Help again! What do you recommend for a good FTA receiver

[TimB]

I've been looking at many receivers, but there is not any one model that jumps out at me as the best or the most user friendly. You guys know this stuff inside and out as the technology is changing daily, please help.
I have a QP031 LNB, 33"Fortec dish and a SG2100 motor. Thank you in advance. Tim

 

[updatelee]

there are many posts on this subject and I recommend you read ALOT before laying down your hard earned cash

I really like my fortec mercury II for motor control, coolsat 5000 was prob my second choice for motor.

 

[W_Tracy_Parnell]

Even though I currently use a Fortec Lifetime NA, I honestly think the Coolsat are the most user-friendly.

 

[SatinKzo]

Well, I am fairly new to FTA and my first receiver was a coolsat 5000. It was very easy for me to learn on. My second receiver was a fortec mercury II. I really loved that thing (blind scan was very nice in all the options you could set) but I sold it recently as I picked up a pansat 3500sd. I still have the coolsat and I am currently using the pansat. All 3 fo them worked well with my motor setup.

Dang hobby has made me constantly looking for different receivers and searching ebay constantly for good deals on something different to play with.

 

[brentb636]

Well, I am fairly new to FTA and my first receiver was a coolsat 5000. It was very easy for me to learn on. My second receiver was a fortec mercury II. I really loved that thing (blind scan was very nice in all the options you could set) but I sold it recently as I picked up a pansat 3500sd. I still have the coolsat and I am currently using the pansat. All 3 fo them worked well with my motor setup.

Dang hobby has made me constantly looking for different receivers and searching ebay constantly for good deals on something different to play with.

DANG HOBBY !

 

[1inabillion]

Cool Sat 4000 or 5000 Pro are good make shur you do your homework a good Fta receiver will have a true Blind Scan .

 

[Mr Tony]

Dang hobby has made me constantly looking for different receivers and searching ebay constantly for good deals on something different to play with.

damn hobby...I know the feeling
been through, dang, 20+ receivers in 3 years

 

[gabshere]

i have two coolsat 5k and like em both. The only problem is one remote is acting up , not the receiver just a remote. sometimes it won't control the receiver , the other remote steps in and works for both ..

next in line would be the Mercury II & Traxis 3500 , with maybe the Traxis getting the nod cause of price.

 

[jayelem]

Another Vote for Coolsat , I've tried several different FTA receivers and I like this one the most.

COOLSAT 5000 is my favorite, why spend extra money for a 6000 when EPG make no difference.

Coolsat 5000 has good motor control and awesome blind scan, user friendly remote, just easy to use, editing TP and channels is easy.

 

[Mr Tony]

really good
Coolsat 5000
Pansat 3500
Fortec Classic or Mercury II

wouldn't recommend
Captiveworks (no blind scan)
Viewsat (Viewsat + motor = yeesh)

 

[TimB]

really good
Coolsat 5000
Pansat 3500
Fortec Classic or Mercury II

wouldn't recommend
Captiveworks (no blind scan)
Viewsat (Viewsat + motor = yeesh)

Thanks guys.

Been there, done it with Viewsat- never so frustrated in my life.
It appears the Coolsat 5000 and Fortec MercuryII are the two contenders.

Of these two which one will scan the satellite and set up the channels automatically?

 

[TimB]

Well, I am fairly new to FTA and my first receiver was a coolsat 5000. It was very easy for me to learn on. My second receiver was a fortec mercury II. I really loved that thing (blind scan was very nice in all the options you could set) but I sold it recently as I picked up a pansat 3500sd. I still have the coolsat and I am currently using the pansat. All 3 fo them worked well with my motor setup.

Dang hobby has made me constantly looking for different receivers and searching ebay constantly for good deals on something different to play with.

Was there any issues with the MercuryII?

 

[SatinKzo]

Was there any issues with the MercuryII?

No I had no issues at all with the merc II. I liked it but I really liked the pansat with the SD card cause my kids like to listen to music ( kids songs ) in the hometheater room and I hate them moving their CD's around all the time so I ripped em all to mp3 and I loaded them on a 256meg SD card for them. now they can play them without me worrying.

Also, I like the SD card for editing the channel lists and such. Just save the channel list to the card, take card to PC, use channel master to load file off SD card, edit, save back to card and then reload on receiver. Works great!

The merc II was great for blind scans (very nice options ) and had pretty good pic quality. It had AC-3 output (kids like all the PBS's too). It's blind scan was definately much easier for a newbie to use than the pansat I have now, but now I know the way this one works and I am very happy.

Just so you know. I also wasn't looking to replace the merc II for any reason, I just wanted to try new boxes and I got a good deal on a pansat on ebay.

If you like the merc II, check sadoun but also you might want to try ebay as you can find some good deals at times there. You shouldn't have a big deal with fortec on there and could get one pretty cheap, it's not a overly popular box for the people that shop FTA on ebay. If you know what I mean (search for viewsat and captiveworks and you'll know what I mean)

 

[techboss]

You guys seem to prefer Coolsat 5000 over 6000. If The 6000 is $20-30 more is it worth it? The 32MB on the 6000, will help store more blindscan transponders?

 

[ghia]

The coolsat 5000 is a very nice receiver, it is what I am currently using on my main tv.
It has the best balance of features.

I would give a strong 2nd to the traxis 3500. The only drawback to this unit is that it does not pass ac3 audio on ku band and it only offers composite output. So if the PBS channels are what you are going after look elsewhere. The blind scan on the unit is my favorite, and I like the front panel SQ/PQ meter.
YMMV

 

[voomvoom]

I prefer the Pansat 3500s, although there is nothing wrong with the Coolsat 5000. I have both and would recommend both. But, I like the Pansat better, don't really know why, I just do.

Al