TV Field Meter / Messgeräte

Hi VMA,

I have wanted to buy a Promax for a very long time, but the steep price it sells for is out of my pocket.

That's why I decided to buy a Trimax, which only worked in DVB-S2 mode, without 8PSK, and didn't read freqs with symbol rates below 2000 Ms. So it was a limiting meter for enthusiasts. That's probably why it disappeared from the market.

I also got an X-Finder, which comes with the whole package, i.e., S/C/T/, and although it has many interesting things, especially if you are an installer for these standards, it has one big minus. However, those who wrote a review about it do not consider it. Namely, it has latency when reading the signal, although the tuner seems sensitive. And I think this advantage comes from the software rather than the tuner hdw.

I won't go into any more details about this device. I want to highlight some relevant aspects for someone interested in performance and less in other qualities.

Furthermore, I have other receivers, some with sensible tuners or other functions. I won't list them because if I have to express a preference, which is no longer a secret for those who have read my DVB card reviews, I will highlight the tbs6983(/6903) card.

Ever since I discovered in 2010 the tbs6925(then) card, but now with tbs6983, I don't miss that famous Promax, so long desired by me.

When I discovered in 2013/2024 that 6983, together with the Crazyscan app, can offer pretty much everything an enthusiast wants, I got rid of all the receivers and meters I still have. The possibilities this card provides are made even better by the fact that it has full Crazyscan support. This means that this card is adaptable to many modifications that appear in satellite transmissions, apart from the S2X extension, unfortunately.

It also has the advantage that you don't have to wait for the manufacturer to adapt the card to the new features that appear in the transmissions, as most of the receivers that have appeared in the last years have to keep up with these DVB cards, and not the other way around. These receivers or meter manufacturers have realized that to stay on the market, they need to integrate new features (MIS,Mi-T2, etc) or possibilities for their devices to be relevant to the market.

One promise of DVB cards for reception and measurement devices was and is the Stid135 chip-based cards, 6903x/6909x, which have S2X extension, now known by many seekers of high-performance cards, some of them regard them with distrust for several reasons the most often cited is slow scanning speed.

I recognize that this search and lock function is important, but if we look at what this card offers compared to all the others on the market, both are unique and cannot be replaced by others, even proprietary ones.

Without getting too long-winded, and this is what I wrote above, the cards mentioned above are the ones that provide everything a DXer is looking for.

I have to remember that without the Crazyscan application, first and foremost, but other other things, these cards would be like cars kept in the garage. Their excellence was and is emphasized by the formidable crazycat, which keeps an eye on them while users are working them.

Let me add one more extremely important detail for 6903x/6909x: in recent years, these cards have shown their hardware qualities under Linux, thanks to another formidable developer, I call him deeptho.

It is good to know, although it is evident, that my subjective opinion, expressed above, could be confirmed or refuted by those who own the above-mentioned cards.

Nun, warum ich Messgeräte kaufte liegt schlicht weg an der Einstellung bzw. Signaloptimierung direkt an der Antenne.

Die Reihenfolge der Anschaffungen weiß ich allerdings nicht mehr.
Edision X-Finder: Er verfügte über S2/T2 und CAM Slot
GTMedia V8 Finder: S2X möglich, übelste Menüführung schon weil man Empfangsregion auswählen muss.
Clarke-tech CT-IT09: DVB-S und DVB-T (veraltet)
Satlink WS6975: DVB-T(2)
UHD Combo Finder: Leider der terrestrische Eingang defekt geworden
Eurosky DVB-T Finder: veraltet
Digisat Pro: zum Auffinden eines Signals reicht es gerade
Satfinder 5 HD Slim: große Wahlmöglichkeit der LOF, Schwachstelle ist der Akku und der Vertreiber von Alpsat in D
Sefram 7885: Bei diesen Leihgerät vermisste ich die S2X Option. Die Menüführung ist für Firmen ausgerichtet, welche Anlagen einstellen und dies auch Protokollieren müssen. Erstere schmerzte mich sehr, da wir hier von einem Messgerät im 5-stelligen €-Bereich reden.
und zuletzt wäre da noch ein
Spektrumanalyzer von 35 MHz bis 4,4 GHz chinesischen Ursprungs mit VMA Software. Herumgespielt hatte ich hier im DVB-T2 Bereich.

Well, the reason I bought measuring devices is simply due to the setting or signal optimization directly on the antenna.

However, I don't remember the order in which they were purchased.
Edision X-Finder: It had S2/T2 and CAM slot
GTMedia V8 Finder: S2X possible, worst menu navigation because you have to select the reception region.
Clarke-tech CT-IT09: DVB-S and DVB-T (outdated)
Satlink WS6975: DVB-T(2)
UHD Combo Finder: Unfortunately the terrestrial input has become defective
Eurosky DVB-T Finder: outdated
Digisat Pro: it's just enough to find a signal
Satfinder 5 HD Slim: large choice of LOF, weak point is the battery and the distributor from Alpsat in D
Sefram 7885: I missed the S2X option on this rental device. The menu navigation is designed for companies that set up systems and also need to record this. The first one really hurt me because we are talking about a measuring device in the 5-digit € range.
and finally there would be one more
Spectrum analyzer from 35 MHz to 4.4 GHz of Chinese origin with VMA software. I was playing around with the DVB-T2 area.

I use professional products from the time of the analog system 1990 to the present day I currently use a Rover 900 plus
and from 2003 to today I also use satellite cards
the 1 SS2 then the SS2 hd > tbs 6925 > tbs 6522 > 6903 X
I find the cards very interesting but to find the satellites the use of the Rover is clearly better, later I find the tp with the TBS

I use a Dr.HD 1000 Combo device that accepts both DVB-S/S2 and DVB-T/T2/C. I really like its sensitivity and the spectrum is very responsive.

I use general purpose analysers, including a Wiltek 9102 portable. Although they won't demodulate they are more useful for beacons and interesting non-DVB things. Setting skew accurately can also be easier by nulling signals without demodulation. To set up dishes on anything, including DVB, I use a phone as a viewer via a VNC connection. That allows easy connection of any equipment indoors and viewing at the dish without having to put something in-line.

All examples on 26E QO-100

Lab spectrum analyser (runs Win XP so has a VNC server installed)

Crazyscan on PC with TBS cards

The same PC with TBS and Minitioune on 2 different signals

It would be handy to have a fully loaded Promax with an Ethernet connection but they are too expensive compared to surplus lab test gear.

the features that I would like to be included in my instrument are
S2X
greater sensitivity in auto S/R because if you find a TP with low S/R the instrument does not measure it, to measure it I created Fake TP with low S/R and in this case it is fine
a more performing battery
the possibility of having the measurements and the spectrum in a single screen since the display is 9 inches
for the rest I find it very good

Ich gebe antoniopev vollkommen recht, ohne S2X in vollen Umfang würde ich für professionelle Geräte keinen 4- oder 5-stelligen Betrag ausgeben.
So neu ist der S2X Standard auch wieder nicht und die Nutzungstendenz zunehmend.
Für die Hersteller der Profi-Ware ist das beschämend.

Wie TBS eine langsame 6903x Karte als Profi Nachfolger der STV091X basierten Karten anbieten kann, bei einen Marktanteil von 74% Windows Nutzern weltweit, erzeugt bei mir auch nur Fassungslosigkeit.

I agree with Antoniopev, without S2X in full I wouldn't spend a 4 or 5 figure amount on professional devices.
The S2X standard is not that new and the usage trend is increasing.
This is shameful for the manufacturers of professional goods.

How TBS can offer a slow 6903x card as a professional successor to the STV091X based cards, with a market share of 74% of Windows users worldwide, just leaves me in disbelief.

Hello.

I use Sefram 7806

Hi VMA

Only DVB-S.