back to article Humax HDR-1000S Freesat+ recorder with FreeTime

The all-new Freesat recorder has arrived, after a long gestation, sporting a nifty user interface and the FreeTime system that integrates catch-up services such as the iPlayer and ITV Player into a programme guide that goes back in time, as well as ahead for planning hard disk recordings. Humax HDR-1000S Freesat+ recorder with …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    is it noisy?

    Fan, hard disc etc

    1. Real Ale is Best
      Boffin

      Re: is it noisy?

      I have the previous version, the Foxsat HDR, and I'd say it was inaudible.

      There is also custom firmware available that enabled a webserver, shell access, FTP etc. so you could download recordings, or indeed stream them, as well as access to the schedule.

      No doubt someone will hack this model to match.

    2. bluest.one

      Re: is it noisy?

      It has no fan. Humax offloaded the PSU so it sits outside the box. That means it's virtually silent and quieter than their G1 box, which is already quiet enough.

  2. The Axe

    Record other satellite streams

    Why can't you just use the PVR side to manually record other sat streams? Why is it limited only to FreeSat offerings.

  3. JDX Gold badge

    Freesat VS YouView?

    I'm a bit confused by this, mainly since I don't know much about YouView... is YouView not compatible with FreeSat then, only with FreeView?

    I've got an older Humax (FoxSat) FreeSat PVR which is pretty good, upgrading to this newer version might be cool but is the idea it just has individual iPlayer, 4OD, etc, players installed as Apps? I don't think I can stand using the 4OD player,

  4. Titus Aduxass
    Facepalm

    Only MP3?

    Barking mad not to include more audio formats.

  5. TooDeep

    More information needed

    Is there no EPG view other than the grid shown? This, of course, rather misses the point of PVRs. I much prefer programme lists bases on channels or search returns. Speaking of which, are search terms saved and is timer setting therefore automated?

  6. MJI Silver badge

    Looks like a scanner

    I prefer rectangular boxes for this type of kit.

    I still need to mod the firmware of my HDR for F1

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Looks like a scanner

      What is this firmware mod on the HDR for F1, you speak of?

      1. MJI Silver badge

        Re: Looks like a scanner

        The links are on my home PC, but basically consist of modded firmware which allows non Freesat channels such as all the RTLs to be added to the Freesat EPG.

        Requires 2xDISEQC and 2xdual LNBs

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Looks like a scanner

        of course you could always use google with words like F1 & small body of moving water that flows into a river. usually plenty there.

        But that would be wrong.

  7. JimS

    Navigation speed

    How's the UI navigation speed? On the FoxSat it's annoyingly laggy sometimes and fine others.

    The failed and clipped recordings happen on the FoxSat as well, so it's more likely the broadcast metadata as you mentioned and not the box.

    1. bluest.one

      Re: Navigation speed

      I've heard the UI is a lot quicker than the G1 version and smoother.

      As for clipped recordings, this is indeed a broadcaster issue, with channel 4 being a particular culprit. Missed series link recordings are also a broadcaster issue, with them failing to transmit the relevant metadata.

      I always pad my recordings, which this box allows you to do as well.

  8. pootle

    More info on menus searching etc. would be good

    This is a pretty lightweight review - is the navigation any good, and how about seaching in particular?

    I have a foxsat HDR PV and while it works reasonably well the search faciility is dire (like wading through treacle) - although most stbs seem to be pretty awful at this.

    and the iPlayer video quality is way below the quality I get from a PC or on a Sony BD360.

    and since I live in a broadband backwater, iPlayer HD streaming is marginal at best, so it would be really nice to be able to record iPlayer 5OD etc. so I can then watch it without all the pauses.

  9. ISYS
    Childcatcher

    Boot time and menu speed

    I hope to God that this unit boots quicker than my current Humax Foxsat HDR. I am not exagerating when I say it takes a good minute from power on to actually being able to get to the EPG.

    Then once there everything seems slow and clunky.

    1. MJI Silver badge

      Re: Boot time and menu speed

      That is power saving, the LNB needs to be warmed up

      1. bluest.one

        Re: Boot time and menu speed

        Exactly. There's a quick boot option if someone isn't as concerned about energy waste.

    2. This post has been deleted by its author

  10. James Hughes 1

    Slightly off topic

    Read this review, and the one for the similar YouView device linked. Need some advice. I do have a sat dish (no idea if it works, installed by previous owner), but currently use Freeview and have a Humax Freeview PVR (9600?) which works nicely -0 been very pleased with that.

    Wondering about upgrading to an HD version, but also want media streaming from USB attached HD as the offspring have lost the Cyclones remote and it woudl be good to combine things.

    What should I get? Should I stick with freeview HD, or go YouView, or should I get FreeSat? Which device?

    Decisions, decisions....

    1. bluest.one

      Re: Slightly off topic

      I like the fact that this device streams a lot of content over the lan. That it plays mkvs and the like from USB as well is pretty damn good. I have a cyclone which I never use because I use a Sony bluray player for all that, but if I didn't and hadn't already got a foxsat HDR, I'd definitely get this.

      As for the cyclone remote, you could always buy one of those Logitech programmable remotes - I replaced the crappy cyclone one with one of those and it made the cyclone usable (not that I need to use it except in extreme cases these days)

      1. James Hughes 1

        Re: Slightly off topic

        Thanks! Sounds like this is the way to go then. I presume Freesat has (almost) the same channels as Freeview but with more in HD? I really must do some investigation.

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Another HDR owner here, and I'd like to know whether they've learned how to make a remote that works from more than 5 feet away; if it lets you record the buffer as a program; if they've avoided the bug with paused TV and a subsequent scheduled recording on that channel; and all of the EPG and performance stuff mentioned by everyone else. I still quite like the HDR, but it was let down by problems that keep niggling, because you come across them all the time.

    1. bluest.one

      It does record the buffer, for the programme that's currently playing - not the entire buffer, though. The remote is supposed to be much better.

      More answers on the digital spy forums, as well as others.

    2. This post has been deleted by its author

    3. deadmonkey
      Thumb Up

      There's a plastic film over the sensor behind the drop down front flap, usually owners (like me too) read it somewhere having owned it for a year or two. Once removed the range and angle of the remote is noticeably improved.

      1. Steve 34

        No, I knew about that before buying it, and after removing films from the sensor and the flap (hell, even with the flap down) it was still awful. Putting heftier AAs in it helped a little, but even so it won't register from the other side of the room. Which is just, y'know, a room-sized room. It's crap.

  12. skinner

    streamed playback?

    Do any of these Humax boxes (freesat or freeview - dont care which) allow you to record onto one main box and then stream recordings over a home network to other TV connected boxes?

    I love my Sky+ but cannot justify the multiroom costs (plus the fucking need for a phone line plugged into every murdoch box for some reason - what a pain in the rear) and Sky still cannot stream from one box to another so no advantage anyway as you end up with recordings scattered over multiple boxes...

    1. Jay 2
      Big Brother

      No phone line needed

      Even though the T&Cs require you to have Sky boxes plugged into the phone line, you can get away with it not being plugged in. Though that does mean some of the interactive red button stuff may not work. I haven't had my box plugged in for about 3 years now and no complaints so far. Even when I swapped boxes I just called them up to pair the card when it couldn't do it itself.

      As far as I can tell there may soon be the abaility for one Sky box to be able to stream to another. From http://www.skyuser.co.uk/forum/sky-hd-supertelly/48844-new-sky-hd-skyhd-epg-v49-20-being-rolled-out-now.html

      "Sky is currently developing an ability to allow access to the contents on the Sky+ HD STB. This should then allow the SkyHD STB and the Sky Go app to stream content from your Sky+ HD STB when on the same LAN. There should also be an ability to allow you to view the content when away from home too with the Sky Go app."

    2. llodge

      Re: streamed playback?

      Yes,

      I can stream content from my Humax freeview hdr to the freeview hd box with the standard firmware I use powerline adapters to acheive this but others in my family manage with wi-fi dongles as well.

      I can also stream from the Foxsat satellite box using custom firmware.

      regards

      Mark

    3. mwngy

      Re: streamed playback?

      > Do any of these Humax boxes (freesat or freeview - dont care which) allow you to

      > record onto one main box and then stream recordings over a home network to other

      > TV connected boxes?

      My Freeview Humax T2 does exactly that: I can watch its recordings on other boxes (computers/tablets and also a sony bluray player), but it generally only works with the non-HD recordings (maybe a problem on the player side?). It's called PnP DNLA or something like that.

  13. b166er

    Would be nice if it had a DVB-T tuner too. I suppose Humax want me to buy a whole new box for that?

    1. bluest.one

      Well done and extra points if you've managed to actually buy a modern TV that DOESN'T have a dvb-t tuner in it.

      I suppose you mean so that you can record on it though.

      Why would you need it if you have a twin tuner dvb-s2 pvr, with catch up, though?

      Maybe if it also had a teas made, it would be better?

      1. b166er

        I'm just pointing out, that it would cost buttons to add a DVB-T tuner (or two), because they'd only really need to add the silicon, the rest is already done. So why not? I'd certainly pay, say an extra £20 for the additional tuner(s)

        1. Bob H
          Stop

          Adding DVB-T would be cheap, but as the UK HD system uses T2 it would cost much more, but it isn't just about the silicon

          Handling two different sets of processing for service information, which use two different data structures, isn't trivial. In addition companies pay to be on the Freesat EPG, so there would be a conflict between the two different businesses.

          People always complain about the cost of products, so adding another £20 to the cost as well as adding to the complexity, would reduce the number of products purchased and thus reduce the commercial viability of the product.

  14. Kubla Cant

    You can use the receiver in “normal” set-top box mode to view – but not record – free-to-air satellite channels that aren’t part of Freesat’s line-up.

    Why not record?

    It also looks like the remote control has, as usual, been designed by somebody who never watches TV and has no idea how people might use a remote. The EPG button, the one that gets most use, appears to be a titchy triangular thing.

  15. It'sa Mea... Mario

    fw update to foxsat?

    Not read all yet, leaving work now so will read at home but have a quick question..

    Is there anything new in the software/EPG that could not be delivered via a firmware update to the older FoxSat? Mine still works fine and forking out another (nearly) £300 for this seems bit much..

    Have been expecting 4od support forever and if this box does (eventually) get it but the Foxsat doesn't I will not be chuffed!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: fw update to foxsat?

      The new G2 box has 3x the RAM and substantially more CPU power, nether of these can be sent with a firmware update!

  16. fattybacon

    Back to the Future

    I managed to pick one up for £195 in the Comet firesale. Really nice performer, HD and SD picture quality is excellent in my opinion. The unit itself is pretty light and plasticy, and a fingerprint/dust magnet, a real disappointment to be honest.

    A few niggles, though I might be misremembering as I've loaned it to my dad to give him a taste of the future. When you Search it only displays things in the future from the seven day EPG, it would be nice if it searched the available On Demand content from the past too. (Does it even search through your own recordings?

    The other big one is the remote, common with other Humax boxes it doesn't support HDMI-CEC so you can't control the volume of your TV, switch sources etc. In other Humax boxes they've made the remotes universal, and can programme in your TVs codes for power and volume etc. Not this one :( though an old Foxsat HDR remote is a good alternative.

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