Looking for a new FTA receiver

[qwert1515]

I am looking for a new FTA receiver since I want more features.

I currently have a Pansat 3500 and I like many of the features it has but I would like more.

So I would like a receiver that has the following:

-Fast and accurate blind/smart search. (The receiver should pick up the names if they exist) (Compared to the Pansat 3500)
-Automatically blind/smart searches the arc. (I leave the receiver alone for a few hours and when I come back it has scanned the arc.)
-Specify the start and stop frequency range to scan.
-Specify a range of Symbol Rates to scan.
-Specify the blind search step in MHz.
-SD Card or USB drive or USB connection.
-The receiver needs to be supported by Channel Master.
-Has some warranty support

I have a Twinhan102G so I do not need a STB with HD or 4:2:2. (I am picky about everything else except for that ) Not that there will be a receiver that does that other than the Quality series.

So I looked at the following receivers: Traxis 3500, Mercury II, VISIONSAT IV200, Coolsat5000, Coolsat6100 Private. (What else should I look at?)

1. The Traxis 3500 only has a serial port, not sure about other features.
2. I found out that the Mercury II only has a Serial Port connection and it is not supported by Channel Master.
3. I read that the VisionSat has a slow blind search and I am not sure about the other features.
4. I looked at the Coolsat5000, it seems to have all except it only has a serial port connection and it is no longer warrantied from the manufacturer.
(Does the Coolsat let you specify the frequency range, the symbol rate range, the step size, when you blind/smart search multiple satellites?)
5. The Coolsat6100 Private has warranty but it is not supported by Channel Master.


So is there a receiver that comes close or has all the above features?

Thanks.

 

[Mr Tony]

The Coolsat 5000 you can do a multiple satellite blind scan. Select the sats and walk away

As for the parameters you can select
-transponder frequency range (default on standard is 11700-12200 but you can change it..universal is 10700-12750)
-normal or detail...Detail seems to sit a little longer and can nail those infamous low s/r frequencies.
-TV, all or FTA
-symbol rate is all, 3.5 or below (3500), 7.5 or above. I wish you could set it for under 4.0 (4000) as alot of news frequencies are 3978

It does not do the step size though. I think defualt is 6MHz but has been able to get stuff that is on 12190, 12194 & 12198 on same satellite with no issues.

Also if there is no name unlike the Pansat that shows "TV2" or "TV1" the Coolsat will show something like this
"TV 1 12000 V Galaxy 11"

basically it lists the frequency, polarity and satellite

 

[Mr Tony]

Visionsat

fast blindscan-yes
accurate-up in the air
name-Shows TV1 TV2
does not do automatic blind scan
specify frequency range-yes
range of s/r-no
range of steps-no
has USB

 

[qwert1515]

Thank you Iceberg

The default step size for my Pansat 3500 seems to be 8 MHz, so 6 MHz should not be a problem.

Is there a limit to the amount of satellites you can select for the multiple satellite blind scan? (I know that Pansat's satellite scan (Scans existing transponders) is limited to 4)

The hard question : How much faster is the blind scan of the Coolsat 5000 vs. your Pansat 1500 (I think that's the model you have) ? Or other receivers you have tested?
(I have used the search but I want to get your most up to date opinion )

Thanks.

 

[turbosat]

pm sent qwert

 

[qwert1515]

PM received, thanks.

 

[Mr Tony]

Is there a limit to the amount of satellites you can select for the multiple satellite blind scan? (I know that Pansat's satellite scan (Scans existing transponders) is limited to 4)

for blind scan? Not that I'm aware of. I would set it to do 72,74,79,83,85,87,89,91 and walk away all the time

The hard question : How much faster is the blind scan of the Coolsat 5000 vs. your Pansat 1500 (I think that's the model you have) ? Or other receivers you have tested?
(I have used the search but I want to get your most up to date opinion )

Thanks.

the 1500 is mainly used to tweak dishes but let me do some checking between boxes in the next day or so and get back to ya
The only bvoxes I have with blind scan are CS5000, Pansat 1500 & 9200, Visionsat and Fortec Ultra

 

[qwert1515]

the 1500 is mainly used to tweak dishes but let me do some checking between boxes in the next day or so and get back to ya

Thanks again Iceberg!

 

[stogie5150]

Pardon my French, but stay the hell away from the Coolsat 7000, and by extension, the Coolsat 6100 since they are the same, I've been told, except for the buffer in the Coolsat 7000.

I just sold my CS 7k it was a disaster. My coolsat 5000's are still the best receivers I've ever used. And I have used...

Traxis 3500
Captiveworks
Visionsat IV-200
Coolsat 5000
Coolsat 7000
Traxis 1500
Sonicview 4000
Manhattan Digi Plaza
SatPros 500

And VERY soon I will have a Neusat 9000 HD. Picked it up on ebay today. 91.00 shipped. I couldn't help but try it.

 

[qwert1515]

Thanks Stogie5150, I actually read one of your posts and it was very helpful when I was searching the forum for more information about the receivers. :up

I think you have been through the most amount of receiver here, well maybe Iceberg has seen more but I am not sure about that.

 

[Mr Tony]

well lets see This is an honest to god list of receivers I have worked with (had the box at my house for at least a week)...bolded are still in my possession
Pansat 1500
Pansat 2100 (blew out the polortor in it..not hooked up)
Pansat 3500
Pansat 9200
Pansat 5000 (times 2)
Pansat 6000
Viacast 2000 (times 2) (still have one)
Microyal MRX1000
Satworks 3618/3688 (times 2)
Fortec Classic
Fortec Ultra
KUsat 2600 (Digiwave 6800 clone)
Coolsat 4000
Coolsat 5000
Coolsat 8000 (not in use right now)
Viewsat 2000 (the original)
NeoSat IPro 1000
Captiveworks CW600
Buzz S2010
Samsung 4700
Visionsat
Neusat (600 I think...a whole bunch of us bought them when they were on sale)
Satpros (not in use right now)

whew...lots of good boxes in there and lots of ewwwwww boxes in that list

 

[qwert1515]

Thanks for that long list You have been throught the most receivers, and it looks like you might have the most amount of receiver (10) in your possesion, not counting sellers.

It looks like you had a Pansat 3500 and you got rid of it, but you still have the Coolsat 5000, Stogie5150 also recommends it, so it looks like I might get one. (Still looking at all the possibilities )

It does everything I want except for the USB connectivity, but I guess I can live with that, I hope. Does

Is there a difference between the Coolsat 5000 vs. the Coolsat 5000 Platinum or the Coolsat 6000 Premium?

(I looked at channel master and it does not have Coolsat built into it to directly download from the receiver, where can I find the file that does so? (Could not find it at CoolSatUSA))

Also does the factory software work well? There was a receiver that you wrote about in the past saying that the factory software was not very good.

Thanks.

 

[turbosat]

qwert if you didnt see the info already-beware of who you buy a NEW 5000 from, as coolsat has stated all inventory of 4000 and 5000 are gone from warehouse now, and they no longer will warranty new ones bought after a certain date this year. There was/is a wide variety of clones of the 5000 being sold as genuine Coolsat. Just an FYI

 

[gabshere]

Coolsat 5000 vs. the Coolsat 5000 Platinum

These should be the same unit it is usually identified as Coolsat 5000 Platinum

(I looked at channel master and it does not have Coolsat built into it to directly download from the receiver, where can I find the file that does so? (Could not find it at CoolSatUSA))

CM does read and edit the coolsat file but you will have to use the coolsat loader to get it and upload it back. the loader is here on the site

the factory loaded software first version was slightly buggy ( i think its 1.0) it has a lower signal and quality reading. the second version was a bit better ( i think its 1.1) i accidently loaded one of my 2 coolsat 5000 with an older version and couldn't get it back to default software. so i loaded an outdated unauthroized version and it runs smooth, slightly better than both factory versions and receives no unauthorized channels.

the difference between the 5000 & the 6000 was more memory i suppose it was for epg ( which we don't use) oh and the face plate on the 6000 looks like the 4000

the newer coolsat line 6100 7000 8000 ect are made by a different manufacture and marketed by coolsat. and no warentee for the 5000 or 6000 now they only support those sold before oct 31 by a dealer ( unless you by from someone who has the receipt and the warentee work goes back through that person.)

i have two coolsat 5000, two traxis 3500 and one satpro 500 and by far the better unit is the 5000 its easiest to use, set up and motor control. if i was getting another and wasn't needing HD it would be the coolsat 5000

 

[qwert1515]

Thanks Turbosat and Gabshere for the warnings,

I noticed that they stopped giving warranty for the receiver but I did not think about "clones"

It looks like only one of the site sponsor sell the receiver , but if I decide to buy from them at least there is a lower chance of it being a clone (EDIT: They have the item listed but do not have any in stock )

 

[stogie5150]

Thanks Stogie5150, I actually read one of your posts and it was very helpful when I was searching the forum for more information about the receivers. :up

I think you have been through the most amount of receiver here, well maybe Iceberg has seen more but I am not sure about that.

Ebay LOVES me....

My problem was that I had to have two receivers my wife could halfway understand enough to use when we dropped D*. The Coolsats came the closest to that. Motor control is great, PQ is good, they're cheap enough. What else do you need?

Yes for the 5000's you have to use the Coolsat loader but otherwise Channelmaster works fine, I use it all the time.
Blindscan is good on it too, you can see the channels scan on it as they scan, so you know its scanning. That was my biggest problem with the Coolsat 7000/Visionsat iv-200, you don't KNOW what the hell its finding or IF it IS scanning at ALL UNTIL its almost done. I did not like that at ALL.
I've been told the 6000 is just a tad faster than the 5000, and it looks like the 4000, as someone has already said.

And if you get a 5000/6000, you can be cool like us.

 

[stogie5150]

so i loaded an outdated unauthroized version and it runs smooth, slightly better than both factory versions and receives no unauthorized channels.

How did it make it better, George? Inquiring minds wanna know! Its not like there arent 5,483 bin files out there right now we could use, with them chasing the ECM's that the providers are using...

 

[Mr Tony]

It looks like you had a Pansat 3500 and you got rid of it, but you still have the Coolsat 5000, Stogie5150 also recommends it, so it looks like I might get one. (Still looking at all the possibilities )

At the time, I didnt see a need for a 3500 because I had the 1500. Hindsite being 20/20 that was a mistake since the 3500 had much better things than the 1500

Also does the factory software work well? There was a receiver that you wrote about in the past saying that the factory software was not very good.

Thanks.

I still have version 1.00 in my Coolsat 5000 but might upgrade to 1.01 to see how that works. I know 1.00 has a lower meter reading (82 is max) but I don't see any bigs in it that I know of

 

[Mr Tony]

CM does read and edit the coolsat file but you will have to use the coolsat loader to get it and upload it back. the loader is here on the site

Yep the 5000 is very CM friendly

the factory loaded software first version was slightly buggy ( i think its 1.0) it has a lower signal and quality reading. the second version was a bit better ( i think its 1.1) i accidently loaded one of my 2 coolsat 5000 with an older version and couldn't get it back to default software. so i loaded an outdated unauthroized version and it runs smooth, slightly better than both factory versions and receives no unauthorized channels.

I'll have to try version 1.01....I know there are 2 factory software out there (1.00 & 1.01) but I'll have to see the differences

the difference between the 5000 & the 6000 was more memory i suppose it was for epg ( which we don't use) oh and the face plate on the 6000 looks like the 4000

yep. The 6000 looks like a 4000 with 5000 guts in it

i have two coolsat 5000, two traxis 3500 and one satpro 500 and by far the better unit is the 5000 its easiest to use, set up and motor control. if i was getting another and wasn't needing HD it would be the coolsat 5000

I would have to agree. The CS5000 is one of the easiest boxes to work with

 

[gpat]

Yep the 5000 is very CM friendly

Well CS still hasnt come up with a loader for the 6100 to use CM.
Its been 2 wks now that Ive asked them to post one on their website.
Theres also so info on CS USA on how to spot clones.