Satellite finders.

**David071** · 28-09-12, 09:55 AM

I am thinking of purchasing a Satlink WS-6906 satellite finder. I have read into the specie's and cannot see where it can tune any High Definition satellite transponders - only MPEG 2.
Can anybody put me straight on these satellite finders please. Can it tune any satellite?
Thanks fiolks.

**mtv** · 28-09-12, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by David071

I am thinking of purchasing a Satlink WS-6906 satellite finder. I have read into the specie's and cannot see where it can tune any High Definition satellite transponders - only MPEG 2.
Can anybody put me straight on these satellite finders please. Can it tune any satellite?
Thanks fiolks.

Satlink meters can be unreliable. Some posters here have had problems with them.

You're correct, the WS-6906 can only decode DVB-S signals, not DVB-S2/MPEG4.

It will still receive DVB-S2/MPEG4 signals (but not measure them accurately) but will not display pictures from those signals.

If you are looking for a good, cheap satellite meter (but without the ability to display pictures) this is the one I'd recommend.

**ol' boy** · 30-09-12, 10:04 AM

Glad i found this post, was looking at buying one of these

I also had similar concerns....

**CONAXLE** · 30-09-12, 01:27 PM

MAD electronics in Sydney got some speccys on special price,I'm thinking of getting one of these..

**ol' boy** · 30-09-12, 01:38 PM

Just took a look, they all seem expensive prices compared to other places.
Did you have a link in particular?

**CONAXLE** · 30-09-12, 02:14 PM

I'm looking at this Sat/Terestial meter

Considering I paid $700 for my Trimax when it first came out on the market..

**mtv** · 30-09-12, 02:38 PM

I've heard nothing but bad comments on Satlink meters and I usually get to hear good things too if people are happy with a product.

There's been a few posts in these forums from people with different Satlink models.

I don't own one.

Make your own decision, but don't expect much for the price.

**ol' boy** · 30-09-12, 02:49 PM

Not that i know any better, but i'm sure you are right mtv.
So many cheap instruments from asia, i have bought a few, and they work flaky at best.

Then i look at my Fluke Combination Voltage/Current meter, it been bashed around in my tool bag, bounced in a vehicle for over 15 years and its still rock solid.

The idea of these cheap DVB-T/DVB-S meters is appealing, but in the back of my mind, i can see another (buy cheap, buy twice) moment.
When you are on a 30 degree roof, you need your tools to work and be 100% reliable... its no place to be stuffed around by something that promises, but doesn't deliver.

I'd love one if they worked.... seems you get what you pay for.

**mtv** · 30-09-12, 03:02 PM

There's a huge jump in price for good speccy's compared to cheap satfinders.

If it's for hobby use, or travellers setting up for VAST etc, the
is brilliant.

I was very sceptical about its claimed performance, until I put one through its paces and found it to be simple, fast and reliable.

It comes with an external battery holder, so you can power it (and the LNB) without needing power from a decoder.... which of course it can be, but it's handy being able to align a dish/LNB without running cables first.

Sure, it doesn't display pics or give a spectrum display, but it does provide a signal quality scale.... essential for optimising LNB skew.

For a speccy that's half decent, you probably start around $2.5K upwards.

**ol' boy** · 30-09-12, 03:29 PM

Will it also handle UNI LNB's and birds such as Intelsat 18?

This is a nice video of its use

Bit of a chat about the 2 different units here as well:

Very nice unit for $36.70 USD

**mtv** · 30-09-12, 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by oceanboy

Will it also handle UNI LNB's and birds such as Intelsat 18?

I've not tried, but given it has 22kHz selectable, I'd say probably.

**kevin1341** · 30-09-12, 05:04 PM

Hi Got one of the units that mtv mentioned from china for about $50.
Works great.
There is the link:-

**ol' boy** · 30-09-12, 07:09 PM

I bought one not long after mtv gave them a good wrap.
To be honest, i think i would of rather spend the extra $50 for a WS 6096, as it comes with a internal rechargeable battery, case, strap, car recharger, etc and looks more configurable.
Less stuff in you hands when you're on a slippery roof the better!

Plus being able to view a few channels can be handy to verify what sat you have found, before connecting the house cabling.

**mtv** · 30-09-12, 08:06 PM

Originally Posted by oceanboy

Plus being able to view a few channels can be handy to verify what sat you have found, before connecting the house cabling.

The cheapie identifies the satellite, but not the individual channels, but at least you know if you have your dish aligned on the desired satellite.

It's something the moving needle/scale/beeping satfinders don't do.

I guess it comes down to what features people want/need/can afford.

Technology is improving all the time and prices have fallen dramatically over recent times.

**ol' boy** · 30-09-12, 08:17 PM

Yes, i could never afford or justify the unit you use mtv.
But it would be nice to use the best functioning unit for a reasonable price.

In saying some of the Top End units cost in excess of $2500, that is just totally impractical for some.
And considering most HD Sat Receivers only cost a few hundred????

I have positioned plenty of dishes just using the strength/quality meter that is inbuilt in a decoder. And never had future problems. You can only pin point a dish and skew an lnb so much...

I appreciate your equipment is the bee's knees.... But for most 65cm to 90cm Ku dishes, is it really needed to get a lock on a sat?

The biggest mistake i sometimes have made is using the Optus Tuning Freq for C1, as its also the same used for D2!!! and i have accidentally got off a roof thinking all is done, when i was on the wrong sat altogether (12407V 30000 2/3)

Both units discussed here i imagine would be ok.... It sure is a whole lot easier to have a compact unit than dragging a decoder on the roof.

Unless the WS 6096 tells total lies or is completely inaccurate... then it should be just as good as the $50 Posi for most of us.

**mtv** · 30-09-12, 09:29 PM

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't for a second suggest a hobbyist purchase something like my digital spectrum analyser.

Apart from the prohibitive price tag, it's quite complex to use, especially if you use all the bells & whistles.

No, you don't need a meter anywhere near as flash as mine for typical domestic installations.... and one of the cheapies I've mentioned can do a fine job of that in most circumstances.

Any meter that has a signal quality scale (BER/MER) and displays the NIT (Network Identificalion Table) so it confirms which satellite your on, will provide a fairly accurate result.

Mine will break down the error data into fine detail, even capturing when dropped data packets occur, the time they occurred and the duration.

The TDR (Time Domain Reflectometer) can pinpoint a cable or connection fault in a line to within a few centimetres. Very useful if cables are concealed in walls/ceilings/underground.

It displays current drawn by LNB's, motors, switches, etc.

Being real time, there's almost no lag in display time. You actually see the transponder peaks coming into view on the display before you get to them.

In terrestrial mode, it shows the direct signal, plus any reflected/multipath signals and SFN translators (Single Frequency Networks) simultaneously.

It even plots the distance and direction those signals are coming from.

With interference issues, you can see them on the display in relation to your affected signal.

It's a serious piece of kit and aimed squarely at the commercial sector... it's just a bonus it makes domestic installations fast and accurate.

No, it doesn't make coffee... a bit disappointing actually.... maybe the next upgrade will.

**efab** · 01-10-12, 08:13 PM

I have used a trimax S2200 for some time now and it has been a good little unit.
Only thing is it doesn't do S2 signals

however there is this model at sciteq in Perth
don't know how good it is but may be worth the look

**badass** · 12-10-12, 10:31 AM

I have said once before in another thread that I bought a Sat Link WS6909 back in April for $198.00. It lasted 2 days so I posted it back to China. So 5 months later I got it back. I have now been using it for the past week it’s good to use and I used it for H-H motor all OK but I’ll let you know if it doesn’t last.

Cheers

**CONAXLE** · 12-10-12, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by efab

I have used a trimax S2200 for some time now and it has been a good little unit.
Only thing is it doesn't do S2 signals

however there is this model at sciteq in Perth
don't know how good it is but may be worth the look

I too,have my S2200,it's been with me for a number of years,only I changed the battery recently.I wouldn't mind one that would do S2 and DVB-T signals..

**ch0cb0mb** · 15-10-12, 01:48 AM

I've got the Satlink ws-6922 and it does s2 and hd.
It's okay for the price.
I use it with the cheap satellite beeper coz the one built in is kinda annoying.
I had trouble modifying the satellites list with the software that came with it but the seller emailed me the latest version and it worked well.