Can't decide on best options to upgrade a Analog motorised system to digital

[JAYEDIN]

I had a Motorised satellite installed approx 5 years ago and the last few years
its been lying in the garage due to a house extension. I am now in the process of getting it rigged up and its fairly clear that I need to upgrade to a digital system.
The system is a 36V motorised system with:-
Pace MSS 508-IP
LNB
d2MAC decoder
Objective:
I want to upgrade to a digital system and have considered the varius options with their plus and minus points.However I don't claim to be an expert in these systems so to learn more about sat systems I have been reading the forum but I am still no further forward in selecting the way to go and in particular the choice of a digital receiver.
From the positive Satellite magazine I was on the point of going for a Technomate DAPCI system until some recent comments have made me question this.
Hence the reason for this posting to try and get some experienced sat users views on my upgrade queries and issues.

Options:
I have made the following assumptions as a newbie so feel free to comment:-
- I am assuming that a Sat Receiver that has 36v driving capability
is what I need to replace the PACE analog system.
The 3 that looked suitable are Echostar 3600IP/2400IP, Technomate TM-5500DACI , Topfield TF3000CIP Pro.
- I am not sure if the LNB needs changing but a recent post in the forum suggested checking that the LNB is a universal LNB.
- I am not sure if there are any advantages in going for a combined Analog/Digital receiver in terms of tuning ,searching for satellites.

So the 2 main options I have considered are:-

1) Get a dual LNB/ or a splitter (only issue will be the signal losses).
Keep the existing PACE Rx for driving the system to select a satellite.
Get a basic digital Receiver such as the Echostar DSB2230 2CI.
+: low upgrade cost.
-: More boxes, Need to be aware of which channel is on which sat during use.

2) Get a new Receiver/Positioner.

Main problem is selecting a suitable receiver. If money was no object I would
just get the Echostar.

The 3 receiver with their + and - points are summarised below:-

a) Echostar 3600IP ( cost approx £320)
+: Built in viaaccess1 decoder which I beleive is upgradeable to Viaaccess2.
Good documentation and suport and software updates are very good
Has a reputation for good built quality.
-: Handset not robust according to recent forum posts.
Reckoned to be complex to set up/use.
?Overheating problem reported in recent posts i.e. get hot with CAMs in them. Not sure if this is due to bad ventiliation.
Technomate TM-5500DACI ( cost approx £180 )
+: UK built for better for maintainance
Reasonable cost
-: Iredeto card dosn't work in CI slot1 according to recent post.
Documentation poor and they are known for lacking Tech Support.
Negative comments on it in the forum.
c) Topfield TF3000CIP Pro ( cost £149)
+: Low cost
No negative comments seen about this item.
Reasonable documentation.
-: Korean built so don't know what support will be like.

So Don't want to learn the hard way as to which is the best receiver
by spending a lot on money and find its crap
so I am hoping that any users of the above equipment will provide feedback
to enable a choice to be made.

 

[JohnC]

I upgraded from Echostar SR 8700 & LT8700... to a "Technomate TM 5500 DAPCI" (36v Positioner) earlier this year.....
Im very happy with it.... for the money its got to be the best value there is...... I agree the documentation is poor, but hands on experience to find out how everything works becomes far more imprinted in ones memory that referring to a manual all the time..... If youve had experience of multisat systems before and have experience with a Sky Digi Receiver (for Frequencies/Symbol Rates etc) then you will pick it up OK

From what I have read on this site I would say most owners are happy with their Technomates......
I look on mine as an excellent cost affective stand-in until something more spectacular comes along.

Regards John

 

[loftyj]

The choice of reciver is yours you pay's your money and takes your choice.
I upgraded my system 3 years ago from an Echostar 7700 analog that I had for 8 years without any problem. Kids gave me an Echostar 2110via with 2CI slots as a present 3 years ago, when I first changed over I used the old reciver as positioner but in the end got fed up with using 2 remotes so got myself a V Box to do the dish driving. Used the built in viaccess untill July this year, then purchased Dragon Cam and Dynamite programmer works fine in top slot. Have never had any trouble with either reciver in fact wonder if the modern all singing all dancing recivers are as good. Cam gets warm in this slot but not what I call hot, and as am a couch potato ( not by choice) TV is on most of the day. As the original set up was for analog system you will have to check your LNB thay tended fit wideband then.

 

[JAYEDIN]

The choice of reciver is yours you pay's your money and takes your choice.
I upgraded my system 3 years ago from an Echostar 7700 analog that I had for 8 years without any problem. Kids gave me an Echostar 2110via with 2CI slots as a present 3 years ago, when I first changed over I used the old reciver as positioner but in the end got fed up with using 2 remotes so got myself a V Box to do the dish driving. Used the built in viaccess untill July this year, then purchased Dragon Cam and Dynamite programmer works fine in top slot. Have never had any trouble with either reciver in fact wonder if the modern all singing all dancing recivers are as good. Cam gets warm in this slot but not what I call hot, and as am a couch potato ( not by choice) TV is on most of the day. As the original set up was for analog system you will have to check your LNB thay tended fit wideband then.

I checked the existing LNB and it is a :-

ALPS BSNE8-101A
10.7-12.0 GHz

I havn't been able to find any data on it ( apart from a reference to a
German site on Google) .
So it may be safer just to get a LNB at the same time as getting a receiver.

 

[JAYEDIN]

I upgraded from Echostar SR 8700 & LT8700... to a "Technomate TM 5500 DAPCI" (36v Positioner) earlier this year.....
Im very happy with it.... for the money its got to be the best value there is...... I agree the documentation is poor, but hands on experience to find out how everything works becomes far more imprinted in ones memory that referring to a manual all the time..... If youve had experience of multisat systems before and have experience with a Sky Digi Receiver (for Frequencies/Symbol Rates etc) then you will pick it up OK

From what I have read on this site I would say most owners are happy with their Technomates......
I look on mine as an excellent cost affective stand-in until something more spectacular comes along.

Regards John

As there is'nt many analog satellite channels is there any advantage in going for the 5500DAPCI combined analog&digital as against the 5500CIP Plus which
also has a 36v positioner but is about 30£ cheaper?

 

[loftyj]

I checked the existing LNB and it is a :-

ALPS BSNE8-101A
10.7-12.0 GHz

Yep wide band, Universal required 10.7 to 12.750 GHz