Sat Meter - I think I might need one - Whats there best budget one for a 8 lnb T90

[satelliteman]

satlook micro + any good?

Yes but over original posters budget [mentioned above].

 

[paxrax]

lol, i was looking for me, if im going to take more of an interest in setting stuff up rather than just watching it then i had better get a meter!

 

[godzillafan]

waiting for Pete's review of the satplus

not checking any others at the moment

 

[sonnetpete]

You might be waiting a while - have been given a tracking number but apparently it hasn't been dispatched yet!! (why didn't they realise I was going to place an order when they thought of having an extra bank hol??)

 

[Lazarus]

Are they using a Courier that recognises your existence?

 

[sonnetpete]

Are they using a Courier that recognises your existence?

Don't know. With my luck it'll be a man with a cleft stick and a map published just after the war. (or La Poste as we call him in these parts)

 

[sonnetpete]

My Satplus SH998 arrived yesterday. I've had a brief tinker with it and am quite impressed. However, I wouldn't recommend it for those who struggle with small print as the screen menus take some deciphering, especially if you are trying to see them in bright sunlight. A more detailed appraisal to follow.

 

[Robbo]

Yep, the screen is fairly small, but readable. Viewable in sunlight, but not that easily.

 

[sonnetpete]

Agreed Robbo, it is readable and if you shade the screen with the case it improves matters. I need to play with the settings I think to increase the contrast and brightness. What I do like is the way it easily sits against your chest, leaving you both hands free to move the dish (unless it's just particularily suited to my ample frame!)

 

[sonnetpete]

Ok, a small confession. When I got the meter I was so eager to try it, I swung the dish round to Nilesat with the intention of just substituting the meter for the VU+ and scanning in the channels. Well, I don't know what I did, perhaps a stray crossed connection but I've been struggling to get anything on the VU+ since. I managed to set up an old dish on Astra2 and the meter really helped make this an easy job (and I went round yesterday afternoon with it to realign a dish for a friend who has arrived for the summer) However, this afternoon I swapped out my Black Ulta for an old white Inverto and hey presto - seems I'd managed to fry the Black Ultra!!

Anyway to the meter : I've only used it on NIT search but find this quite easy to follow and operate. The SNR and AGC readings are easy to see, which makes peaking up the dish fairly simple. Looking at that small screen will take some getting used to but this is far and away a better tool than a needle and tone, or even a Digisat which I have too. The best thing is that you know you are on the correct sat. For ease of use I'd rate it 7/10 and value for money (at current prices) 9/10.

Oh, by the way a new twin Black Ultra is currently being conveyed to me by the aforementioned man with the cleft stick.

 

[Robbo]

SNR and AGC readings??

Is that what they are labeled? as I don't recall seeing those on mine. And when you say NIT, does it actually identify the satellite? Mine doesn't.

 

[sonnetpete]

No Robbo, perhaps it was me trying to put it in the same terms as I see it displayed on the VU+. It does actually say 'Signal Intensity' and 'Signal Quality I don't think it identifies the sat, though all I did was scroll through to the one I was aiming at, then it showed a lock light and 'Locked' on the screen. I'm guessing it would show locked on any other sat that was using the same TP. Of course you can scan through for channels which will confirm whether or not you're on the right sat.

I just want to clarify for anyone else that this really is just a very convenient way of carrying a (sophisticated) STB and monitor to your dish. In no way can it substitute for a pro meter.

 

[godzillafan]

Cheers Pete
So for a starter meter its fine, but a slightly more expensive set will do much more - which makes sense.
Only thing now is to decide if 129 is worth the spend to hook up the 16 lnbs or just do it the old fashion way via a signal job and the sat box and a 15" tv (nearly brought one for 1.93 on the bay).
or is it much more easier to use the 129 box?

cheers vik

 

[sonnetpete]

I think it's all down to convenience. How easy is it for you to get your STB and a portable tv outside and in a position where you can see them easily? I'm also assuming the lnb's will have to go through your switching arrangement so you can view the results via the STB/TV unless you swap the coax lead over each time. With the meter at least you can peak up each LNB individually before connecting up to the switches etc. (in fact you might be able to set up the meter for your switching arrangement, but I have no experience of multi LNB setups)

If you are initally setting up the dish at ground level I don't think there's much to choose between the two methods, other than the STB/TV potentially being cheaper. But when you finally get the dish up and mounted, I'm thinking it will need some additional tweaking and this is where the meter will be a plus.

As I said it's down to convenience and price. I'm admittedly quite lazy and it's a pain for me to rig up a TV/STB outside so the meter has already proved it's worth to me personally. If you are a bit strapped for cash maybe go and buy a portable to use outside with your STB. But if you can budget for the meter now, maybe it's worth buying one rather than not being able to later. In hindsight, if I was starting the hobby now but additionally, with the knowledge I have accrued, I'd have bought the Satplus. Perhaps another opinion from a multi LNB user will help you decide.

 

[sonnetpete]

.....Oh, by the way a new twin Black Ultra is currently being conveyed to me by the aforementioned man with the cleft stick.

A bit OT, but as an example of how efficient a 'man with a cleft stick' can be, the replacement LNB arrived this morning. Normal post, two days after ordering.

 

[Lazarus]

Those Black Ultras don't seem to last long, or am I mis-speaking?

 

[sonnetpete]

Yes, this is my third (a twin this time to give me a spare output). I think the last failure was due more to my hamfistedness than any problem with the LNB. I perceived the first one went due to abnormally (for here) high temperatures, though that may have been a coincidence. I don't know of any other 'outbreak' of failures though I seem to remember a thread along those lines a little while back.

 

[Robbo]

N

I just want to clarify for anyone else that this really is just a very convenient way of carrying a (sophisticated) STB and monitor to your dish. In no way can it substitute for a pro meter.

Yes, that is precisely what it is. It is the convenience of it that is the main selling point.Though the sensitivity of it is pretty good too. It will lock when my meter won't.

Oh, and thanks for the clarification regarding the readings it gives.


On the LNB front, I have used loads of Black Ultras, had one fail after about 10mins of use,but other than than, not had any problems with them at all.

 

[sonnetpete]

Now here's a funny thing.....

Sat down in front of the TV just after lunch, thought I'd have a quick look at the Satplus before the news, switched it on and 30 secs later....LNB gone exactly the same way as before (no output). 'Well blow me' I said (or something like that), went straight out and swapped the LNB I changed the other day for the one off the Astra2 dish. Straight back on. Any ideas???

Both times I've had this problem I've turned on the meter within a couple of metres of the VU+ and it's associated homeplug. It can't be the meter can it?? This afternoon it wasn't connected to anything and running purely on battery. I'm not turning it on in the house from now on just in case. It's all quite strange or a peculiar coincidence. I'm reluctant to fit the new Black Ultra until next week just to make sure it isn't a recurring fault with the VU+.

 

[godzillafan]

cheers Pete
Just had some quotes for the full setup (I keep on changing things). Once I have bidded on 250m of wf100 - I will know what I left over.
either be a £5 tv or a meter

cheers vik