What is it?

SoftOPI is a Mac OS application that's a software replacement for the HughesNet/Direcway Outdoor Pointing Interface, or "OPI," a little yellow box that is a simple signal strength meter.

If you have a HughesNet satellite internet system, you probably know that about half the time the OPI refuses to display a signal strength when you're trying to aim the dish, instead flashing "8L8" or "8H8" endlessly. Even when it's working, it's a pain in the ass to squint at the OPI's tiny LCD while wrestling the dish around.

That's when a laptop comes in handy as a portable signal-strength meter. But the HughesNet control software (provided by the DW7000 satellite modem's built-in webserver, which lives at http://192.168.0.1) displays teeny, tiny numbers and has no audible feedback. That makes it really tough to see the display outdoors ... and you can't aim the dish when you can't see what your signal strength is!

This program addresses those faults by providing a HUGE six-inch-high numeric display that can be read even in bright sunlight, while also giving you audible feedback on the signal strength—so you need not even look at a display to aim the dish. In fact, nowadays I set up entirely by ear--I can even do it with the computer inside, listening to SoftOPI's tones through an open window!

How to use SoftOPI

When you first launch the program, you'll see this shareware reminder over a grayed-out screen.

You can run the program by clicking the "Try SoftOPI" button. (I hope that you'll find it useful enough to go back and click the "Buy" button later! Once you've paid the $10 shareware fee, you'll receive a registration number that will let you get rid of the shareware reminder.)

Now you'll see basic instructions—all you really need to know to operate the program—in large type:

When you press Enter, SoftOPI will begin checking the signal strength every second (assuming the DW7000 satellite modem responds ... sometimes the modem takes a few seconds), and displaying the signal strength in VERY LARGE numbers. SoftOPI's 1,024 x 768-pixel numeric display (shown here greatly reduced) will pretty much fill your screen!

If the signal is below 30, the background will be red. Once the receiver locks, the background will be green, as shown here. The signal strength will also be indicated by audible feedback: either tones whose pith is proportional to the signal, or spoken numbers. (When you get above 60, the tones change to chords, so you know you're in the zone!)

Starting and stopping

To start checking the signal strength, press the Enter key. To pause the program for example, in order to change your audio preferences), hold down the Shift key until the display turns gray and the audio stops. To restart signal checking, press Enter again. And of course to quit, press command-Q. (You need not stop the program before quitting.)

That's really all you need to know: Enter to start, Shift to pause. Easy!

IMPORTANT: While SoftOPI is checking, menus and other keyboard commands are not available; you must first pause the program with the Shift key. It may take a second or two for SoftOPI to respond to the Shift key, so remember to hold the key down until the background turns gray.

Choosing your audio feedback

You can choose whether to hear audio feedback in the form of tones, a female voice or a male voice. The Preferences dialog—available from the Apple menu or by pressing command-period when the program is paused—gives you the choice:

Tools

The Tools menu has a couple of commands that may come in handy. First, there's Start Checking (command-S), which does the same thing as pressing Enter. And in case the program doesn't work as expected with your particular setup, Show Raw Data shows or hides the HTML signal-strength page that your HughesNet modem is generating. If you then select all (command-A), copy, and paste the data into an email to me, it'll help me troubleshoot the problem.

Download the SoftOPI shareware

I invite you to download and try out SoftOPI at no cost. If you find the program useful, please consider buying SoftOPI. For ten dollars you'll be entitled to all future upgrades, and you'll supporting future development. Not only that, but I'll send you a registration number that removes the shareware reminder each time you start the program.

SigMon

As a bonus, SoftOPI now includes SigMon, a small, simple Mac OS X application that lets you continuously monitor the signal strength of your HughesNet/Direcway satellite internet connection with a tiny, fits-anywhere display. It can even chime to let you know when the signal falls below a preset level.

You can download and/or purchase SoftOPI and SigMon at the SoftOPI Downloads Page. Thanks!

—Andy Baird

This website was made with a Macintosh by Andy Baird.