Cheapest Reciver

[kelleyga]

What is the best cheapest receiver for FTA Ku and C band I can buy.

I already have a Pansat 3500s. A friend of my has a 10 feet BUD and for him to test and try it he does not want to spend a lot of money and the Pansat is some what expensive for him.

What do you guys recommend for him to buy that is CHEAP but is good

Thanks.

 

[Corrado]

Let us know more about the dish itself. Is it already setup for Ku or at least currently functional? Otherwise, LNB(F)s while be necessary to figure into the cost. Without the former C band or 4DTV receiver a dishmover will be needed as well.

What does your friend want to watch? Think about what you want to point at before you start buying anything if money is an issue. Once he gets started he can always add to what he has.

Plenty of used equipment is on the market. Personally, I have used Fortec and Pansat DVB receivers over the past 3 years with excellent results.

 

[Anole]

Let us know more about the dish itself.
Is it already setup for Ku or at least currently functional?
Otherwise, LNB(F)s while be necessary to figure into the cost.
Without the former C band or 4DTV receiver a dishmover will be needed as well.

The above answer really needs to be heeded.

However, assuming you can use a DVB receiver and that's all you really want, there are two pretty good offers right now.
One is a FortecStar 5400 from SatelliteAV.
The other might be a Traxis 3500. (oops, he raised his price and is sold out! )
Alternate source, but do your own shopping.
Both will do blind scan.
Do look up both and make an informed decision, though.

Plenty of used equipment is on the market.

Cannot argue with that!

 

[kelleyga]

It is a 10 feet dish with a LNBF. He wants to have fun, move between satellites and scan to see what he gets.
Blind scan is nice really nice, I have it in my Pansat and it helped me a lot, for sure we want that.
We want for him to be able to get ku and c band which with the LNBF he can. So it is just a cheap good receiver. I will check those 2 to see.

 

[Anole]

Neither will move his dish.
If the LNBF has a polarotor, neither will control that.
That's why Corrado asked for more info, above.

 

[kelleyga]

Yeah, that is true I forgot about it.

We have the mover, but then it means I will need something similar to the Pansat where I connect the 4 motor cables. What other do you recommend that is cheaper than the PanSat.

 

[kelleyga]

Is there any Fortec that can move the BUD?

 

[Anole]

more info

Concerning the FortecStar 5400, please look over this thread.
Also note Sadoun's comment at the end.
We have a review of that receiver.

Here's a 2-year old first impression of the Traxis 3500.
To be more even-handed, you should search out some of the recent threads, where a new firmware version finally fixed a nagging AC3 problem.

 

[kelleyga]

Well, I forgot I am going to use a VBox III, so then those 2 receiver should be ok.

 

[Anole]

Not really up on this 100%, but I think only the Pansat 3500 and 2800 can move the polarotor.

Neither can run the big motor that moves the dish.


....arghhhh....!!!
You mention Vbox while I'm composing this???
I thought you said "cheap" ?

Well, I think the first line above still is pertinent.
You've left "cheap" behind, though.

 

[kelleyga]

Well, I think it will be pretty much almost the same.

Vbox III = $55

So if I buy the Pansat 3500 it will be almost as buying the Traxis receiver and the Vbox.

 

[Anole]

Please provide more info about the equipment your friend has.
Specifically the LNB.

The Pansat 3500 will not replace the Traxis and Vbox.
If you need a Vbox with one, you need a Vbox with the other receiver.
That's to move the dish, and neither receiver can do it.

The Pansat 3500, 2800, and apparently 2700 can move the polarotor on the LNB, if that is necessary.
On the other hand, if you have an electrically selectable LNBF (such as DMSI BSC621, or SatelliteAV LN-GEO-CK1), then any receiver is fine.

 

[kelleyga]

BSC621 that is what we have for this BUD.

 

[gabshere]

SatAV posted a message earlier about finding a couple more of those on sale fortec's

 

[linuxman]

Dad Gummitt!!

I have got to quit reading these forums.

Here I am desperately trying to save up money for an HDTV, and I read about Kellyga's friend and a VBox III for $55.00.

I just bought the last one that a dealer had in stock for $60.22 shipped. He says they are back ordered in Atlanta, so there might not be any more for a while.

I have got to quit taking advantage of these deals and keep my eyes on the goal.

As far as the receivers go, those mentioned above are good receivers with nice low price tags.

If there may be thoughts of expansion in the future, buy the Pansat 3500. It can control the servo motor on a co-rotor, and works very well with the VBoxes.

Fred

 

[stogie5150]

There's not going to be anymore Vbox III's, there will be Vbox V's. Don't ask me how I know that, just take it to the bank.

 

[linuxman]

If so, that is why the good deals.

My two VBox II's cost $80.00 each. There were never any good deals.

I'll be satisfied with The VBox III. I have had great success with the VBox II's.

Fred

 

[Anole]

Vbox III

I don't even have anywhere to shove one...
... but have thought about 'em anyway...

In the past, I've seen 'em down in the $45-55 range, if memory serves.
Now, maybe those were Vbox I's, if there was such a thing, but I'm pretty sure it was II's or above.
True, the actual cost includes shipping, and I probably didn't consider that or just don't remember the details.
One place I thought, was PSBsatellite, but his (new!) site no longer lists 'em.

Did some searches just now and found:
$45 at DVBhardware
$55 at cyberEstore
$67 shipped, out of some place in San Diego on eBay ...

 

[linuxman]

I got mine from Rick's Satellite.

Mainly because he is just a few hours from here and I will have it tomorrow or Saturday.

What I paid was a fair price with tax and shipping.

Anole, you need to put up a BUD and get you one of those things. It's a whole new world.

 

[hiebert]

Not really up on this 100%, but I think only the Pansat 3500 and 2800 can move the polarotor.

Neither can run the big motor that moves the dish.


....arghhhh....!!!
You mention Vbox while I'm composing this???
I thought you said "cheap" ?

Well, I think the first line above still is pertinent.
You've left "cheap" behind, though.

Anole
Only the Pansat 3500 and 2700 can move the polarotor, or the picture on Pansat, it´s not true.

Saludos
Hiebert