SAB X Finder Satellite Meter

26-10-2017 07:31AM #1

Has anyone used this ? I find it practically useless, I can't find Astra 19.2, it finds 28.2 no problem.

It's like the satellites are wrongly programmed, it's meant to save you hours on the roof/ladder however this meter and their cheaper one has caused me hours or agony not being able to find satellites.

On the X finder I scanned through the different transponders and found what I thought was 19.2 but it scanned channels that are not on 19.2.

Since when have satellite meters gone that they are just portable satellite receivers and not just a device to find satellites ?

I have to say that for the price I'm deeply p1ssed with these so called sat meters.

The high horse brigade · 26-10-2017 08:18AM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Has anyone used this ? I find it practically useless, I can't find Astra 19.2, it finds 28.2 no problem.

It's like the satellites are wrongly programmed, it's meant to save you hours on the roof/ladder however this meter and their cheaper one has caused me hours or agony not being able to find satellites.

On the X finder I scanned through the different transponders and found what I thought was 19.2 but it scanned channels that are not on 19.2.

Since when have satellite meters gone that they are just portable satellite receivers and not just a device to find satellites ?

I have to say that for the price I'm deeply p1ssed with these so called sat meters.

Does it need an update. I have a horizon meter and have updated it several times over the years

26-10-2017 08:24AM

It could do but SAB don't seem to do updates or none that I can find, you can plug it into Ethernet and check for updates but there are none.

To update all transponders for all satellites would be an absolute pain, so I think the trick would be to just program one transponder for each satellite of interest just to align the dish.

It's such a pain in the ass after spending hours on the ladder and then getting two LNB's perfectly aligned on the LNB holder for what I thought was 19.2 and 28.2, 28.2 is perfectly aligned.

Are there any other satellites of interest that transmit English programs ?

Thurston? · 26-10-2017 08:17PM

Deleted User wrote: »

... On the X finder I scanned through the different transponders and found what I thought was 19.2 but it scanned channels that are not on 19.2.

It's not like each satellite position has a unique frequency plan. It might be possible to find a transponder that isn't in use at an adjacent position, or might have say a different symbol rate.

26-10-2017 09:08PM

Yeah , I have reprogrammed the meter with the latest transponders I know are for the exact satellite I want. It will be handy for a few Nixers so would pay for itself in time.

It's a pity each satellite doesn't have a unique identifier that the meter picks up. Have to say that in my 5 years of installing Sky the old Lacuna meter never let me down on any satellite, those were the days when meters were meters and nothing fancy, they just worked. You want to align a dish not sit on a Chimney or stand on a ladder watching telly !

dxhound2005 · 26-10-2017 11:08PM

I don't know if the video guides on Freetv would be of any help. The Satellite TP Search one is set up for 28 East. But if your dish was pointed at 19 East it could not receive channels on another satellite if that is not too simplistic. Once it was pointing at a satellite a Blind Scan would bring in all the transponders.

http://www.freetv.ie/satellite-terrestrial-meter/

26-10-2017 11:42PM

Thanks, I'll have a go next time.

Anyway, turns out I was connected to 23.5 Lyngsat.

I Just tried a transponder listed for 19.2 which was wrong.

I can't believe given the cost of this meter and the other cheaper SAB meter that they provide 0 support or firmware to correct this or any firmware at all. Not impressed.

Astra 28.2 worked no problem and I had it set up in seconds.

So the trick is that if anyone buys a SAB meter to delete all transponders and just add one or two that are known to be correct for each satellite. That is if needing anything other than 28.2 which seems to work fine.

SAB X Finder Satellite Meter

Comments