GEOSATpro HDVR3500 - New DVBS2 STB - Photos and Initial Testing

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Is there a device that can covert the signals from FTA satellite and convert them to cable channels or the old analog tv signals so that I can program them in an old analog TV or VCR? Trying to setup something that will help an elderly person who doesn't understand tech, and gets confused with more than one remote or complicated multi device remotes.

Dave, it's a modulator. We sell one for $15.
Amazon has little cheaper one for $8
RCA Compact RF Modulator (CRF907R) Amazon product ASIN B0014KKV7W
It will put it to analog channel 3 or 4
 
Dave, it's a modulator. We sell one for $15.
Amazon has little cheaper one for $8
RCA Compact RF Modulator (CRF907R) Amazon product ASIN B0014KKV7W
It will put it to analog channel 3 or 4
Not what I'm looking for. I want to convert the DVB-S/S-2 signals to NTSC so they can just use their TV remote and not have a receiver. I found a SAT to ATSC converter but was hoping to find one that did NTSC, because their TV is still an old analog set and wanted to utilize their old VCR as well. They have cable which uses the built in cable tuner on both the TV & VCR, but they just have basic mainly for the local channels. I was thinking I may be able to use a converter to add additional channels from satellite as standard TV channels.
 
Just watch out on that sat-atsc converter. Its a united kingdom website and I thought it odd that a UK company would sell anything ATCS since its a north american standard. The spec sheet doesnt mention ATSC at all but DVB-T and DVB-C as outputs. Maybe an email to the company would be in order. As for a Satellite to NTSC converter... IF IF IF that sat to atsc in fact actually outputs atsc (that would be amazing) you could then slap an atsc to ntsc box on it hahaha. NTSC is pretty much dead though and there is seldom to be found any new NTSC products. Also that SAT->ATSC box doesnt list disec as a supported option (no motor or switch controls???) again that might be cleared up with an email to the company. This whole topic might be more appropriate on a new thread too may get more answers. Just trying to help!
 
Not what I'm looking for. I want to convert the DVB-S/S-2 signals to NTSC so they can just use their TV remote and not have a receiver. I found a SAT to ATSC converter but was hoping to find one that did NTSC, because their TV is still an old analog set and wanted to utilize their old VCR as well. They have cable which uses the built in cable tuner on both the TV & VCR, but they just have basic mainly for the local channels. I was thinking I may be able to use a converter to add additional channels from satellite as standard TV channels.
David,

We have similar unit to the unit you are mentioning in stock - GEOSATpro DSR-180QAM (Link)

Please understand that this type of operation is usually setup for the distribution as a professional head-end. I do not believe it's reasonable to install for a single tv. But it is a great solution for multi TV, community or care home setting. Because all channels you broadcast are simultaneously available on all tv's.
 
David,

We have similar unit to the unit you are mentioning in stock - GEOSATpro DSR-180QAM (Link)

Please understand that this type of operation is usually setup for the distribution as a professional head-end. I do not believe it's reasonable to install for a single tv. But it is a great solution for multi TV, community or care home setting. Because all channels you broadcast are simultaneously available on all tv's.
I had looked at your solution, but it's for only 2 transponders, and the one I found on the site from the UK does 7 transponders, and output 30+ channels. I was also looking at some of those bundled Head-end in a box solutions that had everything for a basic setup. I have 3 neighbors that are all family, so I could connect them as well and make it a pretty nice solution to share some of the satellite channels. And if I can do NTSC, I can use them on older equipment such as VCRs and DVD recorders that had the old analog tuner. I guess what I'm trying to do is basically create my own private cable TV network. I have a friend who works at a TV station in Atlanta that is going to inquire about their old analog equipment that was taken out of service, maybe I can can get a sweet deal. Also know someone in Columbia, SC that works at a station there, so who knows, maybe I can get some old equipment at a bargain or even free to do what I'm trying to do.
 
I use a few of these to kind of do what you want to do, Dsmith0429. I use them to modulate satellite channels and also our security cameras onto my OTA setup so my parents can watch the sat channels at their house next door, [they also share our OTA setup] and we can watch some sat channels and our security cameras on any TV in our house.

Amazon product ASIN B00026C4GA
The only downfall with satellite channels is you have to have a separate tuner for each modulator input, if you want it remote free. They do output SD, [NTSC] either onto a VHF/UHF channel, or a cable channel. I haven't tried modulating a channel onto a cable setup, because we don't have cable. The setup made it easy for my parents, the sat tuners and modulators are at my house and all my parents have to do at their house next door is tune their TV to whatever channel one of the sat channels or camera channels are modulated onto. It is a little touchy if you try to use a channel that already has TV channels right next to it, sometimes that will cause interference, here we receive quite a few OTA channels, so it took a bit for me to find channels I could use without interference. There is cheaper ones available, but I haven't tried any. If you do a search on Amazon, etc, for agile modulators, it will bring some up.

Did you get a price quoted to you on the sat to ATSC converter you were looking at? That sounds pretty nice, might be something I'd be interested in, if the price isn't sky-high.
 
I use a few of these to kind of do what you want to do, Dsmith0429. I use them to modulate satellite channels and also our security cameras onto my OTA setup so my parents can watch the sat channels at their house next door, [they also share our OTA setup] and we can watch some sat channels and our security cameras on any TV in our house.

Amazon product ASIN B00026C4GA
The only downfall with satellite channels is you have to have a separate tuner for each modulator input, if you want it remote free. They do output SD, [NTSC] either onto a VHF/UHF channel, or a cable channel. I haven't tried modulating a channel onto a cable setup, because we don't have cable. The setup made it easy for my parents, the sat tuners and modulators are at my house and all my parents have to do at their house next door is tune their TV to whatever channel one of the sat channels or camera channels are modulated onto. It is a little touchy if you try to use a channel that already has TV channels right next to it, sometimes that will cause interference, here we receive quite a few OTA channels, so it took a bit for me to find channels I could use without interference. There is cheaper ones available, but I haven't tried any. If you do a search on Amazon, etc, for agile modulators, it will bring some up.

Did you get a price quoted to you on the sat to ATSC converter you were looking at? That sounds pretty nice, might be something I'd be interested in, if the price isn't sky-high.
Still waiting to hear back from them on the ATSC converter... but that's exactly what I'm wanting to do, something like you mentioned for your setup...
 
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Found this, Channel Plus 5445 Four-Channel Video Modulator for $170, may look into that as a solution. I wonder if more than one can be connected to a signal combiner to add additional channels, since each channel can be programmed: Channel range: CATV 65-125 (excluding 95-99) and UHF 14-64.

Update: Compatible with DA-8200 and DA-550 series distribution amplifiers, so yes they can be combined.

Found these products at http://www.solidsignal.com/ and prices aren't too bad.

Still want to research other solutions, but this is looking good.
 
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I use a few of these to kind of do what you want to do, Dsmith0429. I use them to modulate satellite channels and also our security cameras onto my OTA setup so my parents can watch the sat channels at their house next door, [they also share our OTA setup] and we can watch some sat channels and our security cameras on any TV in our house.

The only downfall with satellite channels is you have to have a separate tuner for each modulator input, if you want it remote free. They do output SD, [NTSC] either onto a VHF/UHF channel, or a cable channel. I haven't tried modulating a channel onto a cable setup, because we don't have cable. The setup made it easy for my parents, the sat tuners and modulators are at my house and all my parents have to do at their house next door is tune their TV to whatever channel one of the sat channels or camera channels are modulated onto. It is a little touchy if you try to use a channel that already has TV channels right next to it, sometimes that will cause interference, here we receive quite a few OTA channels, so it took a bit for me to find channels I could use without interference. There is cheaper ones available, but I haven't tried any. If you do a search on Amazon, etc, for agile modulators, it will bring some up.

Did you get a price quoted to you on the sat to ATSC converter you were looking at? That sounds pretty nice, might be something I'd be interested in, if the price isn't sky-high.

Yes, the Channel Plus products appear to be the most economical way to go. If I can combine several units, then I know that will be what I need. Thanks for the suggestion. I'm researching other products by Channel Plus, and there seems to be a good selection of products that can do what I want. And since many of them are obsolete now, the prices have dropped, and found several of them at less than $100, so the gerbils in my head are spinning the wheel trying to come up with the best combination for what I'm wanting to do. :)
 
Dave, it's a modulator. We sell one for $15.
Amazon has little cheaper one for $8
RCA Compact RF Modulator (CRF907R) Amazon product ASIN B0014KKV7W
It will put it to analog channel 3 or 4
This is the type of modulators I am looking for, AGILE RCA AUDIO/VIDEO RF MODULATOR. They allow you to use any UHF/VHF channel or CATV channel for output, instead of just channel 3 or 4. Trying to find one with more than 1 input and channel, but so far I have only found commercial equipment, which is way out of my budget. These modulators also range in price depending on brand name it seems, but average around $40 it seems. If I go this route, the next step is to find the best solution to combine all the modulators. would like to be able to do at least 8 channels, but maybe more in the future.
 
Yes, the Channel Plus products appear to be the most economical way to go. If I can combine several units, then I know that will be what I need. Thanks for the suggestion. I'm researching other products by Channel Plus, and there seems to be a good selection of products that can do what I want. And since many of them are obsolete now, the prices have dropped, and found several of them at less than $100, so the gerbils in my head are spinning the wheel trying to come up with the best combination for what I'm wanting to do. :)

You're welcome. :)

These are the combiners that I used to split into the OTA line with:

Amazon product ASIN B00006JPEA
They do introduce a loss like any other splitter/combiner does, but on my setup I have three of them and didn't lose any OTA channels, or notice a significant drop in signal on any of them. They pass DC too, so my pre-amp works fine with them. I also have a 8-port distribution amp that works fine with them, but the combiners are inserted before that.

For years, I'd used a computer with windows media encoder at my house to stream channels to my parents house and a original X Box with Linux/XBMC on it as a frontend at my parents house, I'd written a small program for them to change channels on their computer for the first year or so and then just incorporated the channel change right into the X Box stuff, so the X Box would boot into a channel list and they could just change channels with the X Box remote. Had two routers with DDWRT bridged together for the wireless connection, needed the control with DDWRT because I was going 350' wireless and also customized a bunch of stuff for the network.

Then I moved to using windows media center wireless with a X Box 360 as a front end at their house for years, [probably ten or so?] but a few years ago I got really bulls$%t with MS over some stuff they were doing with Media Center, when they sent the first Beta of 8 to me, a lot of things I just didn't like at all. So I quit using Media Center and just ran RG6 to my parent's house, the modulators were the easiest/cheapest solution that I could find to add extra channels for them. The only thing I really don't like is that I have three or four sat receivers on all the time for the extra channels, and the modulators, but I eventually plan on setting up one of my C dishes down at their house for them. And the receivers and modulators don't use much power, when I had a computer on 24/7 for streaming TV to their house, it used about $20 a month in electricity, this setup uses only a few dollars worth.

The Channel Plus modulators have some oomph to them, running the RG6 cable to my parent's house ended up being almost 500' because I couldn't go directly to their house with the piping, but the signal comes through nice and clear still. Although, it may also be the distribution amp helping out with that.

I used three separate combiners for my modulators, one for each modulator, [I have three modulators.] If you happen to come across a combiner with multiple inputs on it that looks like it would work, post it up please, it would be nice to use just one combiner, verse three, eliminate a little of the spaghetti wiring I have. :D

Ah, just saw the post up a few from this one that you posted up, that DA-500 looks like something I may check out. :)
 
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This is the type of modulators I am looking for, AGILE RCA AUDIO/VIDEO RF MODULATOR. They allow you to use any UHF/VHF channel or CATV channel for output, instead of just channel 3 or 4. Trying to find one with more than 1 input and channel, but so far I have only found commercial equipment, which is way out of my budget. These modulators also range in price depending on brand name it seems, but average around $40 it seems. If I go this route, the next step is to find the best solution to combine all the modulators. would like to be able to do at least 8 channels, but maybe more in the future.
If you pay shipping, i will send you free combiner. PM me :)
 
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Well it took forever but I finally finished reading all 140 pages. What an education. Frankly I was a bit shocked at how unnecessarily nasty some people got. As someone who started building and programming computers in 1979 I know firsthand just how difficult it can be, not only designing and building, but more importantly troubleshooting and debugging the software. It isn't easy and it isn't instantaneous. Not looking to reopen a can of worms, just commenting on what I read. But that's water under the bridge. My reason for reading up on this is because my MicroHD stopped working and I'm considering what to replace it with. Way back there was a request for suggestions for the next generation, REX. Here's my suggestion, make it a DVBS2 box only, no internet or streaming. Combining those two functions, to me, is unnecessarily complicating the process and the product. Concentrate on one thing and put 100% into that one thing.
 
because my MicroHD stopped working and I'm considering what to replace it with
Why not google the micro hd receiver and see what you may be able to find on ebay I believe there are still some available. That is/was a decent receiver.
The 3500 has not lived up to being as reliable or stable.
 
Well it took forever but I finally finished reading all 140 pages. What an education. Frankly I was a bit shocked at how unnecessarily nasty some people got. As someone who started building and programming computers in 1979 I know firsthand just how difficult it can be, not only designing and building, but more importantly troubleshooting and debugging the software. It isn't easy and it isn't instantaneous. Not looking to reopen a can of worms, just commenting on what I read. But that's water under the bridge. My reason for reading up on this is because my MicroHD stopped working and I'm considering what to replace it with. Way back there was a request for suggestions for the next generation, REX. Here's my suggestion, make it a DVBS2 box only, no internet or streaming. Combining those two functions, to me, is unnecessarily complicating the process and the product. Concentrate on one thing and put 100% into that one thing.

What happened to the microHD?

Hdvr3500 is continuing to improve. We are committed to making it a great receiver, the picture quality can compete with many receivers. The functions are still being improved.

You are correct in iptv vs dvbs2, but we have to meet the need and market demand. So I do appreciate your incredible effort to read the whole thread! You deserve a medal.

Let me know what concerns you have particularly on the satellite side.
 
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I'm not certain what happened to the MicroHD. One day I noticed the power indicator was blinking. It was suggested that sometimes indicates a shorted coax so I disconnected the coax and the light stopped blinking. Because I did not have the TV turned on at the time I assumed all was well. However, the next day I replaced the LNB, which was the problem, reconnected the coax and the light did not blink but the unit also did not boot, it just hung. I took it into the computer room and tried all the suggested methods up to and including accessing it via the USB cable but it was all for naught. I really liked that little guy. :(
 
Well it took forever but I finally finished reading all 140 pages. What an education. Frankly I was a bit shocked at how unnecessarily nasty some people got. As someone who started building and programming computers in 1979 I know firsthand just how difficult it can be, not only designing and building, but more importantly troubleshooting and debugging the software. It isn't easy and it isn't instantaneous. Not looking to reopen a can of worms, just commenting on what I read. But that's water under the bridge. My reason for reading up on this is because my MicroHD stopped working and I'm considering what to replace it with. Way back there was a request for suggestions for the next generation, REX. Here's my suggestion, make it a DVBS2 box only, no internet or streaming. Combining those two functions, to me, is unnecessarily complicating the process and the product. Concentrate on one thing and put 100% into that one thing.
That's what I want too, just a plain old DVB-S/S2 receiver, but with a dual tuner, for ATSC/NTSC (there is a few low power NTSC channels left in my area) over-the-air as well, with PVR for both.
 
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I'm not certain what happened to the MicroHD. One day I noticed the power indicator was blinking. It was suggested that sometimes indicates a shorted coax so I disconnected the coax and the light stopped blinking. Because I did not have the TV turned on at the time I assumed all was well. However, the next day I replaced the LNB, which was the problem, reconnected the coax and the light did not blink but the unit also did not boot, it just hung. I took it into the computer room and tried all the suggested methods up to and including accessing it via the USB cable but it was all for naught. I really liked that little guy. :(
I liked this receiver as well, but the tuner's coax connection is very easy to break, I've repaired mine twice before moving on to the HDVR3500. Mine got stuck in the boot loop too, had to try several times via the USB connection before it finally started working again. Anyway, I'm planning to try and revive my MicroHD one more time to use just for a satellite radio receiver.
 
I use a few of these to kind of do what you want to do, Dsmith0429. I use them to modulate satellite channels and also our security cameras onto my OTA setup so my parents can watch the sat channels at their house next door, [they also share our OTA setup] and we can watch some sat channels and our security cameras on any TV in our house.

Amazon product ASIN B00026C4GA
The only downfall with satellite channels is you have to have a separate tuner for each modulator input, if you want it remote free. They do output SD, [NTSC] either onto a VHF/UHF channel, or a cable channel. I haven't tried modulating a channel onto a cable setup, because we don't have cable. The setup made it easy for my parents, the sat tuners and modulators are at my house and all my parents have to do at their house next door is tune their TV to whatever channel one of the sat channels or camera channels are modulated onto. It is a little touchy if you try to use a channel that already has TV channels right next to it, sometimes that will cause interference, here we receive quite a few OTA channels, so it took a bit for me to find channels I could use without interference. There is cheaper ones available, but I haven't tried any. If you do a search on Amazon, etc, for agile modulators, it will bring some up.

Did you get a price quoted to you on the sat to ATSC converter you were looking at? That sounds pretty nice, might be something I'd be interested in, if the price isn't sky-high.
Never received a reply about the ATSC converter from the UK, oh well...
 
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