Trimax 4500 or Sathero SH-500G w/GPS

[Vondertrenk]

I have been given permission by my boss (please change the word "boss" by "wife") to buy one sat finder of less than CAN$400. I have come down to two options:

Trimax 4500
Sather 500G w/GPS

Both units allow you to watch DVB-S, Trimax has Spectrum Analyzer that Sathero does not seem to have, Sather has GPS and is capable of 8PSK ( signal reading, no tv display)and apparently Trimax 4500 is not.

I am very confused, not sure how to obtain the max for my limited budget.

Does anyone has been able to play with both instruments in the past? Any suggestion? If not one of these two models, which one else?

I am not in the business or installing or selling services or FTA, I am just a pure hobbist, Radio Ham for more than 30 years and keep playing with pure FTA Dxing. This is just one of expensive toy that want buy to to play it. I would love the Spectrum option but at the same time be able to analyze the DVB-S2 signals.

I hope I am not aksing for too much for my money.

 

[KE4EST]

I have never had the trimax, but I would go with the sathero. Very nice unit, and that is why I went with it...dvbs-2.

 

[FaT Air]

Personally, I think that spectrum monitor is more useful than video monitor.
Wish I had one to 'play' with.

 

[Vondertrenk]

Thanks a lot, what I like of the sathero is the big display but my underestanding is that it does not have a Spectrum Analyzer, do you of any plan to add it by software?

 

[KE4EST]

Just like the unit. I have not heard of any plans to add that.

 

[Vondertrenk]

Thanks FatAir, I wish the 4500 were able to DVB-S2

 

[Vondertrenk]

Hi FatAir
I agree with you, it is nice to have the monitor but it is secondary. It is most important to play with the Spectrum Analyzer and the Constellation. Do you know of any tester with DVB-S2 and Spectrum Analyzeer for less than $400? I found a few sold in China but so far no Northamerican rep.

 

[Magic Static]

Been down this road. I found if you want to play you have to pay. Most of the meters out here are cheap wannabes. They will help you aim your dish and that's about it. I was checking power draw and frequency drift on a couple LNBs with my AI Turbo S2 a couple days ago and was real thankful I have a real tool. The more I use it the more it does I don't regret spending the extra bucs, but if my wife finds out..yikes LOL

 

[Vondertrenk]

My wife will certainly find right away if I spend twice my budget and I don't want to take that risk. She has been good at letting me install the fourth dish in our house, no too many wives like that ( two C-Band, one fixed one motorized and two Ku)

By the way, I found the following instrument, that apparently does all I want, it is been sold in e-Bay by $320. It has full QPSK and 8PSK, complete Spectrum Analyzer and as a bonus, you can watch TV and has a Lion Battery for full fours hours of operations.
Has anyone played with this toy and what are the reccomendations?

 

[SatelliteAV]

If you are referring to the SatLink 6912, tested one for awhile and gave it away in a contest. Not much different between the various badged units.

You will be quite disappointed with the spectrum analyzers in these inexpensive units. The scan / refresh time is extremely slow and there is no calibration or accurate scale. They show signal presence, but not very useful for optimizing the installation.

Personally, I use the Applied Instrument as well. Would recommend a used AP meter over any of these inexpensive alternatives! There is no comparison in quality and results.

If you do want one of these inexpensive units, I have a few "like new" sample meters with spectrum displays that I would part at a much lower cost than new. No support included as my product experience was confined to firing these up once or twice to check out the manufactures products. PM me if interested.

 

[Vondertrenk]

I jus did it