trimax sm3500 any good here in uk

[iwols]

hi guys hope all is well over there, had to join this forum just to ask if anyone is using one of these meters,although they are for sale here no one seems to be using them,any comments appreciated regards from a wet and windy uk

 

[Pixl]

Iwols,

Welcome to the US and our forum.
I have been using the 3500 for over a year now and find it is a very good instrument for the price.
As a programmable signal meter you have to be pointed fairly close to the sat before you get a lock and signal indication. Once it locks it will hold as you pan the dish for optimum level. However the spectrum analyzer mode doesn't need a lock and will show the TP signals several degrees earlier than a programmable meter will. Also the spectrum analyzer doesn't know or care what type of signal be it DVB, DVB-S2, analog, scrambled, etc. just looks for RF and displays it.

The meter's software is a bit awkward to use. Every time you change screens you have to re-select the sat you are working with. The instructions that came with the meter are useless (as usual) and using the spectrum analyzer was a self taught process. There have been no firmware upgrades released that I know of.

Those items aside, you get a programmable signal meter, spectrum analyzer, satellite tv receiver display with a/v out, and can be used as a monitor from another receiver with it's a/v in, all for under $400 USD.

 

[iwols]

thanks for that pixl ive been using a satlook micro but the backlight doesnt work anymore and i needed it for my poor eyes,been trying to locate a new screen from emitor but get no replies to my emails,just a couple of things about the trimax is the battery usage ok and when on the spectrum ,the bit of a demo i saw had the top of the wave cropped which would make it useless for peaking the dish,unless the gain on the spectrum can be altered any advice regards iwols

 

[Pixl]

The gain can be changed with the up/dn keys. So even on strong signals that go off the top of the display, you can correct that and continue peaking.
The spectrum analyzer mode does not seem to use any extra power. Battery lasts an hour or so.
The screen lacks some brightness and can be hard to see on a bright day. The protective cover does have a bonnet to shield the display and helps some. The menus have small print even though the screen is large. The signal meter graphics are ok and not too small.

 

[Magic Static]

Well I don't have one of those meters, but I'm interested in how the spectrum screen aids in aligning a dish. It was my understanding that the SA screen is not for peaking a dish but rather identifying problems in reception due to background noise/interference or LNB problems. Any "Satellite Meter" with spectrum analyzer will have a very low resolution analyzer. Even the new AI Turbo S2 says the analyzer is low resolution. A good high resolution analyzer seems to run thousands of dollars. I've recently aquired a meter with analyzer and will be eager too see what benefit I can gain from it.

 

[Pixl]

Your right it is a low resolution S.A. and would not be able to see small detail in a signal that the high dollar ones do.
I had the meter for quite some time before I figured out how to use the S.A. for sat alignment. It can see all the TPs on a sat at the same time without needing to lock in. So I find my sat and peak, then switch to signal meter mode and lock a tp to make sure it is the right one.

 

[iwols]

Thanks guysand what meter you trying magic static

 

[Magic Static]

Thanks guysand what meter you trying magic static

I went for a USA manufacturer, Applied Instruments new AI Turbo S2. I think I can make some extra "Hobby Cash" with this meter.

 

[iwols]

hi guys just a couple of queries about the trimax
1 whats the spectrum like,do you guys get 30w over there is it possible anyone could post a spectrum of this sat,so i can see what its like
2 how channels can it hold when you do a channel scan and can you delete those via the keypad

thanks from a still wet and windy uk

 

[Pixl]

I've only played with the "TV" mode a few times. Seems it can only scan one TP (that you key in) at a time. I think the ch's dissapear after you turn it off.
I could show a screen shot of 30w sometime this weekend.

 

[iwols]

Thanks for that Pixl appreciated

 

[Pixl]

Here is the Trimax S.A. looking at 30w this morning. It was connected to the loop thru of my receiver in the house where the signal is much lower. The TPs usually show at about -37 at the dish instead of the -55 you see on the display.