Most Compatible Sat Boxes

[digitalgm]

All, I am upgrading my Sage system to 2 x PVR-500 cards (currently have only one) and have switched to satellite. I would like to be able to control all 4 STB's with Sage serial control. Please let me know which STB's you believe are the most compatible and have the least amount of problems with Sage.

AdamR

[SprDtyF350]

I use 2 Sony Sat-B2's, and an RCA DRD-303RA with serial control and they work fine. These boxes have 15 pin wideband ports on them. I have also used an RCA DRD-420. The 420 has a phone handset type jack on it for the data. The only difference in how they work is the SAT-B2 and the DRD-303 all have the local channels up in the 900's and the 420 has them in the 4,5,6, type range. Sage doesn't care though and the guide doesn't either.

[digitalgm]

Thanks for the reply - any others?

Originally Posted by SprDtyF350

I use 2 Sony Sat-B2's, and an RCA DRD-303RA with serial control and they work fine. These boxes have 15 pin wideband ports on them. I have also used an RCA DRD-420. The 420 has a phone handset type jack on it for the data. The only difference in how they work is the SAT-B2 and the DRD-303 all have the local channels up in the 900's and the 420 has them in the 4,5,6, type range. Sage doesn't care though and the guide doesn't either.

[SprDtyF350]

I'm sure there are more that work fine but those are the only ones I have used, and they work fine. One box to avoid I am told is the D10. Directv, at least I think it was Directv updated the firmware and after that the serial control function no longer worked properly in it. For more D10 info just search and it should better explain.

Oh, the Sat B2, and the DRD-303 can only use the round dish. The 420 can use the oval dish with 3 lnb's. Won't matter unless your locals are on one of the satellites that need the 3 lnb dish to receive, or you want the filipino channel or stuff like that..

[dagar]

My D10-100 boxes work fine now (now that Sage fixed the D* Snafu).

The D10-100 boxes work, the -200 and -300 are supposdedly working now as well.

[dbfresh23]

I have used a few different boxes, all via serial control. I've used 2 different Sony Sat-B50s, 1 Sony Sat-B2, 1 Directv D10 and 1 Mitsubishi SR-SD1.

The Sony Sat-B50s were way too unreliable to use via serial control so they weren't hooked up too long.

The Sony Sat-B2 was reliable, but I didn't like the fact that local channels were not available in the 2-13 range i'm used to.

The DTV D10 worked perfectly, only thing I didn't like about that is their OSD stayed on the screen too long and I don't think it could be adjusted(haven't used it in a while though so I'm not positive). This one was also a bit more of a pain to make the serial cable for, I wound up buying a $5 phone and using the handset cable for it.

Finally I got The Mitsu off ebay for $12 and I love it. It works perfectly via serial control and the locals are available on 2-13. The OSD isn't too bad on it either. Also uses a standard DB9 connection for serial control.

I've got myself a nice lil collection of DTV receivers now!