Argh! Which FTA receiver?

[MrMylesG]

I have a Coship5300b and I have no complaints about it at all but I have started to get interested in a receiver with a blind search feature and motor drive capabilities. I have narrowed my search down to the Pansat 2500A and the Satwork 3688. Which do you think is a better buy?

I subscribe to Dishnetwork, but I sure like the free channels and variety of programming on FTA, especially AMC 4. I have a 76cm motorized dish and would love to be able to peer in the the network live feeds along the Clark Belt.

Anyway, any suggestions would be most appreciated.

MrM

 

[Mr Tony]

I have a Pansat 1500 (the little brother of the 2500), and I like it. I've heard real good things about the 3688, too.

I think the Satworks ahas a little better tuner in it than the Pansat

 

[Elite09]

Addition to Receiver Question.

Is there alot of programs on FTA that take use of AC3? I don't know which receiver to get (Pansat or Satworks) and the Satworks is much cheaper but is missing AC3.

 

[Mr Tony]

other than PBS on AMC3, I don't know of any other that use AC-3 audio

hopefully other people chime in with their opinions

 

[PSB]

Remember the Pansat has an AC3 output but DOES not decode it, you still need something to decode the AC 3 data!

 

[Elite09]

Ac3

Good point. I do have a AC3 Receiver so I am good there. I guess I will go with the Satworks as I already get PBS in AC3 on Bell Expressvu. Just want the best of both worlds. Hey ICEBERG, how do you like your Expressvu and FTA setup? I subscribe to Expressvu and will soon be part of the FTA world as well.

 

[Mr Tony]

Love it

I have had EVu for over a year and wouldn't get rid of it

Saves me some money too...had the Music theme for the radio stations on there. All the audio only (900-999) are unenecrypted so you can LEGALLY pick them up FTA...Split a line off my 91 LNB and ran it to the FTA

If I'm recording something on EVu and want to listen to radio, turn on the FTA

I've got one heckuva setup...need a TV with 6 A/V ports to hadle all of it

 

[TuxCoder]

I too liked the 2500A because of its AC3 output and UHF remote expansion capability.

Which leads me to ask, where would be a good source of the UHF remote package? I've fallen for FTA, hook, line & sinker, so now I'm already ready to expand! (I was planning on adding it all along anyway)

 

[Mr Tony]

KU sat sells the kits, but they're back ordered

http://www.kusat.com/catalog/product_info.php?currency=USD&cPath=19&products_id=171

you might want to get a remote control extender. Rat Shack sells them for 41.99

just checked MIke Kohl's site (www.global-cm.net) and he has them too

 

[TuxCoder]

Thanks for the info.

Hrmm, I refuse to wait that long to get the UHF kit... I have yet to actually see the dish turn other than once or twice during my initial setup two nights ago. It's straight out my bedroom window on my garage roof.

The extender sounds good as it's "universal" so to speak, but with the problems of (a) I need to carry the remote around with me causing greater likelyhood of losing it (the remote ) and (b) eating up precious receptacle space near my entertainment center and bedroom TV. I can solve (a) with a cheap universal remote and hence some additional benefits though.

If any of you have an extender like the RatShack one, would you recommend it?

 

[Mr Tony]

I have one at the lake and one at home

run my ExpressVu to a TV in the computer room....works great

run a Dish 301 in the house at the lake and have a big screen out in the garage..Works real good there (its a good 100 feet away fromt he receiver)

 

[PSB]

These remote extenders also work well......


Here!