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Best FTA Satellite Receivers
Our Editors Review
the Best Free to Air Receivers
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Here at GOSatellite we are often asked "Which is the best FTA Receiver?". With dozens of top FTA brands and receiver types to choose from figuring out which will best suit your individual Free to Air satellite needs can be difficult. As GOSatellite carries the largest inventory of Free to Air Satellite Receivers in North America our editors have been able to test each and every branded FTA satellite receiver. With 8 years of satellite industry experience and a clear idea of what makes an FTA receiver right for you we have compiled our list and reviews of the best FTA receivers available today.
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Best Standard Definition FTA Receivers
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TOP PICK: Viewsat Ultra
| Viewsat Ultra |
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GOSatellite Rating: 5/5
Why?
The Viewsat Ultra is our #1 choice for a great starter free to air receiver because it’s a high quality Korean built FTA receiver with excellent software support from Viewtech Inc. the manufacture.
If you are new to the free to rir satellite world and do not want to invest in a lot of money at the beginning or you are looking for another FTA receiver for a bedroom or cottage then the Viewsat Ultra is a great choice.
This is a full featured standard definition receiver with an impressive list of features: This free to air receiver includes a USB port which makes the unit very easy to upgrade to the latest Viewsat software. A universal remote so you can operate your TV and this FTA receiver with one remote. The onscreen TV guide is very functional and within the menu you can search for the type of programming or themes of channels you want to watch like, movies, sports, new, family, children, educational, or adult (I guess adult can be educational for some too I suppose)
Other features of the Viewsat Ultra include: Component video output for great picture quality, blind scan for easy channel set up, Dolby digital optical output, built-in satellite smart card reader for future applications and upgrades, 200 MHz processor, 32MB SDRAM, and a full two warranty.
RUNNER-UP: Sonicview 360 Premier
| Sonicview 360 Premier |
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GOSatellite Rating: 4/5
Why?
Sonicview remains GOSatellite's one of the top selling brand and has released some of the best FTA receiver models over the past few years. The Sonicview 360 Premier replaces the extremely popular Sonicview 4000 receiver and is joined by the massively popular Sonicview 8000 HD receiver. The Sonicview 360 Premier is easily our TOP PICK for a standard definition receiver, offering built in PVR recording capability via an external USB drive and 2 USB 2.0 ports for easy plug n' play connectivity.
Purchase an an external USB PVR hard drive now or whenever you're ready to record your favourite satellite programming. An external harddrive gives you extreme flexibility: The larger the hard drive the more programming you can record. GOSatellite has many hard drives sizes available to select from--save when you bundle an external drive with your Sonicview 360 Premier purchase.
The Sonicview 360 Premier has all the high-end features you would expect from Sonicview including a brand new 260MHz processor, making it one of the fastest models on the market. The 360 Premier model introduces an easily accessible USB port on the front of the unit, making software upgrades a snap and allowing you to leave your external PVR drive connected to the rear USB port without messy unplugging and moving of the receiver. In true Sonicview fashion the 360 Premier receiver also features all the output jacks you could ever need,including video, s-video, component video, and Dolby digital optical output.
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Best Standard Definition FTA Receivers (with recording)
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TOP PICK:
Viewsat PRO PVR
| Viewsat PRO |
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GOSatellite Rating: 5/5
Why?
The Viewsat PRO is another of our editors' Top Picks. This brand new PVR reveicer offers all of the great features that you need in a PVR model (including the option to connect an external harddrive for flexible PVR/recording capability).
The Viewsat PRO features the fastest processor ever in the FTA market at a blazing 260MHz ST. The Viewsat PRO offes 2 easily accessible USB ports (front and rear), With 32 Mb SDRAM, a beautiful new GUI, 2 USB ports (front and rear), making software upgrades a snap and allowing you to leave an external PVR drive connected to the rear USB port without messy unplugging and moving of the receiver. In true Sonicview fashion this receiver also features all the output jacks you could ever need,including video, s-video, component video, and Dolby digital optical output.
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RUNNER-UP: CaptiveWorks CW-800S
| CaptiveWorks CW-800S |
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GOSatellite Rating: 4/5
Why?
The CaptiveWorks CW-800S is our runner up for a standard definition FTA satellite receiver mostly because of its features to price ratio. We have access to all makes and models in North America, but if you want the lowest price best FTA receiver with a recording option then the CaptiveWorks CW-800S is the model for you.
As with all FTA receivers that have a recording option, you are required to purchase an external USB PVR / DVR hard drive in a size that based on your recording requirements. The most popular size is the 500GB give you approximately 250 hours of recording. See the satellite accessories section of the site for a hard drive to go along with this receiver.
The CaptiveWorks CW-800S has a great list of features like live recording or time shifting so you can select the date and time of the program you would like to record, user friendly onscreen menu, universal remote, component video output, Dolby digital optical output, blind scan, 6000 channel memory, and a simple installation setup menu.
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High Definition FTA Receiver
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TOP PICK: Nfusion Nuvenio HD
| Nfusion Nuvenio HD |
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GOSatellite Rating: 5/5
Why?
This is our pick for the best value and performance in a free to air HD receiver. This brand new model from Nfusion has all the features you would expect from a quality high definition satellite receiver. 2 USB ports, one can be used to connect a PVR / DVR hard drive to the receiver so you can record in high definition or standard definition. You can also choose to record to your home computer connected to the same network (wirelessly or through an Ethernet cable). This unit decodes all video formats including 1080i and outputs that signal through an HDMI or component video cable. Other features include 6000 channel memory, universal remote, 10 “favorites” list (handy when different people use the satellite to program their favorites into the menu), full on-screen TV guide, parental locks, and more.
The best and most exciting feature of the Nfusion Nuvenio HD is all updates to the receiver are done through the Internet. The latest Nfusion software will always be available by either directly connecting the receiver to your high-speed internet connection (router) or you can purchase a wireless bridge that connects to the receiver and then wirelessly accesses the Internet for the receiver through your wireless network in your home already. Dial-up Internet customers will need to update the receiver (if required) through a USB flash drive. And if you’re on dial-up you need to click here and get satellite high-speed internet from us.
You will not be disappointed owning an Nfusion Nuvenio HD receiver.
RUNNER-UP: Viewsat Max HD
| Viewsat Max HD |
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GOSatellite Rating: 4/5
Why?
As there are so many high quality HD FTA Receivers currently on the market it was difficult for our us to select our Runner-Up but the Viewsat Max HD is a very close runner-up to the Nfusion HD.
Here's why we love the Viewsat Max HD FTA receiver: The Viewsat Max's remote and on-screen menus are truly the best we have seen and the most user friendly. This high quality Korean built receiver has all the powerful features you would expect from a Viewsat box including a 200 MHz processor, 32MB of ram, USB and serial ports for easy software upgrading and accessibility and all the output jacks you would ever need, including: Video, s-video, component video, HDMI, and Dolby digital optical output for AC-3 surround sound as well as two tuners, one for FTA satellite and one for an outdoor HD antenna (called an OTA).
As with the other Viewsat models you have the option to connect an external USB PVR hard drive to this receiver, allowing you to record from either tuner. The most common size harddrive is 320G and GOSatellite offers a number of high quality external harddrives you can bundle with your receiver purchase.
We also like the Viewsat's smart internal design as it is very easy to add an upgraded tuner now or in the future. If you are looking for a solid, long-term HD receiver purchase we highly recommend the Viewsat Max HD.
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