I www.technomate.com I 0701 I 279
Technomate TM-6900 HD COMBO
The TM-6900 HD Combo won t be the last HD PVR, or even the last HD sat/DTT combo but will be a hard act to follow
The future of satellite broadcasting is clearly with high denition, so many satellite enthusiasts want an HD receiver. So far, that s meant getting a pretty simple machine; no hard disc recording, no chance of a built-in terrestrial receiver, and (for the most part) not even a CAM or CI slot for European encrypted broadcasts. Technomate has seen to all that with the TM-6900 an HD receiver, not suitable for Sky but ideal for BBC HD and HD channels from Europe, that s PVR-ready (just add a USB drive), has an HD-capable DTT tuner built-in for Freeview, two CI slots and a programmable card reader, and is a reasonable enthusiast s receiver into the bargain. received and output and a fetching blue LED encircling the main menu navigation button. The wide fold-down ap conceals the built-in multicam programmable card reader and the two common interface slots. If you want to delve into Euro HD beyond FTA channels, then this receiver should be up to it. Also lurking behind the ap is the USB 2.0 socket for downloading new software and for hosting a memory stick or USB hard disc drive for PVR use. All the more silly then, that the socket is behind a ap on the front panel, which must be left open for continual use of a stick or HDD. The next model will apparently have a USB slot on the back too. There is room on the back panel. There are two UHF sockets for input and loopthrough via the DTT tuner to other equipment but no way of outputting a satellite or DTT signal via UHF. Theres only one LNB input, but this can drive DiSEqC 1.0 and DiSEqC 1.1 switches and both DiSEqC
The front panel display is excellent, with a full scrolling matrix display for channel name or menu function along with a host of other indicators to show what s being
There are quite a number of scanning options available but, sadly, no blind search 60 What Satellite & Digital TV December 2007
You can sort the channel list in numerous ways and up to 16 favourites lists can be created
The EPG shows seven days of information in advance and can be used to schedule recordings

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The TM-6900 has a simple selection process (auto navigation) to mark off the satellites you want to search
the most sensitive tuners we ve come across, particularly with HD searching as well. The HD capabilities are revealed in the advanced search modes too. Here, individual transponders can be scanned for channels, with the PIDs dened if necessary, and the broadcast modulation set to the DVB-S1 standard for SD or DVB-S2 8PSK or DVB-S2 QPSK for HD transmissions. Here is also where you can manually update the receiver s database of transponders, as broadcasters swap and change their channels in the sky. Digital terrestrial tuning is handled quite separately, taking only about 100 seconds to complete. 1.2 and USALS motorised mounts. HDMI and component connectors can be congured to produce 1080i or 720p pictures (and 576p) and all SD reception satellite or DTT is upscaled for output. There are also several SD outputs; composite Scarts for TV and VCR, and separate composite and S-video outputs plus outputs of analogue and digital audio (Dolby compatible). The TM-6900 s remote control handset is a handful of buttons. Although these are fairly logically shaped and grouped according to purpose, the sheer number of buttons is bewildering. Especially as some serve as shortcuts to functions that are available via menus.

Features

Navigation
Terrestrial channels are treated the same as those from satellite, and can be listed onscreen intermingled. It has a whopping 10,000-channel memory, so it s important that getting to the right channel is made easy. They re listed onscreen according to their satellite (DTT is counted as another satellite for this) or all at once. The channels can be listed in the order stored, alphabetically by channel name, by transponder (in frequency order) or by encryption. The list can also be edited to rearrange the stored order, to rename, delete, lock or skip channels. You can set up 16 favourite channels groups, each with a programmable name and containing as many channels as you want from DTT or satellite. Finding the programme you want is reasonably easy too. The TM-6900 supports a seven-day EPG that displays a schedule for six channels at a time, with an inset picture of the current channel and the details for the highlighted programme. You can then switch to the alternative display with a continuous listing of programmes on one channel. A highlighted programme can, by pressing a button, be entered into the event timer to select or record (if memory or HDD is connected), or you can switch to the simple-tooperate timer to edit or manually set up a recording.
The TM-6900 is very straightforward to set up and a huge default channel list means you can be watching satellite very quickly. For each satellite to be received, the LNB type, local oscillator frequency and DiSEqC switch are dened. If a motorised mount is used then the satellites are located at this stage, with coarse and ne movement, the usual reset and recalculate, and (unusually) software limits for both DiSEqC 1.2 and USALS. Each satellite can be scanned for active channels (all or just free-to-air) individually or automatically one after another. The TM-6900 provides a simple selection process (called auto navigation ) to mark o the satellites that you want to search. You can select to scan all channels or just those broadcasting free to air. Scanning times are very fast, covering all 72 transponders on Astra 1 in 2.45 minutes. However, selecting Network Search to nd new transponders will almost double the time to scan a satellite. It s also one of
VCR Scart (composite Aerial inputs and loopthrough plus RGB loopthrough)
Receiver: Technomate TM-6900 HD Combo Price: 279 No LNB inputs:1 LNB Loopthrough: Yes No aerial inputs: 1 Aerial Loopthrough: Yes DiSEqC: Level 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, USALS No. channels: 10,000 Hard drive: Via USB CAM: Multicam card reader Common Interface: 2 Selectable FEC: No Symbol rate range: 1000-45000 Teletext: Decoded EPG support: DVB 7-day Timer: 8-event, unlimited time Software upgrade: RS232 or USB download Dolby Digital: Yes AV outputs: HDMI, YPbPr, TV Scart (Composite), VCR Scart (Composite), S-video, composite video, stereo audio, optical digital audio Supplier: Technomate Ltd, Unit 11, Nobel Road, Edmonton N18 3BH Tel: 0701 Website: www.technomate.com

The Opposition

Humax HDCI-2000 I Now looking dated. Good enthusiast s receiver, but no PVR or DTT and relatively poor SD performance

Recording

With a large memory stick or an HDD connected to the TM6900 s USB port, the receiver takes on the functions of a PVR, albeit a relatively simple one. You can connect pretty much any size of HDD (allow about 3GB/hour for HD) but for reliable HD recording/playback it needs to be a fast one. Programmes can be recorded either by pressing record
Composite video output YPbPr component video outputs

S-video output

Fortec Star Passion I Much cheaper, excellent specication and performance and easy to use, but no PVR (yet) or DTT
Sky HD Digibox I Easy to use and with superior PVR functionality, but less versatile, expensive long-term and no DTT
LNB inputs and loopthrough
TV Scart provides composite video
HDMI for digital RS232 for software Optical S/PDIF digital download audio output HD output
Stereo analogue audio outputs
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Connect your own ash stick or external HDD to record

Rating PLUS

I Flexible receiver for SD and HD satellite I DTT, FTA and encrypted channels I PVR-ready
I No RGB (SD) output I No rear USB socket I Only basic PVR

features

BUILD ########## SETUP ########## SEARCHING ########## NAVIGATION ########## PERFORMANCE########## FEATURES ########## VALUE ##########

Verdict

live (the receiver defaults to a duration of 24 hours, but this can be changed once the recording is started) or with the event timer. Once a recording is underway, you can start to watch it, but the TM-6900 defaults to the current position, so you have to backtrack to begin at the beginning. The TM-6900 will only fast-forward or rewind through a recording at x2, x4 or x8 speeds a long time to go all the way through a lm. But theres also a progress bar display, which can be dragged to any point and with the facility to jump back and forth between bookmarks set in the recording. Of course, the playback can also be paused, and there are also slow motion settings of x1/2 and x1/4. The TM-6900 will also do a live pause, but this is not instant, as the reception is not constantly buered. But it only takes a couple of seconds to start up, so it s still useful. A worse problem is that a paused programme cannot be converted into a permanently saved le and, in fact, whenever you fast-forward (even inadvertently) to the end (real time) the TM-6900 exits the pause mode and drops the recording. Although the TM-6900 has two tuners for satellite and for DTT it cannot record one channel while you watch another. But you can play back a previous recording while making another recording or pausing a channel. You can also play MP3 and JPEG les from connected hard discs and ash drives.

Performance

Watched through the HDMI or component video outputs, pictures are excellent; sharp, crisp and full of life. The likes of the Planet Earth promos on BBC HD were hard to fault and HD football from Premiere was excellent. Upscaled SD channels benet from the HD outputs. Satellite and DTT channels broadcast with good-quality pictures, such as Sky News and BBC One, look far better through the TM-6900 than they ever do via a Scart connector on most SD receivers. The SD Scart output is good too, although RGB output would be useful here. The sound is also impressive; both analogue and digital outputs turn in a good performance.

Conclusions

The TM-6900 is the rst free-to-air HD PVR available, let alone the rst HD/DTT combo. The PVR functions are not the most comprehensive and blind search would have been nice. But it is a versatile, easy-to-use and sensitive receiver that provides good-quality reception in HD and SD and good DTT reception as well. This won t be the last HD PVR, or even the last HD satellite/ DTT combo, but for a rst into the market, the TM-6900 HD Combo will be hard to follow I Geo Bains
You can access programme synopses and other broadcast information, where available, for both satellite and terrestrial channels 62 What Satellite & Digital TV December 2007
You can search for free or encrypted channels, scanning satellites individually or one after the other
You can use the progress bar to skip quickly through SD and HD recordings and fast-forward and rewind at up to 8x normal speed

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Features

Technomate TM-5200D USB
What it lacks in looks and PVR exibility, Technomate s sub-70 FTA receiver makes up for in its excellent performance
Hot on the heels of the TM-6900 high-denition receiver, Technomates TM-5200D USB brings PVR capabilities and even a avour of HD to budget standard-denition reception. For under 70, the TM5200D not only provides a free-to-air receiver that s easy to use and set up, but it has a blind search to keep up to date with the broadcasting changes, and hardware and software built in to add hard disc recording. shiny chromed ring, with three buttons and a fold-down ap concealing well not a great deal, really. This is a free-to-air receiver so theres no card slot here, nor common interface slot, so you can t add a CAM for payTV but, actually, you can. You can add a programmable card reader internally and Technomate says that the TM5200D will auto-detect it so you can eectively upgrade later to a CAM receiver. The only item lurking under the front panel ap is the USB 2.0 connector. That s very handy when using this for updating the receiver s software, or even playing MP3 les or displaying digital photos on your TV, through the TM5200D. But if you want to permanently make use of the TM-5200D s recording capabilities, then this is the last place you want to connect a memory stick or hard drive. Like the
Receiver: Technomate TM-5200D USB Price: 69 No LNB inputs: 1 LNB loopthrough: Yes DiSEqC: Level 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, USALS No. channels: 10,000 Hard drive: Via USB CAM: No Common interface: None Selectable FEC: No Symbol rate range: 1000-45000 Teletext: Decoded and re-inserted EPG support: DVB 7-day Timer: 8-event, unlimited time UHF modulator tuning: Channels 21-69 Software upgrade: RS232 or USB download AV outputs: YPbPr, TV Scart (Composite, RGB), VCR Scart (Composite), composite video, stereo audio, optical digital audio Supplier: Technomate Ltd, Unit 11, Nobel Road, Edmonton N18 3BH
The TM-5200D USB does not have the full-width style of its older brothers. This receiver is in the same casing as the (very popular) TM-1000 and TM-1500. To be honest, the front panel looks a little dated now but it s far from unattractive. The (simple green uorescent) display is in a
The TM-5200 s menu layout is simple and easy to navigate, with all of the options laid out in clear English 60 What Satellite & Digital TV January 2008
With memory for 10,000 channels, it s fortunate there are many ways to organise them, and a handy A-Z shortcut on the remote
Attractive onscreen graphics tell you everything you need to know about the channel and even what s on if the data is present
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Picture quality via component video is arguably as good as you ll ever get from SD channels
The TM-5200D is supplied pre-programmed with more than 3,200 channels across 23 satellites, so the few thousand that apply to your situation are there on tap (according to the language you select), for a near-instant setup without any searching, once the means of accessing the satellites has been established. If you do want to search for channels on particular satellites, then the TM-5200D is also adept at this. First, the antenna setup is dened, either by selecting the DiSEqC switching arrangements for each satellite to be received, or by setup of a motorised dish. USALS setup is particularly simple with the satellite positions calculated for you when you enter the sites longitude and latitude and (unusually and usefully) has electronic limits on east and west dish movement. Setting up a DiSEqC 1.2 motor is a bit more involved but simple to master and maintain with coarse and ne dish movement, system reset and recalculate functions. When you have your satellites in your sights, the TM5200D can scan them in a number of ways. The normal scan can search for all channels, free-to-air channels only, or just TV channels, and the network search can be switched on or o. Searching the 72 transponders in the receiver s database on Astra 19.2E, for all channels, took the TM-5200D about 2 minutes 45 seconds a very good speed by today s standards. The advanced search will scan an individual transponder, with the frequency, polarity and symbol rate either entered via the handset or taken from the stored database (FEC is automatically detected). The PID search performs a similar function but allows for specic PIDs to be set or automatically detected. Theres also a Fast Scan specically for the Dutch networks, Canal Digitaal and TV Vlaanderen, which can renumber the whole channel list with the Dutch channels at the start. Finally, there is the blind search. This searches through the frequencies, MHz by MHz, to nd any transmissions. The process is very slow (compared to a normal database scan) so the TM-5200D oers a few renements to cut down the waiting. The frequencies and the polarity searched can be limited. The symbol rates can be coarsely scanned or in detail, or limited to above or below 7500 or

VCR Scart (composite out and RGB loop) Modulated UHF loopthrough

The Opposition

Fortec Star Lifetime Classic I Similar price but with no blind search, no recording or component output and rather unfriendly to use
TM-6900, the TM-5200D needs a USB socket at the rear as well. There is room there, although the receiver s diminutive size means the back panel is quite packed. There is just one LNB input but this is DiSEqC 1.0 and DiSEqC 1.1-compatible so you can connect up to 16 LNBs/dishes here. Of course, the TM-5200D will also drive a DiSEqC 1.2 or USALS motorised mount so the choice of satellites to receive from, is really limited only by your antenna. There are Scart sockets for both the TV and VCR (or DVD recorder) and the TV socket can output both composite and RGB video signals. Separate composite video output is also provided and so (unusually) are YPbPr component video signals, for connection to an HD ready TV. One slight restriction is that you cannot watch component video and RGB at the same time (although they use dierent socketry), for instance, if you re using a DVD recorder with RGB input. You can watch via a UHF distribution system on other TVs around the home, as the TM-5200D has a standard UHF modulator. There are also stereo analogue audio outputs and a Dolby-compatible optical S/PDIF digital audio connector. The TM-5200D s remote control is bit plasticky but comfortable enough and well laid out, without too many buttons but some useful shortcuts. The placing of buttons for Menu, Exit and the like is always a personal matter, but this handset has a fairly all-pleasing approach.
LNB input and loopthrough Composite video output YPbPr component video output
Manhattan Plaza XT-F I Same price and also fast, simple to set up and use, with a good blind search and SCR but no component output, no USB nor recording provision
Televs KIT800 I With an 80cm dish kit included for the same price, simple to use and good performance but far less featured and sophisticated

Rating PLUS

I Easy and fast to set up I Flexible blind search I Large channel capacity
I USB connection only on front
I Very limited PVR functionality
BUILD ########## SETUP ########## SEARCHING ########## NAVIGATION ########## PERFORMANCE########## FEATURES ########## VALUE ##########

Stereo analogue audio outputs
TV Scart (RGB and composite video)

RS232 interface

Optical S/PDIF digital audio outputs
Detachable power cable allows UK 3-pin plug

Verdict

January 2008 What Satellite & Digital TV 61
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below 3500 to trap or avoid programme feeds, and the signals found can be limited to TV or FTA only. To nd absolutely everything takes a while. A blind search of Astra 1, scanning all frequencies, polarities and symbol rates in detail took the TM-5200D a little under 16.5 minutes that s a long time but extremely fast compared to the rst blind search receivers of just a couple of years ago. The TM-5200D also provides for scanning all the satellites one after another, whether it s a normal search or a blind search undertaken. This way, you can set it all up and go away and have a cup of tea while it nds everything for you to watch.
Connected memory can be formatted, you can record the current channel, recordings can be played back (but not until the recording has ended), and that s about it. There is no buering of the live broadcast and you cannot eectively pause a live channel (even starting a recording and immediately pressing Pause doesn t help as you can never view the paused-over material until the recording is ended). There are not even transport controls for playback (except pause) so you cannot fast-forward or rewind a recording.

Performance

The TM-5200D s pictures are excellent; bright and crisp with strong even colours, and very little video noise. This is especially true if the RGB output or even better the component video output is used. Although the TM-5200D cannot produce HD images, the picture quality via component video is arguably as good as you ll ever get from SD channels. The sound is also good, with clear, noise-free audio from all channels. The TM-5200D has a sensitive tuner that can produce glitch-free images from relatively weak signals and, of course, the performance on recorded programmes is as good as watching live.

Navigation

The TM-5200D can store a colossal 10,000 channels enough for the most ardent satellite searcher and these are listed onscreen in their stored order, or by name, transponder or encryption. You can also choose to list the channels on all satellites or just one. When the channels are listed by name, transponder or encryption, a side menu (of initial letter, transponder or encryption method) provides a quick means to get where you want to be, and all lists can be skipped through a page (12 channels) at a time. The channels can be renamed, deleted, locked or passed over, and you can name and populate 16 favourite channels lists (eight are pre-named) to help organise the channels into manageable groups. The EPG displays a grid of programmes for six channels, or a list of programmes on the currently selected channel, with details of the highlighted programme. A single button-press transfers the programme details to the event timer for recording (if memory or HDD is connected). Of course, you can also edit the event or set up the timer manually, and for this, the TM-5200D timer is particularly easy to operate.

Other features

There are three games built into the TM-5200D to occupy your time, and the receiver will both decode digital teletext and reinsert the pages into the PAL output for teletext TVs. A mosaic function will display two, four, six or nine thumbnails onscreen to select a channel. Although theres no live PVR pause, the Pause button (when not viewing a playback) will freeze the picture and also enter the magnication function to hugely enlarge any section of the picture.
The TM-5200D is an immensely capable receiver. It performs well, with good pictures even from weaker signals. The searching is fast, the navigation eective and the blind search nothing short of excellent. It isn t fully PVR-ready you can record to external memory, but its recording and playback facilities are far short of how we would dene a true PVR. But remember that this is a sub-70 receiver we re talking about here and the ability just to record broadcasts to USB memory is a terric bonus. It s a useful bonus too, and so is the component video output. Both features add to what is already a very exible, accomplished, and low-cost receiver I Geo Bains

Recording

The TM-5200D s USB 2.0 socket will connect either a highcapacity memory stick or a USB HDD for recording received programmes, and for MP3 music playback and photo slideshow. However, the TM-5200D is by no means a fully functioning PVR.
Useful onscreen graphics accompany the installation menus to make the setup process more intuitive 62 What Satellite & Digital TV January 2008
A simple MP3 player and JPEG le viewer are included for les on USB storage, which is very unusual on a budget receiver
The PVR features are unique at this price point, but they are very basic, with no live cache or fastforward and rewind controls
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