Satwork 3688

[PSB]

Satwork 3688 DVB FTA Receiver.

The Satwork 3688 is a great mid-price system. It is a total solution for the true hobbyist who wants to motorize their dish and wants the blind search function.
The onscreen graphics and menu are a big improvement on the 3618. It has an easy to understand color-coded menu. It comes with three games to keep you busy between scans. It works for C and Ku band reception. The blind search feature is fantastic-- after pointing the dish to the satellite of your choice, simply pushing a button starts the blind scan process and soon you have found every live feed and channel on that satellite, its a wonderful tool. This is the real selling point of this receiver. Added bonuses are that it can be upgraded with the latest legal software at any time and can be motorized.
This system is an economy total solution for the seasoned hobbyist or for anyone who just wants to add a DVB receiver with blind search to their current set up. This is really the only receiver you would need for this hobby, and it will keep you very busy and entertained.

Features: Blind Search
Auto Search
Easy Operation
Normal Scan
Manual Scan
Fully DVB-S / MPEG II Compliant
4200 Channels Memory Space
PAL to NTSC conversion
NTSC to PAL conversion
Favorite Groups Channel Organization
PIG Channel Selection (Picture In Graphic)
SCPC & MCPC receivable from C/Ku
256 Colors on Screen Display (OSD)
DiSEqC 1.2, Voltage (14/18V), Tone (22K) and 0/12V LNB switching support
VBI Teletext Support
RF Modulator
Games
Easy Software Upgrade by: PC to STB, STB to PC, STB to STB


Specs:
IF input frequency 950~2150MHz
Input impedance 75?
LNB power supply 13/18V/OFF, Max. 400mA
Input level -65dBm ~ -25dBm
Waveform QPSK
Symbol rate 2~45MS/s
Roll off factor 0.35
Reed Solomon decoder RS(204, 188,8)
Viterbi decode rate 1/2, 2/3, 3/4, 7/8, auto
Connector type "F" connector
Sampling frequency 32,44.1 or 48 KHz
Demultiplex CD ISO/IEC 13818-1
Input max. bit rate 60Mbps(serial)/7.5Mbps(parallel)
Standard CD ISO/IEC 13818-2, MPEG-2 MP@ML
Video aspect ratio 4:3 or 16:9
Resolution Max. 720 x 576
Standard ISO/IEC 13818-3 Layer I & II
Audio Channel Mono, Dual-channel, Stereo, Joint Stereo
Sampling frequency 32, 44.1, 48 KHz

Clock frequency 81MHz
SDRAM memory 8M bytes
Flash memory 1M bytes
Connector 9-pin D type, female
Protocol RS-232 asynchronous
Baud rate Maximum of 625K bps
Video de-emphasis CCIR REC.405-1, 625 lines
Video banwidth 5.5 MHz
Video output level 1.0 Vp-p

 

[timmy1376]

How much? Are you selling these or did you buy them?

 

[Mr Tony]

Pete sells them

Check out his site...its in his signature

 

[timmy1376]

Pete sells them

Check out his site...its in his signature

He's changed it recently, I hadn't see it.

 

[Cascade]

Thanks for the review, I was thinking of one of these over a pansat.

 

[Tom Taylor]

Take a look at my web site, go to our products and click on further information andscroll down. I have directions on programming the 3688 including screen shots of the setup menus. We have them in stock
http://www.mpeg2fta.com
http://www.mpeg2fta.com/satwork_st3688.htm

 

[dishMIKE]

Is the Satwork 3688 able to switch between a diseqc switch and using a HH motor ?( I would like use both a KU & DBS lnb setup). I thought I had read somewhere that previous software versions had problems with this. Also, does the current software have a lot of problems when a Hi Def channel is scanned? Thanks for a awesome new forum!!!!! Thanks,Mike P.S. Pete Do you sell those 2 LNBF holders?

 

[PSB]

I have never heard of any switch problems I can find out, yes I have the dual LNB bracket. I know that the HD bug on the 3618 has been fixed, so I am sure its also gone from the 3688.

 

[dishMIKE]

Thanks for your quick response! ! !

 

[Mr Tony]

what does the HD bug do to the 3688?

My Pansat 1500 when it scans a HD channel, it locks the receiver up (can't see anything on the screen) and takes a reset (turn the master switch off and on) to make it work again

 

[PSB]

Same thing on the Satwork, but I think there is a new software update that sorts this.
More of a nuisance more than anything.

 

[Mark_AR]

Berg-

They must have fixed this in the 2500. Mine just says 'HDTV Channelname'

 

[Mr Tony]

cool

Thanks!

 

[PSB]

Just tested a brand new 3688 receiver, with the latest software nice. Very quick.

 

[WTguy]

Hey, Pete, last January I bought a 3618 and the short time I have been home to use it, works fine. Unfortunately, I have been on the road quite a bit since I bought it so I have not had a chance to upgrade the software. I know there is a software fix for the HD bug but I also have seen a couple notes where people have installed the 3688 software on the '18. Is this doable? I believe one of the upgrades also speeds up the scan process.
Any information you can share would be appreciated.

(PS to any moderator that does not know that much about FTA this is not hack talk. The mfg.s will post software upgrades to the receivers to add new features, much like E and D download new versions of their software. The only thing is since these receivers are not affiliated with a programmer, the download has to be done by the owner of the receiver from the mfg.'s website.)

 

[WTguy]

Thanks, Pete. I guess I will upgrade to the most current 3618 software and see what that does. Those three buttons might be important.

 

[Diamond Jim]

Pete,

What would one have to do to upagrade a 3618 to a 3688. What would it cost and would it be worth it?

~J~

 

[PSB]

Just upgrade the software using a computer to receiver cable (null modem) and buy a 3688 remote (if available) , I guess a universal/learning remote may work. I have never done this and have only heard of people doing it and of course it is done at your own risk.

 

[Cascade]

Another nice feature of the Satwork

One of the strengths of the 3688 is the ability to select which satellites you wish to scan then walk away while it does its voodoo.
Leave the unit set to scan each satellite and it'll automatically move to successive satellites then scan and store channels from each one.
Program it to scan all the birds in your arc. In an hour or so you will have a list of all free to air channels available on every viewable satellite!

Great stuff.

I heard that this thing also makes a nice cup of coffee.

 

[PSB]

Never tried that! Next time I clone a 3688 I will try it and let you know how it goes, I seen the "Scan all Satellites" but did not want double channels! Thanks!