discontinued & OR no longer fully supported receivers reviews - ABA DSS

**carpenter1** · June 11th, 2007

The Fortec Star Lifetime Ultra digital home satellite dish receiver provides exceptional FTA satellite reception.This units new Power Scan features provides the ultimate Blind Scan Search which allows users to find every channel transmitted from the given satellite. MPEG2/DVB compliant, the Forect Star Lifetime Ultra has a super easy to use menu system and on screen display (OSD). The new OSD boasts enhanced channel searching and options such as custom features like channel move, delete, rename for satellite channel information. Using this feature we found it extremely easy to reorganize and customize them per our guidelines. Boasting the same unbeatable features as its baby brother the Lifetime receiver this unit proves to be a considerable improvement in both functionality and useablility.

Some other the feature highlights are as follows:
EPG (Electronic Program Guide) - 7 days of program information

Fully compliant with MPEG-2 Digital & DVB broadcasting

950~2150 MHz input Frequency (IF loop throughput)

Variable input Symbol Rate (1.5~45 Msps)

Multi-language OSD (On-screen Display)

Automatic PAL/NTSC Conversion

Fast Channel Change

Flexible reception of SCPC & MCPA from C/Ku band Satellites

Timer Function (Automatic On/Off Setting Function)

256-Colors (Graphic Use Interface)

P-I-G (Picture-in-Graphic) On-screen Display

Powerful Channel Editing Function

-Sorting: Alphabetic, Satellite, FTA/Scramble, Parental Lock, TP Order

-Move, Delete, Edit Favorites

-Parental Lock, Channel Rename, Channel Skip

Manual PID/Satellite & TP/Network Scan

Simultaneous Scan of 4 Satellite

Digital Free-to-Air Satellite Receiver with the all new Power Channel Scan to get the most channels from any given satellite. Boasting a huge 3,000 Channel Memory (TV & Radio) with the availability to store up to five favorite channel lists. This Unit also retains the sleek front panel design from its predecesors such as the Fortec Lifetime Classicas well as the Dolby Digital Audio out and S-Video connections.

A solid performer the Fortec Star shows its bloodlines. A previous Fortec receivers this Unit is all class. A great looker and better performer than most receivers in the same price class. Being a leader for years in FTA technology shows with this Unit as it performs as expected from this fine company. We've found that while not as advanced as some of the other higher priced units we were quite impressed by its solid performance and no frills connections. A definate contender for those looking for a simple yet very effective digital satellite dish solution.

**carpenter1** · June 11th, 2007

I still have this oldie but a goodie working. What made the Coolsat 4000 so popular among home digital satellite dish users was its ease of use. Packaged with a really nice remote control, good looks and an impressive OSD on screen display makes the Coolsat 4000 a favorite amongst many FTA users.

Standard features are dual Audio/Video outputs. a fast internal CPU processor, great TV tuner, fast signal meter and powerful blind scan it's easy to see why this Unit has become a fan favorite.
An advanced channel list makes for easy sorting and searching of channels and the large 4000+ memory seems to be more than enough for most viewers. While not state of the art, S-Video and Digital Audio out connections are standard. One of the first units to truly support Multi Satellite dishes and scanning proved to be the 4000's strongpoint.

The most popular feature which makes the Coolsat 4000 a classic FTA Unit is its Eletronic Program Guide EPG but since the new ECM it cannot populate the whole guid at once because of it's lack of memory, controls are stellar and the remote control functions are always within fingers reach. While slower now than the new units available its channel scans are still within reasonable limits and it always pulls in maximum channels accross many different satellite. The only downfall to his this receiver has been its PAL to NTSC conversion which was a beef with many of its original users.

Coolsat 4000 Features at a Glance:

Mpeg-2 Digital and Full DVB Compliance

OSD On-Screen Display with 256-Full Color Interface

Blind Search (Power Channel Scan)

Extended EPG Electronic Program Guide and Program Reservation via EPG

Dual RCA outputs

S-Video output

SPDIF Digital Sound output

Diseqc Control Version 1.0, 1.2 and USALS support

Re-namable 8 Favorite Channel Groups

Powerful Channel Control by Favorites, Loc, Skip, Move and Channel

Sorting by Alphabet, Transponder

10 Languages (OSG and Menu): English, Spanish, Portuguese, French,

German, Turkish, Arabic, Farsi

Tele-text Support (OSD and VBI Insertion)

Last Channel Memory Function

Large 4,000 Channel Storage

Pre-Installed Channels (Optional)

Multi-Satellite

Various Video Games Included (Tetris, Sokoban)

Parental Lock/Installation Lock

Zoom-In Function

If you are not bothered by the lousy PAL to NTSC conversion and are looking for a cheap Fta Receiver or a solution for a second home Unit then the Coolsat 4000 is still worth some consideration. With all of the newer units today the prices have literally dropped from the sky on some of the older and genuinely solid receivers such as the Coolsat. For budget minded consumers the Coolsat 4000 is definately still worth a look and will provide you with many hours of digital satellite tv entertainment. Just don't know for how much longer.

**carpenter1** · June 11th, 2007

The Coolsat 6000 premium features Faster Channel Changing Faster Channel Scanning, and Extended Memory 32 Mb. As with the Coolsat 5000 platinum, Component Video out put for connection to newer TVs, and a nicer On Screen Display. This receiver is a lot faster than previous Coolsat 5000 Platinum. Continuing the tradition of excellence, the Coolsat 6000 premium comes with a Universal Remote control to easily control your television or receiver volume.
The free to air market is huge and quality recievers like the Coolsat 6000 keep consumers craving more Free To Air television. Affordability is key in the receiver world and the Coolsat 6000 is targeted at mid budget consumers looking to enter the FTA Satellite Dish home market.
The pricing of their products while ensuring stringent quality control is the key to the success of the Coolsat 6000 FTA receiver.
By using the same external casing as previous models such as the Coolsat 4000 you are guaranteed to have the best possible and proven quality on the receiver market today.

The new Coolsat 6000 Premium has great features such as a 256 megabytes of SDRAM, hardware blindscan and upgradeable firmware though a port on the back of the receiver.
Choosing a great reciever for home satellite tv viewing couldn't be easier with great products like the Coolsat 6000 Premium. The Premium model looks outstanding and is well worth checking out if you are upgrading from an older Coolsat model. The Coolsat 6000 is definitely one of the better quality machines around and is well worth the money. There are others in the price range that are good, but the Coolsat really shines.

Features :

Mpeg-2 Digital and Full DVB Compliant
On-Screen Display with 256-Color Full Resolution
Blind Search [Power Scan]
DISEqC Control Version 1.0,1.2 and USALS compatible
Renameable 8 Favorite Channel Groups
Powerful Channel Control by Favorites, Lock, Skip, Move and Delete
Channel Sorting by Alphabet, Transponder and CAS
10 Languages(OSG & Menu) : English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Italian,
Turkish, Arabic, Parsi and Russian
Extended EPG and Program Reservation through EPG
Teletext Support (OSD and VBI Insertion)
Last Channel Memory Function
Total 5,000 Channels Programmable
Pre-Installed Channels (Option)
Multi-Satellite SearchVarious Games with Stereo Sound
CVBS Video & Audio
Output via RCA
Component Y/Pb/Pr Output
S-VHS Video Output
Dolby Digital bitstream audio output via S/PDIF
Software & Channel Database Upgrade via RS-232
Multi-picture Display
Zoom Function in Pause
Parental Lock / Installation Lock/ Receiver Lock
Universal Remote Control
Smart Card Reader (Option)
SD RAM : 32MB

**carpenter1** · June 11th, 2007

The Fortec Star Mercury II is a great new satellite receiver that provides exceptional digital free-to-air satellite reception.
The Mercury II is one of those receivers that pack power and abundant features ideal for home satellite enthusiast. The menu system on the new unit is easy to use and has many features that make this box a good choice for a middle to high end FTA unit. Packed with a useful PowerCan technology this machine looks for just about anything in the sky. One of the nicest features of this digital satellite dish receiver is the handy channel backup where users can backup their customized channel lists before upgrading the software and then restore the settings once the upgrades have been completed. The picture quality on setups that we've seen was exceptional and delivered clear, crisp picture with amazing contrast.

The sleek new front panel has 8 buttons which allow you full control and use of the Unit if you have misplaced your remote control. Standard output connection features are component jacks, RCA composite jacks and the standard S video connector. This makes it easy for the home user to integrate this Unit with just about any TV or home theater.

As all other Fortec recievers they carry a stellar manufaturers warranty for all their products and this new Unit is no exception. Many insiders will tell you that Fortec makes THE best FTA receivers hands down with their simplicity and powerful features.

Once again Fortec has integrated one of the nicest On Screen Menus as well as numerous channel switching options that will even impress the most diehard satellite dish user.

Hot New Features and Specs at a Glance:
Channel Back-up and Channel recovery function

8-button Menu Control on the front panel

Component video (Y,Pb,Pr) and S-Video connections

3 RCA connections (1 Video, 2 Audio L/R)

POWER Scan (blind search) with complete parameter control

One-button quick start Power Scan on the remote

One-button jump to Channel Edit function

Dolby Digital 5.1 audio pass-through (optical)

100 programmable satellites and 6,000 programmable channels

Timer function for Sleep / Wake Up / VCR Record and Channel Reminder

Fully MPEG 2 / DVB compliant, MCPC/SCPC , C/KU reception

1 LNB input with IF loop through for 2nd receiver

Manual PID scan function

Diseqc 1.2 and USALS supported

Picture-In-Graphics function

Multi-Picture (4,9, 13 or 16 pictures) function

ZOOM In/Out

Electronic Program Guide

Multi language menu

8 favorite channel group selection and parental lock

Close Caption Supported

Data transfer: receiver-to-receiver or PC-to-receiver

Once again Fortec has displayed that they are one of the leaders in FTA technology with this latest version to hit the market. It's simplicity and user friendly guides make it a snap to install and the abundant features will keep the most seasoned fta enthusiast happy. Definately worth a look if you are thinking about upgrading from your current digital satellite receiver

**carpenter1** · June 11th, 2007

The Coolsat 8000 HD is the first High Definition FTA receiver to enter the FTA market. Supports HDMI, Component video, S-Video, and Ypbpr.
Coolsat 8000HD receiver tunes and decodes a digital terrestial ATSC and satellite signal as the same by using 4MB flash memory and 12bM DDR RAM

This seems to be the first step in a new generation of fta receivers that will undoubtedly hit the market soon. We are pleased to see that the fta companies are going the extra mile to further the digital satellite tv experience by offering these great new innovations to improve our viewing pleasure.

From first glance this receiver looks to be solid state with a nice high polished finish. Apparent is the sheer size of this unit and striking new features.
As all other Coolsat recievers they carry a stellar manufacturers warranty for all their products and this new unit is no exception. Many insiders will tell you that Coolsat makes THE best FTA receivers hands down with their simplicity and powerful features.

Coolsat 8000 HD receiver introduces the best picture 1080I HD by ATSC which gives users better picture and more features than Viewsat or Sonicview. Brand new ST fast cpu that allows the CS to do more in less time. It is called HD because it can display high def pictures and it is called TScombo because it also allows you to capture and get local over the air type of channels built into the Coolsat 8000 HD
Coolsat 8000 HD receiver uses one of the fastest and best CPUs to allow the receiver to provide the best picture in high definition with out any bugs or issues. Coolsat 8000 has one of the best built in video tuners that gives the users a better picture then any other HD receiver
The hot new Coolsat 8000 HD receiver is a high def new free to air fta over the air ATSC receiver that will provide end users with the best picture on all stations broadcasting in high def. This new product from Coolsat may well be the free to air product of the year. It will be very interesting to see what and how the other FTA receiver manufacturers play catchup and what other innovations will grace the digital home user.

Coolsat 8000 HD Features :Coolsat 8000 hd:

Digital Terrestrial(ATSC) & Satellite Set-Top-Box(TS combo)
Multiple Video Outputs – HDMI, RGB, Ypbr, S-Video & CVBS
Selectable output for 1080i, 720P, 576P and 576i format
Tunes & Decodes all 18 ATSC broadcast formats
Dolby Digital(AC3) 5.1 Channel Surround Sound via optical
Aspect ratio adjustment 4:3 (16/9 crop), 4:3 (16/9 letterbox), 16:9 (4/3 pillar box)
Multi-Lingual audio & digital closed caption support
User friendly OSD and operation.
Favorite channel selections.
S/W upgrade through RS-232
Parental Guide and rating control.
Picture in Picture support (Aux input/optional) (Option)
Electronic Program Guide.
DiSEqC 1.0 & or DiSEqC 1.2
Flash memory 4MB
DDR RAM 128MB (DDR400 16MX16) X 4ea
Universal Remote Control
Smart Card Reader (Option)

Coolsat 8000 hd Specifications:Coolsat 8000 HD:

MPEG 2 & MPEG 4 Support High Definition (ATSC Only)
Digital Terrestrial(ATSC) & Satellite Set-Top-Box(TS combo)
Multiple Video Outputs – HDMI, RGB, Ypbr, S-Video & CVBS
Selectable output for 1080i, 720P, 576P and 576i format
Tunes & Decodes all 18 ATSC broadcast formats
Dolby Digital(AC3) 5.1 Channel Surround Sound via optical
Aspect ratio adjustment 4:3 (16/9 crop), 4:3 (16/9 letterbox), 16:9 (4/3 pillar box)
Multi-Lingual audio & digital closed caption support
User friendly OSD and operation.
Favorite channel selections.
S/W upgrade through RS-232
Parental Guide and rating control.
Picture in Picture support (Aux input/optional) (Option)
Electronic Program Guide.
DiSEqC 1.0 & or DiSEqC 1.2
Flash memory 4MB
DDR RAM 128MB (DDR400 16MX16) X 4ea
Universal Remote Control
Smart Card Reader (Option)

**carpenter1** · June 11th, 2007

If you are looking for a great new digital satellite receiver for your FTA solution then you might want to consider the Neosat iPro 1000. The Neosat is one of the newest receivers on the market designed for future upgrades with special options and advancements that other receivers lack. This makes the Neosat a very unique unit. By far the greatest advancement is the ability to connect to the receiver via ethernet to the internet to automatically receive the latest updated files.

This new advancement in ethernet conenection literally means no downtime when codes change. Not to be outdone by its ethernet connection is the new DiSeQc settings. This digital satellite receiver needs no settings, everything is done automatically and sets itself.
Other amazing features include OSD, EPG, CHANNEL CHANGE, CHIP SPEED, and MULTI PICTURE with above average picture quality. An internal 120Mhz Central Processing Unit (CPU) powers the new On Screen Display (OSD).

New Neosat units come pre-packaged with a 4X1 DiSEqC 1.2 switchm RCA cables, Universal Remote, Null Modem Cable and a full user manual. Some of the other great advancements are in its specification:

• Full MPEG2, DVB compliant
• C/Ku band control for each seperate antenna
• Digital Audio with AC-3 support by SPDIF connections
• PIG (Picture In Graphic) support
• Easy-to-use menu system
• Channel editing function (favorite, moving, locking, renaming, deleting and sorting)
• User programmable various satellite & transponder information
• Automatic search for newly added transponder (Network Auto Search)
• Stores up to 5000 channels
• Easy and speedy software upgrade through RS-232 port
• Plug-and-play data transfer system (DSR to DSR)
• Timer function, automatically turns On/Off by setting function
(daily, weekly, monthly and one time)
• Automatic reserved channel moving system
• Provide Electronic Program Guide (EPG)
• Support for various video output : CVBS, COMPONENT, S-VHS
• Provide various switch types, LNB types and NTSC/PAL monitor type
• SCPC/MCPC receivable from C/Ku band satellite
• Multi LNB controlled by DiSEqC 1.0, 22KHz and 0/12 volt switching
• PAL/NTSC automatically conversion
• Last channel automatically saving
• Capable of descrambling encrypted programs by Conax using built-in Conax descrambler(CX only)

Our initial first impression on this receiver is nothing but praise. Neosat has outdone many units in this price range with this latest model.

**carpenter1** · June 11th, 2007

The Xtreme has all of the same features and technical specs as the Platinum model below plus TRUE HARDWARE BLINDSCAN and COMPONENT VIDEO OUTPUTS! If you are serious about your FTA, then you will want this new model.
The Viewsat Xtreme is a good quality satellite dish that gives a great satellite reception in the USA and Canada. Viewsat are one of the most respected and popular companies providing satellite equipment and the "Xtreme" is their most popular model. It has all of the features of some of the other popular Viewsat models, but also has some added benefits, such as smart search which make the viewing experience a lot more convenient if you do a lot of searching. Another useful feature is the component video output which is not available on all models.
The Viewsat Xtreme has a good powerful processor which is always a bonus. The main processor is a Conexant which runs at 160mhz and is more than enough for most people. There is also 16mb of SDRAM which is more than acceptable. It also has a very good on screen channel guide. You get a universal remote so that you are able to get all of your electronics on to one handset which saves a lot of time and trouble, as anyone who has had several on the go at the same time will know!

There is a good selection of outputs including ones for S video, Dolby digital optical and also component video and also 6 RCA's for sound and video. All of this means that you are likely to have all of the outputs that you need for whatever you are doing. If you use smart cards for your satellite access, you are able to plug them straight into the Viewsat Xtreme. This means that you are not only able to use the standard cards, but you should be able to use any future upgrades that are on the horizon. In fact the whole interface is very user-friendly and you should not have any of the problems that you get when trying to work out the intricacies of some of the less easy to use models. You should not have any problems getting a good variety of programs too, as there is the capacity to program 4,000 channels into the machine.

Fully MPEG-2 & DVB Compliant
160 MHz Connexant Processor
16 Mb SD Ram
Input Frequency 950-2150MHz
Supports EPG, PIG
Supports SCPC & MCPC from C / Ku-band
1 LNB Input Tuner with Loop Through IF Signal
Tuner Symbol Rate : 1-45MS/s
Front panel card reader (X Crypt Conditional Access System)
Fast Booting & Auto Scan
Quick Channel Changing
Max. 4000 Channels (TV & Radio) Programmable
User Friendly 256 Colors OSD & Easy GUI
Multi OSD Language supported
Radio Channel Background Display
Favorite Channel List Programmable
Master PIN Code Function & Parental Lock Function
Universal Remote (Platinum & Xtreme)
100 Steps Volume Control
Automatic Detection of Forward Error Correction
Window based S/W Download Program Supported by RS232 Serial Port
Set to Set Download (Main Program, Channel Data)
4:3, 16:9 Letter Box & Teletext using OSD
7 Segment-4 Digit Display
5 Keys on the Front Panel (Power On/Off, Channel
Up/Down, Volume Up/Down)
Various LNB Polarity Control
22KHz Switching Control
6 RCA Output for Video, Audio L/R
Optical Output for Digital Audio (Platinum & Xtreme)
S-VIDEO Output
RF-Modulator Output
Power Switch

Power Supply

Type: SMPS

Input Voltage: AC 95V~240v 50Hz / 60Hz

Fuse Rating: 250V/T2A

Tuner

Input Frequency: 950 ~ 2150MHz

Input Signal Level: -65 ~ -25dBm

Input Impedance: 75ohm Unbalanced

Connector Type: ‘F’Type Female

LNB Power Supply: 13V/18V, Max 500mA with Short Circuit Protection

22KHz Tone: Frequency 22± 4KHz, Amplitude 0.6±0.2Vpp

DiSEqC: 1.0 , 1.1, 1.2, USALS(1.3) Compatible

Channel Selection: PLL Frequency Synthesizer

Demodulator

Type: QPSK Demodulation (DVB-S)

Symbol Rate: 1 ~ 45 MS/s

Inner FEC: Viterbi Convolutional Coding

Rate 1/2, 2/3, 3/4, 5/6, 7/8

Outer FEC: Reed Solomon Coding(204,188) T=8

Video Decoder

System Decoding: MPEG-2 ISO/IEC 13818-2

Profile and Level: MPEG-2 MP@ML

Data Rate: 1 ~15 MB/s

Video Formats: 4:3(Normal) & 16:9(Widescreen)