Has anyone compared or done a review of the V-BOX 6 vs the G Box? I read Linuxmans review of the G Box and am leanig towards getting one, but am wondering how the latest V-BOX compares.
Thanks,
Greg
Thanks,
Greg
V-BOX 6 or G Box V3000
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Greg, I too can only speak for the Gbox. I got one from Sadoun Sales and really like it! I got it a few months ago and it was my first attempt at motorizing a Cband dish ( 6 footer). It moves flawlessly...never had an issue. I liked the set up. Once you get it setup if one satellite is off a little one way or another you can tell it to resync. This sure beats having to manually peak the signal on each individual satellite. Do it once and forget it. Hint... I used four conductor -solid- telephone wire and ran it to the accuator. Sure cheaper than sprinkler wire and I've had no problems with the wire. Blind
I just purchased a VBox 6 and am very happy with it.
Quality:
The build quality is pretty solid. The wire clips for the motor and sensor wires are a little touchy, sort of like ones on the backs of speakers, but it is not a problem. The power cord is medium length, not super long if you need to place it away from a plug.
Usage:
The VBox6 is very easy to use. When you hook it up, just start moving the dish and set your limits. It doesn't matter where 000 is at. Setting the limits for the dish is easy. Once you have your limits set, start moving the dish until you find a sat. You can either program it using the VBox remote control, or you can use your receiver. In the case of the Coolsat 6000, you go to the motorized menu and save the position. It automatically send a signal to the Vbox and stores the position.
Essentially, you could hook up the Vbox, set the dish limits, then tuck it away and not have to use it. The Coolsat 6000 can move the dish manually as well. Fine move and longer move. When you select the sat or TP it automatically moves to the stored position.
$45 or less on ebay. Well worth it.
Quality:
The build quality is pretty solid. The wire clips for the motor and sensor wires are a little touchy, sort of like ones on the backs of speakers, but it is not a problem. The power cord is medium length, not super long if you need to place it away from a plug.
Usage:
The VBox6 is very easy to use. When you hook it up, just start moving the dish and set your limits. It doesn't matter where 000 is at. Setting the limits for the dish is easy. Once you have your limits set, start moving the dish until you find a sat. You can either program it using the VBox remote control, or you can use your receiver. In the case of the Coolsat 6000, you go to the motorized menu and save the position. It automatically send a signal to the Vbox and stores the position.
Essentially, you could hook up the Vbox, set the dish limits, then tuck it away and not have to use it. The Coolsat 6000 can move the dish manually as well. Fine move and longer move. When you select the sat or TP it automatically moves to the stored position.
$45 or less on ebay. Well worth it.
The Gbox 3000 has a six digit display, I wish it was more, also, 99 satellite capacity, I'm curious how the Vbox 6 compares to those numbers?
Blind, phpinfo,
Thanks for your input. I think either one would work for me, except for the fact that the V-Box has a 3 digit display vs GBox's 6 digit. Although the V-BOX may very well be able to count beyond +/-999, I like the idea of being able to have the the full count digits displayed. The counts I am getting now are 2242 between Hispasat 1C and AMC 8. I'm currently controlling this dish with a GI 350i, and it works fine, but my wife would like a little more automation instead of messing with the GI to change sats.
Starman,
Thanks for mentioning the 6 digit display on the G Box. I had forgotten to consider that, along with it's ability to display count, position #, and a programmed sat name. Like the G Box, the V-Box 6 also is advertised as having 99 sat positions.
Thanks for your input. I think either one would work for me, except for the fact that the V-Box has a 3 digit display vs GBox's 6 digit. Although the V-BOX may very well be able to count beyond +/-999, I like the idea of being able to have the the full count digits displayed. The counts I am getting now are 2242 between Hispasat 1C and AMC 8. I'm currently controlling this dish with a GI 350i, and it works fine, but my wife would like a little more automation instead of messing with the GI to change sats.
Starman,
Thanks for mentioning the 6 digit display on the G Box. I had forgotten to consider that, along with it's ability to display count, position #, and a programmed sat name. Like the G Box, the V-Box 6 also is advertised as having 99 sat positions.
I like my Gbox, I haven't had a problem with it during the 1.5 yrs I"ve had it. It seems to be quite accurate and easy to use. Three digits is a little disappointing, I guess I should be happy with my Gbox's 6 digit display.
I have been happy with my V Box 6,,,, I have heard only good comments in ref to the G-Box,,,,,
I purchased a V-Box 5 before and there was something wrong with it,,,,passed the 1 yr warranty on it so the store offered me a great deal for the V-Box 6 and could not pass it,,,,,
If I were to buy one again,,,I would go for the G-Box,,,,,
If I am not mistaken,,,there is a 25-30 dlls difference between the 2
Cheers,,,,'
I purchased a V-Box 5 before and there was something wrong with it,,,,passed the 1 yr warranty on it so the store offered me a great deal for the V-Box 6 and could not pass it,,,,,
If I were to buy one again,,,I would go for the G-Box,,,,,
If I am not mistaken,,,there is a 25-30 dlls difference between the 2
Cheers,,,,'
I also controlled my dish with an analog receiver for many years, it was an extra key press on a separate remote but I found myself using the dish a lot more after I got the Gbox and an lnbf. I think I lost a little signal with the lnbf compared to my cal amp lnbs but for me it was a good trade off. Its just so much more convenient to use the Gbox and the lnbf.
The Gbox displays the counts as the dish is moving. It has a four digit count display so I'm not sure how high the count goes. I started programming satellites at AMC 6 which was zero on the count and ended up at AMC 8 as my most westerly satelllite and the Gbox count was 1386. Later I added some satelllites on the east side of AMC 6 ending up at Intelsat 805 as my most easterly satellite and the count is -0242. Anything less than zero is shown as a negative value.
What I would really like is a Gbox type controlller that could control skew, then I could put my ADL feed and Cal amp lnbs back on the dish
Good luck with your choice.
im not sure about the vbox 6 but i have a vbox 2 and a gbox and the gbox counts twice as many pulses as the vbox. maybe look for a comparison between a vbox 2 and 6 and see if they count the same. as for usability the gbox and vbox2 are almost identical. the gbox can store 39 more positions and has the bigger display. the only differences i can see. the vbox2 cost me half what the gbox did.
crackt out,.
crackt out,.
I too, am planning to swap the traditional feed for a C-Band only LNBF, and use the Fortec FC90 for Ku. Which LNBF are you using, and on what size reflector? How well does it work for S2 with low FEC?
Yeah, I hear ya. I was going to build a voltage controlled rotor controller, but then I realized I"m really not that fond of servo controlled polarity anyways. This set up is going to be the "Family System" so a little loss using a LNBF should be OK. Ease of use is the goal. If it doesn't perform well enough it will get an ortho.What I would really like is a Gbox type controlller that could control skew, then I could put my ADL feed and Cal amp lnbs back on the dish
Thanks,
Greg
ive tested a gospell d12t dual cband lnbf vs a geosat c2 on a 9 foot spun. the gospell performed better. i also have a ck1 im going to test against my dmx741u on a 10 foot mesh( probly on saturday when it gets warmer ). the 741 works pretty well on s2 but i dont think my coolsat 8.1k likes low fec.
crackt out,.
crackt out,.
crackt has it right, the G-Box does double the count, compared to the V-Box6.
I have both units and they both seem to work well but the V-Box6 appears to be slightly less robust (smaller power supply, weaker power connectors) than the G-Box.
Mr. Sadoun is doing his part to help you with your decision:
http://www.satelliteguys.us/c-band-...gbox-sale-save-20-sale-ends-01-10-2010-a.html
I have both units and they both seem to work well but the V-Box6 appears to be slightly less robust (smaller power supply, weaker power connectors) than the G-Box.
Mr. Sadoun is doing his part to help you with your decision:
http://www.satelliteguys.us/c-band-...gbox-sale-save-20-sale-ends-01-10-2010-a.html
My Gi 350i gives a count on both make, and break of the reed. This gives me 20 CC per degree on the AJAK so the G-Box should do the same.
Well, Sadoun forced me into buying the G-BOX
A great price, and the timing couldn't be better! As I mentioned in the OP, I was leaning towards the G-Box but, being a cheapskate, I needed a little shove.Thankyou to all for your help,
Greg
The 3 digit vs 6 digit display is not a big deal to me for the way I use the VBox. I don't even have it in the same room as the receiver. I just set the dish limits and then use the Coolsat 6000 to store the sats and even fine move the dish.
So to me the digits don't matter.
Why do some prefer 6 digits over 3 digits?
So to me the digits don't matter.
Why do some prefer 6 digits over 3 digits?
I too have used these G-Boxs from day 1 when they came out an like them a lot, an have not had any problem with all 4 of them I have here.
now getting to on how high they count, in their manual they say 2000, an I have had several phone calls back to Sadoun on this same matter here, an they will count an be very accurate with count way over 2000. over the summer finished up 1 of my dishes a 10-ft ChannelView, an built a step up gear drive for the magnet wheel, now from my due south satellite ( at 000 on G-Box) to AMC-8 it counts to 3110, now back to due south (000 on G-Box) an drive to Telstar-12 G-box -3780. an the G-box has been running it now for about 5 months with no problem on these high counts. an at 1st I had my doughts that is was to high, almost was going to remake another magnet wheel. an this is my 2nd dish with a high count an a G-Box the other dish is around 4500 count on it, but that is only a ku dish.
now as far as how high they will count starman they will do 7500, no problem, may even do more. but when mine is moving you can not read the last digit on the G-box it is a blur, like a dragster at 300mph.
my reply was meant for the canadians. its costs extra for us to buy from the states. we get raped in a lottery fasion. but ill agree with the dragster analogy. the gbox seems fast becuz it counts twice as many pulses. the display cant be read while moving. the 36 volts the gbox provides as opposed to the 24 volts my dsr-920 puts out to move my other dish is definately noticeable.
crackt out,.
Well, Sadoun forced me into buying the G-BOX
I hope you received your GBox and got a chance to play with it?
I'm using a GeosatPro c/ku lnbf that I bought from SatelliteAv a couple of years ago. Just a hint, if you buy one, take off the cap and throw it away you will gain signal. The reflector is 10', and it works pretty well on Dvb-s2. Its amazing it does as well as it does with all the hail dents in it, some are probably an inch deep on the bottom half of the dish. I'm in a lightning prone area and have lost a few lnbs over the years so it makes sense for me to use a cheaper lnbf that can be replaced for $50 or less.
I think I may have changed my opinion on the Vbox, however, it might work fine with new HH motors. But the support seems non-existent. If it dies, then you are out.
See http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-air-fta-discussion/200300-vbox-woes-switch-gbox.html
See http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-air-fta-discussion/200300-vbox-woes-switch-gbox.html
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