2 vs. 4 Level Dataslicers

[MNRotrMedic]

I've been looking at dataslicers in anticipation of buying on in the future and i've run across two sites that offer them for sale.

http://www.discriminator.nl/index-en.html

http://www.dataslicers.com/

The second website is in the US and i've seen positive feedback regarding that website's proprietor here on the radio reference forums but he only offers 2-level data slicers.

The first website offers a 4-level slicer but is located outside of the country which could pose issues with international shipping and i know nothing of this seller.

So, as a question for the experiences minds and bodies of these forums, is there a substantial benefit to owning a 4-level slicer in comparison to the 2-level slicer? I want to use trunker and similiar (LTR decoding) software and possibly some pager decoding. My better half is a paramedic and i'd like to use it to copy the calls that she is paged to via her alpha pager (she is fully aware of my 'dorky' hobby).

Any help would be appreciated. If there are other sellers of these slicers please feel free to reccomend them as well.

Thanks in advance for your time and expertise.

 

[Stupidfatkid]

Discriminator Tap

A lot of programs can slice the data from a radio's discriminator output using the a sound card, so a phyical data slicer isn't required anymore. Check out Unitrunker, I've had great luck with it and it doesn't require a slicer. From the RR Wiki, "Unitrunker auto-detects and decodes Project 25 9600 baud, Motorola 3600 baud, EDACS, EDACS ESK, and MPT-1327 systems" - very cool.

I'd shy away from decoding the pagers, it gets Johnny Law all riled up. With that being said, FLEX pagers require a four level decoder. If it's a FLEX pager it should say FLEX on it. If it's an old POCSAG pager then you can get by with a two level slicer. Of course, the four level decoders are backward compatible, meaning a four level can decode anything a two level can decode. I don't decode pagers, so I'm not familiar with the software available, but I would imagine they're starting to use the sound card as a slicer too.