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Thread: Satellite Finders

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    Default Satellite Finders

    Hi, I'm wondering the differences between an eBay satellite finder:



    ... or a VAST specific Satking finder:



    One obvious difference is almost double the price for the Satking finder.
    My setup is for remote camping, so have to aim dish every trip.
    Cheers



Look Here ->
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    Both are likely to be OK, as you can only display the VAST tuning channel, as all the other channels are encrypted.

    The Satking meter appears to be pre-programmed for the correct VAST (and Fox) transponders.

    The other meter will likely require you to manually program transponder info.

    The Satking says it has BER display.... the most critical measurement for signal quality and the other meter doesn't say if it has BER.

    That alone would be the selling point for me to go for the Satking.

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    If bit error rate could be expressed on screen as “Signal Integrity” or “Signal Quality”, Youtube reveals that it does (iBravebox V9).

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    It appears the difference is MPEG 2 vs MPEG 4. The eBay ones can’t tune VAST channels because they are all MPEG 4 (so Satking claims in their description).
    The eBay ones will tune Al Jazera or some other FTA channel from the same sat, and I assume the Satking models specifically for VAST won’t because they don’t state any support for MPEG 2.

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    In the Satking specifications:

    Video Encoding: MPEG2/MPEG4

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    What is the eBay listing to make a comparison?

    Just be warned there are a lot of clone Satking meters on eBay especially out of China, so buyer be ware.

    Mpeg2/4 and DVD s2 are your minimum specs you would want.
    Self powered would be a great advantage.

    Be disappointing if you got a cheaper version only to find it was not suitable then have to fork out more cash where as if you got the more expensive unit in the first place and would be more confident as you know it is going to work, but that is your choice.

    All depends on your budget but satkings sk3200 start from around $95 and the sk3500 @ $200 from Aust sellers
    Last edited by cmoore; 28-11-20 at 12:05 PM.

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    The units linked in the first post are the two I was comparing. Don’t know how I missed the MPEG 2 AND 4 part though.
    Unfortunately I pulled the plug on the cheap one just before MTV’s last post here, but it appears it will work, and only tune an MPEG 2 channel such as Al Jazera on the same satellite. I’d have gone for the Satking one now though!

    It should at least save me buying a cheap FTA blind scanner such as Healing HHS242 to find feeds, as it appears both of these sat finders will search a satellite.
    I never had this feature on any set top box back in the day, and was always curious about it.

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    I should probably update this... Cheap China DVBS2 meters are definitely out there.
    iBravebox V8 & V9 are both capable of displaying VAST tuning channel, as is the newer SatLink SP-2100.
    I find iBravebox annoying because you can’t disable the on-screen battery meter even during full screen TV, and it’s also displayed over HDMI.
    GTMedia V8 is supposed to do DVB-S2 as well, but I haven’t tried one of these. YouTube reveals they also put a battery meter over full screen TV.

    SatLink WS-6906, the older meter, doesn’t have battery meter at all, so full screen TV looks good, but no DVB-S2, and no HDMI out.
    I got one of these for next to nothing, and passed it on to a mate.

    I plan to also buy a SatLink SP-2100, which Google images reveals does not put the battery meter over full screen TV.

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