Satbum's Coolsat 6100 Private Review

[Satbum.]

First I want thank Tom the site owner of FTAConcept for providing me this receiver to test. Then, I would like to thank the Coolsat manufactures for making another well working receiver for our testing hobby.

This receiver was received in the regular packaging and included the User’s Manual, Remote Control, 2 each AAA size batteries, and a RCA Cable and 1 each DiSEqC 4-way Switch.

The receiver is Silver with a black face plate and about the same size as my CS5000. I don’t have anything newer than the CS5000 for a reference. The front has a cover that hides the USB port and the location where a Smart Card can be added in the future if needed. The remote is larger and heavier than the CS5000. I understand that is comparative if not the same as the Coolsat 7100.

The first thing to do when setting up the receiver is to put in the language and current time setting that you want to use. Then you load the factory V1.05 file which supposedly includes latest the up-to-date satellite information. Next you load the latest fix into your receiver. It is recommended that you re-set your receiver every time that you load a new file into your receiver. I do this before and after a new bin install.
This clears out any old residue of older files that may remain in the memory. It is like formatting and giving your receiver a fresh start.

There is a built-in auto set-up of for the switch set-up and frequencies of the transponders and LNB. I thought that was a really great feature for the new person trying to set-up the receiver or the person that can’t seem to remember their particular setup. I however could not use this feature but instead opted to do the manual setup, because I use the motor and that requires different settings that the receiver can’t possibly detect.

Make sure to correctly setup your new receiver and ensure all the proper frequencies to get your best scan or channel download possible.

In the beginning of setting up the motor I had a lot of trouble with the setup working or controlling the motor functions the way other receivers operate. I won’t go into all the trial and error of my experience in resolving the issues, but instead I will let you know what I discovered.

You use the DiSEqC setting to originally move or fine tune the motor location. Then, I found that you should leave it on the USALS setting after you fine tune your location. Next go do the channel or sat scan and save the results. That was the ticket that worked for me. Afterwards the motor worked as it should.

The interface was fairly user friendly to use. I found that there are 2 locations to do the sat / channel scan. If the wrong was used as in the Dish Settings and you are using the motor setup, then the scan won’t get saved. You use this for the stationary setup (I guess).

If you did the scan while in the Positioner Setting when you are using the motor setup, then your scan would get saved as well as that sat location.

One more note about the sat scans. They seem to take longer to complete than the previous Coolsat receivers that I have owned. This loner delay also includes the Auto Roll function.


In my opinion the video picture is pretty decent, but I’m easy to please as long as the picture looks clear and sharp.


I did notice a little audio sync problem and a few pixilation accruing. I can only hope that this will get fixed in future S/W additions.

I haven’t been able to get a full EPG and I have also noticed that the installed S/W does not seem to be as stable as the Coolsat’s previous bin files or other different files for various other receivers. I won’t mention names of other receivers because this is the review for the CS 6100 Private.

I found the front USB connection to work flawless for several key changes. Then all of a sudden the new keys were not changing in the receiver. I was waiting and waiting but to no avail. The receiver gave me all of the indications as if it was taking the softcam file and updating the keys, but I found out differently by hitting the 8282 and comparing the keys in the receiver with the new ones that I was trying to put into it.

I decided to use the CS 6100’s Format USB tool when discovering this new problem. You can find that in Utilities Section of your Menu. After reformatting the USB memory stick, reloading the keys into the receiver and waiting for duration of time, life was good again. All the channels were up and ready for viewing again.

If you need to update this receiver, there are some Data Transfer features that can save you a lot of time, work and frustration. I have not used it yet but by the looks of it you can transfer all of your current settings and channel listings into the USB storage for future usage.

I understand that this unit’s S/W is already setup to allow 5.1 Dolby Surround sound. I do not see that in the Manual, but I plan on playing around a little more to see if it is.

I also see that it has a MP3 Player, Image Viewer, Calendar, Calculator and a Game called “Cakepia” built into it as well. Most of these are nice features that I will be sure to use in the future.

My Opinion and Recommendation:
1- I find the Coolsat 6100 Private to be able to setup easily.
2- The EPG should be a little smaller to allow more to look at in the OSD.
3- The OSD (on-screen display) and Menu are pretty good except
as already noted.
4- The picture quality set to default does not meet my preference,
but that is easily enough adjusted.
5- The picture quality is good for me, but most of that depends on one’s
satellite signal and the quality of the TV that they are using. There is
the S/W issue that needs addressing because of pixilation that occurs.
6- The scanning needs to get better and quicker.
I rate this receiver an 8 with a scale of 1 through 10 and having 10 as the best overall possible score.

I need to do more testing with this receiver and hopefully will discover more positive than negative results. I would also recommend the purchasing of this receiver as is. I know that it can only get better with the more inevitable future improvements.

I do like the overall unit and expect that the Coolsat Family will provide more dependable software and features for us all to incorporate into this nice little unit.

[No_PaRoLe]

Great review Satbum.....I am curious to know if you can use a large 500GB hd with this unit to store MP3's etc.... I also wish i could have a conversation with the coders. The features and OSD seems to be very simliar to the Coolsat PVR and the IV-200. i wonder if this unit has the capabilities of recording as a PVR?

[Grasshopper]

Nice review Satbum, hope to see more report from you for this receiver

GH

[Grasshopper]

Originally Posted by No_PaRoLe

wonder if this unit has the capabilities of recording as a PVR?

It's a none PVR receiver. On Screen Display is exatcly the same of Coolsat 7000

[No_PaRoLe]

Originally Posted by Grasshopper

It's a none PVR receiver. On Screen Display is exatcly the same of Coolsat 7000

I guess the question would be, Is is PVR capable with updated codeing. The units seem so simliar....

[Satbum.]

The remote is just like the CS7100 but it doesn't record.

Maybe if you used a USB adapter cable from your 500GB HD to the receiver USB input you might be able to get the files to play that way.

I just checked out the HD that I was using with my SV8000HD. All I did was hooked it up, went to MP3 Player and clicked it open.

The receiver recognized the files but couldn't play the video files.
I bet it will will MP3 files.

[No_PaRoLe]

Originally Posted by Satbum

The remote is just like the CS7100 but it doesn't record.

Maybe if you used a USB adapter cable from your 500GB HD to the receiver USB input you might be able to get the files to play that way.

I just checked out the HD that I was using with my SV8000HD. All I did was hooked it up, went to MP3 Player and clicked it open.

The receiver recognized the files but couldn't play the video files.
I bet it will will MP3 files.

This actually all makes sense. My opinion is that most USB units have the ability to write back to the Hard drive. With the proper coding they should have the ability to write a video file to the hard drive. Thus they all would be PVR capable. This is where a person that really loves to test but has coding experience could take both the PVR bin and the private bin and compare them to see what they can do with it.

[Satbum.]

I would test that theory of yours, if I didn't already have some good videos on the HD waiting on my returning SV8000HD receiver.

At least I would start by using the CS 6100 receiver to format the HD. If it can do that then the S/W would be the next step...

[No_PaRoLe]

I think after the formating of an entire hd, the next step would be to find someone to patch some of the code from the 7000 bin into to 6100 bin file and assign remote codes for functionabilty of recording.

TD52 where are you.....

[txsgent]

Great review.. Satbum.. you always give such good reviews.. as with all newer receivers.. they always have a few bugs to work out.. and NORW is one of the best around.. thanks for the great information.. txsgent

[Satellite hunter]

Satbum,
Very nice and detailed review. Hopefully this will help others who might be interested in this unit. Your welcome and enjoy the receiver!

Tom

[CG]

Great review Bud, and for all of you the 6100, 7000, and 7100 all have the same remote, I have all 3 units and of course the 7100 I have is a prototype like B/Scan's, so I cannot use all 3 in the same room, thay have to be serperated, and the 7100 had 2 USB ports

Originally Posted by Satbum

The remote is just like the CS7100 but it doesn't record.

Maybe if you used a USB adapter cable from your 500GB HD to the receiver USB input you might be able to get the files to play that way.

I just checked out the HD that I was using with my SV8000HD. All I did was hooked it up, went to MP3 Player and clicked it open.

The receiver recognized the files but couldn't play the video files.
I bet it will will MP3 files.