How to Blind Scan with the SX88+

[william-1]

Blind Scan guide for H.265 HEVC HD satellite receivers such as the Octagon SX88+ & the Edision primo IP S2,
Blind Scan
Delete dead transponders on the satellite you are about to Blind Scan
Now Blind Scan the Satellite for example Eutelsat 10A @ 10 east
The Blind Scan will pick up all transponders from 10 east & 9 east
So I do a FTA TV only Blind Scan
You can then view the FTA TV channels,
Switch the receiver to standby for 20 sec
Now Manual Scan for encrypted transponders in the data base
Tick the transponders not scanned in the FTA mode,
Now add the code if known for the other transponders to view,
Save your channel list & other data to a USB stick
The data collected from the SX88+ can also be used on the Edision primo as the channel lists on these receivers is the same format,
Then you can have a channel list starting at 53 east to 34.5 west in sequence as I have on the SX88+,
The Edision primo has Astra 19.2 east 1st followed by Hotbird 13 east then the rest of the satellites,
I was not keen on this so was able to change this using the SX88+ Channel List.

 

[william-1]

I have since modified the Blind Search on Satellites that are in close proximity such as 9E & 10E
Here I copy what I have learned from Blind Scanning 7 east that contains at lot of DTH transponders & feeds ,

So now on 10 east I delete all feed transponders so that the start of the database is for strong transponders from 9E & 10E then when I blind scan
I can find all the 10E feeds at the end of the list ​

 

[Tony Daly]

I have since modified the Blind Search on Satellites that are in close proximity such as 9E & 10E
Here I copy what I have learned from Blind Scanning 7 east that contains at lot of DTH transponders & feeds ,

So now on 10 east I delete all feed transponders so that the start of the database is for strong transponders from 9E & 10E then when I blind scan
I can find all the 10E feeds at the end of the list ​

Hi William.

Thanks for that.
I thought a blind scan would only pick up a signal from the one satellite. Is there not some kind of signature from each satellite ?
Its a pity you can't enter a range of frequencies to scan between on the SX88+.
On the TM receivers you can enter a range to be scanned.

Tony.

 

[moonbase]

...Its a pity you can't enter a range of frequencies to scan between on the SX88+.
On the TM receivers you can enter a range to be scanned...

There are not many non Enigma2 receivers produced nowadays where it is possible to enter a frequency range to be scanned. The Octagon SF8008 has the option to select a blind scan range but it is Enigma2 based.

 

[Tony Daly]

I wonder how accurate & useful the blind scan on the SX88+ is ?
I was able to put in a frequency on a satellite & get more channels even after doing a blind scan. If the blind scan is missing frequencies then it's not reliable.
What received out there has the most reliable blind scan ?

Tony.

 

[ozumo]

Many receiver's blind scans miss weaker & low symbol rate transponders in the name of speed

Test your SX88 against your Technomate, pick a satellite, delete all channels and transponders on them, then set them off blind scanning at the same time to compare speed & how many channels are found.

 

[Tony Daly]

Many receiver's blind scans miss weaker & low symbol rate transponders in the name of speed

Test your SX88 against your Technomate, pick a satellite, delete all channels and transponders on them, then set them off blind scanning at the same time to compare speed & how many channels are found.

I'll try that shortly when I get a chance.

I asked a question on the Octagon forum as to what was the lowest symbol rate that the SX88+ could download ?
The answer came back from Octagon support 1500 or 2000 ?
I don't believe that at all

Tony

 

[moonbase]

...What received out there has the most reliable blind scan ?

From tests I have done with Enigma 2 receivers, the Octagon SF8008 4K twin tuner model running an OpenATV image is the best I have used. It is capable of locking narrow bandwidth frequencies that are closely spaced together and if you include radio channels it has locked signals below SR 400. It readily locks satellite video signals with SR of 1036 and bandwidth of around 1.3 MHz and can accept selection of a blind scan frequency range.

Of the non Enigma 2 receivers the best I have used is the Dr HD F15. This unit has the ability to show a signal level reading for signals quite a way below the threshold for a lock. Unfortunately, this model is no longer made and is not MIS or 4K capable so is missing the latest features. However, for feed hunting it is good and has the option to select a blind scan frequency range.

 

[Tony Daly]

I'll try that shortly when I get a chance.

I asked a question on the Octagon forum as to what was the lowest symbol rate that the SX88+ could download ?
The answer came back from Octagon support 1500 or 2000 ?
I don't believe that at all

Tony

Octagon get back to me & said the sf8008 models can do symbol rate 100 - 80,000 ?
Anyone with any experience of this ?

 

[william-1]

Octagon get back to me & said the sf8008 models can do symbol rate 100 - 80,000 ?
Anyone with any experience of this ?

The SF8008 is a different animal altogether,
I personally did not like the menus & sent mine back

The SX88 range of receivers covers 99.9% of symbol rates 900 to 45,000 most of the transmissions outside this range are in 16 & 32 APSK 4:2:2 so you will not be able to view them with the SF8008.

 

[Tony Daly]

The SF8008 is a different animal altogether,
I personally did not like the menus & sent mine back

What didn't you like about it William ?
Was it to difficult to work or was it simply not very good ?

Tony.

 

[william-1]

It was the Enigma 2 menus that have a very long learning curve that were a real pain,

The SX88 series is much easier to use & is user-friendly,

You should see some Linux threads requiring help & nobody replies

 

[moonbase]

What didn't you like about it William ?
Was it to difficult to work or was it simply not very good ?

Tony.

The Enigma 2 boxes require more time to get familiar with the menus and available options re plugins and customisation.
However, of the modern receivers they are among the only models offering blind scan frequency range selection.

I posted the below pictures in your "Old Timer" topic the other day. They show the blind scan result using an Octagon SF8008 4K twin tuner receiver on a satellite with very narrow bandwidth, closely spaced frequencies.
To date, I have not yet come across another receiver capable of this very fine level of resolution and accuracy of blind scan.

.

 

[Tony Daly]

It was the Enigma 2 menus that have a very long learning curve that were a real pain,

The SX88 series is much easier to use & is user-friendly,

You should see some Linux threads requiring help & nobody replies

I never minded learning curves as long as there are people like yourself to bounce ideas off & learn as you go along.
Perhaps its a sign of the times when questions go unanswered on lots of forums. I suppose there aren't so many people left in the hobby anymore ?
I asked questions on other forums similar to what I asked here but didn't receive a single answer
One of the problems I find with the Octagon online is that everything seems to be in German with nothing in English, not even on You Tube.

Tony.

 

[william-1]

The Enigma 2 boxes require more time to get familiar with the menus and available options re plugins and customisation.
However, of the modern receivers they are among the only models offering blind scan frequency range selection.

I posted the below pictures in your "Old Timer" topic the other day. They show the blind scan result using an Octagon SF8008 4K twin tuner receiver on a satellite with very narrow bandwidth, closely spaced frequencies.
To date, I have not yet come across another receiver capable of this very fine level of resolution and accuracy of blind scan.

.

My AZBox Premium+ has an excellent Detailed Blind Scan select any part of the Ku Band in steps to find all symbol rates 600 to 45,000 but cannot resolve DVB-S2 HD MPEG-4
My SX88 Optima can resolve DVB-S2 HD MPEG-4 & has a fast accurate Blind Scan

 

[Tony Daly]

I asked on the Octagon support forum if it would be possible in a future software update for the SX88+ to download channels with lower Symbol Rates. They said no as its a hardware problem not software.

Tony.

 

[moonbase]

My AZBox Premium+ has an excellent Detailed Blind Scan select any part of the Ku Band in steps to find all symbol rates 600 to 45,000 but cannot resolve DVB-S2 HD MPEG-4
My SX88 Optima can resolve DVB-S2 HD MPEG-4 & has a fast accurate Blind Scan

Sure, I accept the SX88 Optima might have a fast accurate blind scan but it aint got the option to select a frequency range for the scan. Look at the process you have to go through to scan 10.0E and get rid of the 9.0E frequencies with it.

The Octagon SF8008 4K twin tuner has an extremely accurate blind scan with the option to select a frequency range for the scan. It is also 4K capable and handles multistream.
With the SF8008 for 10.0E all you do is enter 10700-11700 MHz or 12500-12750 MHz as the range, select the polarity or both polarities and run the scan in the knowledge that the scan result is not polluted with unwanted frequencies from 9.0E.

 

[scopus]

My AZBox Premium+ has an excellent Detailed Blind Scan select any part of the Ku Band in steps to find all symbol rates 600 to 45,000 but cannot resolve DVB-S2 HD MPEG-4
My SX88 Optima can resolve DVB-S2 HD MPEG-4 & has a fast accurate Blind Scan

My AZbox Premium was retired years ago..took forever to do a full scan well over an hour I think, by which time the SNG truck would have packed up and gone home.

You should have kept the SF8008 as this now boots in either E2 or the SX88 style firmware plus give you 4K.

 

[jeallen01]

@scopus
Ref the SF8008 - when booted with the SX88-style f/w, does that limit the blindscan options to those for the SX88 family, or does it allow the E2 search options that @moonbase mentioned in post #17?

 

[scopus]

@scopus
Ref the SF8008 - when booted with the SX88-style f/w, does that limit the blindscan options to those for the SX88 family, or does it allow the E2 search options that @moonbase mentioned in post #17?

Yes it does limit the scan to the same as the SX88 family. so you would have to boot in E2 to get the full benefit that Moonbase mentioned.