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

Pansat 2700a Standard Definition
FTA Satellite Receiver

Design & Features Review

Replacing the wildly popular Pansat 2500 series, the Pansat 2700a is Pansat's current entry-level FTA satellite receiver. The 2700a includes all the features of the newer Pansat 2800, except S-Video out, component video output, a universal remote (the 2700a's remote is universal-ready) and an additional 8MB SDRAM. The revamped 2700a includes 8MB of SDRAM and adds 2MB of flash RAM for speedier channel changing, satellite scanning and Electronic Program Guide loading.

The single tuner Standard Definition Pansat 2700a sports the time-tested Sti 5518 BVB, ST20 32-bit processor, which runs at 81mhz (100 MIPS). Fully MPEG-2 and DVB-compliant, the Pansat 2700a includes these component outputs: S/PDIF optical output for digital audio or Dolby AC3 Stream out and 4 Phone (Cinch) outputs for Video, Audio L, Audio R.

The Pansat 2700 includes a few features of high-end FTA receivers, such as an Electronic Program Guide (EPG), multi-picture support via Picture-In-Graphic (PIG), and a Channel Editing Function that allows you to sort channels alphabetically, by satellite, FTA/scramble or Parental Lock.

Other notable Pansat 2700a features include: Blind Scan (Smart Search) and Simultaneous Satellite Scan with 4 Satellites, 5,000-channel (TV and radio) capacity, Multi-language On-Screen Display, and Parental Lock Function. The 2700a also includes a DB-9 RS-232 port for Pansat software bin file updates.

If you don't need USB 2.0 compatibility, PVR functionality, dual tuners or High-Definition reception, the Pansat 2800 is a solid first-generation, entry-level FTA satellite receivers. And it's value-priced.

What's In The Box: The Pansat 2700a ships with a Diseqc 2.0 Switch, a null modem cable, RCA cables, universal-ready remote, (2) AAA batteries, and a Pansat 2700a User Guide.

Buy Pansat 2700a: $79
THIS ITEM HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED BY THE MANUFACTURER, PANSAT. PLEASE SEE THE PANSAT 2800 FOR A REPLACEMENT.

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Comparative Buying Guide

Compare the Pansat 2800 to to other first-generation FTA satellite receivers, which include our single tuner, Standard Definition receivers without PVR or USB functionality:

• Pansat 2700a — $79
  
• Captive Works 650S Classic — $69
• Viewsat Lite — $69
• Pansat 2800 — $99

Comparison Highlights: The Pansat 2700 has 8MB SDRAM and no S-Video output port, yet costs more than the Viewsat Lite and the same as the Captive Works 650S Classic. The Captive Works 650S Classic features 32MB SDRAM and S-Video output. The Viewsat Lite features 16MB SDRAM and S-Video output.

The Pansat 2800 features 16MB SDRAM and S-Video output, like the Viewsat Lite, but the Pansat 2800 costs more than the Viewsat Lite. The Captive Works 650S Classic is the best buy of this class of first-generation FTA satellite receivers.

However, for a few dollars more, you can step up to a second-generation FTA receiver that includes both RS-232 data transfer and speedier USB 2.0 port(s) like the Sonicview 4000. The flexible USB standard allows you to not only transfer data, but attach external storage and multimedia devices, as well — a flexibility that has made second-generation receivers far more popular than first-generation receivers.

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

• Sonicview 8000 HD PVR w/Fan — $369