Review of Manhattan RS-1933

Stone, I noticed that you said...

Files were there and then removed. Some did get those files and some were advised to get them before they were pulled.

I am getting my unit tomorrow. Will I have any issues with my unit because this update was pulled? What was the reason for pulling down the update?

Thanks!
 
I'm curious why it was pulled.. I listened to Sat Talk Live last night, and I didn't hear anything about firmware being pulled. I'm running the July version and have found that it has fixed a couple of bugs.
 
Hey Scott.. Getting back to an earlier question of yours about the sensitivity of the receiver. I did a quick test tonight comparing the Coolsat 8100 to the Manhattan on the NBC channels on 105 west. My Coolsat wouldn't even lock the channels tonight. The Manhattan plays them fine with signal quality in the 60's to 70's. I guess that it is because the Coolsat unit really was originally designed as a hacker box to use with those powerful Echostar birds..

I'm giving away my Coolsat receiver to another SatelliteGuy.. He's got a much bigger dish than I've got. He shouldn't have any troubles locking signal on his 12 footer with the Coolsat.. On my 7.5 footer, the Manhattan is playing NBC HD feeds quite nicely.
 
Stone, I noticed that you said...



I am getting my unit tomorrow. Will I have any issues with my unit because this update was pulled? What was the reason for pulling down the update?

Thanks!

Hi Scott,

The file on your new box is just fine..The update file to fix some issues had some left over code from the 2mb files from the beta box. It did not cause any problems, still using it myself, the improvements did not work as planned because of the left over code. So as a precaution the files were pulled.

A new file is being worked on for improvements and added features.
 
I got my RS-1933 yesterday and I have been able to play with it some. I have found and added a few more satellites using it. I find that my 922 tells me that I have a signal level of 90-100 but the RS-1933 never shows more than 45%. I do have a good picture on the channels it finds. I will have to check the dish out. I am using a 10 footer with a 45 degree C-band LNB. I have also found a few on KU using my .7db LNB. I have ordered a 4X DiSEqC switch.

I have found the NASA channel feeds so, I am happy camper! :)
 
The 922 is a whole different critter. Mine says 90 - 100% even with no pic. That said, before I retired my Pansat 9200 I checked levels and quality readings. On AMC-6 for an example, 80% and fluxuating slightly with my 9200..... 75% and steady with the Manhattan. That was a check, swap and check without moving the dish. I'm running a 10 foot Perfect ten dish with a DMX 741 c/ku lnbf. My FTA unit is slaved to that as I also use a 922 for subs. Have a great day!
 
OK, so I guess I am going to check everything on my dish. Check for warpage, make sure the focal length is correct and that the LNB is aimed right at the center of the dish. I have even thought about stabilizing the feedhorn by installing cables and turnbuckles.

I am sure that, with levels at 45%, I am missing some signals. I do have a few channels that pixelate a bit but not many.

On another note, I have not switched polarity and done a rescan while scanning on a satellite. From what I have read, I gather that I should do this since the LNB on an old BUD will not switch for different transponders when scanning with the Manhattan. Am I correct? Lots to learn.
 
I got mine a little while ago and have had it hooked up for about 15 minutes so far.

People say that the clock on the Manhattan works, but for me I can't set the clock to US time. It does not have the United States as a selection in its menu.

To start things off I set the AZBOX to go to 105 C Band for the NBC Feeds. I have been able to lock on to the NBC East Feed, but never the TeleMundo feeds on the same satellite.

On the AZBox I had a solid 52 signal and almost zero breakups on the 3780 transponder.

I then unhooked the AZbox and plugged in the Manhattan, went through the settings and got it set for 105 C Band. (I like that the C and KU band Satellites were listed separately. :)

I then did a blind scan of 105... This thing was FAST. (They last receiver I had with Blind scan was my Fortec Mercury II box)

It picked up NBC on 3780 quickly and to my surprise it picked up on the Telemundo transponder on 3940! My AZBox could never pick up on that transponder!

Watching NBC the picture was clean however at times I noticed some stuttering, I never had this on the AZbox. (On the AZBox when it was having trouble with the signal it would pixelate. I guess stuttering is better then the screen turning to boxes.

I went and checked the signals to compare it to the AZBOX on 3780 and I couldn't do it... when I hit the info button twice the signal quality was bouncing all over from 21 to 62%

The fact that it gets Telemundo tells me the tuner is more sensitve to pick up then the AZbox, but with bouncing signal levels on the Manhattan its hard to tell how much better they are.

So far besides the stuttering on NBC East, I am impressed especially with how quick the blind scan is!
 

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Ok... where to start..... Lets start with the dish. I have what is called a buttonhook feed mount. Single arm out of the middle. I did the guy wire thing at 3 points. Even though I didn't see any movement, turning a turnbuckle did make a difference. That said, I spent the better part of two weeks tweaking my dish till I was finally satisfied. Did everything from focal distance, to skew, to a re-alignment. rechecked my elevation and checked and reset the declination. This baby is peaked! Nice even signal from 55 west to 139 west on both c and Ku. i just started from scratch as if it was a fresh install. Not judging your system here, just telling you what I did to mine when I was using my Pansat 9200. I too thought I was condemned to low signal and quality readings but discovered otherwise after perfecting the tracking. Now I can do it blindfolded and in alot less time.

As to the Manhattan on scanning..... Go to antenna list, check off the bird you want, then go to antenna setup. That is where I select the polarity I want to scan. Exit out the receiver will "save" that setting. Next hit single satellite search. Set scan mode to autosearch then go to scan ans say ok.. starts the scan. When done with that side, repeat the antenna setup move again and change polarity, then repeat your scan for the other side. Now all that said, it has been suggested that a polarity switch of some sort be made available in the scanning menus thus taking the trips to the antenna setup menu out of the picture for autoscanning. But for now, that is what those of us that slave our units do for a scan. Have a great day!
 
I notice there is another transponder I am getting on 105 whichis is 4020 29998Ks/s (I dont know if its DVB, DVBS2, DVBS2/8PSK or what... as it does not tell me...)

And it gets 6 Channels which are all scrambled...

The channels are
Ch-114
Ch-1
Ch-3
Ch-112
Ch-113

This is not listed on any Satellite List that I can find.

Any idea what these are or any way to tell what kind of modulation they are using?

Lets go see if I can pick up all the RTN channels that I have trouble with on my AZBox. :D
 
I got mine a little while ago and have had it hooked up for about 15 minutes so far.

People say that the clock on the Manhattan works, but for me I can't set the clock to US time. It does not have the United States as a selection in its menu.

To start things off I set the AZBOX to go to 105 C Band for the NBC Feeds. I have been able to lock on to the NBC East Feed, but never the TeleMundo feeds on the same satellite.

On the AZBox I had a solid 52 signal and almost zero breakups on the 3780 transponder.

I then unhooked the AZbox and plugged in the Manhattan, went through the settings and got it set for 105 C Band. (I like that the C and KU band Satellites were listed separately. :)

I then did a blind scan of 105... This thing was FAST. (They last receiver I had with Blind scan was my Fortec Mercury II box)

It picked up NBC on 3780 quickly and to my surprise it picked up on the Telemundo transponder on 3940! My AZBox could never pick up on that transponder!

Watching NBC the picture was clean however at times I noticed some stuttering, I never had this on the AZbox. (On the AZBox when it was having trouble with the signal it would pixelate. I guess stuttering is better then the screen turning to boxes.

I went and checked the signals to compare it to the AZBOX on 3780 and I couldn't do it... when I hit the info button twice the signal quality was bouncing all over from 21 to 62%

The fact that it gets Telemundo tells me the tuner is more sensitve to pick up then the AZbox, but with bouncing signal levels on the Manhattan its hard to tell how much better they are.

So far besides the stuttering on NBC East, I am impressed especially with how quick the blind scan is!

To set the clock do the following... set the GMT usage to off. Then go down and set the clock and date. Now if you set the GMT for user define you will see several locations on the screen as you flip through the hours. But I couldn't get the initial time set. So for now I just set GMT to off.

I also havn't noticed any stuttering on the 105, but to be honest I havn't spent much time there. I will go there now and grab a screen shot so you can see what I am getting.
 
I got mine a little while ago and have had it hooked up for about 15 minutes so far.

People say that the clock on the Manhattan works, but for me I can't set the clock to US time. It does not have the United States as a selection in its menu.

To start things off I set the AZBOX to go to 105 C Band for the NBC Feeds. I have been able to lock on to the NBC East Feed, but never the TeleMundo feeds on the same satellite.

On the AZBox I had a solid 52 signal and almost zero breakups on the 3780 transponder.

I then unhooked the AZbox and plugged in the Manhattan, went through the settings and got it set for 105 C Band. (I like that the C and KU band Satellites were listed separately. :)

I then did a blind scan of 105... This thing was FAST. (They last receiver I had with Blind scan was my Fortec Mercury II box)

It picked up NBC on 3780 quickly and to my surprise it picked up on the Telemundo transponder on 3940! My AZBox could never pick up on that transponder!

Watching NBC the picture was clean however at times I noticed some stuttering, I never had this on the AZbox. (On the AZBox when it was having trouble with the signal it would pixelate. I guess stuttering is better then the screen turning to boxes.

I went and checked the signals to compare it to the AZBOX on 3780 and I couldn't do it... when I hit the info button twice the signal quality was bouncing all over from 21 to 62%

The fact that it gets Telemundo tells me the tuner is more sensitve to pick up then the AZbox, but with bouncing signal levels on the Manhattan its hard to tell how much better they are.

So far besides the stuttering on NBC East, I am impressed especially with how quick the blind scan is!

Hi Scott,

For the clock- Go to Local Time Setting- Don't worry about the region

Arrow down to- GMT Usage - Select- User Define

Arrow down then right arrow to choose your time zone..In my case -05.00 for Eastern time.

And Summer Time on.
 
Here is some screens of what I'm getting....
 

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Well I just did a scan of 87 with mixed results.

No RTN even though I have a 51 signal quality on the transponder. But the AZbox couldn't get it.

It did pick up on ME TV, which I forgot all about and didn't have programmed into my AZ Box.

Also found another interesting channel which I have not seen before, GVTV (Gone Viral TV)

On the AZBox was getting the NASA Mux at 56% but on the Manhattan I am getting it at 72%.
 

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No RTN even though I have a 51 signal quality on the transponder. But the AZbox
couldn't get it.

Me thinks you need to tweak that dish my friend..... The screens I posted cover amc-9 ku, Amc-9 C, AMC-3 c, the 105 and the NBC channel... (no stutter) AMC-21, Mont pbs Ku, and then shot off to AMC-7 and took a pic of the rtn stations there. My weakest link is the rtn channels on amc-9 ku. But they still at 60% or so. My signal is solid. By that I mean only a couple % fluxuation. Also my shutter speed was turned down on my cam. So some of the motion on the tv was blurred when I took the pics. My main objective however was to get some meter shots for everyone to see. Have a great day!
 
Nothing at 3737 (Weather Nation) or 3800 RTV on 87.

But remember my DISH is kind of borked at the moment. Hopefully I will have time this weekend to go out and work on it. :)
 
Well I am done playing for tonight. :)

I have only played with it on two satellites, and because my dish is messed up its not giving me 100% accurate results. But for the most part I am happy with the results so far even on my messed up DISH.

For the most part I like it, but in my short time playing there are a few things I dont like about it...

Those things are...

1) I can't find a way to display what modulation a channel or transponder is using (DVB / DVBS2 / DVBS2-8PSK

2) When programming in transponders by hand there is no way to enter modulation or FEC rate. (And nothing displays FEC that I have found.)

3) It only has Coax Digital Outputs, there is no optical SPDIF on the unit... the reason this is bad is I have a pair of Wireless Surrpund Sound Headphones my wife got my last year so I could watch my TV without bugging her watching her TV...

I have not tried using it to move a motor yet, I have been moving it using the Azbox (that moves the G Box) then I unplug the satellite feed from the Azbox and plug it in the Manhattan so I know I am locked on a satellite.

When I put this box in I will be hooking it up to a brand new GBOX that I won on Ebay a year ago for $20, and will retire the old Gbox unit.

Hopefully I get to put it in on Sunday. :)
 
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