Need Help on a new HD receiver

[oldtimer1]

Hello Everyone,
I've been a true free to air hobbist for alot of years. Out of all the receivers that I have. my old coolsat 5000 seems to be the best free to air receiver that I own. As we get into the HD area ,I need to purchase a new HD box that will actually work. I only do true free to air on C/KU band. Does anyone have a HD satellite receiver with these Features; Fully MPEG-2 & MPEG 4
(DVB-S2 Compliant)Waveform: QPSK, 8PSK for FTA not Dish
Tunes & Decodes all 18 ATSC broadcast formats from ant,USB PVR Features
& Blind Scan.? If not what is the closest receiver that I can get to this that someone has actually tried and it works?
I would appreciate any help that I could get on this subject. I only can purchase a new receiver every 3 years or so. and I have purchased quite a few that doesn't work like they claim that they do.
Thanks, Oldtimer1

PS: I need to hear from all of you.

 

[Lak7]

& Blind Scan.?

A "North American" Blind Scanning DVB-S2 unit does not exist, yet.
But there is always hope.

(DVB-S2 Compliant)Waveform: QPSK, 8PSK

I'm assuming you mean "DVB-S2" 8PSK, yes.
For "DVB-S" 8PSK, I think it's commercial units only, expensive units.

all 18 ATSC broadcast formats

Didn't know there was more than 1.

 

[Anole]

18 ATSC formats sounds right.
But, I can only remember three of them:
- 1080 scan lines x 1920 pixels wide
- 720 scan lines x 1280 pixels wide
- 480 scan lines by something (not the 720 I thought)
Wikipedia does [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATSC_standards"]ATSC (standards) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia@@AMEPARAM@@/wiki/File:Question_book-new.svg" class="image"><img alt="Question book-new.svg" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/99/Question_book-new.svg/50px-Question_book-new.svg.png"@@AMEPARAM@@en/thumb/9/99/Question_book-new.svg/50px-Question_book-new.svg.png[/ame] for anyone who cares.

But, back to the HD question...
There are several recent threads about HD FTA receivers.
Even one in the FTA Shack.
Take a look at them for additional info.

 

[Lone Cloud]

As much as I'm not at home with this techie stuff, it has been annoying having 2 HD receivers that are imperfect. I have Sonicview and Viewsat HD boxes. - no S-2, no 4.2.2.
So I'm setting up a pc with a Technotrend card

I know it'll take me awhile to get it., but maybe in the end I'll have what I've been wanting - basically all the signals up there.

Good luck on whatever you decide.

 

[brentb636]

And the PCI DVB route looks like the only way to get there !

 

[tdti1]

PCI card is the best way to get the most channels, for a receiver the Coolsat 8100 is to my knowledge the only one still available new.

Digiwave 9000 and Pansat 9000 are also good but I am not sure if you can find them new.

 

[Lak7]

And the PCI DVB route looks like the only way to get there !

Do PCI or USB Blind Scan?

 

[Machman]

Do PCI or USB Blind Scan?

Only the Technisat SkyStar 2 v2.3 does, and it doesn't receive DVB-S2. I couldn't find anyone selling one either. Other cards can do software blind scan but that can take hours.

I use a cheap standalone SD receiver to do blind scanning, and if it can't decode the video because it's HD or 4:2:2 or whatever, I use my PCI card instead. I can usually hear the audio on the receiver even if I can't see the video, so I have some idea of what the feed is before I bother to put the info into my PC. All of the HD receivers are too overpriced and/or buggy for my tastes, so I'm willing to put up with the extra work of this method. I have more patience than money

 

[oldtimer1]

Thanks for all of the input. I have decided to try a viewsat max HD.
I wish you luck with your PCI card. I have used a couple but seems to be
more work than I want to get into.

 

[tdti1]

Don't go with Viewcrap, they are useless, again the best bang for your buck will be a Coolsat 8000 or 8100 the Digiwave 9000 or the Pansat 9000 if you can find them.

Viewsat Max does not do dvb-S2.

 

[gillham]

Thanks for all of the input. I have decided to try a viewsat max HD.

I wouldn't get that unit. I also recommend the Coolsat 8100HD. I have an 8000 & an 8100 and they both work quite well.

 

[Lak7]

If I was going to buy an HD Receiver in the next Month:
Quali-TV (4:2:2 for feeds)
Pansat 9200 w/ 8PSK add-on (can record high bit rate signals - esata drive)
Coolsat 8000 / 8100 (I don't know recording limits)
Diamond 9000 (can't record high bit rate signals)

If you watch Feeds, get a Quali (until more capable units are made in a few years), not many DVB-S2 Feeds up there yet, unless you have to record.
If you need DVB-S2 and Recording, I'd get the Pansat.
I guess it comes down to money.

 

[TRG]

I wish the receiver manufactures would get their act together.

 

[tdti1]

I wish the receiver manufactures would get their act together.

Sadly it's the hackers that are the main market, and they don't need the same things that we want

 

[FTAsquirrel]

Stay Clear of the Pansat 9200 not in less you do not mind the bugs it has and doing lots editing time with the remote to fix things. Had one, sold it. I got tired of all its issues and poor support.

My simple little Fortec Mercury II keeps running along fine when the 9200 would lockup, audio stuttering, not get the audio on 360 north, give me the blue screan for a long time before the channel would show, miss channels and many other things that got to me after time. Miss the PBS HD channels but I can watch TV now more with the mercury and I gained channels.

Sadly I think its built for the hackers and not true FTA as when you call them they do not have a clue as to whats going on with the receiver, I even shipped it to them and it came back the same way and they tried to tell me it had the wrong software in it when it was their software that it came with new. Tells me who they are used to dealing with.

Sure will be happy the when the day comes hackers are no longer around (I am dreaming), I do not understand the though process a person stealing services has, they would not go into the store and shoplift but hacking it just the same thing.

Oops got off topic a bit.

 

[Lak7]

Stay Clear of the Pansat 9200 not in less you do not mind the bugs it has and doing lots editing time with the remote to fix things. Had one, sold it. I got tired of all its issues and poor support.

I don't have one, but I though the last Firmware release fixed many issues.
Do you remember the last firmware you used?

 

[Babadem]

I wouldn't get that unit. I also recommend the Coolsat 8100HD. I have an 8000 & an 8100 and they both work quite well.

If they both work well, but you recommend the Coolsat 8100HD, what's the advantage of the Coolsat 8100 over the Coolsat 8000?

 

[FTAsquirrel]

I used the 12.18 firmware and it still had many issues.

 

[Babadem]

I used the 12.18 firmware and it still had many issues.

For which Receiver??

 

[gillham]

If they both work well, but you recommend the Coolsat 8100HD, what's the advantage of the Coolsat 8100 over the Coolsat 8000?

The 8100 is a PVR, the 8000 is not. The usb port on the 8100 is convenient for the infrequent factory firmware upgrades as well since you don't have to unhook everything and drag it off to a PC.