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Satbeams

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TELE-audiovision eng
TELE-audiovision eng

The document summarizes a mobile app called Satbeams that helps users align satellite dishes. It allows users to check if a satellite is receivable at their location and see satellite footprints offline. The app displays satellites on a virtual sky and calculates azimuth and elevation. It relies on an extensive satellite database but lacks daily frequency lists. Overall, the app provides a valuable tool for easily determining satellite reception and positioning dishes.

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102 103TELE-audiovision International — The World‘s Leading Digital TV Industry Publication — 05-06/2015 — www.TELE-audiovision.com www.TELE-audiovision.com — 05-06/2015 — TELE-audiovision International — 全球发行量最大的数字电视杂志 • fast and visual information on receivable satellites at a given location • satellite data are available offline and can be updated at any time • footprints can be visualised to determine the required antenna diameter • satellites are shown automatically as soon as the camera is activated Satbeams mobile SOFTWARE REPORT App for Satellite Antenna Alignment
05-06/2015 www.TELE-audiovision.com/15/05/satbeams 104 TELE-audiovision International — The World‘s Leading Digital TV Industry Publication — 05-06/2015 — www.TELE-audiovision.com Useful app for satellite antenna alignment It’s the same problem we are faced with again and again. There’s a satellite antenna to be set up and aligned, but is the satellite we are aiming at receivable at all at our location? Actu- ally, that’s two questions packaged into one. Number one: Is the location within the satellite’s footprint and is the antenna’s diameter suf- ficient for reliable reception, especially at the fringes of the footprint? Number two: Is there a direct line of sight between the antenna and the satellite, or does a tree or building stand in the way? Those are key questions that beg answering before you should even think about in- stalling a satellite antenna, because what’s the point of going to great lengths if you don’t know (a) whether Satbeams App Find available satellites with total ease Apple iTunes Store. Next, you need to cre- ate a free account at www. satbeams.com in order to be able to download up-to- date satellite data from the Internet. The app will auto- matically access a Satbeams server and obtain all cur- rent data, a process that in our case only took slightly less than 90 seconds on an LTE connection. The Sat- beams mobile app then au- tomatically switches to the main menu, which is pretty much filled to the brim with features and functions and therefore may look slightly overwhelming at first sight. But rest assured, the two major functions of the app can be launched quickly and without further ado. You can always have a closer look at all other entries (About, Products & Services, News, Contact and Help) at a later stage. In actual fact, all they do is either refer you to the Satbeams website or offer general information and as- sistance. We did appreciate that the Augmented Reality (AR) function of the app activates automatically to superim- pose the Clarke Belt on the current camera view when- ever users point their smart- phone or tablet towards the sky. This way you can find out simply by moving your device whether or not the desired satellite can be re- ceived with an unrestricted line of sight from your loca- tion. The orbital positions that are available are shown along a virtual Clarke Belt. During our test this feature gave no reason for com- plaint. The only thing you you’ll be successful in the end and (b) which location is best suited for the antenna in order to achieve optimum results. The people behind the www.satbeams.com website have come up with a new app for smartphones and tablets that can help answer those essential questions quickly, hassle-free, and in a matter of seconds. The best part? You can do all that offline and don’t need an Internet connection that may incur additional costs. All you need to shell out is a one-time charge of EUR 10.00 to pur- chase and download the app to your smartphone or tab- let from Google Play Store or SOFTWARE REPORT App for Satellite Antenna Alignment
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 106 107TELE-audiovision International — The World‘s Leading Digital TV Industry Publication — 05-06/2015 — www.TELE-audiovision.com www.TELE-audiovision.com — 05-06/2015 — TELE-audiovision International — 全球发行量最大的数字电视杂志 1. Before you can start using the app you need to create a free account at www.satbe- ams.com 2. Registration page 3. Updating the database via the Internet 4. Main menu of the Satbeams mobile app 5. Presentation of the Clarke Belt above a virtual globe 6. All DTH satellites are listed in a compre- hensive database 7. Presentation of the footprint of ASTRA 2F 28.2° East 8. In night mode you can clearly observe which parts of the world are currently facing the sun 9. The current weather can be shown, if required need to take care of is ac- tivating the GPS function of your smartphone or tablet, otherwise the device won’t be able to determine the current location. With the help of the foot- print function the Satbeams mobile app can display the footprints of all direct-to- home (DTH) satellites world- wide on a virtual globe. We looked very closely at the accuracy of individual beams coming from one and the same satellite. After all, there’s a huge difference be- tween channels transmitted from ASTRA 2A and ASTRA 2F, for example, that need to be received in Central Eu- rope, even though both sat- ellites carry British TV and radio stations from 28.2° East. While in one case an 80 cm antenna will do, the other beam requires an antenna diameter of at least three meters in Central Europe. As hoped, the app takes care of those subtle (and not so sub- tle) differences and precisely indicates all relevant infor- mation. Looking for some ic- ing on the cake? Well, there you go: Apart from a range of technical details, the app also immediately calculates the right azimuth and eleva- tion parameters for all satel- lites. We found it very useful that more than one footprint can be shown at the same time, and the range of cus- tomisation options for the virtual globe is almost unlim- ited. This way you may opt to add borders between states, a cloud cover between the sky and the surface or night- time view, if that’s to your liking. One thing we found a little quirky but interesting nonetheless is that you can change the way countries are presented according to their respective population densities. The same level of detail is available for the footprints as well, which can be presented with or without full colouring, scaling lines, etc. The entire screen con- 10. Presentation of a satellite’s footprint without scaling rings 11. Presentation of a satellite’s footprint with scaling rings but without colouring 12. You can even have the population density indicated (the darker the red colour, the higher the population density) 13. Simultaneous presentation of two different footprints 14. Each satellite comes with a wide range of technical details that can be called up at any time 15. Settings menu of the app
16 17 108 TELE-audiovision International — The World‘s Leading Digital TV Industry Publication — 05-06/2015 — www.TELE-audiovision.com tent can be shared with friends via Fa- cebook, Twitter and Instagram with a single touch on the screen. Still, the only aspect that really mat- ters for a satellite alignment app is the accuracy of the provided data, and it is in this field that you simply can’t fault Satbeams. The app relies on the same database that is made available to us- ers of the standard website, and we all know that this is probably one of the most comprehensive and most up-to- date satellite databases around. With all that praise for Satbeam and its mobile app we did, however, notice that the popular daily frequency lists that are available from www.satbeams. com have not made it to the app. What a pity, since the most current tran- sponder data right on the smartphone 16. Free line of sight – all satellites shown here on the virtual Clarke Belt can easily be received at this location 17. Obvious from this picture: All satellites further out then approximately 40° West cannot be received at this location or tablet would have been an awesome treat. Other than that, the app is a valuable tool for everyone dealing with antenna alignment that needs to be ac- complished easily and quickly. Download im Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/ details?id=com.letsplaymobile.satbeams Download im iTunes Store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/satbeams/ id863040249?ls=1&mt=8

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Satbeams

  • 1. 102 103TELE-audiovision International — The World‘s Leading Digital TV Industry Publication — 05-06/2015 — www.TELE-audiovision.com www.TELE-audiovision.com — 05-06/2015 — TELE-audiovision International — 全球发行量最大的数字电视杂志 • fast and visual information on receivable satellites at a given location • satellite data are available offline and can be updated at any time • footprints can be visualised to determine the required antenna diameter • satellites are shown automatically as soon as the camera is activated Satbeams mobile SOFTWARE REPORT App for Satellite Antenna Alignment
  • 2. 05-06/2015 www.TELE-audiovision.com/15/05/satbeams 104 TELE-audiovision International — The World‘s Leading Digital TV Industry Publication — 05-06/2015 — www.TELE-audiovision.com Useful app for satellite antenna alignment It’s the same problem we are faced with again and again. There’s a satellite antenna to be set up and aligned, but is the satellite we are aiming at receivable at all at our location? Actu- ally, that’s two questions packaged into one. Number one: Is the location within the satellite’s footprint and is the antenna’s diameter suf- ficient for reliable reception, especially at the fringes of the footprint? Number two: Is there a direct line of sight between the antenna and the satellite, or does a tree or building stand in the way? Those are key questions that beg answering before you should even think about in- stalling a satellite antenna, because what’s the point of going to great lengths if you don’t know (a) whether Satbeams App Find available satellites with total ease Apple iTunes Store. Next, you need to cre- ate a free account at www. satbeams.com in order to be able to download up-to- date satellite data from the Internet. The app will auto- matically access a Satbeams server and obtain all cur- rent data, a process that in our case only took slightly less than 90 seconds on an LTE connection. The Sat- beams mobile app then au- tomatically switches to the main menu, which is pretty much filled to the brim with features and functions and therefore may look slightly overwhelming at first sight. But rest assured, the two major functions of the app can be launched quickly and without further ado. You can always have a closer look at all other entries (About, Products & Services, News, Contact and Help) at a later stage. In actual fact, all they do is either refer you to the Satbeams website or offer general information and as- sistance. We did appreciate that the Augmented Reality (AR) function of the app activates automatically to superim- pose the Clarke Belt on the current camera view when- ever users point their smart- phone or tablet towards the sky. This way you can find out simply by moving your device whether or not the desired satellite can be re- ceived with an unrestricted line of sight from your loca- tion. The orbital positions that are available are shown along a virtual Clarke Belt. During our test this feature gave no reason for com- plaint. The only thing you you’ll be successful in the end and (b) which location is best suited for the antenna in order to achieve optimum results. The people behind the www.satbeams.com website have come up with a new app for smartphones and tablets that can help answer those essential questions quickly, hassle-free, and in a matter of seconds. The best part? You can do all that offline and don’t need an Internet connection that may incur additional costs. All you need to shell out is a one-time charge of EUR 10.00 to pur- chase and download the app to your smartphone or tab- let from Google Play Store or SOFTWARE REPORT App for Satellite Antenna Alignment
  • 3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 106 107TELE-audiovision International — The World‘s Leading Digital TV Industry Publication — 05-06/2015 — www.TELE-audiovision.com www.TELE-audiovision.com — 05-06/2015 — TELE-audiovision International — 全球发行量最大的数字电视杂志 1. Before you can start using the app you need to create a free account at www.satbe- ams.com 2. Registration page 3. Updating the database via the Internet 4. Main menu of the Satbeams mobile app 5. Presentation of the Clarke Belt above a virtual globe 6. All DTH satellites are listed in a compre- hensive database 7. Presentation of the footprint of ASTRA 2F 28.2° East 8. In night mode you can clearly observe which parts of the world are currently facing the sun 9. The current weather can be shown, if required need to take care of is ac- tivating the GPS function of your smartphone or tablet, otherwise the device won’t be able to determine the current location. With the help of the foot- print function the Satbeams mobile app can display the footprints of all direct-to- home (DTH) satellites world- wide on a virtual globe. We looked very closely at the accuracy of individual beams coming from one and the same satellite. After all, there’s a huge difference be- tween channels transmitted from ASTRA 2A and ASTRA 2F, for example, that need to be received in Central Eu- rope, even though both sat- ellites carry British TV and radio stations from 28.2° East. While in one case an 80 cm antenna will do, the other beam requires an antenna diameter of at least three meters in Central Europe. As hoped, the app takes care of those subtle (and not so sub- tle) differences and precisely indicates all relevant infor- mation. Looking for some ic- ing on the cake? Well, there you go: Apart from a range of technical details, the app also immediately calculates the right azimuth and eleva- tion parameters for all satel- lites. We found it very useful that more than one footprint can be shown at the same time, and the range of cus- tomisation options for the virtual globe is almost unlim- ited. This way you may opt to add borders between states, a cloud cover between the sky and the surface or night- time view, if that’s to your liking. One thing we found a little quirky but interesting nonetheless is that you can change the way countries are presented according to their respective population densities. The same level of detail is available for the footprints as well, which can be presented with or without full colouring, scaling lines, etc. The entire screen con- 10. Presentation of a satellite’s footprint without scaling rings 11. Presentation of a satellite’s footprint with scaling rings but without colouring 12. You can even have the population density indicated (the darker the red colour, the higher the population density) 13. Simultaneous presentation of two different footprints 14. Each satellite comes with a wide range of technical details that can be called up at any time 15. Settings menu of the app
  • 4. 16 17 108 TELE-audiovision International — The World‘s Leading Digital TV Industry Publication — 05-06/2015 — www.TELE-audiovision.com tent can be shared with friends via Fa- cebook, Twitter and Instagram with a single touch on the screen. Still, the only aspect that really mat- ters for a satellite alignment app is the accuracy of the provided data, and it is in this field that you simply can’t fault Satbeams. The app relies on the same database that is made available to us- ers of the standard website, and we all know that this is probably one of the most comprehensive and most up-to- date satellite databases around. With all that praise for Satbeam and its mobile app we did, however, notice that the popular daily frequency lists that are available from www.satbeams. com have not made it to the app. What a pity, since the most current tran- sponder data right on the smartphone 16. Free line of sight – all satellites shown here on the virtual Clarke Belt can easily be received at this location 17. Obvious from this picture: All satellites further out then approximately 40° West cannot be received at this location or tablet would have been an awesome treat. Other than that, the app is a valuable tool for everyone dealing with antenna alignment that needs to be ac- complished easily and quickly. Download im Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/ details?id=com.letsplaymobile.satbeams Download im iTunes Store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/satbeams/ id863040249?ls=1&mt=8