Cheap satellite meters from China

[theslydog]

satcatcher writes...

Trimax , openbox , dsm all the same . most go wrong in the first month unless your lucky ! made to china quality control standards ! bad batteries, constructed from a basic miniture satellite receiver with satellite receiver derived software and they just added an lcd screen. not accurate and very hard to see the screen detail outside and very slow lock speeds when you are moving the dish!

That is a bit harsh. Ok they are not on the same planet as a Promax but, for someone with a hobby they are fine. The battery life is the worst bit. But other than that they are work just like a satellite Rx with a screen. If you have it with the beep on and signal bars up and don't move the dish too quickly you wont have a problem finding satellites. I have seen far worse things made in China than these meters.

 

[BombedOne]

I am not buying it to watch TV on Bombed One. Resolution looks ok, The Satcatcher Digipro is only 120 X 64. As Rolf says, It won't break the bank if it turns out to be crap!

The problem is due that screen resolution is small, and font sizes are just used from satellite receiver (small ones), you hardly see what FREQ, satellite and so on you're trying to type in

 

[satelliteman]

The problem is due that screen resolution is small, and font sizes are just used from satellite receiver (small ones), you hardly see what FREQ, satellite and so on you're trying to type in

:-looky...

 

[BombedOne]

LOL, no lens can increase amount of pixels on screen

I will try to post an example later.

 

[satelliteman]

Yes, will be interested to see.

 

[chavo]

Trimax , openbox , dsm all the same . most go wrong in the first month unless your lucky ! made to china quality control standards ! bad batteries, constructed from a basic miniture satellite receiver with satellite receiver derived software and they just added an lcd screen. not accurate and very hard to see the screen detail outside and very slow lock speeds when you are moving the dish! if you want a small tv and receiver to take on picnics to mess with or a new toy for the kids at christmas ,buy one cheap and forget about warrantee, spare parts or any support at all . Sorry to be so truthfull about this piece of rubbish , but as a manufacturer it annoys me that they market this toy as a satellite meter , when it doesnt work! give it a wide berth.

Without getting in to a slagging match i had one of your meters, the Excel TV Mk3, £560. i plugged it in aligined the dish all seemed to be going well apart from the fact that the meter would randomly turn off every now and then despite it having a full charge. when i was happy that i was "on the arc" i plugged the dreambox 800 in, set the USALs settings the same as the meter dish was on 0.8w, accorrding to your meter... then strangly when i sent the dreambox to open a FTA channel on Thor the motor movedabout 2 degrees. every satellite was out. i plugged your meter direclt in to the LNB and used a dreambox 500 to move the motor all set up and running perfectly. I tried this on THREE systems one with a TM1500 but the samr thing, i sent it back and you accused me of being inexperienced and said it was a common fault with Dreamboxes.

I then did an install using an iphone a laptop and a dream500 with PLI signal meter, it was quicker and more accurate than your meter!

I got a refund and bought a Satlook Micro G2 did 2 full installs the other day moved the motor loads full arc perfect, still had half a battery when i was finished and both owners who had dreamboxes could get every satellite....

Now maybe i dont have the experience that you have but i know when something is not working as it should.

Your "opinion of the FS1 are unfounded, you dont have one, never have. you have a biased opinion naturally as you are trying to sell your equipment. i think it shows the signs of a poor business man who slags off competitors without 100% proof. Buy a FS1 test it and tell us the faults.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Without getting in to a slagging match i had one of your meters, the Excel TV Mk3, £560. i plugged it in aligined the dish all seemed to be going well apart from the fact that the meter would randomly turn off every now and then despite it having a full charge. when i was happy that i was "on the arc" i plugged the dreambox 800 in, set the USALs settings the same as the meter dish was on 0.8w, accorrding to your meter... then strangly when i sent the dreambox to open a FTA channel on Thor the motor movedabout 2 degrees. every satellite was out. i plugged your meter direclt in to the LNB and used a dreambox 500 to move the motor all set up and running perfectly. I tried this on THREE systems one with a TM1500 but the samr thing, i sent it back and you accused me of being inexperienced and said it was a common fault with Dreamboxes.

I take it the arc set up by the meter was correct, but the USALs settings within the meter did not move the dish to the correct positions.
Does the meter you used have logitude and Latitude initial parameters, is there a reference zero instruction and if so , did you input these into the unit before starting ?

 

[chavo]

hi the USALss settings where the same as the dreambox's and the TM as there were on the meter and the same as they are on the satlook. it would seem that the software on the meter was not as per the standard definition of USALs, the meter went back for a fault test but they confirmed the fault was not the meter but it is in fact every dreambox ( i still have their email from mr satcatcher) i am sure that the meter was faulty as i have since setup loads without any issues.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Yes, but within the meter, is there the ability to set up the installer/users latitude and longitude, and reset to zero (or reference zero), as per basic USALS specifications ?

 

[satelliteman]

May also be shown as 'calibrate' as indicated in the Micro.

 

[chavo]

It has the facility to input your USALs settings but there is no facility to calibrate, that i can remember. i sent it back.

 

[Channel Hopper]

It has the facility to input your USALs settings but there is no facility to calibrate, that i can remember. i sent it back.

That is a limitation of the equipment, (unless calibration is stated in the specifications supplied with the machine). but not a fault.

 

[chavo]

Exactly. The satlook micro can drive the dish to any 0.1 degree east or west. Much better. Much cheaper.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Are you now suggesting it is there is no nudge (or single pulse) function in the Excel Mk3, and that it does not have the ability to work to less than one degree spacing ?

 

[chavo]

oh yes you could say make it step east or west but on the satlook i could send the motor to 53.4 .3 .2 .1 etc.

on that one you just press the step button but you dont know exactly where you are.

I just wanted to point out that a guy was questioning the functionallity of a Chinease meter and satcatcher man claimed his meter was without a doubt the best on the market. i have to disagree.

Main reason, in his words not mine, it isnt compatible with dreambox!

 

[petediscrete]

Just to jump in on this one.Have been testing my unit for a week now.Made enquiries about updating it and got numerous files from the supplier.Astounded to see that the unit has a USB connection yet you are supposed to connect it to yout PC by way of RS232 plug.I understand connecting an RS232 device to a computers USB port but confused at this arrangement.There seems to be no manufacturers website as this is a generic unit which can be badged with any OEM name you want if you order 60 or more units from China.Has anyone got experience trying to update the firmware on this unit.I would be wary of going ahead with updating the unit with the software I received because if I brick the firmware thats it.

 

[petediscrete]

A quick reply to my own question if anyone is interested.I got the web address of one of the OEM manufacturers for these meters.I know I can't post it but after a hell of a lot of searching I found it.They have the firmware updater and the satellite database list on it.

 

[rolfw]

You can post it, just make sure the link isn't live, put an underscore in front of the http part, as in _http//www.demo.com

 

[petediscrete]

Ok here goes ----http://www.sat-link.com.cn/website/Download.asp------

 

[nml]

Ok here goes _http://www.sat-link.com.cn/website/Download.asp------

Petediscrete are you still happy with the meter,just spotted a 6902 with spectrum analyzer thinking of getting it as a backup to the old Lacuna.


nml