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The TechnoTrend Connect S2-3600 is a small HDTV receiver the size of a cigarette pack that connects to a computer via USB. It has an easy plug-and-play setup and comes with software for watching TV and accessing electronic program guides. Testing showed it can receive HDTV channels flawlessly provided the computer has a powerful enough processor. While it lacks common interface slots, it provides a good free-to-air HDTV alternative to conventional set top boxes.
Technotrend
- 1. TEST REPORT USB Box TechnoTrend Connect S2-3600 HDTV receiver the size of a cigarette pack After the PC card which was introduced in the tional sockets apart from the IF input and the previous issue of TELE-satellite, TechnoTrend USB interface. The front panel features an IR now offers an HDTV receiver with miniature receiver which picks up the signals from the dimensions and the name Connect S2-3600. The included remote control, which unfortunately is small receiver gets its power from an external a little on the small side. power unit and that's why there are no addi- The installation CD includes a reception of data services like up-to-date transponder very useful PDF manual as well as Internet-via-satellite on the other list, but given the sheer all required drivers and applica- hand. The Media Center comes number of available tions. There is also a leaflet with a pre-programmed with an almost positions this is a flaw quick installation guide. complete channel list for the pop- we can easily forgive. ular European position of ASTRA The transponder data of each satellite can Everyday use 19.2° East. The channel list is Hardly bigger than a pack of cigarettes: conveniently organised accord- easily be extended and the TechnoTrend Connect S2-3600 for Installation of the Connect S2- ing to providers, which makes edited, and every imag- HDTV reception 3600 and associated software is it rather easy to find all desired inable local oscillator based on the Plug & Play principle, channels quickly. frequency can be selected. channels are transmitted on same which means that the Windows transponder it takes only one operating software detects new second. Between two different hardware right away and installs transponders the time is slightly all necessary drivers automati- less than two seconds. If program cally. There is not even a need provider transmits EPG data these to restart the PC after installa- are displayed for current and next tion procedure and the box can event in a window on bottom of be used immediately. Regarding screen. Size of this window can be the hardware requirements Tech- freely selected. noTrend recommends an Intel Pentium 3 processor with 1 GHz The EPG of many conventional for normal DVB-S. If you want to settop boxes pales by comparison, use HDTV in DVB-S or DVB-S2, because the S2-3600 has received however, you need to go for a all data only a few seconds after Pentium 4 with 3.4 GHz or AMD switching to a channel and can 3500/Dual Core in combination display all of them with the touch with a potent graphics card (AGP of a button, including extended or PCI Express with a minimum of EPG information (if provided for 64 MB RAM), as well as Windows selected channel). The EPG also Animals always make for good viewing: seen on the ASTRA HDTV promo XP. Unfortunately you cannot use lists all stored data for other chan- channel any CI modules with the Connect nels, so the whole lot can be dis- S2-3600 which means it's not pos- If you want to receive other sat- Apart from the manual trans- played very conveniently. sible to receive pay TV with it. ellites apart from ASTRA you can ponder search the included soft- easily add these via the channel ware allows searching a complete The tuner used by TechnoTrend The included software is divided search menu. Altogether 141(!) orbital position automatically and is very sensitive and can also into two areas: the TechnoTrend European, Asian and American with an 80-transponder satellite handle SCPC signals with a low Media Center for TV reception on satellites are pre-programmed. this took a little over nine min- bandwidth. Our test transponder the one hand and tools for the Not all of these come with a fully utes. DiSEqC 1.0 is available to with a symbol rate of 1.6 Ms/s control up to four LNBs. DiSEqC was processed flawlessly. 1.1 for multifeed antennas with up to 16 LNBs is not yet supported, After having looked at the unfortunately. basic functions we of course pro- ceeded to test HDTV reception. Thanks to the pre-programmed We quickly found the free-to-air channel list it is possible to start channels on ASTRA 19.2° East watching right after installation and after two more seconds we and the first channel appears on were able to watch the first signal screen already after two seconds. with perfect picture quality. You Switching time is good, and if two really need to compare HDTV and TELE-satellite International — www.TELE-satellite.com
- 2. SDTV side by side to appreciate number of additional applications the enormous improvement that that work with this box and all the TECHNIC Distributor DVB-Shop, Germany DATA Tel +49-34954-31960 HDTV brings via-à-vis standard freaks who cannot live without Fax +49-34954-49233 television. While SDTV reception ProgDVB, for reasons we don't Internet www.dvbshop.net did not bother the CPU of our P4 want to dig into, can rest assured 3.7 GHz much, situation changed because the box and this software Model TT-Connect S2-3600 for HDTV reception and the proc- are a perfect match, even though Function USB box for reception of DVB essor rattled away in full speed. an error message pops up every and DVB-S2 in SDTV/HDTV So long as no additional software time you start up the applica- Channel memory Unlimited was running during HDTV recep- tion. You only have to confirm, Satellites 141 tion there was an absolutely syn- however, and it disappears and Symbol rates 4-45 Ms/sec. chronous presentation of audio does no harm. Even HDTV chan- SCPC compatible yes (up 1.6 Ms/s in our test) and video, but as soon as the CPU nels in DVB-S2 can be displayed USALS no had to provide some power for using ProgDVB, even though the DiSEqC 1.0 additional applications or for data software itself does not originally transfer via the USB port, HDTV support DVB-S2. The TechnoTrend EPG yes video got out of sync. data application running in the C/Ku band compatible yes background as a tuning aid makes By the way, if you are lucky it possible. enough to own AC3 or Dolby Dig- ital compatible speakers with your DXers and satellite freaks take PC system you can enjoy perfect note: the TechnoTrend S2-3600 surround sound together with the can display MPEG 4.2.2, just like brilliant video. Contrary to some all other DVB-S2 PC solutions, DVB-S2 settop boxes the Tech- provided you have installed an noTrend Media Center is also able appropriate codec. to receive transponders of Brit- ish pay TV provider Sky Digital and of BBC on ASTRA 28.2° East without any problems. So if you can receive signals from ASTRA 2D there's nothing in the way of watching first-rate documentaries in top HDTV quality. EPG In addition to TV reception the included 'Media Center' software allows showing all kinds of videos on the PC and thanks to the pic- ture-in-picture mode the current TV picture can be shown in a small window during commercial breaks, for example. Digital search A dedicated item on the menu can be used to assign freely selectable functions to all buttons The "Media Center" software supplied by on the remote control, which is TechnoTrend can be used for many purposes why the remote control has to be configured and all buttons have to be assigned with their desired functions before it becomes oper- ational for the first time. Once this task is achieved it's great to use the remote, as it works just the way you want it to. Apart from the software pro- Program magazine vided by TechnoTrend there are a Expert conclusion + The TechnoTrend Connect S2-3600 is a genuine alternative to conventional HDTV settop boxes. For little money you get a lot of features. The included software works glitch-free and HDTV reception is flawless provided your PC's processor is powerful enough. Thomas Haring TELE-satellite - Test Center Austria With an appropriate codex and the ProgDVB software the Connect S2-3600 can also display MPEG 4:2:2 transmissions, just like this Al-Jazeera feed None. on NILESAT. TELE-satellite International — www.TELE-satellite.com