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MASPRO-DUCTION...
INTRO
Maspro have been in the satellite TV business almost longer
than anyone else, so when they launch a new mid-range IRD system it's worth
sitting up and taking notice...
COPY
Maspro and satellite
television have come a very long way since December 1985, when they introduced
their first domestic STV system in the UK. Then the SRE-80L six-channel tuner
came with a 1.2-metre dish, and a whopping £1,500 price tag, though that did
include the cost of installation! This Spring Maspro launched their ST8
Videocrypt IRD; it comes with a 60 cm dish, precisely half the size of it's
forebear. It is pre-tuned to128 channels covering a dozen or so satellites, and
at around £250 it costs one sixth as much as the SRE-80L, mind you, these days
installation is extra...
One of the best things
about the ST8 is that it doesn't instantly look like an STV tuner, it could
just as easily pass for a discreet, midi-sized VCR, or a CD player, which makes
a welcome change from the hotch-potch of awkward-looking black boxes we've seen
lately. The key cosmetic design feature is a flip-down, see-through cover in
the centre of the front panel, which hides the smart-card slot and basic
operating controls for power on, channel change and mode lock; just about everything
else is controlled from the compact remote handset and the multi-lingual, menu-driven, on-screen displays. This
includes the provision to select 20 favourite channels from the 128 stored in
the receiver's memory. These can be quickly accessed using a pair of up/down
buttons on the remote.
The ST8 has a useful
selection of secondary features which include an 8-event/31-day timer, (to turn
it on and off for VCR recording), a sleep timer, mode lock, parental lock,
picture mute (for radio listening), and an input level display, which comes in
handy for initial alignment. The comprehensive on-screen displays cover
virtually every aspect of the receivers operation, including frequency, audio mode, decoder status and
LNB parameters to name just a few, though strangely there's no provision to
label or tag channels with anything other than a simple one, two or three digit
number which appears on the screen every time the channel is changed. Delving
too deeply into the receiver's set-up modes and fiddling with the factory
presets is not for the faint-hearted, unless you're confident you know what
you're doing. However, everyday functions, provided they're no more involved
than switching the receiver on and off, or changing channel, are perfectly
straightforward, and almost -- but not quite -- granny-proof!
The ST8 works well; noise
thresholds and sensitivity compare favourably with the competition. Under most
conditions picture noise levels are low or well within acceptable limits and
overall it is capable of providing a good clean picture. The audio side is also
up to scratch, induced background hiss is minimal and stereo channel separation
is fine; the ST8's independently tuneable sub-carriers could well be of
interest to the inquisitive with access to a steerable dish.
Maspro have been designing
and building satellite systems for longer than we care to remember, and it
shows. The ST8 is a stylish and refined product that is perfectly at home as a
dedicated Astra IRD, though for those with wider horizons, it is equally viable
as a multi-satellite workhorse.
FACT FILE
Receiver: Maspro ST8
System price: £250 (60cm dish)
Address: Electrotech Distribution, Unit 6, Drury Way Industrial
Estate, Laxcon Close, Neasden, London NW10 OTG.
Tel: 081-451 6766
VERDICT
Sound ****
Picture ****
Ease of use ***
Features ***
Value for money ****
Stylish-looking receiver with average to good
performance, a worthy contender for the latest batch of mid-market IRDs
Buying Satellite Rating:
80%
System: Maspro ST8 IRD
Astra receiver. Features: 128 pre-tuned
channels, 20 channel presets, 8-event/31-day timer, parental lock, menu-driven
on-screen displays. Audio: 7
stereo (3 fixed,
4-variable), 14 mono (10 fixed, 4-variable). Sockets: LNB F-connector , UHF loop-through, 3 x SCART AV
(TV, VCR, decoder), stereo audio out (phono), AC mains. Dimensions 360(w) x
73(h) x 262(d) mm.
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(c) R.Maybury 1993 2004
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