A Coolsat 8000HD Review

[crawfrdb]

when I first scanned using 1250 steps, it missed CW, CBS, PBS (main) and the Ind. When I did 600 steps, it picked up the rest

I did something similar. About half the local ATSCs were found by using a 1250 step size and then going and re-scanning at 1000 KHz steps and picking up the rest. Funny- if I did a 1000 KHz step size first (before trying 1250), I found nothing.

 

[Mr Tony]

Do you get audio clipping on some of your audio? I hear this on about half of the local channels. I re-connected my Motorola ATSC tuner to determine if it was heard with that tuner and it isn't.

little bit here and there. I used the Voom box and it didnt do it on that

 

[Mr Tony]

I did something similar. About half the local ATSCs were found by using a 1250 step size and then going and re-scanning at 1000 KHz steps and picking up the rest. Funny- if I did a 1000 KHz step size first (before trying 1250), I found nothing.

weird...now I reset and did a 1000k step and it found all my channels

 

[Mr Tony]

Sadly this receiver was rushed out too soon, from what I've read , in order to have HD Satellite capabilities , 3rd party software must be used and once used the atsc ota tuner does not work. Read it handles QPSK , now I would just like to know if you can at least get FTA PBS HD.

This is so sad that you have to use 3rd party firmware to get this thing working for FTA.

working on that and hope to have a report tonight. I hooked up a line from my motorized but due to the cold the line keeps shorting out (there is a coupler in the line). And on the T90 I don't have 87 hooked up. So tonight I'm gonna run a line from the loop out of the 5000 to the 8000

on the plus side, the remotes don't clash

 

[Mr Tony]

we have HD

watching PBS HD On AMC3 right now...pictures as soon as I get this new camera figured out

 

[SatinKzo]

Did you have to use 3rd party firmware?

 

[Mr Tony]

Did you have to use 3rd party firmware?

Sadly the only software out there to operate the DVB portion is 3rd party. I still do not condone loading third party software into the box, but since the factory has no option for DVB this is the only option.

But here are a few screengrabs to show it will decode QPSK HD

1st is PBS HD on AMC3
2nd & 3rd is a feed. 2nd is the Coolsat 5000 and the 3rd is the 8000. Yes the 8000 says the channel is on AMC3 but it isn't. I am using the loop out right now from the 5000.

 

[Mr Tony]

confirmed it will not do 4:2:2 as of right now

 

[gabshere]

Ice
since we loose a bit on the photos, how is the PQ of the 8k as compared to the 5k also i know you can't compare the hd with the 5k ( i think the 5k has pretty good PQ) , and i don't have a hd set yet anyway..., are you pushing it to a hd set( or monitor) or the pc monitor. I don't know if you have hd with another service if so how does that compare. thanks

 

[Mr Tony]

I dont have a HD set either

The picture on the HD OTA looks just as good as the Voom box. I am just happy that I can get HD now (even on SD it looks awesome!)

The picture looks just as good as the 5000 but I haven't given it the full blown run yet. Been busy with a lot of things going on

 

[updatelee]

I dont have a HD set either

so the 8000 downconverts HD to SD ? the dreambox 7025 does that as well, but its doesnt output HD and its a few hundred more $ !

 

[johnnytuinals]

I ratter instead of installing 3rd party software.Coolsat should have it were you are able to get HD DVB and OTA HD signals without downloading anything...
I am glad I didnot pay the $450 for the 8000D but hope that they will fix the problem with the next shipment so I can order one of the 8000Ds...JohnnyT

 

[Mr Tony]

so the 8000 downconverts HD to SD ? the dreambox 7025 does that as well, but its doesnt output HD and its a few hundred more $ !

yep. I can select 16:9, 4:3 letterbox or 4:3

when you pick a channel, there are a couple boxes that come up. on a SD channel it says 480 and SD and when its HD it says HD and 720 or 1080

All my OTA channels if I select 4:3 will fill the screen but FOX and My (owned by Fox). They show the bars on the side if it isnt HD

 

[Mr Tony]

I ratter instead of installing 3rd party software.Coolsat should have it were you are able to get HD DVB and OTA HD signals without downloading anything...

yep. I talked to my contact about that particular issue and they were going to check with Coolsat to see the timeframe.

 

[SatinKzo]

How's the motor control? I would assume just as good as the other coolsats.

 

[Mr Tony]

How's the motor control? I would assume just as good as the other coolsats.

havent tried it yet. I have it slaved the Coolsat 5000 right now. I haven't done a full test on the unit so in a few days alot of questions will be answered

 

[grusome]

so the 8000 downconverts HD to SD ? the dreambox 7025 does that as well, but its doesnt output HD and its a few hundred more $ !

According to a well known poster(something about giving) on another site, the 7025 will output HD thru the SCART connector with component connectors.
grusome

 

[dem0nlord]

According to a well known poster(something about giving) on another site, the 7025 will output HD thru the SCART connector with component connectors.
grusome

I know exactly who you mean. After reading that, I just had to try it on my DM500 since I have the component SCART already, the little guy won't do it.

 

[Mr Tony]

found another neat feature with the box

Lets just say it involves the audio on PBS and my TV. yes the box will decode AC-3 and output it to your TV just like any other channel

 

[Tron]

That's a useful feature, eliminates the need for external AC-3 decoding. Does it output via the stereo analog outputs?