Manhattan Plaza ST200 THE MANHATTAN PLAZA ST RANGE HAS A LOT TO LIVE UP TO. ALEX LANE SEES IF THE YOUNG BUCK CAN KEEP UP WITH AN OLD WARHORSE FROM THE SAME STABLE
	Manhattan was once one of the big names in satellite TV, with a range of receivers for everyone from the beginner to the enthusiast, and a reputation that stood next to the likes of Echostar for both quality and features. It's a well-deserved reputation; a reliable Manhattan Starlight 6800 still drives my 1 metre dish between 36'E and 30W.
The Plaza ST range is hopefully a return to form, and reaches from a simple free-to-air model to a motorised dish driver, with connections for a hard disc drive if you want PVR functions, plus an optional Irdeto card reader. The Plaza ST-200 is an entry-level receiver with a twin common interface, and its mid-sized cabinet won't take up much space under your TV, although it is not as compact as some of the recent Humax and Echostar boxes. That's because Manhattan still provides a four-digit LED readout, plus controls for volume, channel, basic menu control, standby power and TV/radio selection. You could lose the remote but still use the receiver, and you might want to do that, because it's a very cheap remote, with small buttons packed close together. If Manhattan has cut corners on the handset, you'll be pleased by comprehensive connections that include S-video and digital audio outputs.
Setup Manhattan has joined the family of manufacturers which broadcasts software updates by satellite with a simple download from Hot Bird. You can also upgrade via the internet through a PC and serial cable, and you can also use the serial port to edit channel and favourites lists using software from the Plaza ST website, or connect to another Plaza ST receiver. The Plaza ST can have up to 50 different fixed or motorised antennas, using both Ku-band or C-band LNBs. It is hard to imagine anyone needing all these, and you can only have eight fixed feeds - limited by the capabilities of DiSEcQ 1.0 and a 12V switch. Motorised dishes can be driven using either a DiSEcQ 1.2 mount or a smart USALS mount, including movement limits to protect your dish. The menus for a 36V DC motor are also on show, although they won't have any effect on this receiver. You can also re-synchronise the motor if it has been knocked out of alignment, although this won't help much if it has also lost track of the geostationary arc. Searching & navigation Once the reference satellite is set up (or you've manually found the satellites on a dumb system), the receiver can be given a list of up to 40 satellites to search in sequence. It is a good idea to set a sequence from East to West, or you'll wait a long time as your dish travels between satellites. There's a preset database of 136 satellites worldwide, and 40 should be enough for all the satellites most people have in their range. The Plaza ST offers several search options, from a full automatic search of all transponders, a search using the Network Information Table, searching selected transponders, searching a single transponder, and using PIDs to find a specific channel. You can also choose to ignore data-only channels to save memory space, and a full auto-search of Hot Bird or Astra is pretty speedy, taking about five minutes. The Plaza ST's menus have two prominent signal strength and quality meters, which show levels 20 or 30 per cent lower than we're used to. Manhattan says this is because they're showing the real levels, and the tuner does appear to lock on at quite low levels. It is also a shame when you consider the Plaza ST's strongest feature - blind search. If you don't know the transponder details of a new channel, or you're looking for changing newsfeed signals, you simply set a range of frequencies to search. The receiver will look for active transponders in this range, then go back and tune in the actual signals. This is far slower than a normal search, and depends on how many actual channels there are to find. There's memory for 5,000 TV and radio channels - enough for most people, but by no means extravagant by today's standards. The main onscreen channel list can be sorted "on the fly" into alphabetical order or free and scrambled channels, and there are 11 favourite channel lists each for TV and radio. The lists can be edited and sorted manually so you can rename or delete channels, transponders or satellites. You can also add satellites to list if there's enough memory (but you can't set up a position for USALS to find it automatically). Performance Manhattan's always had a good reputation for good picture quality and, while the Plaza ST is certainly sharp, we found solid blocks of colour appeared somewhat fuzzy. This happens whether you're using RGB, S-video or composite output, and suggests noise in the power supply is interfering with the video output, which shouldn't be happening on this sort of kit. Fortunately, audio performance was excellent both through the Scart or stereo outputs, and via the digital audio output. Features Extra features on the Plaza ST include 10-event timers, with unlimited duration, a sleep timer, and seven-day DVB EPG support, although you can't programme timers from the EPG. Maybe in the PVR version? There's a built-in teletext browser, or you can watch text on your TV's browser if it has one. The common interface slot was quick to lock on with our Irdeto CAM, and there are games, including a Tetris clone, Minesweeper, and video poker if you've time to kill. The Plaza ST-200 looks like a return to form for Manhattan in many ways, and it is packed with great features. The £129 price is very good value, but not enough to excuse the poor tuner module or weak video output unless you very much need a receiver with blind search capability.
Specification Receiver: Manhattan Plaza ST-200 Price: 129 LNB Inputs: 1 LNB loopthrough: yes DISEqC: 1.2 USALS No of channels: 5,000 TV & radio No of satellites: 130 Selectable FEC: yes Symbol rate range: 2000-45000 CAM: (optional Irdeto) Common interface: 2 Teletext: built-in/VBI reinserted EPO support: DVIB 7-day Timer: 1 0-event, unlimited time UHF modulator tuning: channels 21-69 Expansion bus: serial Software upgrade: OTA/PC AV outputs: 2 Scart, composite video, S-video, stereo audio, coaxial digital audio
	Up to 11 favourite channel lists for TV and radio.
	The menu system is simple but dynamic.
	Relax with hand of poker, Tetris or Battleships.
	The EPG looks nice, but seven-day compatibility goes mostly unused.
	THE OPPOSITION Echostor DSB-880 2CI Slick and simple-to-use common interface receiver, now with full DiSEqC and USALS, plus hefty memory and lots of features. 1D Digital C120 Compact common, interface, receiver with impressive range of features. Good value with basic DiSeqC control, but quirky user interface. Triax DVB262S Good performing receiver with twin common interface, but no RGB output or USALS control, and a high price.
	Reviewed in What Satellite and Digital TV magazine, November 2004.

©2004 SatCure

	Installing Sky Digital TV Everything you need to know about installing a Digital satellite TV system. Click here
	FREE - Beginners Guide to Electronics Easier to understand than anything you've read previously! Martin has a knack of explaining technical subjects in simple language. Components covered include resistors, diodes, transistors and capacitors. As an example, it describes in detail how to build a flashing LED circuit on perforated stripboard ("Veroboard") with a photograph of every stage. This is NOT just another boring technical eBook full of mathematical equations. You'll like it! Ideal for everyone from the young student to the retired lady looking for a new hobby. You'll definitely want more! Click here
	A Beginner's Guide to Receiver Repair Based on the original "Screwdriver Expert's Guide to Satellite Receivers" this eBook describes the basic components and a typical power supply with diagrams and explanations. Shows how to solder and describes what to check and measure. Includes a basic guide to tracing the cause of a fault. It won't make you an expert but, if you are capable of soldering in components supplied as a kit, it will take you one step further so you understand why you are doing it and even help you figure out other possible fault causes and cures. If you buy a repair kit, you need this eBook. Click here