TEST REPORT Satellite Meter SPAROS SAT HD of SPAUN • very sensitive tuner • easy recognition of satellite name • accepts INI files from popular satellite charts • compares very favorable to high-end signal analyzers • expansive ways to export measurement data 34 TELE-satellite International — The World‘s Largest Digital TV Trade Magazine — 04-05/2012 — www.TELE-satellite.com www.TELE-satellite.com — 04-05/2012 — TELE-satellite International — The World‘s Largest Digital TV Trade Magazine 35 TEST REPORT Satellite Meter Uncompromising Performance The SPAUN SPAROS SAT HD comes in robust plastic enclosure. Thanks to that, the meter will not get broken even if you treat it without big re- spect. The enclosure is very handsome and when you attach a strap included in the kit, you can conveniently hang the analyzer on your neck. When opened, the lid can be used as a shade protecting the display from sunlight. Addition- ally, the internal side of the lid is an excellent place to look for the foiled paper with SPAUN‘s quick start instructions for this model. SPAROS SAT HD has been equipped with a very clear 4.3” TFT liquid crystal display with a bright backlit. There are 8 buttons and a round “tuning knob”. As you probably guessed already, it is not a mechanical knob but an array of sensors that can detect your clockwise and anticlockwise fin- ger movements. The three buttons to the left of the “knob” in the upper row are: ON/OFF switch, Parameter menu (transponder lists) and Setup menu. The lower row is used to choose analyzer modes: Spectrum, Measurement and TV watch- ing. The remaining two buttons to the right of 04-05/2012 SPAROS SAT HD Very useful meter for setting up critical satellite systems 36 TELE-satellite International — The World‘s Largest Digital TV Trade Magazine — 04-05/2012 — www.TELE-satellite.com 1 6 the “knob” are: Enter and an F type connector, there all this is done with a USB the analyzer to spectrum Escape. Except for the dis- are: A-type USB port, Mini-B memory stick. You can also mode (the leftmost button in play and the controls, there USB port and DC power in- download the measurement the bottom row) and change are two LED indicators: one put jack on the right side of results or screenshots from the azimuth and elevation of showing that power is ap- the meter. The USB port can the meter to the USB stick. your dish until you see signal plied to the LNB and the be used to upload either new In this way, you can process peaks on the display. Fine other to indicate that the in- firmware or new configura- the data later on your PC. tune your dish to maximize ternal accumulator is being tion files (with transponder The SPAROS SAT HD comes the peaks. Your antenna is charged. data and antenna setups) with a USB stick containing now receiving a satellite but Except for the RF input with prepared on a PC. Of course, the initial configuration files which one? To find it out, 2 7 11 that match those prepro- press the Spectrum button grammed in the meter. More again. Spectrum disappears about it later. As expected, a and you can see a chart plug type AC/DC adapter is showing signal strength and also included in the SAT HD quality of four transpond- kit. ers of one satellite. Satellite So, how should you start name is shown in the upper using the SPAROS SAT HD? part of the window. If your Here is our advice for a sim- dish is aimed at this satellite, ple fixed antenna setup. you will see high green qual- Once you have mounted your ity bars and a merry green dish on a pole and attached smiley icon. If not, the bars a LNB to its holder, connect indicating signal quality will 3 8 12 the analyzer to the LNB. Af- be low or completely empty ter switching the SPAROS and the smiley icon will be SAT HD on, go to Configura- sad and red. In such situa- tion menu and change “Sat. tion, press enter button and remote supply” from Off to use the “knob” to change On or Auto. The latter set- satellite. Continue until you ting is advised if you do not find out which satellite your want to repeat the action dish is presently directed to. every time you switch your Once you know where analyzer on. The remaining your dish is “looking at”, you settings in the Configura- know if you need to move it tion menu will be probably eastward or westward. For OK for most users setting a example, if you want to re- 4 9 13 fixed dish in Europe as they ceive EUROBIRD 2 on 28.2° are prepared for a universal East and you have just dis- Ku-Band LNB. covered with SPAROS SAT The next step is to switch HD that your dish is currently 1. Spectrum view 2. DVB-S transponder measurement results – first window 3. DVB-S transponder measurement results – second window 4. DVB-S transponder constellation diagram (QPSK) 5. DVB-S2 transponder measurement results – first window 6. DVB-S2 transponder measurement results – second window 7. DVB-S2 transponder constellation diagram (8PSK) 8. MPEG-2 video decoded 9. Every FTA channel from the current transponder can be selected 5 10 14 for viewing 10. No, your antenna is not presently aimed at INTELSAT 10-02 on 1° West; SPAROS SAT HD could not lock to anyone of four trans- ponders from this satellite. 11. Correct! Your antenna is directed to HOTBIRD on 13° East. SPAROS managed to lock to all four transponders associated with this satellite. After another button press, the analyzer double chek- ked its diagnosis by comparing information transmitted in the NIT tables of the transponders (see the pop-up in the foreground). 12. In this menu, you can configure SPAROS to work with almost any reception system. 13. This window is used for setting up meter user interface and managing meter memories and software. 14. All transponders associated with a preprogrammed reception setup (e.g. DiSEqC 1.0 switch and four LNBs) are being measured. The results can be stored in the internal memory and later copied to an external USB Flash memory. 38 TELE-satellite International — The World‘s Largest Digital TV Trade Magazine — 04-05/2012 — www.TELE-satellite.com www.TELE-satellite.com — 04-05/2012 — TELE-satellite International — The World‘s Largest Digital TV Trade Magazine 39 aimed at HOTBIRD 13° East, way, after a short while, you Press Enter key when the urement button again and you know that you should will have your dish aimed at word Setup is highlighted at display the next window in turn it 15 degrees eastward. EUROBIRD 2 on 28.2° East. the top your screen. This will which among others, MER Switch the analyzer back to Does it end the process? activate transponder switch- is shown (the very bottom spectrum mode (by pressing Not exactly. We are sure ing. Now turn the “knob” and line). Modulation Error Ratio spectrum button twice) and that after spending money find a transponder that gives is the parameter you should turn slowly your dish east- on a signal analyzer, you rather high readings of RF maximize. Usually it is both ward until you see again sig- would like to have each of power and C/N ratio. Some very sensitive to azimuth, nal peaks. Adjust azimuth, your dishes set up perfect- installers would start mak- elevation and tilt adjust- elevation and tilt for maxi- ly. So, it is time to switch ing the final dish adjustment ment as well as quite stable. mum peak height and check to measurement mode now looking at this screen but It is our favorite parameter which satellite it is. In this (Measurement button). we suggest to press Meas- when we fine tune antenna 40 TELE-satellite International — The World‘s Largest Digital TV Trade Magazine — 04-05/2012 — www.TELE-satellite.com 15 19 16 20 adjustment. When maximiz- ers for each of them. The And what about the other but it is called SConf.xls. In ing MER, you will notice that analyzer we got for the test configuration file? Well, it is its first spreadsheet tab, it you are maximizing the oth- had in its memory as well as a little bit more complex. Ex- can contain up to 1000 tran- er green bars too. And, as a in the corresponding file 10 cept for identifying satellites sponders from as many sat- matter of fact, that‘s all you European satellites as in the based on their four tran- ellites as you need. On the do to set your dish. table below. sponders, SPAROS SAT HD following twenty tabs, you The SPAROS SAT HD what Four transponders are de- can measure a larger num- store configuration data for we got for this was prepro- fined for each satellite (fre- ber of their transponders and specific reception systems. grammed by SPAUN with the quency, polarization, DVB-S show the results in a form of So, for example, the list data of a few popular Euro- or S2, symbol rate). As you a table. Such table can be Lst00 can contain the tran- pean satellites. SPAUN also already know, these tran- stored in memory as well sponders numbers referring 17 added a USB memory stick sponders are used by the as exported to USB stick for only to the transponders with the MS Excel configura- SPAROS SAT HD for satellite further processing.