TEST REPORT Satellite PVR

Sonicview
SV-360 Elite PVR
Easy To Use
PVR Receiver
PVR boxes are becoming more and more popular every day.
And with the large variety of channels available via satellite and
so much to choose from, it’s easy to see why. Your favorite pro-
gram could be playing on the night you have to attend a wedding.
Or maybe it’s that championship boxing match you simply don’t
want to miss. Thanks to PVR boxes, any channel can be recorded
for playback at a time convenient to you.

Because of this increasing USB 2.0 ports. These buttons

popularity, more and more let you completely operate the
manufacturers are producing receiver should the remote
PVR boxes than ever before. control go missing. They are
Sonicview has also joined this somewhat recessed into the
group with their new twin- front panel and because of
tuner SV-360 Elite PVR sat- their small size, someone with
ellite receiver. Naturally, we larger fingers might have some outputs (Y, Pb and Pr). To go
wanted to see what this box minor difficulties pushing the along with that is an optical
was made of so when the buttons sufficiently, especially S-PDIF digital audio output for
package arrived a few days the ring buttons. The USB port superb audio quality. Round- be used to control your other
ago from Sonicview we knew is protected from dust by a ing it all out is an RS-232 serial electronic equipment such as
that we had the opportunity to rubber flap that easily pops off interface, two USB 2.0 ports your TV, DVD player or VCR.
do just that. to reveal the connection. and a main power switch. All in all, it is a very versatile
remote control.
When we opened the pack- The rear panel is also very The power cord is hard-
age we found a sleek-look-
ing satellite receiver that
nicely equipped. Since it is
a twin tuner box, you’ll find
wired into the receiver and
comes with a North American Everyday Use
was completely black in color a pair of satellite IF inputs plug. The receiver’s power Now that we had a chance to
except for a thin chrome- as well as a pair of looped- supply is rated at 95-250VAC, look at this box from the out-
colored stripe that ran hori- through IF outputs on the left 50/60Hz and can therefore be side, let’s see what it can do
zontally through the center side. Then, of course, there used anywhere in the world; when we turn it on. The very
of the front panel. This stripe are the typical set of RCA jacks just make sure you have the first thing we noticed was the
also wraps around two small that provide video and stereo right adapter plug and you’ll Sonicview logo on the left side
buttons (on/off and menu) analog audio outputs. But for be good to go. A modulator of the front panel: when the
and a set of ring buttons (left/ improved video quality, there’s output is not available and receiver was plugged in (main
right/up/down arrows and OK) an S-Video output and, better since this particular box is power switch on), this logo
on the front panel as well as yet, another set of RCA jacks meant for the North American was illuminated from behind.
one of the receiver’s three that give you component video market, Scart connectors are The soft blue color of the logo
also not provided. gives the receiver an elegant
Unlike the receiver, the uni- look to it. When the receiver is
TELE-satellite World www.TELE-satellite.com/...
Download this report in other languages from the Internet:
versal remote control is mostly powered up for the first time,
Arabic ‫ﺍﻟﻌﺮﺑﻴﺔ‬ www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0811/ara/sonicview.pdf silver in color except for a small the SV-360 Elite PVR asks what
Indonesian Indonesia www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0811/bid/sonicview.pdf black portion in the center. The on-screen language should be
Bulgarian Български www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0811/bul/sonicview.pdf
Czech Česky www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0811/ces/sonicview.pdf remote sits nicely in your hand used. You can choose between
German Deutsch www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0811/deu/sonicview.pdf and, contrary to the buttons English, French, German,
English English www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0811/eng/sonicview.pdf
Spanish Español www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0811/esp/sonicview.pdf on the receiver, these but- Spanish, Italian, Russian
Farsi ‫ﻓﺎﺭﺳﻲ‬ www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0811/far/sonicview.pdf tons are not recessed and can Turkish, Dutch, Czech and
French Français www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0811/fra/sonicview.pdf
Greek Ελληνικά www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0811/hel/sonicview.pdf easily be pushed by fingers of Polish. Don’t take too long
Croatian Hrvatski www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0811/hrv/sonicview.pdf any size. The ring buttons and to make your choice – if you
Italian Italiano www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0811/ita/sonicview.pdf
Hungarian Magyar www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0811/mag/sonicview.pdf the buttons for the numeri- don’t select a language quick
Mandarin 中文 www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0811/man/sonicview.pdf cal keypad glow in the dark so enough, the Sonicview auto-
Dutch Nederlands www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0811/ned/sonicview.pdf
Polish Polski www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0811/pol/sonicview.pdf that you can easily see them matically opts for the default
Portuguese Português www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0811/por/sonicview.pdf if you’re watching TV without language, in this case English.
Romanian Românesc www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0811/rom/sonicview.pdf
Russian Русский www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0811/rus/sonicview.pdf any lights on! This feature If this happens, it’s not a prob-
Swedish Svenska www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0811/sve/sonicview.pdf could even help you find the lem at all to go into the menu
Turkish Türkçe www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0811/tur/sonicview.pdf
remote in a completely dark and change it to a more suit-
Available online starting from 26 September 2008
room. The remote can also able language.

46 TELE-satellite & Broadband — 10-11/2008 — www.TELE-satellite.com

 10-11/2008
SONICVIEW SV-360 ELITE PVR
A family-friendly receiver and easiest to
use with a multitude of features

0.54

With the correct language

selected, the receiver goes
right into channel reception
mode. Since there are no chan- All of the antenna settings
nels as yet saved in memory, are on the left side of the Dish
there was nothing to view. This Setting screen. On the right
simply means that we have to side is a graphical display of
go and find the channels we the signal strength and qual- Before you begin, make a
want to watch. You can do this ity levels with a green line rep- mental note of which antenna
by pressing the Menu button resenting the signal strength input on the rear panel you will
on the remote to access the and a red line the signal qual- be using. If you’re using both
Main Menu in the receiver. The ity. These two levels are also inputs, make sure to remem-
Main Menu is divided up into shown in numerical format. ber which antenna input goes
four categories (Installation, Underneath the graphical dis- to what satellite antenna.
System Settings, PVR and play is a bar graph representa- Naturally the first step is to
Advanced Settings) and each tion of the signal strength and select the satellite or satel-
of these is further divided up quality levels as well. lites that you want to receive
into additional sub-catego- and there is quite an extensive
ries. All of these sub-catego- list to choose from: the SV-360
ries can be seen to the right Elite PVR comes to you with a
of the highlighted Main Menu pre-programmed list of 195 (!)
category. Of course, the logi- satellites. And you can even
cal first step would be to go add five more! This list is fairly
into the Installation menu so up-to-date although there are
that you can tell the receiver some satellites in the list that
what you have attached to it. no longer exist or have recently
With the Installation menu changed names; a few of the
highlighted on the screen, a newer satellites are also miss-
click of the OK button let’s you ing. Thankfully, the colored
choose from one of the four function buttons on the remote
sub-categories. In the Dish control make it easy to add,
Setting screen, you can set up edit or delete satellites.
your receiver to match your
antenna configuration. The Sonicview is DiSEqC

www.TELE-satellite.com — 10-11/2008 — TELE-satellite & Broadband 47

 the task in a mere 4 min 38 while watching one of those
sec. There was no need to channels will display the chan-
fumble around looking for a nel list. As you look through
stop watch; the total scan time the channel list you will
was conveniently displayed on undoubtedly notice that some
the screen. But a good por- organization of the list will be
tion of this time was used to necessary. For example, the
scan from 12.2 to 12.9 GHz; list may include both FTA and
the extra time spent scan- encrypted channels. If you
ning this segment was not don’t care about the encrypted
necessary for INTEL- channels, the now-infamous
SAT AMERICAS 5 colored function buttons on
and there was no the remote control come into
way to limit the play once again. With the chan-
frequency range nel list displayed, a push of the
during the Blind red function button displays
Scan set up. The abil- only the FTA channels. Push
remote control. Simply refer to ity to set up frequency limits it again to display only the
the bottom of the on-screen would have saved a little scan- encrypted channels and then
display to find out what func- ning time. once again to bring back the
tion is assigned to each colored original list. Sorting the chan-
1.0/1.1/1.2/USALS compat-
button. Naturally, we also wanted to nel list is also just as easy:
ible allowing you to connect
check out the detailed Blind with the channel list displayed,
its two tuner inputs to almost
As we just mentioned, the Scan. It turns out that the pushing the yellow function
any possible antenna configu-
transponder data for all the detailed Blind Scan completed button displays the available
ration from a single antenna to
satellites is mostly up-to-date. its task in roughly the same sorting criteria (alphabetically,
a motorized system. The most
by channel number, by satel-
popular free-to-air (FTA) sat-
lite or default).
ellite in North America would
have to be INTELSAT AMERI-
From the channel list you
CAS 5 at 97 west. So, naturally,
can also easily switch between
we wanted to start our testing
tuner inputs by pushing the
by setting up the receiver for
green function button. The
this bird. Since the coax cable
SV-360 Elite PVR also comes
was connected to the IF-A input
with a multi-picture mode that
on the receiver, we selected
displays the still images of 4,
the Tuner 1 input in the Dish
9 or 16 different channels all
Setting screen. The LNB type/
on one screen so that you can
frequency was set to single and
get a quick overview of what is
10750 MHz. Of course, if the
currently on TV. You can use
LNB you’re using utilizes a dif-
the arrow keys to move around
ferent local oscillator frequency
from one image to another and
(LOF), you will most likely find
press the OK button when you
the correct LOF already stored
find something interesting to
in the list. If the LOF you need
watch. The receiver will then
is not in the list, simply enter it Main Menu
switch to that selected chan-
using the numerical keypad on
nel.
the remote control. If you happen to find an error time as the fast scan and man-
while looking through the aged to find the same number
Switching between chan-
Next we chose a transponder transponder list for a satel- of channels.
nels on the same transponder
from the preprogrammed list lite, it is a simple matter to edit
required almost one second.
for this satellite. The left/right the data. But if you can’t be So, now we have all these
Going from one channel to
arrow keys on the remote can bothered with doing that work new channels in the channel
another on different trans-
be used to select an active manually, the Sonicview’s Blind list. Pushing the OK button
transponder or you can press Scan function will do the work
the OK button to view a list of updating the transponder list
of all the transponders stored for you automatically. Simply
for the selected satellite. For push the blue function button
INTELSAT AMERICAS 5, the on the remote while in the Dish
transponder list was mostly Setting screen to get started.
up-to-date. As it turns out, the You can select a single satellite
same can be said for he stored scan or a multi-satellite scan.
transponders of all the satel-
lites. For this test we opted for a
single satellite scan. We also
With the transponder list chose to scan both polariza-
displayed, you can select the tions (vertical and horizontal)
desired transponder by high- although one or the other could
lighting it and then pressing have been chosen. We next
the OK button or, if necessary, selected the Fast scan instead
you can add, edit or delete of a Detailed scan. Pushing the
transponders right from this OK button started the Blind
screen by once again using the Scan. It zipped through both
colored function buttons on the polarizations and completed User Settings

48 TELE-satellite & Broadband — 10-11/2008 — www.TELE-satellite.com

ponders needed roughly 1.5 pan & scan or full screen). recording the program on
seconds before the picture The Time Setting screen lets the current channel. Simply
appeared. These times are you adjust all of the clock push the stop button to end
something you can live with settings. The time can be the recording. If you want
but it does take some of the set manually or automati- to record a second chan-
fun out of channel surfing. cally, daylight savings time nel while the first is still
can be turned on or off, etc. recording, simply switch
Of course, there may also And then of course there to the channel you want to
be channels that you’ll never are those channels that you record and repeat the proc-
watch or need to be renamed. don’t want your kids to see. ess mentioned above. Both
In that case you simply go to The Parental Control screen channels will be recorded at
the Channel Edit screen – the lets you block out any inap- the same time. Pushing the
second sub-category of the propriate programming. This stop button will give you the Channel List
Installation menu. Once in screen also allows you to option to stop recording one
the Channel Edit screen, the put restrictions on receiver of the channels or both chan-
video of the current chan- access, menu access and nels.
nel can be seen in a small encrypted channel access.
window on the right side of To see a list of all the
the screen with the channel
list on the left side. Even the
Personal recordings that have been

signal strength and qual- Video stored thus far, go into the
receiver’s PVR menu. You
ity bar graphs are included
here. While in the Channel
Recorder can use the arrow keys to
Yes, this is a PVR box, scroll through the list and
Edit screen, you can switch
but if you’re the observant then push the Play button
channels by scrolling to
type, you might have noticed on the remote control to
another channel and simply
something: where’s the hard play back the desired selec-
pressing the OK button on Dish Setting
drive? You do need a hard tion. The remote comes with
the remote. Once again, the
drive to record programming, control buttons that let you
colored function buttons on
don’t you? Well, as it turns pause the playback, rewind
the remote control make it
out, the SV-360 Elite PVR and fast forward at various
easy to delete, rename or
does not come with a built- speeds and play back in slow
lock out channels. You can
in hard drive. Instead, you motion.
even sort channels from this
screen as well! Software ver- need to connect an external
storage device. This could be There’s also an eight-
sion information and a fac-
tory reset function can also an external hard drive but event timer so you can set
be accessed via the Installa- it could also be some other the receiver to record your
tion menu. external storage device such favorite programs while
as a memory stick. And you’re out of the house.
The System Setting screen that’s where the three USB There’s even a time shift
is broken up into four sub- 2.0 ports come into play. function to save the day if PVR List
categories and lets you someone comes knocking at
set up the receiver to your For our tests we decided your door while you’re watch-
personal tastes. For exam- to use a 4 GB memory stick ing that four-star movie.
ple, from the User Settings we had lying around. The
screen you can change the memory stick can be plugged The receiver also comes
menu language, adjust the in to any of the three USB with a number of other useful
menu transparency, change ports. We used the front features such as picture-in-
how long the Info bar is dis- panel USB port for conven- picture (PIP). It can also be
played plus much more. From ience. Recording a program used as an MP3 player and a
the A/V Settings screen you is as simple as pressing the JPEG viewer so you can show
can switch between NTSC red Record button on the off all those pictures you
and PAL, change the aspect remote control. When the recently snapped on your
ratio (4:3 or 16:9) or select Record button is pushed, last vacation to your rela-
the display mode (letterbox, the receiver instantly starts tives and friends. PIP Channel List

50 TELE-satellite & Broadband — 10-11/2008 — www.TELE-satellite.com

 TECHNIC Expert Opinion
Manufacturer
DATA
Sonicview USA, Inc., San Diego California, USA
+
The Sonicview SV-360 Elite PVR is one of the
Tel +1-760-842-8931 easiest to use receivers on the market today. All
of the menus are for the most part self-explana-
E-mail sales@sonicviewusa.com
tory although a detailed user manual (English
Model SV-360 Elite PVR only) is also included should any questions arise.
Function Digital Satellite PVR Receiver with two tuners Many of the more critical software functions can
Ron Roessel
be accessed from only one location; no need to TELE-satellite
Channel Memory 6000 hunt through all the different menu screens to Test Center
USA
Satellites 195 (plus 5 user-settable) find what you need. It is definitely a family-friendly
Symbolrate 1-45 Ms/sec.
receiver that comes with a multitude of features that would make
any user happy.
SCPC Compatible yes
USALS yes -
The receiver does not have a modulator output but since most
Audio/Video Outputs yes
modern TVs today have more than one type of input, this really
Component Outputs yes (Y, Pb, Pr) isn’t that much of a problem. It is also not possible to set up fre-
S-VHS Output yes
quency limits for a Blind Scan.
S-PDIF Output yes
USB 2.0 Interface yes, three ENERGY
DIAGRAM
Power Supply 95-250VAC, 50/60Hz

Apparent Power

Active Power

Mode Apparent Active Factor

StandBy 24.5 W 16.5 W 0.67
Operation 26.8 W 14.7 W 0.54
PVR 27.5 W 15.3 W 0.55

After Stand-By the receiver is switched on at 10:18. The slight spike from
14.7W to 15.3W occured when the memory stick was inserted. At 11:05 the
receiver went into Stand-By, with the harddrive still active.

www.TELE-satellite.com — 10-11/2008 — TELE-satellite & Broadband 51