eng TELE-audiovision 1503

8/9/2019 eng TELE-audiovision 1503

1/164www.TELE-audiovision.com

03-04/2015

TELE

ince 1981

The World’s Leading Digital TV Industry Publication

INTERNATIONAL

Satellite & Cable

OTT & Smart TV

IPTV & WebTV

Streaming & OnDemand

Operator & Retail

audiovision 8 E

Test Report

FORMULER F1

Company Report

HAENLEINRalf Haenlein DevelopsAward Winning SoftwareFrom His Home

Test Report

MKTECHMike MiaoIntroduces the First HandheldTwo-Tuner Meter

Test Report

GLOBALINVACOMLee Allen’s New Ampliferthat Amplifes AND Improvesthe Signal!

Test Report

FERNSEHFEE 2.0Petra BauersachsIncorporates an Ad Blockerin Her Receiver Line

Along Digital TV’s Highways

03-042015


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TELE-audio vision

In terna tional

The World’s Leading

Digi tal T V Indus tr y Publica tion

since 1981

Ale xander WiesePublisher

ale x@ ta vmag.com

HQ in Munich , Ger many

Address TELE-audiovision Magazine, PO Box 1234, 85766 Munich-Ufg, GERMANY/EUROPEEditor-in-Chief Alexander Wiese, [email protected]

Letter to The Editor www.TELE-audiovision.com/letter/Published by TELE-audiovision Magazine GmbH, Aschheimer Weg 19, 85774 Munich-Ufg, GERMANY/EUROPE

Design Németi Barna Attila Advertising www.TELE-audiovision.com/ads/ or email to [email protected] Copies of TELE-audiovision Magazine are available to advertisers only

Printer TERC-PRESS Nyomdai és Kereskedelmi Ágazat, Pillangó park 9, 1149 Budapest, HUNGARY/EUROPECopyright © 2015 by TELE-audiovision ISSN 2195-5433

TELE-audiovision was established in 1981 and today is the oldest, largest and most-read digital tv trade magazine in the world.

TELE-audiovision is seen by more than 350,000 digital tv professionals around the world.www.TELE-audiovision.com

Redaktion TELE-audiovision, Postfach 1234, D-85766 München-UfgChefredakteur Alexander Wiese (verantwortlich) Anschrift wie Verlag

Verlag TELE-audiovision Magazine GmbH, Aschheimer Weg 19, D-85774 UnterföhringInhaber: Alexander Wiese, Verleger, Unterföhring

Anzeigen Alexander Wiese (verantwortlich), Anschrift wie Verlag

Dear Readers,

In this issue of TELE-audiovision we’ll show you a number

of devices that utilize more than one tuner. And that’s

how it should be; for the viewer it doesn’t matter at all

what path his favorite channels take to get to his TV.

What’s nice is that now signal analyzers with two tuners

are becoming more and more popular; and with these

instruments, there are often congurations where two

tuners would be able to provide excellent services.

But having more than one tuner is not all that matters;

you still have to be able to get the best out of it that you

can. That’s why, in this issue of TELE-audiovision we are

introducing a signal analyzer that can do everything that

you can possibly think of. Even more remarkable is yet

another instrument, an amplier, that can do far more

than was ever thought possible: the output signal is

much better than the original input signal. Yes, miracles

do happen, you just have to take technology to levels it

has never gone before!

Alexander Wiese

Editor-in-Chief TELE-audiovision Magazine


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6/1646 TELE-audiovision International — The World‘s Leading Digital TV Industry Publication — 03-04/2015 — www.TELE-audiovision.com

EICO, Iceland ....................................................................................124

HAENLEIN, Germany .......................................................................... 116

Award Winning Products ..................................................................... 12

CONTENT

FORMULER F1

Triple-Tuner HD-Receiver ........... 14

MKTECH CB200 HD

Dual Tuner Meter ................. 32

GLOBALINVACOM

GI FIBRE IRS O2E

Optical to Electrical

Converter .................... 44

SPAUN

SPAROS 711Professional

Digital TV Meter .... 52

FERNSEHFEE 2.0

HD Intelligent

Android Satellite

Receiver .......................... 86

Global Readership of

TELE-audiovision Magazine ..............10

AWARD Winning:

Digital Receivers of 21st Century ........ 102

AWARD Winning:

Signal Analyzers of 21st Century ........ 110

Company Report:

Software Developer

Haenlein, Germany ........................... 116

Companym Report:

Antenna Wholesaler and Retailer

EICO, Iceland ................................... 124

Global Company Directory:

The Decision Makers inWorldwide Digital TV Industry ......... 134

Uplink Overview:

Best Satellite Uplink

Earth Stations .................................. 148

TELE-audiovision History:

TELE-audiovision in 1984 ................ 156






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ADVERTISER‘S INDEX

ALPSAT ................................... Turkey....................... 47

ALUOSAT-YAGI ....................... China .......................109

AUDOLICI .............................. Portugal ...................145

BAUCKHAGE ........................... Germany ..................143

BSD ........................................ Brazil .......................141

BT........................................... UK ............................153

CABLEWORLD ............................Hungary .......................89

CABSAT2015 .......................... Dubai .......................127

CASTOR .................................. Netherlands .............155

CCBN2015 .............................. China .......................131

CHANGHONG .......................... China ..........................7

CHINASATCOM ....................... China .......................151

DEVISER ................................ China ................. 61, 139

DEKTEC .................................. Netherlands .............. 79

DIGITALTELEMEDIA ............... China .......................164

DISHTUNING .......................... India ........................143

FORMULER ............................. Korea ........................ 39

FRAUNHOFER ......................... Germany ................... 85

GLOBALINVACOM ................... UK ............................. 57

GOTECH .................................. China ..........................9

HISILICON ............................. China ..........................4

HORIZON ............................... UK ...................... 35, 108

JIUZHOU ................................ China .......................164

JEZETEK ................................. China .......................164

JONSA .................................... Taiwan ...................... 49

MAXINGCO ............................. China ........................ 67

MFC ........................................ USA ........................... 17

MICO ...................................... China ..........................2

MKTECH ................................. China ..........................9

NABSHOW2015 ...................... USA ..........................121

PANODIC ................................ China ..........................2

PERFECTVISION .................... USA ........................... 43

ROHDE&SCHWARZ ................. Germany ..................163

SAT-LINK ............................... China ........................ 93

SES ......................................... Luxembourg ............147

SICHUANJIUZHOU.................. China .......................164

SPAUN ......................................Germany ...... 137, 139, 141

SPAUN ELECTRONIC .................Germany ......................27

SUMAVISION..............................China ..............................5

TENOW ................................... China .......................137

TIANDITONG .......................... China ........................ 97

TITANIUM SATELLITE ............ USA ........................... 73

TSINGHWA ............................. China .......................119

XSAT ...................................... China ........................ 21

8 TELE-audiovision International — The World‘s Leading Digital TV Industry Publication — 03-04/2015 — www.TELE-audiovision.com


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America Europe

> 350 000Professional Readers本杂志全球有35万多读者

The Only

Global Digital TV Trade Magazine

Published inall Major World Languages Arabic

ية رع ا

Bahasa

Indonesia

German

deutsch

English Spanish

español

French

française

North America

>28000 ReadersUSA

Canada

MexicoSouth America

>42000 ReadersBrasil

Argentina

Chile

Venezuela

Colombia

Peru

West Europe

>107000 ReadersGermany

Italy

UK

France

NL

Portugal

BelgiumSpain

CH

Austria

Sweden

Norway

Ireland

Denmark

MENA

>46000 Readers

Iran Algeria

Morocco

Egypt

KSA

Tunesia

East Europe

>60000 ReadersTurkey

Romania

Russia

Hungary

Poland

Bulgaria

CzechGreece


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Readers' BreakdownManufacturers 7%

Distributors 12%

Wholesaler 17%

Dealers 24%

Installers 9%

Satellite Provider 2%Cable Provider 10%

IPTV Provider 6%

Program Provider 11%

Private Enthusiasts 2%

Top 25 to 105Countries> 130 - 3200 Readers

Top 106 to 180Countries< 130 Readers

Top 25Countries> 3200 Readers

COUNTRY Readers #

Brazil 38,048

Germany 26,685

United States 22,206

China 16,661

Italy 14,147

France 12,848

UK 11,674

Iran 10,881

Turkey 9,835

Indonesia 9,787

Algeria 9,613

Netherlands 8,646

Portugal 8,277

Romania 7,895

Spain 6,574

Russia 6,376

Belgium 5,994

Morocco 5,902

Bulgaria 5,496

Egypt 5,041

Poland 5,015

Hungary 4,731

India 4,612

Canada 3,921

Saudi Arabia 3,883

Greece 3,843

Czech Republic 3,680

Argentina 3,588

Ukraine 3,558

Chile 3,167

Switzerland 3,011

Tunisia 2,725

Slovakia 2,605

Pakistan 2,573

Austria 2,562

Croatia 2,548

Venezuela 2,401

Iraq 2,275

Sweden 2,196

Norway 2,183

Malaysia 2,176

Israel 2,067

Australia 2,041

Mexico 1,968

Serbia 1,900

Colombia 1,778

South Africa 1,629

UAE 1,508

Ireland 1,501

Denmark 1,339

Thailand 1,223Libya 1,181

Finland 1,179

Peru 1,083

Slovenia 992

Sri Lanka 972

Philippines 942

Yemen 908

Jordan 856

Ecuador 842

Uruguay 775

Lebanon 752

Lithuania 748

Nigeria 717

South Korea 716

Macedonia 711

Syria 676

Japan 674

Bolivia 669

Kenya 656Sudan 632

Bosnia and Herzegovina 629

Albania 601

Taiwan 594

Puerto Rico 580

Kuwait 534

Panama 519

Qatar 486

Hong Kong 472

Luxembourg 469

Paraguay 462

Latvia 459

Cyprus 457

Belarus 422

Kazakhstan 414

Senegal 414

New Zealand 407

Oman 398

Moldova 379

Vietnam 378

Georgia 358

Estonia 334

Singapore 318

Palestine 284

Mauritius 279

Bahrain 271

Dominican Republic 254

Costa Rica 249

Ghana 245

Iceland 211

Uganda 210

Ethiopia 205

Malta 188

Afghanistan 181

Cameroon 178

Suriname 174

Bangladesh 167Uzbekistan 162

Azerbaijan 159

Zimbabwe 158

Trinidad and Tobago 157

Tanzania 149

Barbados 144

Brunei 134

Brunei 134

Mali 131

Montenegro 129

Malawi 115

Macau 111

Armenia 106

Botswana 103

Martinique 103

Mauritania 95

Maldives 93

Madagascar 90

Myanmar 90

Angola 87

New Caledonia 86

Aruba 85

Namibia 83

Rwanda 77

Guyana 76

Netherlands Antilles 75

Zambia 74

Guatemala 72

Congo 71

French Guiana 70

Mozambique 69

Niger 64

Kyrgyzstan 62

Burkina Faso 61

Cape Verde 59

Haiti 56

Togo 56

Kosovo 56

Reunion 53

Benin 52

Greenland 51

El Salvador 51

Cuba 50

Nicaragua 49

Jamaica 46

French Polynesia 46

Turkmenistan 45

Honduras 44Djibouti 43

Gabon 43

Tajikistan 38

Guadeloupe 35

Cambodia 34

Seychelles 31

Mongolia 30

Comoros 28

Monaco 28

Nepal 27

Bermuda 26

Dominica 25

Palau 25

Curacao 24

Faroe Islands 21

Timor-Leste 19

Bahamas 18

Burundi 15

Fiji 15Gambia 15

Guinea 15

Laos 15

St. Vincent & Grenadines 14

Somalia 13

Eritrea 12

Liechtenstein 12

Papua New Guinea 12

Sao Tome and Princi pe 12

Sint Maarten 12

Swaziland 11

Belize 10

Guernsey 10

Cayman Islands 9

British Virgin Islands 9

Anguilla 8

Equatorial Guinea 8

Jersey 8

sia

orldwide

Source:Google Analyticsas of 03-04/2014

lian

iano

Hungarian

magyar

Chinese

中国

Russian

русский

Turkish

türk

Asia

>38000 Readers

ChinaIndonesia

India

Pakistan

Malaysia


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08-09/2009

www.TELE-audiovision.com/09/09/globalinvacom

Global Invacom Optical LNBThe rst worldwide optical satellitereception and transmission system

TELE-audiovision International — The World‘s Leading Digital TV Industry Publication — 03-04/2015 — www.TELE-audiovision.com

11-12/2012

www.TELE-audiovision.com/12/11/jiuzhou

JIUZHOU DTP2100Cutting-edge receiver thanksto Android operating system

07-08/2014

www.TELE-audiovision.com/14/07/matrix

Tenow Matrix ARM mini PC All technical possibilities of currently availableTV reception integrated into a single solution


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MAGAZINE

13

03-04/2015

www.TELE-audiovision.com/15/03/formuler

Formuler F1Super fast receiver

for all in a hurry

www.TELE-audiovision.com — 03-04/2015 — TELE-audiovision International — 全球发行量最大的数字电视杂志

www.TELE-audiovision.com/13/07/tenow

TBS Streaming Box MOIOffers a double-shot of innovation

for the future of TV with its channel streamingand separation of hardware and software

07-08/2013

www.TELE-audiovision.com/15/01/mktech

MKTech S1-44HD 3DClever combination of Linux for perfect

signal reception and Android foran endless supply of apps.

01-02/2015



Formuler F1

TEST REPORT Triple-Tuner HD-Receiver


15/16415www.TELE-audiovision.com — 03-04/2015 — TELE-audiovision International —全球发行量最大的数字电视杂志

• superfast channel search• superfast zapping

• third tuner can be installed as an option

• pure genius: freely selectable functions can be allocated to the

remote control’s function keys

• excellent implementation of electronic program guide


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0 .4 8

03-04/2015

www.TELE-audiovision.com/15/03/formuler


TEST REPORT Triple-Tuner HD-Receiver

The Race Caramong Receivers

What happens when wehave a company that bearsthe name Formuler andlaunches a receiver that it la-bels F1? Well, right – we wakeup and smell the coffee, andwe expect one characteristicfrom such a product: speed.We at TELE-audiovision lovebold moves, and we’ve wit-

nessed quite a number ofthem in recent years. But inthe end, it boils down to thebig question: Can the For-muler F1 actually deliver onits promise?

Its outward appearancedoes not give away much withits unobtrusive black design.It’s only the fully glassedfront panel that seems toprovide a clue of what is tofollow. It features a perfectlyreadable VFD display as well

and encourages active usethanks to the convenientpressure point of its buttons,providing exactly the level offeedback that is needed.

Up until very recently, al-most all receivers came as apermanently-married unionof hardware and software.These days, however, we can

observe a new trend thatallows users to either usea manufacturer’s in-housesoftware solution as operat-ing system, or chose a third-

party installation instead, ifpreferred. The Formuler F1takes this development onestep further and is shippedwithout a manufacturer-specic operating system at

all. Instead, a total of threedifferent Enigma 2 distribu-tions are available for use,namely OpenPLI, OpenATVund HDMU. By default, For-muler uses the OpenPLI vari-ant, which is why we onlydeal with this distribution inthe current test report. Us-ers that want to look at ortry out the two other optionscan download those from theInternet and install them ontheir F1 (see link in info box).

When you turn on the For-muler F1 for the very rst

time an installation assistantwill greet you and guide youthrough all required basic

Formuler F1Superfast receiver for those

who hate to wait.

as a ap that hides a CI slot,

two built-in card readers, a

USB port and an SD card slot.Looking at the back panel ofthe F1 – which is shipped as atwin DVB-S2 receiver by de-fault – we discover a slot forinserting a third tuner, whichcan either receive DVB-S2 orDVB-T2/C signals, dependingon the tuner type selected.So out goes the twin tunerand in comes the triple tuner,complete with full PVR func-tionality. In principle, addinga third tuner is not rocket sci-

ence, and all you have to dois open the case by unscrew-ing a total of ve screws.

We noticed that – contraryto conventional PC design –the third tuner is not attached

to a robust socket base, butonly to rather thin pins. Thistells us that Formuler appar-ently does not want us to ex-change the third tuner on aregular basis.

Apart from that, the backpanel sports a classic designwith all the connection op-tions you could reasonably

require. In addition to thetwo standard DVB-S2 tunersthere are six RCA jacks forstereo audio, composite vid-eo and YUV, an HDMI output,S/PDIF output, e-SATA port,RS-232 interface, USB port,RF-45 socket and – last butnot least – a socket to con-nect the external power sup-ply unit.

The remote control that isshipped with the F1 receiversits in your hand very nicely


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settings, which include lan-guage selection and videooutput resolution. Full 1080presolution is available viathe HDMI output, so it can’treally get better than that.

A wide range of on-screenlanguages can be chosenfrom to cover most markets.Obviously, the (up to three)installed tuners need to beset up as well, and the rangeof conguration and adjust-ment options offered onthe hardware and softwarefronts leaves nothing to bedesired. No matter whetherit’s DiSEqC 1.0, 1.1, 1.2 or1.3, manual LOF selection orSCR unicable compatibility,

the Formuler F1 has you cov-ered and will happily cooper-ate with any reception equip-ment you may have in place.As far as channel searchmodes are concerned, thisreceiver turns out to be ofthe versatile kind, offering awide variety of handy searchoptions. Added to that is anexemplary satellite and tran-sponder list that adds evenmore shine to the overall im-pression of the F1. And while

we’re talking about the nameof this box, you could beforgiven for thinking you’resitting in a race car when itcomes to an overall searchacross an entire satellite: ForHOTBIRD 13° East this latestFormuler receiver took nomore than three minutes andfound a total of 2023 chan-nels!

1. Installation assistant

2. Selecting a video outputresolution

3. OSD language selection

4. Establishing an Internetconnection

5. Tuner conguration

6. DiSEqC settings

7. Tuner settings

8. If the second tuner receivesthe same signal as the rsttuner, its settings can simplybe duplicated

9. DVB-T2 settings

10. Search to complete theinitial installation

11. OpenPLI start screen

12. Channel search on BADR26° East

13. Main menu

14. System settings

15. All adjustment options areclearly categorised accordingto features/functions

Let’s look at the mainmenu of the Formuler F1now, which looks very sleekand understated with onlyve menu items. But rest as-sured, thanks to the OpenPLI

image the receiver’s behav-iour and conguration canbe customised down to thevery last detail. What do wemean by that? Well, to giveyou an example, the OSDmenu alone extends overmore than two pages! So wecan say that the software de-velopers have made a pointof creating an extremelystreamlined entry point with-out compromising bespokeadjustment options and set-

tings. In actual fact, mostother menu items are ascomprehensive as the OSDmenu, no matter whether it’snetwork settings, PVR or anyother function the FormulerF1 offers.

We particular loved thatthe OpenPLI image lets youallocate custom functionsor features to the functionkeys of the remote control.Or rather, two different func-tions for each key, depend-

ing on whether you give it ashort or a long press. Longgone are the times when us-ers had take a device’s userconcept for granted – withthe Formuler F1 it ’s up to youto decide which features andfunctions are close to yourheart and therefore availableat the touch of a button.

The channel list of theFormuler F1 sports a user-friendly design and its con-tent can be categorised into

All, Satellites, Providers andFavourites with the help ofthe remote control’s colour-coded function keys. Thismakes sure you’ll nd the

desired channels quickly andeasily, even if the entries onthe channel list go into thethousands when you use anantenna with DiSEqC motor,for example. To make mat-ters even easier, the currentTV channel is always insertedin the left-hand section of the

channel list screen. As a pos-itive side not we should men-tion that Enigma 2 has nally

done away with all restric-tions in terms of maximumnumber of entries or pack-


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16. A/V settings

17. The receiver can becustomised to meet personalpreferences

18. OSD settings

19. OSD settings

20. OSD settings

21. EPG settings

22. PVR settings

23. PVR settings

ages. And it goes withoutsaying that channel list edit-ing can be done in a breezeas well, right in channel listview and without having todig deep into a specic sub-

menu that never seems to bewhere you look for it anyway.One of the tastiest treats of

the F1 receiver is its electron-

ic program guide. Not onlydoes it present a preview forone or more channels for sev-eral days in advance, it caneven be set to list all eventssorted by name. Why is that

so great? Because it makeslooking for a movie or yourfavourite show so much eas-ier, especially since repeats

are frequently only shown onsub-channels of major net-works in some countries andmany times you simply don’tknow which channel some-thing is on. What’s more, the

EPG of the Formuler F1 sup-ports proprietary EPG sys-tems from a number of payTV providers as well. Media-


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24. Subtitle settings

25. Language settings

26. Network settings

27. All function keys on theremote control can be program-med to perform individual tasksand commands

28. Skin selection

29. List of installed tuners

30. Manual channel search

31. Provider search32. Satnder function

33. Softcam settings

34. Info bar

35. Channel list

36. Info bar

37. The channel list can beedited right on the spot, withouthaving to stop at the pit lane,a.k.a. main menu.

38. Favourites function withwindow showing the currentlyreceived channel

39. EPG preview for six chan-nels at a time

40. Any period of time within

the available preview period canbe selected for a detailed EPGlisting

41. Creating a timer entry rightfrom EPG mode

42. Extended EPG information


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43. EPG information of a

single channel sorted by date

and time

44. EPG information of

a single channel sorted

alphabetically

45. The EPG provided with the

OpenPLI software can easilylook for and show broadcast

times of specic event

46. Selecting the preferred

audio track

47. Recording function

48. When a recording takesplace, channels that cannotbe watched live or recordeddue to reception restrictionsare greyed out

49. Two or more high-denition channels can be

recorded at the same time50. The help section is avery handy tool to clearlyand precisely explain whichfunctions can be called upwith which buttons on theremote control

highway or FreeSat EPG are just two examples that you’llbe able to fully use with theF1 receiver.

In everyday use thereare two words that springto mind most easily, name-

ly speed and fun. Or to bemore precise: It’s a lot offun to use a receiver whoseF1 designation is more than just a catchy name. Zappingcould easily turn from pas-

sion into addiction with thisbox. As far as the defaulttuners for DVB-S2 and DVB-T2 reception are concerned,we could not have asked forbetter components either.Both were able to awlessly

process weak signals as well,and the DVB-S2 tuners of theFormuler F1 never buckledunder stress when they hadto deal with narrow-band-width transponders and very


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51. Overview of plugins

52. Allocating custom

commands to the function

keys. The OpenPLI software

allows for two commands for

each key – depending on how

long you press the key

53. DVB-T2 settings

54. The OpenPLI software

can be updated right on the

receiver as long as there is a

connection to the Internet

55. A huge range of plugins

can be downloaded to the

receiver totally free of charge

56. List of existing recordings

on the USB storage medium

57. PVR playback with

timeline in the upper screen

section58. Software update via the

Internet

59. Eight simultaneous

recordings? No big deal for

the Formuler F1


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low symbol rates.For PVR use the Formuler

F1 does not offer an internalhard disk option, but whenwe connected an externalUSB hard disk to the receiverthe fact that more than eightevents could be recorded si-multaneously almost tookour breath away. Wheneverthe F1 records an event (ortwo, or three, or…) it clear-ly indicates in the channel

list which channels are stillavailable for live viewing andwhich aren’t. A seeminglyminor detail, but one you’llsoon learn to appreciate no

Software: HDMU60. Automatic DiSEqC settings

61. Channel search

62. Info bar

63. Channel list with EPG view

64. Channel list sorted bysatellites

65. Main menu

end in everyday use.Timeshift viewing and

various timer options, for in-stance to create repeat tim-ers in various ways, havebecome basic features we allexpect and which are nicelyimplemented in the new For-muler receiver as well. As


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Highlights

SPAUN electronic GmbH & Co. KGByk - Gulden - Str. 22 · 78224 Singen · Germany

Phone: + 49 (0)7731 - 8673 - 0 · Fax: + 49 (0)7731 - 8673 - 17Email: [email protected] · www.spaun.com

BluBox SOTx

• Up to 16 SAT IF levels and

terresstrial over a single fiberoptic cable

• 19" base unit with redundantswitch mode power supply

• Distribution to up to 32 opticalnodes possible

• Conguration and monitoringvia LAN / IP

SPAROS 711 Touch Series• Intuitive operating thanks to a 10" Touch Screen

• DVB - S / S2, DVB - T/ T2, DVB - C, HDTV TV displaying

• Compact and robust aluminium die - cast housing

• Supplied in a stable carrying case!

WhiteBox

• Modular headend for multipleconversions

• 19" base unit with redundant

switch mode power supply

• Conguration and monitoringvia LAN / IP


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Software: HDMU66. HDMU control center

67. HDMU media center

68. System settings

69. EPG preview for eight chan-nels at a time

70. EPG preview for a singlechannel

71. Language selection

Software: OpenATV72. OpenATV logo

73. Automatic DiSEqC detection

74. Main menu

75. System settings

76. Satellite settings

77. Channel search

78. Info bar

79. Channel list with EPG view

80. Channel list sorted by

satellites

81. EPG preview for a single

channel82. Searching the EPG for a

specic event

83. Language selection

84. OpenATV support section


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always, we mention thosefeatures for the sake of com-pleteness.

Language tracks and sub-titles – if available – can beselected totally hassle-free,

and with the integrated pic-ture-in-picture function youcan make creative use ofthose tiresome commercialbreaks that always seem todrag on forever.

What used to be a smallsensation a few years backhas meanwhile become ba-sic fare for all but the mostbasic Linux-based receiv-ers: plugins. Thanks to itsdefault OpenPLI softwarethe Formuler F1 comes with

a comprehensive plugin li-brary that offers all sortsof handy helpers and addi-tional applications. Web in-terface, media player, OTTfeatures or softcams anyone?Just press a few buttons onthe remote and voilà, as ifby miracle your receiver willhave learned new tricks andtreats. The sky is the limitwhen it comes to your curi-osity and eagerness to trythings out, and the number of

plugins increases by the min-ute, thanks to an ever-grow-ing community of users withLinux-based receivers.

On the multimedia track theFormuler F1 is just as com-petitive as in all other elds.

Supporting all current audio(M4A, MP3, WMA) and video(AVI, DivX, Flash, MP4, MPEG,TS and WMV) le types you’ll

be hard pressed to serve it ale that it won’t willingly ac-cept and play back. And for

presenting those latest holi-day photos you need not lookanywhere else either, as theF1 will do the trick.

It was a bold move by For-muler to label its new receiv-er F1, but after this in-depthtest we can state that itsname is no exaggeration. Thistriple tuner PVR receiver canrightly be regarded as a racecar eagerly mastering anyrace track. Thanks to gener-ously selected hardware with

a BCM7356B2 CPU clocked at1300 MHz plus 512 MB ashmemory and 1GB DDR RAM,the default software has awalk-over when it comes toexecuting all user commands.

InfoboxThree images for the Formuler F1 are available for download:

85. OpenPLI: http://openpli.org/download/formuler/

86. HDMU: http://www.hdmedia-universe.com/board/pages.php?pageid=1&box=FormulerF1

87. OpenATV: http://images.mynonpublic.com/openatv/beta/index.php?open=formuler1


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DIAGRAM

ENERGY

Active Power

Apparent Power Mode Apparent Active Factor

Active 33 W 16 W 0.48

StandBy 26 W 12 W 0.46

Deep StandBy 0 W 0 W 0

OPINION

EXPERT

+

–

RECOMMENDEDPRODUCT BY

Thomas HaringTest Center Austria

Formuler F1Triple-Tuner HD-Receiver


15 minutes of active use, followed by 15 minutes in standby mode and15 minutes in deep standby mode. ● Robust and perfectly equipped triple tuner PVR receiver.

● Can be operated with three different software images based

on Enigma 2.

● Very low threshold tuners with superfast channel search.

● Generously designed and selected hardware components.

● Perfectly readable VFD display – making this receiver a per -

fect match for radio lovers too.

● Due to similarity with the abbreviation for Formula One,

this receiver often is a case of mistaken identity when trying

to search for information, downloads or tips and tricks on the

Internet.

Never did we appreciate no-ticeable lag, let alone moresevere performance issues.Channel searches are com-pleted quickly and reliably,and the mature OpenPLI soft-

ware makes sure all available

features and functions work just as intended: quickly, re-liably, and awlessly. At least

that’s the impression we gotduring our thorough producttest. Whenever you get into

an experimental mood and if

you are happy to explore newsoftware projects we recom-mend trying out the HDMUand OpenATV images as well.This way you can nd out for

yourself which of the three

available software images is

most to your liking and whichoffers the features and ben-ets that best meet your de-mands and expectations. Nomatter which software you’llend up with, the Formuler F1

will be the perfect base.



TEST REPORT Dual Tuner Meter



• extremely small and handydevice

• easy adjustment of LOF and

DiSEqC settings

• perfect for installers: enlarged

presentation of signal bar,

acoustic signals

• automatic DiSEqC detection:excellent for use with multi-

focus antennas

• 8 transponders can be

monitored simultaneously

thanks to packet control

MKTechCB200 HD


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www.TELE-audiovision.com/15/03/mktech


TEST REPORT Dual Tuner Meter

Small in Size –Big in Features

The new dual tuner meterCB200 HD from MKTech isavailable for the South Amer-ica market. Shipped inside aneutral, white cardboard boxit will take most buyers bysurprise thanks to its smallsize: Measuring only 105 x170 x 45 mm this must beone of the smallest and mostlightweight meters we have

ever received for testing. Whydo we always rave so muchabout small and lightweightmeasuring devices? Well, justpretend to be a professionalinstaller for argument’s sake.You’ll have to carry alongyour meter all day long evento the trickiest of places, andthat’s why size and weightare always two of the deter-mining factors when it comesto making that purchase de-

cision. We also clearly appre-

MKTech CB200 HDWho would have thought antenna

alignment can actually be fun?

measurements of both sig-nals without having to switchcables.

The 3.5-inch colour LCDscreen is easy to read, even

though you have to try a lit-tler harder than with somecompeting products in di-rect sunlight. As long as thescreen was totally black wecould detect some videonoise which does, however,disappear when an OSD in-sert pops up or a channel ispresented. The LCD screencomes with a resolution of320 x 240 pixels.

Right below the screen

you can nd ve status LEDswhich indicate operating

mode, successful signal lock,active 22 kHz control signaland currently supplied LNBvoltage. Further below thereare a conveniently positioned

On/Off switch as well as fourcolour-coded function keysthat can take care of mostfeatures and functions of theCB200 HD. Why most and notall? Well, MKTech has decidedto provide dedicated buttonsfor quick access to some keyfunctions of the meter, suchas system settings, angle cal-culation, signal search, satel-lite search as well as launch-ing and closing the main

menu. Cross-shaped naviga-tion keys, an OK button and anumeric keypad complete theclearly laid out operating con-cept. In general, all buttonsare easy to reach and provideperfect feedback so that after

ciate that buyers won’t feelshort-changed when it comesto accessories: MKTech shipsits latest offering completewith protective case, carry-ing strap, car charger, mainscharger as well as a range ofadapter plugs. The built-inbattery pack of the CB200HD is charged with 15V pow-er supply and has stamina

for up to four hours of con-tinuous operation. Once it iscompletely drained it takesroughly the same amount oftime for a full charging cycle.

The top side of the metercomes equipped with two Fsockets for terrestrial andDVB-S2 signal feeds. Offeringa separate input socket foreach signal source is a smartidea by MKTech, as it allows


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1. Main menu of the MKTechCB200 HD

2. Various measurements inDVB-S2 mode

3. Transponder search

4. Constellation diagram

5. Explorer function

6. Selecting the targettransponder

7. Packet Control function

8. Selecting the appropriate

LOF frequency9. Selecting the appropriateDiSEqC ports

10. DiSEqC protocols 1.2 and1.3 are supported as well

11. Angle calculation

12. DiSEqC 1.2 options

for the signal level as well assupply voltage through theterrestrial signal input, if re-quired. You won’t nd many

more adjustment options and– quite frankly – you won’t

need any more either!This means you’re (or rath-

er, the meter is) ready fortaking the rst signal meas-urement. All you need to do islook up a dedicated menu itemlabelled Satellite or Terrestri-al. Contrary to many metersoffered by other manufactur-ers MKTech has equipped theCB200 HD with a genuinelyup-to-date database of Cband and Ku band satellites.A total of 82 satellite entriesare available, complete withall their transponder data. So

a short period of familiarisa-tion users should be able tooperate the CB200 HD with-out even having to look at it.

On the bottom side of themeter MKTech has positioned

a USB port, a socket for con-necting the external chargingunit, as well as a mechanicalpower switch. We would haveappreciated a way to feedA/V signals from the meterto an external device and todisplay external signals onthe meter’s screen. Neitheroption, however, is available.

The main menu of theCB200 HD sports a decidedlyminimalistic look and feel.This is not a bad thing at all,since it allows operating themeter without having to studythe manual beforehand. InSystem Settings users canselect their preferred OSDlanguage, the measuring unit


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if your antenna is aligned cor-rectly to the desired satellite,you can initiate a transpondersearch right away and workyourself from correct to opti-mum alignment. Once the de-

sired satellite and transpond-ers have been conrmed, the

CB200 HD begins to measureaway immediately and dis-plays signal strength, signalquality and BER on the screenboth as bars and with exactnumeric values. The currentlymeasured transponders caneasily be changed with a sin-gle touch of a button, a bonusthat pleased us no end duringour test. In addition, the LOFand DiSEqC parameters canbe adjusted just as conveni-ently. The manufacturer haspre-set frequently used LOFsthat should cover most LNBtypes, including SCR LNBs,and even if you encounter anLNB that uses a more exoticLOF you’re entirely free to en-ter any frequency manually.

Looking at the technicalspecications of a device

is all well and good, yet it’sonly during an in-depth test

that some features scoremore points than others. Inthe case of the CB200 HDwe thoroughly appreciatedthe fact that the transpond-er list can be edited right in

the search mode. On theone hand this saves valuabletime, and on the other handit also uncovers the user in-terface strategy designed forthe CB200 HD: In a nutshell,

MKTech has tried to create asfew separate menu items aspossible, while at the sametime making sure all requiredfunctions can be accessedright when and where theyare needed.

The channel search thatfollows next can safely berestricted to free-to-air chan-nels, as the CB200 HD isnot equipped with a CI slotor internal card reader any-way. And if you don’t requirea network search, this ad-ditional option can be deac-tivated as well. As soon asthe search is completed, themeter will switch to the rst

detected channel and will


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13. Spectrum display

14. Spectrum display with lowincrements

15. Automatic DiSEqCdetection

16. Satellite identication17. Channel search

18. TV display

19. Channel list

20. Detailed channelinformation

21, 22. System settings

display it on the screen com-plete with all its parameters(frequency, satellite, polari-sation, PIDs, etc.). Althoughwe know that no meter canever permanently replace a

standard receiver (not least ifit does not come with an A/Voutput), we still can conrm

that the CB200 HD offers allbasic functions and featuresfor watching TV on its screen.This includes an easy-to-nav-igate channel list that can berestricted to individual satel-lites and/or reception typesand that can be edited totallyhassle-free. Even 720p and1080i channels will be shown

awlessly on the CB200 HD’ssmall display. PAL, SECAM,NTSC… you name it – the me-ter will happily deal with anyof those colour systems, andof course the meter can cre-ate a constellation diagramfor each frequency for an op-tical signal check. We tried itout several times during ourtest and it invariably workedto our utmost satisfaction.

As a worthwhile alternativefor ne-tuning an antenna

alignment you may want touse the so-called Explorerfunction which shows a sin-gle transponder completewith all signal quality, signalstrength, BER and C/N pa-rameters as well as searchmode used, frequency, sym-bol rate, polarisation andsatellite. When working inchallenging environmentssuch as up on a roof, both theenlarged signal bar presenta-

tion (which can be activatedat any time, if required) andthe acoustic feedback can beextremely useful helpers inyour day-to-day job routine.

Don’t we all face the sameissue time and again? After alot of moving back and forth


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23. USB media playback

24. MP3 playback

25. TS video playback

26. ISDB-T frequency search

27. ISDB-T channel search

28. Frequency identication29. Spectrum display in ISDB-T mode

30. TV playback in ISDB-T mode with detailedchannel information

31. PVR function

32. Recording the currently received channel

33. Recording the currently received channel

the antenna we nally catch a

signal, but is it really beamedfrom the satellite we’re aim-ing at? The CB200 HD has asolution for that scenario –it’s called Automatic Satellite

Detection and works like acharm. Thanks to the meter’spre-stored satellite and tran-sponder database the deviceis capable of identifying thesource satellite of an incom-ing signal almost instantly.Of course we tried out thatfeature several times andcan conrm that it worked

surprisingly reliably, eventhough you should alwaysbear in mind that the CB200

HD can only detect thosesatellites that are includedin the pre-stored list or havebeen entered manually. Soif you work with some lesswidely received positionschances are the meter mightnot be able to identify those.The DiSEqC search featureturned out to work just assmoothly in our test – us-ing it allows the CB200 HD toread out the entire congu-ration of a DiSEqC 1.0 or 1.1

switch. In combination withmulti-focus antennas this isa great benet and a hugely

welcome tool. DiSEqC detec-tion helped us save valuabletime, which in the real worldtranslates into money thatcan be saved. Not a bad deal,don’t you think?

Then there is a menu itemwith the somewhat mysteri-ous description Packet Con-trol. What’s that all about?

We believe it hides an ex-tremely helpful feature thatallows you to monitor signallevel and signal quality of upto eight transponders at atime. If you’re dealing withcomplex distribution setups,for example, Packet Controlwill quickly identify any sig-nal tilt on one of the tran-sponders. How does signaltilt appear in the rst place?

Coax cables exceeding acertain length unfortunately

tend to cause more attenu-ation on higher frequenciesthan on lower frequencies,which in turn may prompt alow-threshold satellite tunerto over-modulate those lower

frequencies. With the help ofthe CB200 HD and its simul-taneous presentation of up toeight transponders this prob-lem can be detected right at

the outset and can be recti-

ed using a sat slope, for ex-ample. A sat slope is a com-ponent that is looped into thecoax cable in order to add lowfrequency attenuation so that

in the end you arrive at a per-

fectly balanced distributionsignal.

The CB200 HD can be usedto control a DiSEqC motorusing both the DiSEqC 1.2

and DiSEqC 1.3 protocols,


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which means you have allnecessary movement andadjustment options at yourdisposal for an effortlesssetup. What’s more, the newMKTech meter calculates the

azimuth and elevation valuesfor each desired satellite assoon as the meter’s currentlocation is entered. This wayall parameters are always atyour ngertips, or rather:

right before your eyes.To nish things off, the

MKTech CB200 HD obviouslyalso comes with a spectrumdisplay mode, which can evenbe restricted to a specic fre-quency range, if need be.

In addition, all parameters(polarisation, 22 kHz signal,LOF, DiSEqC) can be changedquickly thanks to correspond-ing function keys. The dis-played bandwidth can be setat either 4 or 16 MHz. As soonas a signal peak in the spec-trum has been identied and

selected with the help of thenavigation buttons, this peakcan be measured and evalu-ated immediately. All you re-quire is a little patience, since

the spectrum display reactsrather slowly to changed re-ception conditions.

From a technical point ofview, the CB200 HD supportsthe QPS, 8PSK, 16APSK and32APSK modulations in DVB-S2 mode, with symbol ratesfrom 2 to 55 Mbps. The in-put frequency range extendsfrom 950 to 2150 MHz, asusual, and the input signallevel must be between 25

dBµV and 100 dBµV, accord-ing to the manufacturer’sspecications.

Turning to terrestrial signalmeasurement now, this sec-tion of the meter basicallyfollows the same principlesas the DVB-S2 section, but ofcourse is specically adapted

to the peculiarities of ISDB-T. In the frequency selec-tion eld users can either

enter the desired frequencymanually or choose the tar-

get channel from a list. Here,too, it is possible to edit ex-isting entries and to add newentries at all times. Any ofthe listed frequencies can beselected for a manual search.


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OPINION

EXPERT

+

–


Thomas HaringTest Center

Austria

MKTech CB200 HDDual Tuner Meter


● The MKTech CB200 HD is a very handy and lightweight meter

which excels thanks to great usability and a logical and straightfor-

ward on-screen design.

● The F sockets become very hot after prolonged use.

Similar to DVB-S2 reception,it is possible to perform anautomatic signal scan acrossthe entire frequency band.

The Transponder Identica-tion feature clearly indicates

MER, BER, signal strengthand signal quality in an easy-to-read way, which meansaligning a terrestrial anten-na for perfect reception be-comes child’s play.

Packet Control is availablein ISDB-T mode as well, justas for DVB-S2, and here, too,it allows simultaneous moni-toring of up to eight frequen-cies on the built-in screen.What about spectrum modefor terrestrial signals? We cantick that box!

Speaking of spectrum anal-ysis, the CB200 HD allowsselecting certain criteria tospeed up the spectrum dis-play’s response time. That’sa very clever feature, as itmakes antenna alignmentwith the help of spectrum re-sults so much easier. From atechnical point of view, theMKTech meter supports the16QAM, 64QAM and QPSK

modulations with an input

frequency range from 107to 858 MHz. Should your an-tenna come with active signalamplication and therefore

require 5V supply voltage,the CB200 HD can happily

provide it.While the measurement

specs of a meter are of coursethe details everyone’s focus-sing on, we should not forgetto look at the received chan-nels of a transponder or fre-quency and how they can beused or processed. Luckily,the MKTech CB200 HD doesnot leave us out in the cold inthat regard. It even goes theextra mile by not only provid-ing all standard functions wewould have expected, but byalso allowing the currentlyreceived transponder or fre-quency stream to be storedonto an external storage me-dium. Now that’s what we calla real treat!

The PC Update item of themain menu can be used toupdate the CB200 HD’s soft-ware with the help of an ex-ternal storage medium, butalso offers a basic jukebox

for playing back MP3 audio

and TS video. In addition, youwill also nd a built-in image

viewer. MKTech even throwsin an integrated le manager

that can be used to delete orrename les on an external

USB storage medium and tocompletely format the stor-age medium, which is anothergreat idea.

By the end of our in-depth

test, the MKTech CB200 HDhad become a much lovedtool for antenna installation,not least thanks to its trulylow weight. We succeeded inperfectly aligning several sat-

ellite antennas, with a trickymulti-focus antenna amongthem. In addition, we wereable to enjoy awless ISDB-T

reception in our test center.


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GlobalInvacom

GI FibreIRSO2E

•expands bre optical distribution systems

• improves signal quality at the output

•amplies all 4 bands of a Ku satellite

• replicates the original LNB

TEST REPORT Improving Optical Signals


45/16445www.TELE-audiovision.com — 03-04/2015 — TELE-audiovision International — 全球发行量最大的数字电视杂志


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TEST REPORT Improving Optical Signals

The GlobalInvacom Fi-breIRS family of productsare specially designed fortop quality satellite and ter-restrial TV distribution sys-tems. “Fibre” is the key wordhere. The basic idea of thisdistribution system is a con-version of the electrical sig-nals coming off the satelliteto ber optic signals right at

the LNB output or better yeteven inside a dedicated opti-

cal LNB, a system GlobalIn-vacom pioneered. The resultis that the signals distributedoff the LNB use bre optic

cables rather than the usualcoax cables. Thanks to thevery low signal attenuationof bre optic cables, long

distances (even in the range

of kilometers) do not poseany problem.More important than end-

lessly long cable runs in mostcases is the possiblity of lotsof signal splitting. If you splitan optical signal into n portsyou will get 1/n signal powerat each output. To be veryprecise, slightly less than 1/ndue to some additional cou-pling loss. So, you can notsplit an optic signal endlessly

but nevertheless it is possibleto split it up to 32 times inGlobalInvacom’s system andkeep the original signal qual-ity at each split as good as atthe LNB’s output. But that’snot all! If, at every bre line

end, you use a quad optical-to-electrical converter, you

The Ideal Amplier known FibreIRS ODU thissystem hugely expands thenumber of possible outletsfed by one single bre optic

LNB.

How does it work? Let’sassume that our systemconsists of GlobalInvacom’soptical LNB (GI Fibre MDU)connected to a 1:32 opticalsplitter (GI Split32pro). Thisgives us 32 optical outputsto which we could connectoptical-to-electrical con-verters producing signals “understandable” by satel-lite receivers. If we use theGlobalInvacom’s converters

(GI FibreIRS GTU) this givesus four independent electri-cal outputs just like from aregular Quad LNB.

GI FibreIRS O2E Converter Amazing: better signal at the output

than what goes in

But now instead of con-necting the FibreIRS GTUconverter we can connectthe new converter - the GIFibreIRS O2E. This is also

an optical-to-electrical con-verter but its output is notthe same as that of the GIFibreIRS GTU. The GI Fi-breIRS O2E generates astacked signal containingall sub bands of the originalsatellite Ku-Band of both po-larizations. So, its bandwidthis not just about 1 GHz butabout 4 GHz. Its output is infact the same as the outputof another GlobalInvacomproduct: the wholeband uni-versal LNB FibreIRS LNBm.So, now at the end of oneof the 32 bre optic lines we

have an electrical wholeband

will get 32x4=128 outputs ofperfect signal from a singleLNB. That is the real poten-tial of bre optic installations.

While 128 outputs fedby one single LNB alreadyseems to be quite a lot, whatdo you do if you need evenmore top quality outputs? Ofcourse, you can always mul-tiply such systems startingby installing more satellitedishes. But there is a more

practical and elegant way.GlobalInvacom came upwith the new FibreIRS O2E.Together with the already


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signal containg all the tran-sponders from the originalsatellite Ku Band. What canwe do with that?

Those of our readers whostill remember our previoustest reports of GlobalInva-com products may remem-ber another of GlobalInva-com’s products: a dedicateddevice converting the whole-band electrical signal to the

optical domain: the GI Fi-breIRS ODU. Normally, youwould use the GI FibreIRSODU along with the abovementioned LNBm. But if youwant to multiply your distri-bution system you connectthe GI FibreIRS ODU to thewholeband output of the GIFibreIRS O2E. For this pur-pose, you need a specialshort and thick coax cablebecause of the high band-

width. At the output of the

GI FibreIRS ODU we get theoptical signal again but muchstronger than at the input ofthe GI FibreIRS O2E. We maysay that a combination of theO2E and the ODU forms akind of an optical amplier.

However, it is not an ordi-nary amplier. An ordinary

amplier would amplify op-tical signals but could notmaintain the signal quality as

good as in the input. In otherwords, we would get a strongenough signal to be splitagain but its carrier-to-noiseor MER would be worse. Notso here! The combination ofthe GI FibreIRS O2E with theGI FibreIRS ODU does not just amplify the signal butregenerates it. It means thatdigital errors are correctedduring demodulation andre-modulation of the signal.

Now, if we connect another

1:32 splitter after combiningthe GI FibreIRS O2E with theGI FibreIRS ODU we can ex-pect a strong and error freeoutput signal as in the origi-nal installation before thatcombination.

So far about the theory.But does it really work likethat in real life? That’s our job to nd out in the TELE-

audiovision test center! So

we collected all necessaryproducts: we took an opti-cal LNB (GI FibreMDU), GIFibreIRS Split32pro, GI Fi-breIRS O2E, GI FibreIRSODU, GI FibreIRS Split16proand GI FibreIRS Quad GTUconverter. We connected allthese devices as shown inthe measurement setup cir-cuit diagram (Fig. 1).

Figure 1 also presents ouroptical signal measurement

results. As you can see, the

strong signal at the outputof the optical LNB is attenu-ated by 16.65 dB when pass-ing through the 1:32 splitter,then it is boosted by 16.4dB after passing the O2Eand ODU combination. So,in fact, its original strengthis almost exactly recreatedat the output of the ODU.We decided to split the sig-nal again, this time by a 1:16

splitter and convert it to theform acceptable for a regu-lar satellite receiver in theQuad GTU converter. Wouldwe have used another 1:32splitter we would have got-ten almost exactly the levelof -8.9 dBm which was pre-sent at the input of the O2Eand ODU combination. So wemay say that combining theGI FibreIRS O2E and the GIFibreIRS ODU plus a GI Fi-

breIRS Split32pro will result

Fig. 1 Test setup circuit diagram.


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in almost exactly 0 dB con-version gain/loss. In a reallife installation, however, itmakes more sense to usethe 1:16 splitter rst and

the 1:32 splitter second, asthis allows for poorer inputsignals.

Please note that for ourtest we used quite long -bres cables: 350 meters intotal and despite of this thesignal strength was practi-

cally unaffected.So our test set up revealed

that the signal strength wasgreat but what about signal

quality? Before installing thetest setup as in Figure 1 weput a regular universal Ku-Band LNB on a 85 cm dishand took reference meas-urements. The dish wasaimed at HOTBIRD on 13°East. Then, we installed theoptical LNB (GI FibreMDU)

1. Testing GlobalInvacom's new GlobalInvacom GI FibreIRS O2E.3 rolls of 100m bre optic cables provide a virtual distributionsystem.

2. This is GlobalInvacom's GI FibreIRS LNB mounted on a smallsatellite dish at TELE-audiovision's Test Center. Up to 32 ofthe new GI FibreIRS O2E could be connected to it, all of themreplicating this one LNB, thus enabling a theoretical endless loopof all identical signal sources - all fed by one single LNB.


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OPINIONEXPERT

+

–


Jacek PawlowskiTest Center

Poland

GI FibreIRS O2EOptical to Electrical Converter

51www.TELE-audiovision.com — 03-04/2015 — TELE-audiovision International — 全球发行量最大的数字电视杂志

● Very strong and regulated output signal

● Signal quality is even improved due to error correction during

regeneration

● The number of available outputs is multiplied by at least 32

times

● none

and connected it to our testsetup. Finally, we measuredthe very last output of theQuad GTU. Because this wasthe same signal as from aregular universal LNB wewere able to compare theoutput of a whole GlobalIn-vacom distribution systemwith the output of a regular

good quality universal Ku-Band LNB – our reference.The results shown in thegraphs are breathtaking. Notonly the channel power ofall transponders was muchstronger and regulated at 80dBμV throughout the whole

Ku-Band but also signal

quality, expressed here asModulation Error Ratio, im-proved!

This is something impos-sible with regular ampliers.

Signal quality will always de-grade when measured alonga long distribution systemusing analog ampliers. But

the combination of the GI

FibreIRS O2E and the GI Fi-breIRS ODU is not just anamplier. The original signal

is regenerated and duringthis process digital errorsare detected and xed in a

similar way a diital tv receiv-er is doing it when process-ing a transport stream. Am-

plied, regulated and with

removed errors, the signal isthen ready to be split againby an optical splitter andsent hundreds of meters fur-

ther through bre optical ca-bles. And when you convertit back to the electrical format the end of a bre optical

cable, its strength and qual-ity is better than that meas-ured directly a regular LNBoutput.

What previously has beenseen impossible to achieve:to re-create the original

source signal after manysplits - has not turned on itshead: the re-created signalsturns out to even be betterthan at the source! GlobalIn-

vacom has transformed theway of distributing (not only)

satellite signals by using the

fbre optic technology. With

the new GI FibreIRS O2E it

is now possible to expand

hugely the number of out-

puts and each of these even

with a better quality than

what the comes out of the

original source LNB.



• simultaneous presentation of allmeasurements of a transponder,

including spectrum, video and NIT

• extremely accurate measurements

•rst tablet-sized professional meter

for antenna installers

• MER vs. carrier measurements help

identify new LTE interference• unique feature: live video can be

superimposed over spectrum display

• ASI input adds studios and cable

head-ends to the eld of application

SpaunSparos 711

TEST REPORT Professional Meter for Digital TV


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www.TELE-audiovision.com/15/03/sparos


TEST REPORT Professional Meter for Digital TV

The Meter Serious AntennaInstallers have been Longing for

Spaun Sparos 711Touchscreen meter

optimised for professional antennainstallers and technicians

You might think you’ve seenit all, but then Spaun comesalong with its new Sparos 711meter. In TELE-audiovisionissues 08-09/2009 and 04-05/2012 we were full of praisefor the Spaun Sparos 609 andthe Spaun SAT HD meters, butwhen we received Spaun’s lat-est meter offering at our testcenter we knew right awaythat this manufacturer would

take signal measurement to awhole new level.

Hidden inside the cardboardbox is an elegant-lookingmetal transport case with theSpaun logo prominently dis-played on the outside. Thismakes sure customers knowright away that the techni-cian they have booked is seri-ous about his or her businessand does not rely on no-name

technical equipment, butrather uses a top-notch me-ter from a well-establishedmanufacturer of TV receptiontechnology.

So let’s look inside themetal case: Protected by all-round padding there it is, thebrand new Spaun Sparos 711.Even at rst sight, it looks dif -ferent from all other currentmeters, as it could almost be

described as a slightly over-weight tablet computer. Itstouchscreen measures 10inches and comes with a res-olution of 1200 x 800 pixels,which is unusually high bymeter standards. Thanks toits comparably at design this

meter is genuinely convenientto operate and sports all con-nection options you may everrequire. Seriously? Yes! HF

has not cut any corners whenit comes to usability.

In addition, the metal caseholds the external power sup-ply unit with correspondingpower cord, a carrying strap,an additional BNC adapter aswell as an external USB mem-ory stick. The latter providesa full-scale operating manual

as PDF and software that canbe used to create and man-age memory banks in the me-ter’s built-in memory. A veryhandy rucksack-shaped clothbag is also shipped with themeter and its transport case.Using it allows installers tohave both hands free when-ever they need to carry theSpaun Sparos 711 to some ofthose trickier locations thatrequire climbing a ladder, forexample.There is some simi-larity between the Spaun 711

and the Spaun 609: Both arecovered by plastic paddingthat not only protects the me-ter against falls or bumps butalso increases ease-of-use.But that’s not all. The user in-terface of both devices followsthe same underlying concept,so that existing users of theSpaun 609 can easily switchto the new 711 model withouta great deal of familiarisationrequired. It’s also interestingto note that despite its hugescreen and the wide range of

additional features and func-tions the Spaun Sparos 711is signicantly smaller than

its 609 predecessor. Its lowheight and reduced weightare two decisive factors thatturn it into such a pleasant

input, ASI input and output,USB A/B, HDMI, RJ-45, cardreader, the whole lot. What’smore, it is possible to pro-vide DC voltage to antennasystems through the HF inputsocket – Spaun apparently



companion that sits in yourhands surprisingly nicely.

The case of the SpaunSparos 711 is made of in-

jection-moulded aluminiumand despite its low weightthis is easily the most robustand sturdy meter we haveever held in our hands. Thetouchscreen is recessed andprotected by a plastic framethat makes sure it cannot bedamaged too easily. There’sno doubt about it, the SpaunSparos has been designed forthose tough and demandingoutdoor jobs.

If you open the paddedap of the front panel it will

reveal the truly enormoustouchscreen. At rst we were

slightly confused because oursearch for any keys or but-tons was boldly unsuccessful,but obviously there is no needfor cluttering buttons all overthe place when you have atouchscreen at your disposal.Almost all connection socketsare positioned on the rightside of the meter, as well asthe only button, which inci-dentally is the On/Off switch.

It merely takes 12 secondsafter turning on the meterbefore the boot process andself-test are completed andthe unit is ready for use. Thismeans you’ll happily switchoff the Sparos 711 while ona break to safe valuable en-ergy, knowing that it will beup and running again in nextto no time. The On/Off switchcomes with a built-in LEDwhich lights up in Spaun’stypical blue colour wheneverthe meter is switched on.

Each of the four corners ofthe front panel features aneye that can be used to se-curely hook a carrying strap.Thanks to four such eyes be-ing available you can chooseany combination to attach acarrying strap that best suitsyour requirements or prefer-ences. We opted for a diago-nal set-up, which meant weused the upper left eye incombination with the lowerright eye. Left-handed usersmight obviously go for theother way round, but in anycase this allows you to keepthe Spaun Sparos 711 on the

side of your body when youneed to climb a ladder, for ex-ample.

The HF input is separatedfrom all other inputs by anextra divider in order to shieldthat input from potential elec-tromagnetic interference.All other inputs are coveredwith a plastic cap when not inuse. The fact that the SpaunSparos 711 comes with twoUSB sockets may surprisesome. One of them is of theA type, while the other one isthe newer mini USB B type.Both of them can be activatedin the conguration menu,

but you should bear in mindthat the mini USB B input isreserved for service accessonly.

Right next to the RJ-45 net-work interface you can nd a

dedicated input for chargingthe built-in battery. Two LEDsindicate the current powermode: A green LED at thesignal input lights up if DCvoltage is provided throughthe HF socket, while a greenLED at the DC input lights upwhenever the meter is con-

nected to the mains. The leftside of the Spaun Sparos 711features the ASI input andoutput as well as the cardreader. The fan is also locatedin that area, as is the loud-speaker. In case you worryabout any noise generated bythe fan you can rest assured– it runs silently both duringuse and charging.

Whenever we receive a newdevice for testing we alwaysmake a point of using it rightout of the box, without con-sulting the manual rst. This

gives us a valuable clue asto how user-friendly (or un-friendly) its operating ow

is. In this particular case wefelt at home from the get-go.Thanks to its huge touch-screen display and perfectlymatching rmware the Spaun

Sparos 711 is more or lessself-explanatory and ef-ciently guides you through allrequired steps.

Once the meter is poweredup you’ll be greeted by a wel-come screen that gives youan overview of all installedand available options. Our


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test meter came with stand-ard conguration which offers

the following specications:

- DVB-C- DVB-T/T2- DVB-S/S2- MPEG2/4 SD/HD

- DVB-CI (card reader)- FM- HDMI-OUT- ASI IN/OUT- ETHERNET- OPTICAL (option to con-

nect an external signal con-verter for bre-optic infra-structure)

Alternatively, the SpaunSparos 711 is available as aLight, Professional or Pre-mium model, the latter be-ing characterised by a built-inGPS module. No matter which

model you select, there isalways the option of addingDAB+ and/or Wi-Fi function-ality, if required.

Four virtual keys are avail-able and can be used by tap-ping them on the screen:HOME, SAVE, LNB/DiSEqCand TV.

Touching the HOME buttonbrings you right to the mainmenu, where you can accessand change all options andparameters.

The SAVE button is availa-ble in all screen modes and ei-

ther saves the current meas-urement result or creates andcopies a screenshot.

The LNB/DiSEqC button is just as self-explanatory andcalls up a menu that allowsyou to activate and controlsupply voltage and DiSEqC-compatible switches. As faras DiSEqC is concerned, theSpaun Sparos 711 supportsthe 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2 proto-cols. Unfortunately, however,DiSEqC 1.2 compatibility onlygoes as far as GOTO X com-

mands, which are required forcalling up satellite positionsthat are stored in the DiSEqCmotor. This makes ne-tuning

with a DiSEqC 1.2 motor a lit-tle cumbersome, because themotor needs to be addressedand controlled separately.

It goes without saying that

An installer arriving at their customer’s place withthis transport case will be greeted with the respect aprofessional deserves.


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Reference

Measurement:1. If you need to determine theaccuracy of a meter, it is best touse it with a calibrated referencesignal. So we set out with crea-ting a signal at 1000 MHz with asignal strength of -40 dBm.

2. This signal was measuredwith the Spaun Sparos 711 witha minimal deviation of only 1.4dBm. But that’s only half thetruth. In addition to its accuracy,it also presents the 10 MHzspan with a tremendous level ofdetail.

3. We measured the same signalwith one of our reference metersfor comparison. At the 1000 MHzfrequency the measurementdeviation was even below thatof the reference meter. And we

don’t want to even start withthe Spaun Sparos 711’s 10 MHzspectrum resolution.

4. We then repeated the test witha 1500 MHz signal.

5. Here, the measurement resultof the Spaun Sparos 711 was

almost identical to that of ourreference meter.

6. The result with our referencemeter and slightly adjusted ltersettings.

7. The last tested frequency was2000 MHz.

8. With such a high frequency,signal attenuation caused bycable length becomes an issue.The Spaun Sparos 711 perfectlydisplayed the exact attenuation.

9. Depending on the used lter,our reference meter arrived atthe same result.

10. We also wanted to nd out

how the Spaun Sparos 711behaves across the entire bandfrom 950 MHz to 2150 MHz andto that end activated the sweepfunction of our reference signalgenerator in order to create asignal strength of -35 dBM withsteps of 10 MHz.

11. On the other end of the line,we turned on spectrum modewith active Max Hold functionin the Spaun Sparus 711. Aftera few minutes the meter hadcreated the spectrum shown inthe image. The result is nothingshort of impressive, since theSpaun meter was able to detecta constant signal with a signallevel of -35 dBM and with onlythe slightest of deviation. To behonest, this result can be expec-ted from a lab testing instrumentrather than a conventional TVsignal meter!

the Spaun Sparos 711 fullysupports unicable networks,the specics of which can

easily be taken care of in theLNB/DiSEqC menu.

We instantly fell in love withthe main screen in measure-ment mode, which can becalled up using the TV but-ton. What’s so special aboutit? The Spaun Sparos 711 iscapable of displaying all rel-evant measurement results,a section of the spectrum,live video of the transponder(unless it is encrypted) andtransponder information si-multaneously and in real-time. Actually, this is a greatexample of the Spaun Sparos711 putting its huge screen


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to brilliant use. Simply touchone of the four screen quad-rants and the meter will pre-sent all measurements, theentire spectrum, live video infull size or a detailed overviewof all channels transmitted onthe transponder in question.If you need to leave any ofthose four modes, a click onthe HOME button will takeyou right back to the mainmenu of the current meas-urement. Pure genius thanksto its combination of ease ofuse and breathtaking produc-tivity. The touchscreen reactsvery precisely to all user in-puts and does an excellent

job replacing mechanical but-tons and keys. In summary,

our rst test went down really

well, even though we had to-tally discarded the manual.

We were particularly im-pressed with how the SpaunSparos 711 was able to lockan unknown signal. As a mat-ter of fact, we were able toclick on any transponder thatwas shown in the spectrumdisplay to nd out all recep-tion parameters with the helpof the Auto Lock button in amatter of seconds. The pre-decessor Spaun Sparos 609offers the same function,but its implementation hasbeen vastly improved for theSparos 711, so that the wayit works on the new model isnothing short of impressive

and probably without peerin the segment. It adds tre-mendous value to this meter,since technicians frequentlyneed to quickly access a tran-sponder in spectrum view andthen analyse its parameters.We tried out this featurerather excessively, and wereimpressed that even someof those tricky transponderswith out-of-the-ordinary sym-bol rates were detected andlocked with great ease andwithout any hassle.

As mentioned above, theSpaun Sparos 711 comes withan integrated card reader,and obviously this begged fortesting as well. To that end,we tried a Viaccess smartcardfor watching encrypted Swisspublic television (SRG SSR).In a nutshell: Slot in the card,watch Swiss TV, no questionsasked. An in-depth analysisof the integrated card readerrevealed that in actual factit consists of the well-knownAlphacrypt Light conditionalaccess module, which is greatnews for installers in CentralEurope.

One of our not so hidden ob-sessions is putting any devicewe receive to the acid test,

and more often than not wediscover some little secretsthat we’re happy to sharewith our readers. The SpaunSparos 711 is no exception.

If you’re good at handicraftsand make sure you work verycarefully you might be able todetach the cover of the cardreader without damaging it,so that you can re-attach itagain later. Once you’ve man-aged to do this you’ll be re-warded with unrestricted ac-cess to the built-in CAM thatcan then easily be swappedfor any other CAM you mayneed for your installation

jobs. The Unicam module wehad at the test center was de-tected and accepted withouta worry, even though manyreceivers can be very tem-peramental about it and mayoutright refuse to work withit.

The spectrum analyser ofthe Spaun Sparos 711 is,well, unique. Superfast andwith an extremely high reso-lution, a combination thatdoes not always go togetherso well. What’s more, Spaunhas added a whole variety ofnew features that allow us-ers to set all sorts of differentparameters. The spectrumanalyser can be used in twomodes that can be selected inthe conguration menu – nor-mal mode and expert mode.

A word of caution if expertis a cue for you: The Lightmodel of the Spaun Sparos711 comes with only normalmode, so make sure you getone of the higher-end variantsif you’re after the expert func-tions. What is the differencebetween the two? In normalmode the spectrum analyserworks just like we know fromsimilar devices that comewith a spectrum analyser. Ex-pert mode, on the other hand,adds new operating modes

for the spectrum that auto-matically set pre-determinedparameters, especially for theresolution bandwidth (RBW)lter. Some manufacturers


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The carrying strap can beattached in a number of ways,so that the meter can be carriedalong comfortably over a longperiod of time.

cannot resist the temptationof leaving everything to theuser, which in turn makes themeter resemble a convention-al spectrum analyser. Form atechnical standpoint, this maybe a purposeful approach, butin the real world many install-ers are simply overwhelmedby having to set up their me-ter quickly and correctly for aspecic job. The example of

SLR cameras springs to mindin this context: Those reex

cameras also allow virtuallylimitless adjustment optionsso that you can eventuallyshoot the perfect photo. But– and this is a big but – youneed to be in the know so thatyou can actually put all thoseoptions to practice, and youalso need enough time to takecare of all settings before you

can press the shutter. What’sthe alternative for achievinggreat results in an efcient

way? Easy, just use automaticmode.

We believe Spaun has takena step in the right directionwith its pre-dened settings

for a number of different re-al-world scenarios. After all,time equals money for profes-sional installers and most ofthem will be more than happyfor Spaun to take the burdenof spectrum conguration off

their shoulders. Five differentmodes are pre-set, and youshould nd that they are all

you’ll ever really need:Normal: High resolution

with standard refresh rate.Max Hold: Activated peak

hold mode.Medium: An average value

is shown for each frequency.Single: Single spectrum

run for documentation pur-poses.

Fast: Very high refreshrate with slightly reducedresolution – ideal for aligningsatellite antennas.

In addition, different meas-urement types are availablein spectrum mode:

Level: Measurement of thesignal amplitude at a markerposition.

Delta: Measurement of thesignal amplitude between twomarker positions.

Power: Automatic meas-urement of the signal powerof digital carriers.

C/N: Automatic measure-ment of the carrier-to-noiseratio.

For the terrestrial spectrum

it is possible to activate theso-called LTE mode, whichsimulates the effects of anLTE lter. This way techni-cians can make a qualied

decision whether or not anLTE lter is required or ben-ecial in the end. This is an

extremely handy tool in eve-ryday use.

The spectrum can either bepresented as an area or as aline, and naturally the scal-ing can be adjusted manuallyor be left at automatic. Themeasuring span can be setin pre-dened steps ranging

from 1 MHz all the way to theentire frequency range. Thetouchscreen allows users toposition markers anywhere inthe spectrum simply by tap-ping the corresponding posi-tion. If you’re anything like us


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23. As expected, the SpaunSparos 711 is capable of show-ing a constellation diagram forall modulations. We had previ-ously ne-tuned our terrestrialantenna with the help of thismeter, so the constellation dia-gram shown here looks almostperfect.

24. One of the quadrants of the

constellation is enlarged in

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