Social Feed

Pansat 3500s vs. Coolsat 4000 Pro
Image Quality Shootout

By W. Tracy Parnell

With the release of the new 1.3 firmware for the Coolsat 4000 Pro, the battle between that receiver and the Pansat 3500s has reached a new level of intensity. Prospective buyers "on the fence" may need every bit of information they can digest before committing to purchase. With that in mind, I thought I would try an image quality comparison of these popular units. By the way, all Coolsat images are with the 1.2 firmware.

First, the methods used need to be described. Both units were connected to my TV via S-Video. My TV doesn't have component connections or I would have run a test with the Pansat to check on the quality difference vs. the Coolsat with S-Video. A Pioneer 220s DVD recorder (1 hour setting) was used to acquire footage. Next, Ulead Moviefactory 3 was used for screen captures. The resulting images were then loaded into Adobe Photoshop 7 where sharpening was applied (level 3) using Intellisharpen by Fred Miranda. No other image processing was used. The images were saved in jpeg format at level 6 compression. A slight size variance may be seen in the side-by-side comparison images possibly explained by differences in the way the DVD Recorder handled the two receivers or by Photoshop manipulation.

First Image Series- Almaghribia Test Pattern

I was somewhat surprised to find that there is a discernable picture difference especially in the way the machines handle color saturation. The most noticeable difference is in the red color, which appears to be not only more saturated on the Pansat but also a slightly different hue. The deep blue is brighter and again more saturated on the Pansat as are the purple and light green in that row. The remaining colors seem to be more similar than they are different to my eye. Greys and blacks seem to be equal while the Coolsat appears to show a somewhat brighter white. Sharpness is about equal.



Second Image Series-CCTV 9

Again, the Pansat's more saturated color is evident and easily seen in the girl's red scarf and the deep blue background. The blue-green background color on the left seems to be less affected while skin tones appear to be fairly similar to my eye. Again, sharpness seems to be about equal.

In conclusion, I found that the Pansat has a bit more color saturation, especially in reds and deep blues and purples. These colors could also be described as brighter. In fact, the color may be too vivid for some. The Coolsat has an understated color palate that could appeal to many. It also seems to have a purer and brighter white while keeping good blacks and greys. You may disagree with my assessment and I certainly don't claim to be an expert. So take this review for what it is; one man's look at the subtle yet undeniable differences in the way these units display images.