Viewsat 8000

The high definition receiver that everyone has been waiting for has finally arrived. The Viewsat 8000 has taken the HD satellite market by storm with its unbelievable picture quality, receiver functions, warranty and of course support. Since arriving on the scene, Viewsat has proven time and time again why they are the best in the FTA business.

If you are shopping for a Viewsat 8000 receiver there are many details that you need to keep in mind. First of all Viewsat has recently extended their warranty program to 2 years on all receivers. With Viewsat you know that you are going to be getting a quality product that they will stand behind and support for many years to come. Getting this receiver as your high definition solution for satellite TV should be the easiest decision you've made with buying a receiver. They are simply the best.

When we plugged in the Viewsat 8000 we were blown away by the high definition picture that it was producing. With the HDMI connection for video, even the regular non HD channels looked much better. We also tested the option PVR (personal video recorder) by plugging in our 250GB USB hard drive and were able to schedule recordings days ahead of time by using the built in TV guide on the receiver. This receiver has it all and continues to amaze us everyday.

While you are shopping around there are several details to look for. First off, make sure you are buying from an authorized Viewsat dealer, such as the guys at Ground Control with a location in Vancouver, BC and a second in California. There has been many clones of the Viewsat receivers floating around that are not honored by warranty, so stick with these guys and you will be covered.

Overall, with more and more channels switching over to high definition, everyone agrees that FTA high definition is the way of the future. Just remember, it is a must to stick with a name you can trust for your HD needs. The Viewsat HD receiver is sure to please anyone in need of some serious high definition, satellite TV. We give the Viewsat 8000 a 10/10 and we know you will too.

Choosing The Right FTA Receiver - Coolsat or Viewsat ?

Lately there has been a lot of interest in FTA (free-to-air) receivers. These boxes allow users to use standard dishes (similar to those used for Dishnet and DirectTV) and get hundreds of freely broadcasted channels from a host of nations without any monthly fees. Some hobbyists also modify the software on their FTA receiver to view encrypted channels. Such usage is illegal but fta receiver files can be easily found on many forums online.

Even with just FTA channels, getting an FTA receiver is definitely worth it. However, with several manufacturers and more getting into the game everyday, how do you choose between them? Some of the more common manufacturers including Coolsat, Viewsat, Pansal and SonicView have been around for many years and provide good product support which is very important when dealing with these fickle devices.

Coolsat receivers tend to be the most user friendly. The remote controls are well thought out and make common tasks very simple. However, the coolsat file support generally lags behind Viewsat by up to 2 weeks. Coolsat receivers can be updated with new software via serial cable.

Although not as user friendly as Coolsat receivers, Viewsat receivers are very stable and the support is top notch. Viewsat programmers tend to release updated files before all other FTA receiver manufacturers. The remote is a little awkward to use but the support makes Viewsat receivers our top choice. In particular, the Viewsat Xtreme 2000 provides the best value for money. Like Coolsats, Viewsat receivers are updated via serial cable.

Sonicview receivers seem to be a cheaper Viewsat line and also provide good value for money. The remote is better designed but the support seems to lag Viewsat a bit although it doesn’t seem to be as bad as Coolsat. The Sonicview receivers also have a front USB port so that file updates can be conveniently applied with a USB memory stick instead of via serial port like the others. As a cheaper secondary receiver, Sonicview is definitely a good choice although we have had slight issues scanning channels at higher frequencies.

When choosing an FTA receiver, go with Sonicview if price is your most important consideration, with Coolsat if you’re after ease of use and Viewsat if you want quick bin updates.

Pansat Receiver Comeback

Many would argue that the globaly, the Pansat Receiver never left, but I beg to differ. Pansat was a big name in FTA up until 2004 when newer manufactures hit the scene trying to make a name for themselves. In 2004 we saw companies like Fortec importing thousands of FTA receivers into North America. In late 2004, early 2005 we saw the Coolsat line of FTA Receivers come to market.

Nobody knew that rival Pansat was in the research room coming up with new receivers. In 2005 they released the Psnsat 2700a, Pansat 3500S and the Pansat 5000 HC Receivers. Each with great new features setting them above the rest.

Pansat 2700a

This model replaced the 2500 series receiver. The Pansat 2700a is your base model Pansat FTA receiver. It does everything you need and satisfies most Free-to-Air users.

Pansat 3500S

This model is a very nice offering from Pansat. This unit features a built in card reader for viewing conditional access subscription based programming, such as Free XTV. This unit also comes stanard with Component Out and SP/DIF for digital audio. If you can afford it, the Pansat 3500S is a great addition to your home electronics system.

Pansat 5000HC

This is the top of the line model from Pansat. Comes with an 80 GB hard drive built in for PVR (Personal Video Recording). This unit has all the bells and whistles but is not a big seller. The problem with that is that with less demand the price of the unit is higher. Your best deal from Pansat is the Pansat 3500S.

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