0301ws14 technomate s2*p

3/12/02

3:21 PM

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test report

TECHNOMATE TM-5000D
IF SOMETHINGS CHEAP AND CHEERFUL IT OFTEN MEANS THAT CORNERS HAVE BEEN CUT, BUT ALL THE TECHNOMATE TM-5000DS IMPORTANT LITTLE PLACES SEEM TO BE PRESENT AND CORRECT, SAYS ALEX LANE, AS HE GIVES THE NEWCOMER THE ONCE-OVER
of popular satellites, so you dont even have to LOW-PRICE, LOTS OF FEATURES, EASY TO tune it in (although you will have to set up your USE motor). You can also select single, wideband, or user-defined local oscillator frequencies, or LIMITED EVENT TIMER DiSEqC switches for fixed dish users. The DiSEqC movement modes also reveal entered in decimal or hexadecimal form. Up to a attention to detail. You can move the dish in dozen new satellites can also be added, which coarse or fine mode, and adjust the size of fine should be enough to keep any British enthusimotion. Theres a very sensitive onscreen signal ast safe for 10 years, especially with a symbol strength and quality meter, and its very easy to rate range of 2000-45000 available. switch transponders to make sure youve got Fortunately, the 5,000-channel capacity is the right satellite. There are movement limits, well-organised. Channels are automatically and in basic DiSEqC 1.2 the recalculate option is listed by satellite, and you available to calculate can sort them into free and positions once youve THE TM-5000D OFFERS THE scrambled, or alphabetifound a couple of refercally (everything or ence satellites. In USALS BEST VALUE FOR MONEY individual letters). There mode its even easier, WEVE SEEN FOR YEARS are eight themed favourites and just one position is lists, which can have chanrequired, plus your latinels from any satellite, and the thumbnail view tude and longitude. You can adjust the dish means you can easily look at whats on a chanalignment at any time using the POS button but, nel. Its also easy to edit the lists, moving, sadly, it only offers coarse movement, so youll deleting, and renaming channels, and you can probably make matters worse. put a PIN-lock on any channel as well. Several search modes are available: free-toWhen it comes down to actually watching air, scrambled or all channels, and single the channels youll be pleased, but not overtransponder searching. Theres a network whelmed. The Scart picture is noticeably option for using the NIT to add extra transponimproved in RGB mode over composite PAL, and ders, and you can set the receiver to search you can further tweak it with the very unusual several satellites consecutively. The search Colour Control menu. This allows adjustment of itself is very efficient and quick, searching huge brightness, contrast, and saturation, with preset locations like Astra 1 and Hot Bird in minutes. levels for movie, news and sports. Movie level is Theres also an advance search option, a little soft, but news and sport are sharp, through which you can add new transponders, enhancing the overall picture. or add single channels using PIDs, which can be
The sound is clear, with very low noise levels and a broad range, even if it is only analogue (but you wouldnt expect digital for 99!). Theres a full EPG, with a choice of multichannel, all-day or programme detail views, plus the usual now-and-next onscreen banner. Teletext fans can choose between a built-in viewer and using their TV with the VBI-reinserted signal. Theres a sleep timer and single event on-off timer, and a pause screen option which can zoom in to enhance detail. Theres always a chance of disappointment when youve waited a long time to see something, but theres nothing disappointing about the TM-5000D, which offers the best value for money weve seen in a receiver for years I

THE OPPOSITION

I Fortec Star DVB786-v2
Quality budget free-to-air receiver with DiSEqC 1.2 and USALS, plus 3000-channel memory, retailing at 130

I Echostar DSB-707 FTA

Compact free-to-air receiver with dynamic Echonav menus, but has only basic DiSEqC motor control, and costs a steep 260

I Manhattan Skyline 1000

Excellent FTA receiver with DiSEqC 1.2 and USALS, plus 5000-channel memory and digital audio out, for just 129
Onscreen meters are very sensitive
Change all options of the user interface
Informative onscreen banner
Enjoy a full DVB programme guide
Pause the picture for a closer look
WHAT SATELLITE & DIGITAL TV January 2003