FTA Fever Free-To-Air (FTA) Satellite TV Receivers

Coolsat 6100 Private Standard Definition USB 2.0 FTA satellite Receiver

Design & Features Review

The Coolsat 6100 Private free-to-air satellite receiver, which replaced the Coolsat 6000 Premium, is one of the most impressive base FTA boxes on the market.

Sporting a speedy Conexant Virgo 133Mhz 32-bit RISC processor and 32MB SDRAM, the Coolsat 6100 offers smooth operation and efficient loading. And then there's the 6100's second-generation USB 2.0 port, a handy front-panel implementation that lets you download channel lists and Coolsat program updates efficiently, in the tradition of the high-end Sonicview 4000 USB. No more RS-232 serial connection required for uploading! (Though you'll also have the RS-232 option.)

The 6100's USB port also gives you the freedom to plug in a USB multimedia device for MP3 or JPEG playback. And the USB port, as well as the Smart Card expansion slot, is hidden under a front-panel cover.

The 6100 Private is fully MPEG-2 & DVB compliant and ships with a full complement of component outputs. The attractive new 65,535-color, full resolution On Screen Display helps you quickly and pleasantly navigate setup menus. You don't have to be a free-to-air satellite pro to get the user-friendly 6100 up and going in a flash.

Other noteworthy features include: Electronic Program Guide, Multi-Satellite Search, Blind Scan, programmable 10,000-channel (TV and radio) capacity, Multi-LNB Controlled by DiSEqC. And the 6100 ships with a suite of little applications: MP3 Player, Image Viewer, Calendar, Calculator and Cakepia. (A game, in case you didn't know.)

While this second-generation Coolsat FTA receiver doesn't include the Personal Video Recording (PVR) capability of the Coolsat Micro 7100 PVR or the PVR + high definition resolution of the Coolsat 8100HD, the 6100 a reliable performer with a solid feature set for the money. For FTA newbies, or for the FTA enthusiast who doesn't want to shell out big bucks for all the bells and whistles, the Coolsat 6100 Private is a solid value-priced receiver. And it comes with a 5-year warranty.

The Coolsat 6100 Private outperforms the Coolsat 6000 Premium and Coolsat 5000 Platinum.

What's In The Box: The Coolsat 6100 Private ships with a Diseqc Switch, a serial data cable, RCA cables, universal remote, (2) AAA batteries, and Coolsat 6100 Private User Manual.

Buy Coolsat 6100 Private: $79 WITH FREE 2GB USB FLASH DRIVE!

CLICK HERE FOR CANADA

Comparative Buying Guide

Compare the Coolsat 6100 Private to our other 2nd generation Standard Definition USB 2.0 non-PVR receivers:

• Sonicview 4000 — $99. 1 USB port
• Neusat SP 6000 — $39. 1 USB port
• Neusat SP 6000 Premium — $49. 1 USB port
• Coolsat 6100 Private — $79. 1 USB port
• Viewsat Ultra Lite — $79. 1 USB port
• Captive Works 700S— $89. 1 USB port
• Viewsat Ultra V2.0 — $119. 1 USB port
• Pansat 3500SD — $119. No USB ports

Comparison Highlights: Neusat SP 6000, Neusat SP 6000 Premium, Coolsat 6100 Private, Viewsat Ultra 2,Viewsat Ultra Lite, Sonicview 4000, Captive Works 700S and Pansat 3500SD comprise our list of second generation FTA receievrs. These receivers all have USB ports but no Personal Video Recorder function. The receivers in this class are generally comparable in terms of processing speed, memory capacity, MPEG-2 & DVB compliancy, Electronic Program Guide and so on. The Pansat 3500SD doesn't include a USB port, but is still considered a second-generation receiver since it does include (Secure Digital) SD card technology, which allows you to transfer files.

The Pansat 3500SD includes a 128MB SD Card with purchase. However the Neusat SP 6000, Neusat SP 6000 Premium, Coolsat 6100 Private, Captive Works 700S and Viewsat Ultra 2, Viewsat Ultra Lite and Sonicview SV-4000 USB ship with 1GB USB flash drives as a free promoition from www.ftafever.com.

The Sonicview SV-4000 USB costs less than the Pansat 3500SD and Viewsat Ultra Version 2, yet offers greater functionality plus superior picture quality. The Sonicview 4000 USB costs more than the Coolsat 6100 Private, Captive Works 700S, Neusat 6000, Neusat SP 6000 Premium and Viewsat Ultra Lite; however, the Sonicview 4000 offers superior performance and more modern features than the Viewsat, Neusa, Captive Works and Coolsat models, and the Sonicview 4000 is better supported than the aforementiond models by leaps and bounds.

Sonicview's stellar reputation for accessibility and support distinguishes the Sonicview 4000 from this pack of second-generation receivers. Sonicview provides frequent bin updates and impressive warranty processing of repairs and exchanges and stellaremarkable software support.

Looking for a High Definition FTA Satellite Receiver?
You may wish to consider:

• Sonicview 8000 HD PVR w/Fan — $369