In some ways I admire the attempts of moderators to defend the indefensible when the meter gives inaccurate readings for MER, BER etc which is key data for accuracy of alignment and best signal. In layman’s terms tone / bleep and PWR being quoted for setup is pretty insulting as at best this gives a rough alignment which sums up the meters capability
Instead of telling us we are taking nonsense the manufacturers should issue a new firmware to fix the faults that the last firmware update failed to address ….. just read the release notes for the last firmware update ! If it did what it claims we would all be happy customers but it failed miserably to fix the signal accuracy problems.
Could the manufacturers take note and put some more effort into releasing a new firmware update at least we would be more sympathetic in our comments if we could see the manufacturer acknowledging the problem and trying to resolve the issues with accuracy…… not to mention the missing constellation info emblazoned on the sales blurb !
We spent money based on a promised specification and capability:- ability to fine tune an installation for best signal based on accuracy of readings.
The meter at present is not performing to design specification can this be resolved is the big question? What will the manufacturers do to resolve, an informed update from the development team would be appreciated…….
Last edited by EricM on Sat Jun 18, 2022 9:41 pm, edited 2 times in total.
In some ways I admire the attempts of moderators to defend the indefensible when the meter gives inaccurate readings for MER, BER etc which is key data for accuracy of alignment and best signal. In layman’s terms tone / bleep and PWR being quoted for setup is pretty insulting as at best this gives a rough alignment which sums up the meters capability
Instead of telling us we are taking nonsense the manufacturers should issue a new firmware to fix the faults that the last firmware update failed to address ….. just read the release notes for the last firmware update ! If it did what it claims we would all be happy customers but it failed miserably to fix the signal accuracy problems.
Could the manufacturers take note and put some more effort into releasing a new firmware update at least we would be more sympathetic in our comments if we could see the manufacturer acknowledging the problem and trying to resolve the issues with accuracy…… not to mention the missing consternation info emblazoned on the sales blurb !
We spent money based on a promised specification and capability:- ability to fine tune an installation for best signal based on accuracy of readings.
The meter at present is not performing to design specification can this be resolved is the bug question? What will the manufacturers do to resolve, an informed update from the development team would be appreciated…….
In the end...this device was released quickly without reviewing the countless problems...and we are the ones paying the price now.
When I saw the trailer, I thought it was a great device with good specifications... then the surprise happened
Hello Volk !
I am a professional technician and I bought the V8 Finder Pro to avoid carrying my expensive Unaohm Made in Italy tool over and over again and to limit its use to difficult and critical cases.
For around 130.00 Euros I obviously didn't expect the performance of a 5,000 Euros instrument, both in terms of precision and speed.
I am sorry to confirm that all complaints about the unreliability of DVB-T and DVB-S measurements are true. The instrument is totally imprecise and inaccurate to the point of making it practically unusable in this respect.
DVB-T measurements are inflated by about 20/22 dB, change with each measurement, all values are out of order.
DVB-S measurements are a little better but still "dance" with each measurement and the signal strength value is underestimated by about 5/10 dB.
There is no possibility to delete previously stored channels and frequencies, both DVB-T and DVB-S, except by performing a reset of the instrument (very tedious).
Sensitivity as reported by other buyers is very poor indeed and this is a feature that cannot be remedied with an update.
Precision and accuracy may perhaps not be resolved but probably improved with a more skilled manufacturing and quality control process.
The calibration of the individual instruments produced could also improve reliability.
Ultimately, the feeling is that the V8 Finder Pro is a barely sketched product made by amateur entrepreneurs and technicians.
Greetings.
Hello, I am sorry that the V8 Finder Pro is not to your liking, you should have returned it if it does not meet your expectations with the technical parameters.
As a professional, he does not give any technical data, he seems to be an inexperienced user
Please provide data that can be assessed in case any corrections need to be made.
Dear CAJE, I was at the point of making no further comment on the topic of the V8 finder pro and it’s lack of accuracy, no doubt like others I have just accepted it was a bad buy with the denial and unwillingness of the manufacturers and moderators to initiate and provide a fix after almost 6 months speaks volumes on the situation. A number of threads, included this one, have shown and stated the issues with the meters accuracy and clearly a large number of purchasers (if not all) are having the problems. It’s not as they say “rocket science” for the manufacturers to product test and compare the V8 finder pro readings with more accurate calibrated equipment and identify a fix if it’s at all possible. I like many others after the time that’s passed am of the impression a firmware update cannot fix the issues as if it could it would have been issued by now. To keep asking for the more examples other than trying to quantify the issue won’t fix the problems it’s just being in denial of the facts. With one attempt at a firmware fix, the manufacturers recognise the problems.
Dear CAJE, I was at the point of making no further comment on the topic of the V8 finder pro and it’s lack of accuracy, no doubt like others I have just accepted it was a bad buy with the denial and unwillingness of the manufacturers and moderators to initiate and provide a fix after almost 6 months speaks volumes on the situation. A number of threads, included this one, have shown and stated the issues with the meters accuracy and clearly a large number of purchasers (if not all) are having the problems. It’s not as they say “rocket science” for the manufacturers to product test and compare the V8 finder pro readings with more accurate calibrated equipment and identify a fix if it’s at all possible. I like many others after the time that’s passed am of the impression a firmware update cannot fix the issues as if it could it would have been issued by now. To keep asking for the more examples other than trying to quantify the issue won’t fix the problems it’s just being in denial of the facts. With one attempt at a firmware fix, the manufacturers recognise the problems.
Dear EricM as I am missing data, I suggest you help me check the difference between the actual values and those of the V8Finder Pro
I need the data of the installation
Antenna Diameter
Antenna Efficiency
Antenna Gain
LNB Noise Figure
LNB FOL
Satellite *
IF frecuencia *
Symbolrate *
FEC (8PSK 3/4)
Data of the frequency chosen to assess
Satellite *
Frequency *
Symbolrate *
PWR
C/N
MER
* Identical values, you can choose the one you want
When you give me the data I will be able to compare them, you can also send me the Finder data that is calibrated.
Enough of that extraction on this bad TV signal meter. You may not know enough English to understand what everyone is writing to you about that “PRO” finder. It just doesn’t measure any TV signal exactly. DVBS/S2/T/T2/C. Provides inaccurate data for any measured signal. The values it gives are not nearly as accurate. A totally missed device we stumbled upon buying it. I have written in a dozen other places why not buy this device. Those “engineers” who made it are obviously not of that profession and have no idea about any of the essential parameters found in a TV signal. Totally missed amateur bad TV signal finder. Grade 1/10.
I beg you to pass me the data that I have requested and thus I will assess the gap between the theoretical data and the V8 Finder pro
I need the technical parameters of the antenna, the LNB, the frequency you are measuring and the values they give you
Hello, I am sorry that the V8 Finder Pro is not to your liking, you should have returned it if it does not meet your expectations with the technical parameters.
As a professional, he does not give any technical data, he seems to be an inexperienced user
Please provide data that can be assessed in case any corrections need to be made.
I am not used to waste my time doing what is supposed the manufacturer should do.
Regarding your idea I am an enexperienced user I can just say I have been working in telecommunications for 40 years and I obtained a diploma in electronics in Italy, then a degree in computer science in the USA and subsequently a doctorate in telecommunications.
At this point I have to assume that you have no knowledge of what you are arguing about. The reports that come to you from buyers are such that professional ethics and humility should matter to recognize that the product is affected by design and manufacturing holes so evident that they are indefensible.
I repeat, I have other things to do than to argue with a rookie who can do nothing but follow a pre-established company line instead of proposing himself in a constructive critical way to try to develop a product at least within the limits of commercial and technical decency.
Greetings
dr. Orlando F. Valente
Hi-Tech Emergency Center owner
Hello, I am sorry that the V8 Finder Pro is not to your liking, you should have returned it if it does not meet your expectations with the technical parameters.
As a professional, he does not give any technical data, he seems to be an inexperienced user
Please provide data that can be assessed in case any corrections need to be made.
I am not used to waste my time doing what is supposed the manufacturer should do.
Regarding your idea I am an enexperienced user I can just say I have been working in telecommunications for 40 years and I obtained a diploma in electronics in Italy, then a degree in computer science in the USA and subsequently a doctorate in telecommunications.
At this point I have to assume that you have no knowledge of what you are arguing about. The reports that come to you from buyers are such that professional ethics and humility should matter to recognize that the product is affected by design and manufacturing holes so evident that they are indefensible.
I repeat, I have other things to do than to argue with a rookie who can do nothing but follow a pre-established company line instead of proposing himself in a constructive critical way to try to develop a product at least within the limits of commercial and technical decency.
Greetings
dr. Orlando F. Valente
Hi-Tech Emergency Center owner
I only see words and more words that do not contribute anything, I only ask you for technical data and it is assumed that you are qualified it will not cost you a minute to put the data that proves what you affirm
confermo che le misure sono completamente errate
un segnale di circa 55 dbm misurato con due misuratori diversi piu' o meno era di indicazione uguale,
invece sul gtmedia viene visualizzato ad alti livelli superiori a 70 dbm
e anche la qualita' viene visualizzata ad alti livelli,
inoltre la sesibilita' e' molto bassa:
quando il segnale e' debole altri apparecchi sia misuratori che decoder prendono il segnale mentre il gtmedia v8 pro finder
non lo prende per niente.
I confirm that the measurements are completely wrong,
a signal of about 55 dbm measured with two different meters more or less was of the same indication,
instead on the gtmedia it is displayed at high levels above 70 dbm
and also the quality is displayed at high levels,
furthermore the sensitivity is very low:
when the signal is weak other devices both meters and decoders take the signal while the gtmedia v8 pro finder
he doesn't take it at all.
Guys, this is money wasted. They don't care about your problems. you should have figured it out a long time ago. no firmware will help fix this. My v8 pro finder broke a long time ago and stopped charging and turning on. They will never help you!!! Let the whole world know who they really are
I confirm that the measurements are completely wrong,
a signal of about 55 dbm measured with two different meters more or less was of the same indication,
instead on the gtmedia it is displayed at high levels above 70 dbm
and also the quality is displayed at high levels,
furthermore the sensitivity is very low:
when the signal is weak other devices both meters and decoders take the signal while the gtmedia v8 pro finder
he doesn't take it at all.
If you are measuring in dBm, those data are false because they are negative
Change the dBm to dBμV and adjust to 47-77
There are some pictures here of chips for the Finder-meter.
That topic would be a better place for you to continue with your request for chip info too.
Is your unit the finder-meter, V73 or the Finder Pro?
Owen
Dishes; 3x3m, 2.4m and 4.1m, 10+ ku, 2 movers, USARLS. V8 Combo, Pro, V8 Golden, Nova V8Pro2, GTC, Super.V7HDs, Combo and V7s V7Plus Finder, Finder-Meter V8X / UHD V7Pro GT/XCombo. Sats 100.5E to 177W. I'm a Sat hobbyist who helps out.
I'd just like to confirm that my GTMedia V8 Finder Pro (Combo) (the orange one).. is suffering from the same issues with erroneous readings. I hadn't actually noticed this !
I was very impressed by the speed of the menus and responsiveness of the buttons, the quick boot time, even the battery duration... I've only used this meter on small domestic dishes 60cm to 80cm looking at very strong satellites here in Europe. I used it alongside an HP 8591 spec. an.
As a life long skeptic, I don't believe any absolute reading as an absolute truth, but it is a real shame that the displayed readings are so inaccurate and it seems this derives from a hardware issue.
Guessing, I wonder if there is an internal interference issue inside the meter, perhaps something is oscillating, not properly decoupled, radiating "shash" (random noise-like interference) onto the supply line of the tuner or demodulator chipset. This would explain the lack of sensitivity with low level inputs and the bizarre erroneous readings of something, when nothing is connected to the input of the meter.
Yes in practice, as it stands, trying to use this meter with VHF and UHF (DVB-C, DVB-T) input signals below +45dBuV is pointless. (BTW: the "dBuV" is truly weird unit of measurement, but when in Rome), it's slightly better on the satellite input with +40dbuV as a minimum.
My meter was bought on AliExpress in May 2022.
My very best wishes to GTMedia engineers and please look for a hardware solution.
Arkon99
(I have an MSc in Satellite Engineering from Surrey University, UK)
il disturbo viene dallo schermo :prova ad allontanare lo schermo dal resto del circuito e noterai un aumento di qualita' sui segnali piu' deboli,
ho migliorato un po' schermando la scheda sotto lo schermo
Hi,
you can share the firmware source so that it becomes open source for example on github. There would be so many improvements by many programmers around the world and so many people happier to have the tool. It could be a solution
Regards
That would be a great idea (maybe create a separate topic, since your proposal was hidden inside someone complaining (totaly valid reasons)
