Conaxsat Nano 2 = DN - UP | B3V - UP
Conaxsat Nano = DN - UP | B3V - UP
Conaxsat Mini = DN - UP | B3V - UP
Conaxsat Duo = DN - UP | B3V - UP
Conaxsat Trio = DN - UP | B3V - UP
CW 800-700 with D-o-n-g-l-e Partially Up
Dreambox DM100 - DN & B3V = UP
I-K-S Slinger - DN & B3V = Down
I-Link IR-210/IR-220 = DN - UP | B3V - UP
I-Link IS-8000 = DN - UP | B3V - UP
KBox K1 Plus - DN & B3V = Down
KBox K1 Prodigy - DN & B3V = Down
NFusion Nova - DN - Down | B3V = Down
NFusion Solaris - DN - Down | B3V = Down
NFusion Phoenix - DN - Down | B3V = Down
NFusion HD - DN - Down | B3V = Down
Satzen - DN - UP | B3V - UP
SonySat 5500 = DN - UP | B3V - UP
SonySat 5000 = DN - UP | B3V - UP
SonySat 4000 = DN - UP | B3V - UP
SonicView 8000HD = DN - UP & Down | B3V - Partially Up
SonicView SV-360E = DN - UP& Down| B3V - Partially Up
SonicView SV-360P = DN - UP & Down| B3V - Partially Up
December 15th, 2009 - It’s actually true, the Coolsat 5000 and 6000 have actually been revived by a private company. N2News has all the latest information and downloads to get your Coolsat 5000 and 6000 back up and running by taking advantage of the latest trend, IKS or Dongle.
This is only the beginning with rumours spreading fast of a new fix for some Captain receivers and more Coolsat receivers to be released in the very near future. N2News will keep you posted on any new news related to this topic and really any other FTA related news that is of ANY importance.
ATTENTION MEMBERS: Pansat, Captiveworks, Viewsat, and Sonicview files are now posted in the members section. To download the latest FTA file updates for your Pansat, Sonicview, CW, or Viewsat receiver, login and go to the download section for your receiver. Please come back soon for more updated information regarding the ECM on May 1st. New files are still to be released. Wouldn’t expect to see any Coolsat files for a while though as many Coolsat receivers are now becoming outdated.
To get up to the minute FTA Receiver Current Statuses please subscribe to our Current Status feed below.
or If you aren’t a member but you need the latest working autoroll BIN files and keys to get your Viewsat, CW, Sonicview, or Pansat receiver back up now then Sign up with N2News below:
Hundreds of thousands of people were happy Coolsat and Visionsat owners, until recently. Many of you may be wondering why your Coolsat 4000, 5000, and 6000 have been sitting idle while the rest of the FTA world zooms by. If you don’t own a Coolsat you should know what is going on between the FTA companies and the DBS providers. The most recent Coolsat bin files were uploaded in late March and the scene has been quiet ever since. The reason for this well supported FTA receivers sudden lack of support isn’t entirely clear but I’ll offer what I know.
It’s important to understand, if you do not already, that nothing these receiver companies do is illegal as it pertains to FTA hardware. The FTA hobby is perfectly legal in North America and most parts of the world. These quality receiver products fill and important gap for those people that are interested in watching television signals freely made available over the air. Modern FTA receivers also provide excellent support for ATSC over the air digital signals. Major cities have been increasing the number of free HDTV and DIGITAL signals that are compatible with many receivers. The grey area most people associate with FTA is the “BIN” releases that allow FTA receivers to decode signals that would otherwise be protected by some type of process. This is a very secretive process and it’s still unclear to most who actually writes these bin files and who pays for it (if anyone).
It’s a fairly well known fact that some bin files are produced for sport. For software developers there is a certain level of euphoria associated with defeating the latest ECM and doing it faster than the other guys. Amateur developers have their own tools and techniques to break the code but the process is basically the same for everyone. Using a real working card and subscription the developer will look at the signal going into the real card and the signal coming out. Using this they will adjust the bits and bytes in their code to produce the same results. The word Amateur is misleading, these guys are very good and they get their “props” from the underground world that supports them. On the other hand, there are rumors that some of the FTA receiver companies pay top dollar to coders that specialize in cryptography so that their brand can always have the latest bin files. Once you understand this murky back office relationship you can begin to understand the problem.
EchoStar has a duty to the content providers that zap their must see TV into our homes. That duty is to make sure each and every person that sees ‘Yet Another Cop Buddy Show’ each and every Monday night is paying the TV Tax. It’s understandable that millions of dollars have gone into the development of satellite technology and the DVB companies want to protect that investment through subscription services. As part of that protection, they will take legal action against FTA receiver companies if they find the slightest proof they are involved with something illicit. Remember, FTA receivers are perfectly legal as is their manufacturing but reverse engineering the signal to provide a way to bypass content protection methods is not legal. EchoStar (and the other big boys) have law suits against all the manufacturers at this point, some have been going for multiple years.
The latest legal action against Freetech is, in my opinion, what is behind the lack of updates for Coolsat receivers right now as well as other receivers supported by this team. EchoStar and other plaintiffs (such as NagraVision who makes the encryption system and is partly owned by EchoStar) are represented by Hagan Noll & Boyle LLC in Houston, Texas as well as other high profile legal groups in case CV-07-6124-JW-RW. Within this legal action they make the following points that I have summarized in my own words. I’m not a lawyer, keep that in mind.
They claim the Freetech, Inc, the makers of the Coolsat products, produce a product with limited commercial value other than to pirate satellite TV.
They claim that Coolsat is specifically marketed as a device to pirate DISH Network TV and that Coolsat’s official company support will assist customers in that process.
They claim that they are directly responsible for Digital Millennium Copyright Act violations.
While I agree that many people use FTA receivers to pirate TV, I would certainly argue that this not the only use and that it may not be the majority of users. I would also argue that cable TV is something you must bring into your home if you choose to pay for it and satellite signals zap through your body like a hotdog in the microwave entirely uninvited. This, however, isn’t the problem. The problem is item number 3. EchoStar wants to know what role the FTA Company has in getting the bin files published.
Subpoenas were sent to find this information and they have been ignored, as far as I can tell, by all parties so far. It would appear that the company may be moving development resources or doing something else internally to separate itself from the developers that code the bin files.
To me, this would imply that things are in flux for a while for this development team but they will get back on track. This is entirely speculation but I would guess that the developers responsible has been told by their lawyers to lay low for a while. Possibly there are payroll papers or other documents that directly link the developers to Freetech and this would not be good.
Here are some of the questions I keep reading:
Q: Does this mean that EchoStar will try to sue me directly because I purchased hardware from Freetech?
A: This is not very likely. Buying the hardware is not illegal. A representative from SonicView has told me very clearly that the majority of hardware they sell is used in True FTA. With Digital ATSC broadcasting ramping up, more and more FTA hardware is being used as the family entertainment center.
Q:I sent email their support team asking for help and they gave me an answer. Can I get in trouble for that?
A: I can’t tell you that it was a good idea to have contacted them directly. The best place to get any type of question answered is the n2news fta forum or support team. If Freetech or any other FTA receiver company does give you information on using your hardware in a method that violates the DMCA they would be up a digital creek without a digital paddle and that is not good for anyone.
Q: I don’t have a Coolsat but I have (fill in the blank). Will my receiver stop getting updates?
A: It’s unclear who programs what bin files in this industry. If I had to guess I would say that Sonicview, Pansat, Viewsonic, and CNX should have no problem. These companies are all solid and in a good position to defend themselves. It’s unclear on how Nfusion or other IKS providers will hold up in the long run. The best thing to do is get your bin files from a site like n2news that protects the privacy of its members.
There is another theory that is much simpler but not nearly as fun. Some say the Korean based coders were unhappy with the pay so they went to work for another company. The KBOX brand receivers are manufactured at the same plant as some Coolsat products and use similar technology (if not the exact technology). More sources report that Freetech had 30,000 units and sold them off at wholesale prices before going bankrupt but this is entirely unconfirmed. It’s a confirmed fact that Coolsat Canada is no long in business.
There are some things that you can try. If you have saved your old bin files you may be in luck. Some users are reporting success with the 202 bin but others are not. Sometimes older bin files are able to work well enough that watching TV is still entertaining so don’t delete them for a while.
Don’t fret, true FTA is still a great option! Point your dish to 123.0 W using Dishpointer.com. Tune into Transponder 11.720 V, SR 27.692, VPID 0053, APID 0054, PPID 0054 and you’ll fine WNGS. They are an affiliate of “THIS” network and they have great movies and show on all day and night. No bin is required. There are other great channels on 123.0 W so scan it and see what you find.
With a less than great entry on their first attempt, the KBOX Team from Seoul, South Korea updated their K1 product line with the K1 HEROS Plus Edition. The marketing material boasts the promising slogan, “Faster. Stronger. Better.” With new features such as a USB 2.0 high speed engine, network features, and awesome picture quality. The new system keeps the dated-looking external case of previous K1 units, however, the internal menu system has been completely redesigned. On paper, everything done here sounds great but the receiver falls short of success and earns Sammy’s lowest rating so far. Remember folks, these are just my opinions so do your own research.
The KBox K1 comes with a unique feature called the Weather Hub. When connected to the internet this module allows you to view the weather forecast. This is one of the best features of the K1 and does a great job, although my living room window also tells me the weather and I don’t have to turn on the TV First. Other than the Weather Hub, the K1 STB comes with the standards such an RS-232 Cable and a remote and this should have been my first clue. The RS-232 cable was so short I tossed it because I don’t actually have a way to balance my laptop on top of my audio visual gear.
On the positive side, the unit does offer a really nice picture. The video quality was above average. It has a nice MP3 player has well. Setup took only about 10 minutes and the IKS feature worked very well. The was actually very simple. Once setup, however, the unit starts to show signs of weakness. The main menu is simple, possibly too simple. In an effort to make the K1 Plus “idiot proof” they have taken away some of the more advanced options I love in other receivers. Parental control is weak as is control over satellite specifics and channel specifics. The EPG is short on data, slow to move around in, and really doesn’t manage on-screen space very well. There are also a host of nice features missing like browse by themes, wish lists and other things that are common in receivers at this price range.
What you pay for: Very high picture quality. If you can tolerate the sub-standard features in other areas, the picture quality is actually very good in a very noticeable way. The setup and scanning was very fast. Scanning was on par with the fastest receivers around. Built-in system recovery and a USB Port with MP3 Player was also a nice touch although I have much nicer and more flexible ways to play music.
What you don’t get: The Picture in Picture feature constantly causes problems. Upgrading the bin was not as simple as the other features. Terrible EPG with no search functions and many other nice touches are missing. The EPG only shows about 1 day. The manual claims other features such as a calendar that I couldn’t figure out how to access and getting support proved 100% impossible.
I put my KBOX K1 HEROS Plus Edition back in the back and stamped it Return to Sender. Maybe the K2 due out in the summer will work out better.
Some specs from the manufacturer
* Main Processor: Conexant Virgo (32-bit RISC CPU 180 MIPS)
* Memory: 2 MB Flash ROM, 32 MB SDRAM
* Extended 9day EPG
* USB 2.0 Host Support(MP3 Player & JPEG Viewer)
* MPEGII Digital & Fully DVB Compliant
* Blind Scan
* MultiLNB Controlled by DiSEqC Control Version 1.0, 1.2 and USALS
* MultiSatellite Search
* OnScreen Display with 65535 Color Full Resolution
* Favorite Channel Groups
* Powerful Channel Control by Favorites, Lock, Skip, Move and Delete
* Channel Sorting by Alphabet, Transponder and CAS
The internet is a-buzz will rumors that the programmers at nFusion have managed to crack the encryption system called “N3”. Recently one of the large North American sat companies starting using N3 primarily and the other has begun the switch. Those of you following my other articles on the switchover to N3 know that this is nothing to panic about as there are many Free-To-Air signals you can tune into and the correct bin file allows a wide range of other signals to be accessed. Here are some interesting things to keep in mind:
It is not likely that anyone who has a solution to the N3 issue will say anything about it for another year or so. If a solution is presented too early, any provider that has not yet shipped a full N3 implementation will have the option to revise that plan and that would only hurt the FTA hobby.
There is no great demand for a solution to the N3 problem yet so there is no great brainpower fully behind a solution yet. Certainly smart people are looking at N3 right now, however, the incentive for them to “bust it wide open” is not there until further into the card deployments coming during 2009. These programmers are busy people, look for them to focus their effort right now in better support for HDTV, better EPGS, more accurate scanning, and better PVR support.
N3 has been under investigation in Europe for some time and there is no working solution across the Atlantic yet.
When N2 was cracked there was a brilliant programmer in Europe that played a key role. He isn’t actively working on N3, in fact, he was hired by the developers of the N3 system to help protect it against people just like himself. This one will, no doubt, be tougher to crack that anything before it. Even with this brilliant programmer, who was paid a rumored six-figure finders fee to help break the N2 code something was still missing. An unknown satellite company paid and employee for part of the internal N2 key needed to start writing bin files. Now, these codes are held much closer to the company.
The simplest answer is most often the right answer. In this case, it would seem that nfusion is using a type of card sharing system takes advantage of a valid working N3 card to handle the decoding.
The bottom line, it doesn’t matter how the did it or what cards they are holding back. It looks like the folks behind the nfusion want to be out in front of the pack and they are eager to prove their place in the market. Other companies are not far behind but haven’t released enough details to know what they have in store for us.
The term “J-Tag” or “J-Tagging” is frequently used in conjunction with the FTA hobby. This term refers to the Join Test Action Group (JTAG) which is a simpler name for the IEEE 1149.1 standard “Standard Test Access Port and Boundary-Scan Architecture”. If you are more confused than before, allow me to explain. The term actually has nothing to due with FTA, however, it does play a vital role as you will see.
FTA receivers and other types of STB (Set Top Boxes) have complete computer systems inside of them, however, they use a different type of CPU than your desktop PC. Generally speaking your FTA receiver or STB is using a microprocessor from a company like ARM, Freescale, MIPS, Atmel, Infineon, OnCE, and so on. While your computer runs Microsoft Windows, Linux, Mac OSX or some other major operating system, the microcontroller in your STB also has an operating system. When you upload a new BIN file to your equipment you are basically updating the operating system. If you have made a mistake in that process you will no longer be able to boot your receiver.
If you have entered this state, your receiver is essentially dead. Those of us that have done this more than once call this “Bricked”. Microcontrollers have a back door just for this type of situation. That “Back Door” is a standard way to access the internal parts of the microcontroller through a special device attached to specific pins on the cpu. If you haven’t already guessed, this standard way to access the guts of the Microcontroller is the “J-Tag”. Some Set Top Boxes and Receivers actually provide a direct cable to allow accessing the JTAG pins and some require a connection to be soldered using a soldering iron and wires.
If your STB or Receiver has become as useless as a camel with a fishing pole, you may still be able to revive it. Once you have the J-Tag cable attached and the correct J-Tag software you should be able to directly upload a working firmware to the receiver and bring it back from the dead. For example, with a Pansat 3500 the steps are simple: Attach the JTag special cable with a cheap soldering iron while the receiver is unplugged. Start the freely available “jkeys” programs and turn on the receiver. The chip will be instantly detected and you can select the menu buttons. Select Erase to clear the chip. Next, select a factory boot loader such a B80 and click Program. Within about 4 minutes your Pansat 3500 is back to life. Locate the latest bin now that you have a bootloader and you’ll be back to Hogan’s Heroes in no time.
“It’s all about the file dates” is the first thing that I heard from a sales person at Conaxsat. When I took a look for myself, I found something interesting I thought I would share with my readers. The Conaxsat receivers have a track record of impressively long stretches of uptime and are always in the front of the pack when it comes to new bin files. For TV lovers there is little else that matters sometimes, but the Nano also has an impressive list of features.
First, the Nano shares the same code system as the rest of the Conaxsat products. This means that the coders have less work to do and get patches out quicker. Updates are easily done through a usb key system.
The CNX Nano, along with all CNX receivers are priced around the same as similar receivers with similar features. The PVR function is basic but workable. If you are a heavy PVR user you’ll certainly want to avoid the Nano product as the pvr is really as basic as it gets.
The Nano excels in two areas when compared to other receivers. First is the video decoding chip. The picture produced from the system is clearly better than other units. It’s hard to put your finger on it exactly but when you see the picture, it just looks better. The receiver also has a blinding blind search function that can scan an entire satellite in about 2 minutes.
Warranty and support seem to be pretty good as well. Tech support in the US was difficult to reach but the Canadian contacts make up for that. The Conasat Nano looks like your average set top box although it does have a lot of lights which Sammy finds annoying but it won’t both most people.
People in know claim to have a plan for the N3 card swap currently underway if this affects your buying decision. Like the other teams, their plan isn’t well known or tested yet.
For the price, around $130 USD street, the receiver may be worth looking at if you don’t like the idea of using an IKS receiver.
Features from the manufacturer:
Upgrade Software & Update Channel Database through USB Port and RS232
MPEG-II Digital & Fully DVB Compliant.
C/KU band control for each antenna
LNB Tone Switch 22KHz mode on/off’
Multi-LNB controlled by DiSeqC =>DiSEqC 1.0, 1.2 and USALS
Total 5,000 Channels Programmable
Blind Scan
Smart Card Reader(Optional)
Picture In Graphic (PIG)
Electronic Program Guide (EPG) for On Screen Channel Information
Multi-language supported for Menu and OSD
Zoom Function by 2x..4x
Parental Lock
Closed Caption Support
Dolby Digital Bitstream Out through S/PDIF
CVBS Video & Audio Output via RCA
Component Y/Pb/Pr Output via RCA
S-Video Output
MP3/JPEG File Play via USB Port
7-Segment(4-digit) Type of Front Panel Display
SMART CARD(Optional) 1 Slot: ISO 7816, GSM11.11 and EMV (payment systems) compatibility
Tuner & Channel
Type 1 × F Type, IEC169-24, Female
Frequency Range 950MHz to 2150MHz
RF Impedance 75 Ohm unbanlanced
Signal Level -65 to -25 dBm
LNB Power 13.5/18.5Vdc +/- 5%, 0.5Amax, Overload Protected
22KHz Tone Frequency : 22KHz +/- 2KHz, 0.6Vpp +/- 0.2V
DiSEqC Control Version1.0, 1.2, Tone burst A/B
Demodulation QPSK
Input Symbol Rate 2~45 Ms/s, SCPC/MCPC
FEC Decoder Convolution Code Rate 1/2, 2/3, 3/4, 5/6 and 7/8 With Constraint Length K = 7
System & Memory
Main Processor 32-bit ARM946 RISC Processor
Flash Memory 2 Mbytes
System Memory 32 Mbytes
Channel Capacity Digital Channel: 5,000
Front 7-segment Display (4 digit)
MPEG Transport Stream & A/V Decoding
Transport Stream MPEG-2 ISO/IEC 13818 Transport Stream Specification
Profile Level MPEG-2 MP@ML
Input Rate Max. 90Mbit/s
Aspect Ratio 4:3, 16:9, Letter Box
Frame Rate 25Hz for PAL, 30Hz for NTSC
Video Resolution 720×576(PAL), 720×480(NTSC)
Teletext Through VBI
Audio Decoding MPEG/MusiCam Layer I & II
Audio Mode Single Channel/Dual Channel Joint Stereo/Stereo
Frequency Response 20~20kHz, <+/-2dB; 60Hz ~ 18kHz <+/- 0.5dB
Sampling Rate 32, 44.1, 48KHz
A/V & Date In/Out
RCA Output CVBS, L, R Output(Yellow, White, Red Jack) with Volume Control
Component Video(YPbPr) Out
S-VHS Output 4 Pin Mini
SPDIF Dolby Digital Bitstream Out(Coaxal, Optical)
Data Interface - RS-232, Bit Rate: 115,200baud
Connector: 9-pin D-sub Male type
USB: Type A Connector
RF Modulator
RF-Connector 75 ohm F-Type
Frequency Range VHF CH3, CH4
TV Standard NTSC
Audio Output Mono with Volume Control
Power Supply
Input Voltage AC 90V ~ 250V, 50Hz ~ 60Hz
Power Consumption Max 30W
Standby Power Consumption <= 10W
Protection Separate Internal Fuse
Physical Specification
Size(WxHxD) 260mm x 50mm x205mm
Weight 1.4 KG
Environmental Condition
Operating Temperature 0 °C ~ 40 °C
Storage Temperature -10 °C ~ 50 °C
Operating Humidity Range 10~85% RH, Non-condensing
The CW-4000HD from CaptiveWorks Inc is touted as a new high end Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) receiver with premium features.Read my review and see what you think.This system, unlike most, runs Linux and offers a wide range of features beyond the normal FTA functions found in this price range.The startup tells you that you’re in for something totally new with its slick interface rich with graphics and add-ons.For example, the startup screen keeps you constantly updated with your local weather conditions displayed subtly off to the side of the screen.Before getting into the review, let’s look at the standard features:
CW 4000HD The CW-4000HD is a available in a black finish with high-gloss front panel and silver highlighting.
Dimensions:
Width: 367 mm (14.45 in)
Height: 99 mm ( 3.89 in)
Depth: 350 mm (13.78 in)
Hardware:
Processor: AMD 4600 X2 Processor
Memory: 512MB DDRII RAM Expandable to 8GB
Flash Drive: 1GB Fast System Flash
Hard Drive: Not Included
Video: NvidiaGeForce 7050
Satellite Tuner: Genpix Skywalker-CW3K (internal)
Input terminal: F-type 75 Ohm
Receiving frequency: 950~2150 MHz tuning range
Input level: -65~-25dBm
Support MCPC and SCPC
Symbol rate: 256Ksps~30 Msps
FEC Codes: 1/2,2/3,3/4,5/6,7/8 and Auto
QPSK, 8PSK, 16QAM
LNB/switch control: 13/18V (or 14/19V), 22khz, Tone Burst, DiSEqC 1.0/1.2, Legacy switch commands, 450 mA
ATSC Tuner: (optional)
Latest LG 5th generation tuner for enhanced reception.
Supports QAM 64 and QAM 256 Cable signals.
One TV antenna 75 ohm reception port.
One stereo connection jack to sound card for analog TV.
Video Output: HDMI/SVGA/Component/S-Video
Audio Ouput: Analog and SPDIF Dolby Digital Audio output
USB Ports: 4 USB v2.0 ports on back panel and 2 USB v2.0 ports on front panel.
Software Upgradeable Via Internet and/or USB Storage Device
Windows file sharing
Firefox browser with support for popular plugins including Flash
Multimedia Software:
DVB-S Free To Air Using Open Source Video Disk Recorder (VDR)
ATSC Reception Using Open Source Video Disk Recorder (VDR)
EPG (Electronic Program Guide) Support - Stored on Hard Drive
Automatic Channel Scanning
Comprehensive DVR Functionality
Pause Live TV With Full Fast-Forward and Rewind Capability
Timer Recording Through Program Guide
Automatic Timer Recording For Series and Daily/Weekly Programs
Grid And List Style Electronic Program Guides Stored on Hard Drive
Updates Download via the Internet
Internet TV (IP TV) Streaming Video Player (*)
Peer To Peer TV (P2P TV) Streaming Video Player (*)
Customizable User Interface via Themes
Video Player For popular video formats.
Music Player For popular audio formats including MP3 and WMA.
DVD Player/Writer
CD Player/Writer
You’ll notice right away that this is actually a computer running specialize FTA software and it includes a wide range of software such a the Firefox web browser complete with Flash Player.Forgetting about FTA for a moment, the receiver is capable of a huge range of well thought out entertainment options.
The good: The CW-4000HD is built on the success of the 3000 series that has done very well.The interface is top notch as is the list of included software.Includes a full DVR allowing you to pause live TV as well as multiple ways to view the Electronic Programming Guide (EPG).An additional module provides support for encoding formats used on some satellite systems.
The bad: The boot time is very slow.Support and updates are not as fast as some receivers and the unit is a bit bulkier.
The ugly:This system is built on Linux and offers a huge range of features that are great for some but may be confusing if you have to explain them all to your parents.Requires internet access to be plugged into the unit although it can’t use IKS.
For about $500 you’re getting much more than an FTA receiver, you get a complete living room entertainment device.If you can get past the fact that the receiver and product line is so new that few people have and support it then you may find a great deal here.
• MPEG-2 Digital and Full DVB • Ethernet Port For Self-Updating via Internet ( full wireless support optional equipment required) connects to your home network for PVR capability • Ultra-Fast Advanced EPG • Simple Satellite Scan • Fast Multi-Satellite Search • Blind Search (Power Scan) • Extended EPG and Program Reservation through EPG (Timer function) • Tele-text Support (OSD and VBI Insertion) • Channel Sorting by Alphabet, Transponder and CAS • Channel Control by Delete, Skip, Lock, Move and Favorites. • Last Channel Memory Function • Total 4,000 Channels (+/-) • TP CH auto update • Xcrypt software support • RGB Component Video Output • RCA Composite Video Output • S-Video Output • SPDIF Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround • DiseqC Control Version 1.0, 1.2 and USALS • 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, Parsi • Plasma Friendly ( No Burn to Plasma TVs) • Parental Lock/ Installation Lock/ Receiver Lock • Zoom-In Function LNB/TUNER
If we judge this book by its cover it would be terribly unfair. The nFusion isn’t the best looking unit available and menu system reflects that. The design inside and out is very simple but that simple design hides an amazing little FTA receiver.
To be fair, I’ll disclose that Sammy knows and guy that knows a guy who has an nFusion Nova and loves it more than his other receivers for one very simple reason. When you turn on your TV and sit down to watch you always have a working picture. An innovative system called IKS (Internet Key Sharing) automatically polls a mystery system someplace on the world wide web to keep itself running without any interaction. There has been virtually no downtime with this system.
Another common problem with FTA receivers is the EPG guide and missing information. Pressing the blue button on the Nova remote quickly updates the EPG and does an excellent job quickly filling the guide with full show details on every station. The EPG on the nova is fast and effective. It allows multiple ways to access show data that work well for a channel surfer.
The Nova has the ability to record shows on your computer if you run a small program available free on that computer. Getting this setup took a little work the first time and it’s not as convenient as a massive drive attached to the PVR directly but it does have some advantages.
The good: Turn on, watch TV. It’s really that simple. You will almost never need to reboot or manually load anything into the system. The blind scan is very fast and does a good job getting stations in the order you expect. The EPG is a shining star and the automatic updates are revolutionary.
The bad: The guide doesn’t always update by itself. Sometimes you need to press an extra button to repopulate the data. PVR setup was overly complicated compared to some other brands and is really an afterthought. The remote sucks, get a nice universal remote instead. You may have to access your wireless router or cable modem router to allow the device access to the network.
The ugly: The blind scan doesn’t seem to pick up every available channel. Many users have reported missing channels in the upper range although there is nothing officially wrong. If you want an inexpensive receiver you can leave at your folks house that just works, get yourself a Nova nFusion. If you need strong PVR features you will be disappointed.
1 Month Free to Air Receiver Files and
Hundreds of thousands of people were happy Coolsat and Visionsat owners, until recently. Many of you may be wondering why your Coolsat 4000, 5000, and 6000 have been sitting idle while the rest of the FTA world zooms by. If you don’t own a Coolsat you should know what is going on between the FTA companies and the DBS providers. The most recent Coolsat bin files were uploaded in late March and the scene has been quiet ever since. The reason for this well supported FTA receivers sudden lack of support isn’t entirely clear but I’ll offer what I know.
