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Silver Member Username: TinfishPost Number: 122 Registered: Apr-06 | LK... I have two questions: I'm considering a Viewsat receiver. Do you know which one is better Viewsat Pro or a Viewsat Ultra? I'd like your views. VS Pro is only $30 more than the ultra but has PVR. ont know how easy or diffcult it is to operate. Second question, with either receiver can I block dc power to any particular DisEqC? I want to use a common splitter to connect to single lnb (on 121) and dont mind watching the channels on the same polarity as the master receiver on this lnb (I'm planning to use a sat splitter to get 2 feeds from that lnb). Thanks |
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Platinum Member Username: LklivesPost Number: 12098 Registered: Jan-06 | Introducing the New VS Pro PVR !!! c/p from total.. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My VS Pro PVR proto type arrived today and I got right into testing this puppy out. After taking a few snap shots I went ahead and hooked it up. Upon power up I went right into Menu and noticed a whole new GUI. This GUI is just as user friendly as on other Viewsat models. The unit comes with 2 USB ports. One on the front (behind door panel) and one on the rear. You have to choose in the menu which one you like to have active. This makes it easy for Firmware upgrades via a USB Stick via the front while having your external USB HDD hooked up in the rear. One other thing that I like about this unit is the ability to enter and go thru the Menu via front panel buttons if you ever misplace the remote. As for the Remote it is similar to that of the VS PVR7000. It is not compatible with other non PVR VS models but does work with the VS PVR7000. Setup ----------- Flashing was not much different then that of the Viewsat Ultra via USB. After loading the third party file I preceded to manually setup my antenna settings and DiSEqc switch setting. There is an auto DiSEqc detect but decided to try the manual approach initially. Channel Search is easy as in previous Viewsat models and gave me an accurate scan on the 3 main birds that I use (91/110/119). I proceeded to setup other options like turn A/R to all on, time setting, sort by sid etc. Autoroll was no different then my Ultra displaying the Autoroll Processing message in the upper right corner. In no time the picture came in. PQ was great using composite output to a 32" Tube. I would have to say the picture quality was slightly better then with my Ultra. PVR Functions ------------------- I hooked up my 320GB 7200RPM USB HDD to the rear port and configured as needed. I then used the easy menu to format the HDD at which time it asked to set PVR and MP3 partition sizes. The format was quick. I then set PVR configurations such as recording option (EPG/Time) etc. Recording was simple and the PQ on the recording was excellent that I couldn't tell if it was live or the recording. FF and RR work great too. Overall this new VS Pro PVR has impressed me and is exactly what was expected from Viewsat. The horse power of the new ST-Micro CPU at 260MHz really gives it the needed speed for a PVR. While there is still work to be done on the file. Since it still being in its beta stage it still gets the job done. Photos of this new GUI to come as well as full specs -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I just received my pro. As far as i can tell, it is a single tuner, but you can watch up to three shows at the same time as long as they are on the same TP. Also, while the PVR is taping a show, you are able to watch another show that is on the same TP. |
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Silver Member Username: EdenmanPost Number: 461 Registered: Aug-06 | seems like a good box, but a PVR really needs a 2nd tuner.. My 2 cents |
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Platinum Member Username: LklivesPost Number: 12101 Registered: Jan-06 | c/p from wilde Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 35 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The viewsat has all the capabilities of being better but right now it is just simply inferior. That's going by the fact you said you're not concerned with pvr. I have the Viewsat extreme, Ultra and the Pro and sadly the pro has the worse video quality. The ultra looks magnificent on my 37 inch Sharp Aquos LCD through component cables and some tinkering. The Extreme looks decent and the Pro looks rather crappy on most channels. Lots of pixelation and junk. I wil however say i love the PVR function of the Pro and the day they find a way to fix the crappy video quality i'll be a very happy man. If i were you I'd just wait to see if they're going to fix this issue. If they do, then without a shadow of a doubt get the PRO. If you don't wanna wait and could care less about PVR get the ultra. I use the Ultra over the Pro simply because the picture looks much better. |
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Silver Member Username: TinfishPost Number: 123 Registered: Apr-06 | Thanks LK. The two posts seem to contradict the video quality. Wonder where the truth lies!! How about my second question on the Dc block splitter? Do you have any opinion? Can the Viewsat 13v/18V DC power be turned off for a specfic disqec port? Im planning on the following connection - Viewsat to Diseqc lnb1 port to 110 lnb, lnb 2 port to 119 lnb, lnb3 port to a splitter connecting to 121 lnb. Again I dont mind the viewsat beng a slave to the polarity set by the master receiver on the 121. If the viewsat doesnt support the DC power block then im planning on getting a DC power block connector to connect to the splitter. Thanks for your help. |
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Gold Member Username: TapemanNew York City in-HD, NY Post Number: 1428 Registered: Oct-06 | Good post LK!!! I did say it was a great choice in May 2007 https://www.ecoustics.com/electronics/forum/home-video/353107.html What will be even more impressive if yo can high speed copy to DVD-R cuz 320GB won't be enough to save all favorite movies or if yo want to make your own collection of DVDs. I have an external Panasonic DMR-E85 Hard drive with high speed DVD burner. I hook it to Cable box or Satellite receiver Sadly they don't make those anymore. If this is a single tuner yo may consider runing a second coaxial coming from a dual LNB or Twin LNB. I don't have this device but if anyone got it look in the back if it has 2 coaxial inputs for true 2 tuners. let me know if it does. Thnx King |
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Gold Member Username: TapemanNew York City in-HD, NY Post Number: 1429 Registered: Oct-06 | tin fish Yo may split a port as long as yo use 900 MHz splitter or higher yo'll share channels on TPs. Yo may want to check this post first https://www.ecoustics.com/cgi-bin/bbs/show.pl?tpc=2&post=1063352#POST1063352 Also picture quality using these receivers require TV setup to match 480i or 480p or else pixelation will drive yo crazy due to wrong setup |