-4:2:2-blind scan box emerges.