Freeview/Freesat?

[soupdragon]

Hi all

I'm currently waiting on the release of the new Manhattan T4-R Freeview PVR with a view to purchasing but it's been delayed and delayed and further delayed. Hopefully it will still turn up but as a back up plan......

Do any members own or have owned either of the Humax Aura Freeview or the Freesat Arris PVR boxes?
I'm after opinion of how these boxes perform/flaws, you know the usual stuff.
We have a Sky dish on the wall with the lnb from the Sky+ hd system we've now moved on from. From what I've read on the Freesat website, the existing dish/lnb should enable 2 simultaneous recordings if we decided to go down that route.
Thanks in advance for your words of wisdom.

Cheers Tom

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I have used freesat boxes for many years alongside the TallTalk TV freeview box I got when I signed up with Talktallk years ago, Humax were the big name in freesat back then and for me they were the best boxes at the time, when mine gave up I found out they had stopped making them so I bought the 500GB version of the box linked to below when that gave up a few years later (i record all programmes rarely watch anything live so tese boxes get hammered) I replaced it with the 1 Terrabit 4k version below, I rate these boxes highly I didn't really need a 1TB but for the small price increase I thought it worth the extra


https://www.argos.co.uk/product/4377928?clickSR=slp:term:freesat pvr:2:36:1

 

[MashBag]

I have a t3 manhattan box and love it.
I would not buy a t4 version 1 until the bugs have been found. Brilliant menu.

I also have a freesat box which is a great because it has a mobile app, for control and setting recording. But the on box menu is clunky....

I would go freesat if a good box appeared.

Not sure that helps, but my tuppence.

 

[MashBag]

Humax Aura Freeview

Now then. Being a Samsung & android this sounds v nice. Watching with interest

 

[soupdragon]

I have used freesat boxes for many years alongside the TallTalk TV freeview box I got when I signed up with Talktallk years ago, Humax were the big name in freesat back then and for me they were the best boxes at the time, when mine gave up I found out they had stopped making them so I bought the 500GB version of the box linked to below when that gave up a few years later (i record all programmes rarely watch anything live so tese boxes get hammered) I replaced it with the 1 Terrabit 4k version below, I rate these notes highly I didn't really need a 1TB but for the small price increase I thought it worth the extra


https://www.argos.co.uk/product/4377928?clickSR=slp:term:freesat pvr:2:36:1

That's the Freesat beast I'm looking at. I'd go for the 1tb version if that was our plan.
I read something about ch4 hd being missing also random sound dropouts although that may be referring to an older version of firmware?
So what niggles are there in day to day use that you're happy to put up with and any that you wish they'd hurry up and resolve?

Cheers Tom

 

[soupdragon]

I have a t3 manhattan box and love it.
I would not buy a t4 version 1 until the bugs have been found. Brilliant menu.

I also have a freesat box which is a great because it has a mobile app, for control and setting recording. But the on box menu is clunky....

I would go freesat if a good box appeared.

Not sure that helps, but my tuppence.

We've got a T3-R already. The purchase is to replace an aged Logik (Vestel T7650) box, although it's still working well. I've had confirmation from Mr Manhattan that the T4-R remote can be set up so there's no clash with the T3.
Is your Freesat the new one or the better behaved Humax? If they were still making Freesat boxes I'd be happy to get one

Cheers Tom

 

[soupdragon]

Now then. Being a Samsung & android this sounds v nice. Watching with interest

Samsung? I know it's an android box but what's the Samsung link?

Cheers Tom

 

[MashBag]

I rebuilt my TV configuration last yeast.
Bought a quality bracket to hang the telly on, and hung a rack behind it and then cable tied everything to that.

Telly looks like it floats, only one cable drops to the floor.

The freesat and freeview boxes both work in this configuration (surprisingly). Freesat is the humax one. Can get the model if you want..

 

[MashBag]

Samsung? I know it's an android box but what's the Samsung link?

Cheers Tom

Samsung and android get on well. Don't do fruit anywhere.

 

[soupdragon]

I rebuilt my TV configuration last yeast.
Bought a quality bracket to hang the telly on, and hung a rack behind it and then cable tied everything to that.

Telly looks like it floats, only one cable drops to the floor.

The freesat and freeview boxes both work in this configuration (surprisingly). Freesat is the humax one. Can get the model if you want..

No need for the model number as it was discontinued a while ago and from other comments I've read they were snapped up due to people having issues with the new Arris box
Thanks anyway

Cheers Tom

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I also have a freesat box which is a great because it has a mobile app, for control and setting recording

That's a good point I had forgotten the box in the link also has an app for setting recordings when you are away from home it also connects by WiFi or Wired which the old one didn't.

No niggles or wish list for improvements.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I read something about ch4 hd being missing also random sound dropouts although that may be referring to an older version of firmware

I am sure have 4hd I will check later and let you know, I have no problem with sound l recently started to run it through a soundboard and it sounds amazing.

No niggles or wish list for improvements

 

[soupdragon]

That's a good point I had forgotten the box in the link also has an app for setting recordings when you are away from home it also connects by WiFi or Wired which the old one didn't.

Isn't there an issue with the Freesat forcing HDR output even on non a HDR feed causing a dodgy picture? I've read so much stuff over the last few days I've forgotten which "faults" are linked to which machine

Cheers Tom

 

[Chippy_Tea]

TBH i rarely watch non HD channels as all the channels i prefer to watch have a HD version, SWMBO likes to skip round the shopping channels and has never said they are unwatchable so i am not sure about the HDR feed problem.

Here is my screen shot showing 4HD -

 

[Chippy_Tea]

 

[jof]

Um..
I just plugged a usb hard drive into the back of my old Samsung smart TV & it just works as a Freeview PVR without having to buy yet another box to power.
Or am I missing something?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Or am I missing something?

I didn't know that was possible how do you get the TV guide etc?

I prefer having two boxes SWMBO uses the TalkTalk Freeview PVR and i use the Freesat PVR i prefer the picture quality the Freesat box to me its miles better than the TalkTalk box.

 

[jof]

I didn't know that was possible how do you get the TV guide etc?

I prefer having two boxes SWMBO uses the TalkTalk Freeview PVR and i use the Freesat PVR i prefer the picture quality the Freesat box to me its miles better than the TalkTalk box.

Right so I'm now going to look on the back for the serial number.
Ue22h5600ak

The oldest program I have is from Christmas 2015, so I would have thought if you have a more modern smart TV it should have similar functionality.
The TV schedule as shown on the TV allows me to either schedule viewing (so it would turn on & change channel) or schedule recording.
To be honest, there are a lot of newer apps that it won't run, but iPlayer & channel4 work.
And you can cast to it from a phone over WiFi.
Maybe you could test it by putting a memory stick in the usb socket.

 

[MashBag]

Um..
I just plugged a usb hard drive into the back of my old Samsung smart TV & it just works as a Freeview PVR without having to buy yet another box to power.
Or am I missing something?

It sure does (I have too) . But to be fair it is very unsophisticated compared to a pvr.

 

[MashBag]

I didn't know that was possible how do you get the TV guide etc?

I prefer having two boxes SWMBO uses the TalkTalk Freeview PVR and i use the Freesat PVR i prefer the picture quality the Freesat box to me its miles better than the TalkTalk box.