1. TEST REPORT Satellite Meter
SPAROS
SAT HD
of SPAUN
• very sensitive tuner
• easy recognition of satellite name
• accepts INI files from popular
satellite charts
• compares very favorable to high-end
signal analyzers
• expansive ways to export
measurement data
34 TELE-satellite International — The World‘s Largest Digital TV Trade Magazine — 04-05/2012 — www.TELE-satellite.com www.TELE-satellite.com — 04-05/2012 — TELE-satellite International — The World‘s Largest Digital TV Trade Magazine 35

2. TEST REPORT Satellite Meter
Uncompromising Performance
The SPAUN SPAROS SAT HD comes in robust
plastic enclosure. Thanks to that, the meter will
not get broken even if you treat it without big re-
spect. The enclosure is very handsome and when
you attach a strap included in the kit, you can
conveniently hang the analyzer on your neck.
When opened, the lid can be used as a shade
protecting the display from sunlight. Addition-
ally, the internal side of the lid is an excellent
place to look for the foiled paper with SPAUN‘s
quick start instructions for this model.
SPAROS SAT HD has been equipped with a very
clear 4.3” TFT liquid crystal display with a bright
backlit. There are 8 buttons and a round “tuning
knob”. As you probably guessed already, it is not
a mechanical knob but an array of sensors that
can detect your clockwise and anticlockwise fin-
ger movements. The three buttons to the left of
the “knob” in the upper row are: ON/OFF switch,
Parameter menu (transponder lists) and Setup
menu. The lower row is used to choose analyzer
modes: Spectrum, Measurement and TV watch-
ing. The remaining two buttons to the right of
04-05/2012
SPAROS SAT HD
Very useful meter for setting up critical
satellite systems
36 TELE-satellite International — The World‘s Largest Digital TV Trade Magazine — 04-05/2012 — www.TELE-satellite.com

3. 1 6
the “knob” are: Enter and an F type connector, there all this is done with a USB the analyzer to spectrum
Escape. Except for the dis- are: A-type USB port, Mini-B memory stick. You can also mode (the leftmost button in
play and the controls, there USB port and DC power in- download the measurement the bottom row) and change
are two LED indicators: one put jack on the right side of results or screenshots from the azimuth and elevation of
showing that power is ap- the meter. The USB port can the meter to the USB stick. your dish until you see signal
plied to the LNB and the be used to upload either new In this way, you can process peaks on the display. Fine
other to indicate that the in- firmware or new configura- the data later on your PC. tune your dish to maximize
ternal accumulator is being tion files (with transponder The SPAROS SAT HD comes the peaks. Your antenna is
charged. data and antenna setups) with a USB stick containing now receiving a satellite but
Except for the RF input with prepared on a PC. Of course, the initial configuration files which one? To find it out,
that match those prepro- press the Spectrum button
2 7 11
grammed in the meter. More again. Spectrum disappears
about it later. As expected, a and you can see a chart
plug type AC/DC adapter is showing signal strength and
also included in the SAT HD quality of four transpond-
kit. ers of one satellite. Satellite
So, how should you start name is shown in the upper
using the SPAROS SAT HD? part of the window. If your
Here is our advice for a sim- dish is aimed at this satellite,
ple fixed antenna setup. you will see high green qual-
Once you have mounted your ity bars and a merry green
dish on a pole and attached smiley icon. If not, the bars
a LNB to its holder, connect indicating signal quality will
3 8 12 the analyzer to the LNB. Af- be low or completely empty
ter switching the SPAROS and the smiley icon will be
SAT HD on, go to Configura- sad and red. In such situa-
tion menu and change “Sat. tion, press enter button and
remote supply” from Off to use the “knob” to change
On or Auto. The latter set- satellite. Continue until you
ting is advised if you do not find out which satellite your
want to repeat the action dish is presently directed to.
every time you switch your Once you know where
analyzer on. The remaining your dish is “looking at”, you
settings in the Configura- know if you need to move it
tion menu will be probably eastward or westward. For
OK for most users setting a example, if you want to re-
4 9 13 fixed dish in Europe as they ceive EUROBIRD 2 on 28.2°
are prepared for a universal East and you have just dis-
Ku-Band LNB. covered with SPAROS SAT
The next step is to switch HD that your dish is currently
1. Spectrum view
2. DVB-S transponder measurement results – first window
3. DVB-S transponder measurement results – second window
4. DVB-S transponder constellation diagram (QPSK)
5. DVB-S2 transponder measurement results – first window
6. DVB-S2 transponder measurement results – second window
7. DVB-S2 transponder constellation diagram (8PSK)
8. MPEG-2 video decoded
9. Every FTA channel from the current transponder can be selected
for viewing
5 10 14 10. No, your antenna is not presently aimed at INTELSAT 10-02 on
1° West; SPAROS SAT HD could not lock to anyone of four trans-
ponders from this satellite.
11. Correct! Your antenna is directed to HOTBIRD on 13° East.
SPAROS managed to lock to all four transponders associated with
this satellite. After another button press, the analyzer double chec-
ked its diagnosis by comparing information transmitted in the NIT
tables of the transponders (see the pop-up in the foreground).
12. In this menu, you can configure SPAROS to work with almost
any reception system.
13. This window is used for setting up meter user interface and
managing meter memories and software.
14. All transponders associated with a preprogrammed reception
setup (e.g. DiSEqC 1.0 switch and four LNBs) are being measured.
The results can be stored in the internal memory and later copied
to an external USB Flash memory.
38 TELE-satellite International — The World‘s Largest Digital TV Trade Magazine — 04-05/2012 — www.TELE-satellite.com www.TELE-satellite.com — 04-05/2012 — TELE-satellite International — The World‘s Largest Digital TV Trade Magazine 39

4. aimed at HOTBIRD 13° East, way, after a short while, you Press Enter key when the urement button again and
you know that you should will have your dish aimed at word Setup is highlighted at display the next window in
turn it 15 degrees eastward. EUROBIRD 2 on 28.2° East. the top your screen. This will which among others, MER
Switch the analyzer back to Does it end the process? activate transponder switch- is shown (the very bottom
spectrum mode (by pressing Not exactly. We are sure ing. Now turn the “knob” and line). Modulation Error Ratio
spectrum button twice) and that after spending money find a transponder that gives is the parameter you should
turn slowly your dish east- on a signal analyzer, you rather high readings of RF maximize. Usually it is both
ward until you see again sig- would like to have each of power and C/N ratio. Some very sensitive to azimuth,
nal peaks. Adjust azimuth, your dishes set up perfect- installers would start mak- elevation and tilt adjust-
elevation and tilt for maxi- ly. So, it is time to switch ing the final dish adjustment ment as well as quite stable.
mum peak height and check to measurement mode now looking at this screen but It is our favorite parameter
which satellite it is. In this (Measurement button). we suggest to press Meas- when we fine tune antenna
40 TELE-satellite International — The World‘s Largest Digital TV Trade Magazine — 04-05/2012 — www.TELE-satellite.com

5. 15 19
16 20
adjustment. When maximiz- ers for each of them. The And what about the other but it is called SConf.xls. In
ing MER, you will notice that analyzer we got for the test configuration file? Well, it is its first spreadsheet tab, it
you are maximizing the oth- had in its memory as well as a little bit more complex. Ex- can contain up to 1000 tran-
er green bars too. And, as a in the corresponding file 10 cept for identifying satellites sponders from as many sat-
matter of fact, that‘s all you European satellites as in the based on their four tran- ellites as you need. On the
do to set your dish. table below. sponders, SPAROS SAT HD following twenty tabs, you
The SPAROS SAT HD what Four transponders are de- can measure a larger num- store configuration data for
we got for this was prepro- fined for each satellite (fre- ber of their transponders and specific reception systems.
grammed by SPAUN with the quency, polarization, DVB-S show the results in a form of So, for example, the list
data of a few popular Euro- or S2, symbol rate). As you a table. Such table can be Lst00 can contain the tran-
pean satellites. SPAUN also already know, these tran- stored in memory as well sponders numbers referring
17 added a USB memory stick sponders are used by the as exported to USB stick for only to the transponders
with the MS Excel configura- SPAROS SAT HD for satellite further processing. This fea- from ASTRA 1 (fixed anten-
tion files that you can edit, identification. If, for exam- ture can be useful to check na, no DiSEqC commands
convert to CSV format and ple, one of the transponders if the reception system can needed), while the list Lst02
upload to the meter‘s inter- is switched off and no longer receive various transpond- can be dedicated for a 2-sat-
nal memory. The analyzer transmits, you need to re- ers of different frequencies ellites setup and contain
does not accept XLS files di- place its data with another and polarizations. Some the transponder numbers
rectly. one which is active. Once you reception systems require from ASTRA 1 and HOT-
SPAUN prepared two edit the XLS file, you should DiSEqC commands to switch BIRD along with the DiSEqC
spreadsheet files. The first execute a built-in Excel mac- between satellite and we can commands: Position A or
file, called Sat.xls, contains ro, and a corresponding CSV order the SPAROS SAT HD Position B. So when the in-
a list of all satellites that you file will be generated which to do that by putting the pa- staller has a customer hav-
want SPAROS to be able to when stored on the USB rameters in the second con- ing a popular setup with a
21 identify along with the cor- stick can be imported to the figuration file. monoblock LNB for ASTRA
responding four transpond- meter. This is really simple! It is also an MS Excel file 1 and HOTBIRD, he makes
15. Editable list of all satellites and transponders preprogrammed
in the SPAROS SAT HD internal memory Satellite name Orbital position Orientation
18 16. One of many possible configurations preprogrammed in the TURKSAT 2 42 E
meter's internal memory; this exemplary setup is for the ASTRA/
HOTBIRD reception system with a DiSEqC 1.0 switch ASTRA 2 28.2 E
17. Another configuration file stores the information about which ASTRA 3 23.5 E
four transponders of a given satellite should be used when reco-
gnizing antenna alignment ASTRA 1 19.2 E
18. Spectrum view can be stored and later copied to a USB stick as
a graphic file EUTEL W2 16 E
19. Spectrum view can also be stored as an CSV file containing list HOT BIRD 13 E
of values; after converting it to a spreadsheet file, you can do your
own chart INTL 10 02 1 W
20. Transponders assigned to a preprogrammed reception setup ATLANTIC 3 5 W
(here: fixed antenna aimed at TURKSAT 42° East) can be saved as
BMP graphics... ATLANTIC 2 8 W
21…or a CSV file that can be opened by any spreadsheet applica- HISPASAT 30 W
tion and processed or charted as needed.
42 TELE-satellite International — The World‘s Largest Digital TV Trade Magazine — 04-05/2012 — www.TELE-satellite.com www.TELE-satellite.com — 04-05/2012 — TELE-satellite International — The World‘s Largest Digital TV Trade Magazine 43

6. SPAROS SAT HD measure learn how to download the tons. But we discovered that And thanks to that, we dis-
the system with the use of INI files and import them to our worries were completely covered the strongest point
Lst02 configuration. No need the Excel spreadsheet. unjustified. Menu structure of SPAROS SAT HD. It locked
to enter transponders data The SPAROS SAT HD can is very logical and not too without any problem even
or DiSEqC commands manu- do more than what we de- deep. And we were especial- to very weak signals and as
ally – the analyzer will know scribed so far. Except for ly delighted with the opera- well as signals with very low
what to do to measure the identifying a satellite based tion of the “tunning knob”. It symbol rates. Despite being
transponders from two sat- on its four transponders, it was fast and precise at the apparently more powerful,
ellites. SConf.xls can contain can read the NIT table and same time. There is really its competitors were unable
up to 50 transponders in in this way double check no need for a numerical key- to lock to many signals that
each configuration list (Lst0 identification. The analyzer pad with such well designed SPAROS SAT HD processed
through Lst19). Similarly as can measure all parameters “knob”. smoothly. See the attached
Sat.xls, SConf.xls is editable of a particular transponder, You can not fully evalu- charts with MER results. MER
and generates a CSV files for show its constellation dia- ate an analyzer if you do not zero reading means that the
SPAROS when an Excel mac- grams and decode and dis- compare it with competitive meter was unable to lock.
ro is invoked. play video and audio of FTA instruments. So we did it. We The tuner of SPAROS SAT HD
But what to do if we want to channels. It can export the chose two high class, multi- is really brilliant!
add more satellites or more measurement results to CSV purpose analyzers (satellite/ When you compare chan-
transponders – is a manual as well as BMP files. It can terrestrial/cable) with large nel power results, you will
entry the only option? No! even export spectrum views graphical displays as our see that SPAROS SAT HD is
You can download from the as graphics (BMP) as well references to which we com- quite close to other meters
Internet INI files containing as CSV files. Such CSV file pared the performance of the and its results are rather
transponder data for every when imported to MS Excel SPAROS SAT HD. TURKSAT higher than lower than its
possible satellite. They are can be used for creating your satellite on 42° East was our competitors. The other
available on the pages with own charts. test signal source. We used charts presents MER read-
satellite charts like for ex- At the beginning, we were a 90 cm dish which does not ings. Here you can see how
ample www.satbeams.com. worried that it would be dif- give very strong signal from many transponders were
If you follow the instruction ficult to operate SAPROS SAT that satellite at our test lo- receivable for the SPAROS
in the user guide, you will HD because it has few but- cation in Western Poland. SAT HD but not for the oth-
er analyzers (zero result in
our chart). Please note, that
except for TURKSAT tran-
sponders, we also included
one strong transponder from
ASTRA1 (11436 MHz, verti-
cal). With such strong signal,
SPAROS measured visibly
higher MER what also proves
how good and noiseless its
tuner is.
Initially, we were con-
cerned that the lack of blind-
scan might be regarded as a
drawback. But when we saw
that its competitors having
the blindscan feature can not
lock to many low SR signals,
we changed our mind. Tak-
ing transponders data from
INI files (instead of trying to
blindscan them) can be quite
a reasonable approach.
However, there is one
thing SPAUN could improve.
If it happens that there is a
non-receivable transponder
on your list, SPAROS will end
up with “Sync?” results in
the transponder list. Howev-
er, it takes a long while be-
fore the SAT HD decides that
44 TELE-satellite International — The World‘s Largest Digital TV Trade Magazine — 04-05/2012 — www.TELE-satellite.com

7. it is unable to receive such pleting the measurements of meter, which does a perfect tant feature, when you are
transponder. In our opinion, the whole transponder list is job in aligning dishes. We es- in the process of aligning a
it tries too long to lock to the quite fast. pecially liked its highly sensi- dish and keep getting weak
signal. Of course, if all tran- The SPAUN SPAROS SAT tive tuner, which could lock signals until you finally found
sponder are receivable, com- HD is a powerful satellite in to weak signals. An impor- the right focus.
TECHNICAL
DATA
Manufacturer SPAUN electronic GmbH & Co. KG, Germany
Expert Opinion Web www.spaun.com
Extremely useful for demanding installers E-mail contact@spaun.com
dealing with DX setups due to its exceptional Phone +49-7731-8673-0
tuner capable of receiving very weak tran-
Fax +49-7731-8673-17
sponders with low SR
Model SPAROS SAT HD
Very good operation of the “tunning knob”
Brilliant LCD Function / and DSS Signal Analyzer
Convenient method of configuration with Jacek Pawlowski
+
Input frequency 950-2150 MHz
TELE-satellite
easily available and up-to-date INI files Test Center Input power level 40-120dBµV
Possibility to store and export numerical Poland
Spectrum analyzer span values 0, 10 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 1200 MHz
results as well as graphics, spectrum views
Symbol rate 1-45 Ms/sec
and data
The installer can pre-program the meter for typical installa- Video decoder MPEG2 and MPEG4
tions (like ASTRA1/HOTBIRD) and later execute all the meas- DiSEqC 1.0, 1.1, 1.2
urements with minimal effort Battery operation time ca. 2.5 hours
Dimensions 192 x 200 x 102 mm
– none
Weight 1.5 kg
46 TELE-satellite International — The World‘s Largest Digital TV Trade Magazine — 04-05/2012 — www.TELE-satellite.com