Don't mean to hijack the thread, but I'm curious what your thoughts are on the Digitrans receiver? I've been watching those and the 4800's on Ebay, but I've wondered by being commercial receivers if they are not too user friendly. There sure is a lot of DCII stuff in the clear that the average FTA'er doesn't have access to.
What KU FTA receiver(s) do you have or use?
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Don't mean to hijack the thread, but I'm curious what your thoughts are on the Digitrans receiver? I've been watching those and the 4800's on Ebay, but I've wondered by being commercial receivers if they are not too user friendly. There sure is a lot of DCII stuff in the clear that the average FTA'er doesn't have access to.
They are not user friendly at all, really. They're designed to sit in a rack all of their lives tuned to one particular transponder and channel. You have to go in and manually enter all data to change the channel (or "service".) The Digitrans/Motorola 4800 is probably a bit more "friendly" than most commercial receivers in that it has a somewhat intuitive menu and a small jog wheel for making settings, but there's no such thing as "channel surfing" with a receiver like this.
One nice thing about them is that they get both zero key and free preview fixed-key DCII signals (most so-called "clear" DCII is actually encrypted but is fixed key). They also receive DVB 4:2:0 and 4:2:2. If you have broadcast level equipment, they have an SDI interface for moving uncompressed digital video.
Too bad the interfacing is not a bit nicer, but like you said they're designed to sit on a rack and do a single job. I learned this recently when I was at a shop that had some old analog head-end units for sale. There were three of them stacked and they each had a well known channel name stuck on with a dymo label.
Of course being an idiot, I asked the inevitable question "So they must use a fair number of these?" and the owner said she'd seen head-end centers with a room full of these receivers.
I was grateful for the experience because it really opened my eyes the industrial end of satellite broadcasting. Suddenly a $120 Pansat FTA receiver seems like a pretty good deal.
Back to your response, that's really sweet that you can get the fixed key streams as well. I think that's a common misunderstanding when some people look on Lyngsat (especially on the Anik birds) they think there's some good free channels to be had, but that's mostly not the case.
Of course being an idiot, I asked the inevitable question "So they must use a fair number of these?" and the owner said she'd seen head-end centers with a room full of these receivers.
I was grateful for the experience because it really opened my eyes the industrial end of satellite broadcasting. Suddenly a $120 Pansat FTA receiver seems like a pretty good deal.
Back to your response, that's really sweet that you can get the fixed key streams as well. I think that's a common misunderstanding when some people look on Lyngsat (especially on the Anik birds) they think there's some good free channels to be had, but that's mostly not the case.
Most used - Pansat 3500s - voted
Next most used - Quali-tv QS1080IR
Also used somewhat when scanning - Coolsat 5000 - voted
Also have, but rarely use - Twinhan 102g
Al
Next most used - Quali-tv QS1080IR
Also used somewhat when scanning - Coolsat 5000 - voted
Also have, but rarely use - Twinhan 102g
Al
DMT 1000 does most of the feed hunting. Not a blind scan receiver, but it tells me when I'm close to a feed most of the time. I have 697 channels saved now on Ku and about 90 on c-band.
QualiTV 1080IR is used the next. For the saved channels if you can keep them in order. Impossible to tell if your signal is close by SR. Currently have 90+ channels saved for ku and 50 from G11 to Anik F1 on c-band.
Zinwell 9111 is used for IA 6 and G11 420 feeds and overflow from any other 420 feeds on a Saturday.
QualiTV 1080IR is used the next. For the saved channels if you can keep them in order. Impossible to tell if your signal is close by SR. Currently have 90+ channels saved for ku and 50 from G11 to Anik F1 on c-band.
Zinwell 9111 is used for IA 6 and G11 420 feeds and overflow from any other 420 feeds on a Saturday.
My Pansat 5000 just died. It was about two years old. I wasn't very happy! My wife was even less happy!! So, I bought a Coolsat 5000. I wanted the blind scan. I am going to miss the hard drive. It is a great way to record. Can you buy a unit with just a hard drive for recording?
Well, SatCruier DSR 10
the original), Coship Blindscan, Satworks Blindscan, QUALI-TV. They all handle 4:2:0/MPEG audio, but some have trouble with the High Bitrate 4:2:0 which has been showing up.
the original), Coship Blindscan, Satworks Blindscan, QUALI-TV. They all handle 4:2:0/MPEG audio, but some have trouble with the High Bitrate 4:2:0 which has been showing up.- Status
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