Sad to say it is all true the best TM5402HD is the M1 version that used to be made in Korea then the contract was awarded to China & the M2 version emerged just as good as the M1 in my opinion,
Then it all changed with the prototype TM_F3/5 followed by the TM5402HD M3 not the same as the M1 & M2 versions totally different build & cheaper parts used,
The software in the M3 & F3/5 has several bugs in it that have not been corrected,
When using normal scan & blind scan the receivers adds transponders that do not exist at these locations,
Eutelsat 9A @ 9 east scan the active part of the ku band here is 11700 to 12500 & the receiver adds more transponders that actually exist @ 9 east,
Scan includes over 80 transponders from 10700 to 12750 only 1/3rd of these are active,
Symbol rates duplicate those on 13 east that I do not receive from 9 east.
42 east is even worse as the M3 adds east transponders that I cannot receive in the UK with a 100cm dish
Eutelst 16A @ 16 east active part of the ku band 10.7 GHz to 11.7 GHz + 12.5 GHz to 12.75GHz
When I perform a scan on this satellite the receivers add transponders from 11.7 GHz to 12.5 GHz this area is not active in the Ku band @ 16 east,
I have tried the method you mentioned the last time I reported this error s few months back but after several attempts & the progressive upgrades the problem still persists I am not now able to use these receiver for feed hunting due to this fault in the software,
Several other glitches exist with non existent transponders being added to the data base on other satellites consequently I cannot use these receivers to compile accurate channel list as I am able to with the TM6900HD Combo Super+,
I am now using the TM5402HD M3 as a fixed 3x Lnb 28E + 19E + 13E ,
Several months have passed since I made this report to Technomate & still no fix has been forthcoming so I would not recommend this receiver to the serious Feed Hunter on a recent comparison test with the excellent TM5502HD the Blind Scan found 12 transponders between 10950 to 11150 on 10 east using 6MHz steps in the Blind Scan the TM5402HD M3 has a much faster Blind Scan 10950 to 11150 using 4MHz Blind Scan only found 6 transponders as it misses 50% of active transponders
so it is ok for DTH but do not expect much more from the M3.