04-05 - TELE-satellite International Magazine

Software update via PC using a USB or serial
connection
presses recordings in way that allows
you to use a single disc when the sheer
file size otherwise would not fit into a
single DVD.
Editing the channel list
Thanks to flawless implementation of
DiSEqC 1.2 and 1.3 (USALS) Topfield
receivers are not only able to receive
Vega channel list editor
22 TELE-satellite & Broadband — 04-05/2009 — www.TELE-satellite.com
signals of a single satellite, but virtually
thousands of channels from several
orbital positions.
This implies that the channel memory
will sooner or later be at capacity and
also that it simply isn’t fun looking for a
specific channel in a list that ultimately
can hold 5000 entries.
A range of easy-to-use editing, sorting
and changing options are available right
through the receiver’s on-screen menu,
but with the huge number of channels
at hand most users run out of patience
pretty soon.
Luckily, there is an alternative. It’s
called Vega and is a PC tool that is compatible
with all Topfield receivers and
which makes organising the channel,
favourites, satellite and transponder lists
so much easier because you can do it all
on the PC. The application is available for
download from www.i-topfield.com.
In a first step you need to make sure
all data are transferred to the PC, which
takes place either via a USB 2.0 connection
or a serial connection. While a standard
USB 2.0 cable is required for the
USB set-up, you need a 9-pin null modem
cable to establish a working serial connection.
For security reasons Topfield receivers
allow reading and writing the channel
list only before the operating system
has loaded, and this means you need to
activate the download mode in the Vega
application first and then reboot the
receiver for data transfer to be initiated.
As soon as all data is available on the
PC you can go about editing, sorting,
deleting, locking or renaming entries
in the channel, favourites, satellite or
transponder lists. You will soon come to
appreciate the fact that several entries
can be moved, deleted or PIN-locked at
once.
At the same time, DiSEqC settings or
transponder details can be adjusted with