I
have put this web site together because a friend of mine was duped into buying
a PACE DS430N on EBay. She thought she was buying (and the item description
described it as) a PACE 2600C1.
I had advised her to
buy a 2600C1, because she was having reception problems with BBC and ITV channels
on her Digibox, down here in Spain. She thought she was buying a 2600C1, but
in fact it was a DS430N, which although is a good, sensitive receiver, is still
not as good as the 2600 (unfortunately no longer manufactured). The advertiser
had further down in the description put in brackets (DS430N) and she did not
know to look out for this confidence trick. She plugged in her newly arrived
Digibox, and found that it did not improve her reception of the BBC & ITV
channels, so she rung me up to complain about my bad advise. I came round to
her house with my 2600 and plugged it in, where we found perfect reception on
all channels. The DS430N looks exactly the same as the 2600C1, but they are
not the same internally.
"The only people
saying they are the same thing, are the people trying to sell them"
Advice on
buying a Pace 2600C1 from Ebay etc. Firstly make sure it is a 2600C1 and not
a DS430N, always ask the seller the direct question about the model number,
there is a label on the bottom of the box which tells you which model it is.
Secondly make sure it is working properly. A Digibox that has not been plugged
into the mains and a dish for an extended period, will not have received the
latest Software updates, which are sent out by $KY periodical. These updates
are sent out transparently to the user. The problem is that if it has missed
too many updates, it may get to a point where it cannot recover itself, this
leads to the channels available not being listed in the electronic program guide,
with as little as only two channels being listed. Do not believe people who
tell you that a "forced software update" (power up holding
the back-up button in) will solve the problem, this in many cases will corrupt the
two memory chips of the box
so badly, that it will NOT be recoverable, without some major electronic chip
removal and reprogramming. These two memory chips are surface mounted, and so
it is a major job to unsolder them. Again, ask the seller the direct question,
is it showing all the channels in the electronic program guide? Thirdly, it
is not unknown for a DS430N circuit board to be put inside the case of a 2600C1
(a 2600 is worth more money), the only way to check this is, to go into the
"Services" menu and under "System Set-Up" then "System
Details" make sure the Model Number says 1.0.75 or 1.0.77. This is also the place
where you will find out if the latest Software is installed, under "EPG
Software Version". Lastly, in the same place check the "Operating System
Version" is the latest. Be warned there a very many 2600C1's floating about
which are absolutely useless, because they have not been kept up to date, they
are worth zero. Happy bidding!
To summarise,
make sure it is a 2600C1, make sure it has the latest software, make sure the
channel guide shows ALL of the channels available
The
Latest version number of the EPG is currently 3.6.4.18 (as of 29/03/08)
The Latest version number of the Operating System is currently 1.2S4F1 (as of
29/03/08)
These
numbers only apply to a 2600C1. - Please contact me
if this information is out of date.
More input from one of our readers. Chris Harrison.
"Reading
your website with interest.
A couple of points which I would like to make:
the model numbers 1.0.75 or 1.0.77 are 2600 but 1.0.65 is also a 2600
The epg software version is not the same version for all makes, models
and versions and $ky do not update all digiboxes at the same time.
For instance 3.5.3 epg software version may be the current version for
some 2600 at present but not all of the 2600 - it would depend on the
third line down on the system details below the model number saying
version number starting 9F0. The epg software has to be checked with
each of the 9FO version numbers before releasing. Some 2600 may
have been tested and the software released and some 9FO still not been
tested and not sent out to those boxes yet. There are probably over
100 different versions numbers on all the makes and models which have
to be checked before it is released for that model. I dont think $ky have
a particular order in which they test and release. So when new software
is released (which is fairly often) it will appear for one or two makes and
models then spread to all over a fairly long time period.
Hope that is of some interest to you".
For proper advice on receiving British TV, down here on the
sunny Costa Azahar, come to
WWW.SATSEEKERS.NET
mark@satXseekers.net
(remove the X to send)