[jlearmonth]

Hmm
I only have a little one ( USB stick that is ).
It's only 1 Gig although in my day that was Huge.
I have only managed to copy the shortest of recordings to it.
It seemed to manage 1 episode of "Post Man Pat"
But a Doctor Who episode resulted in the no space error.
Any one any estimates on how big things get for HD and SD say 1 hour 2 hours etc.
The stupid Humax doesn't tell you the sizes.
I suspect even a largish USB Stick wouldn't be much use. Probably need some form of USB drive.
Anyone any experiences
Anyone know when Humax might implement TCP transfer.
Thanks
JimL

[psikey]

I have a 16GB USB drive which should be enough to transfer anything off as the Humax shows it can store about 37 hours in 285GB or 7GB/hour for HD so a 2hr movie should copy. An SD file is around 1/4 the size or approx 1.5GB/Hour I think.

Not copied anything off yet as I only got it yesterday but unless files are split, the USB drive would only handle files around 4GB if formated in FAT32 so the drive may need to be formated as NTFS or Linux format.

You can get 16GB USB flash drives for around £15.

I also have a pocket USB hard drive at 40GB but these can go to 500GB (i.e. larger than the Humax itself).

::EDIT::

Just read that the Humax can oply see USB drives formatted as FAT16/32 or the Linux format EXT2/3.

Plus............ Think the BBC HD content my be copy protected to prevent transfer to USB (maybe not all of it).

I intend to give it a try out over Christmas. There is software available to create a EXT3 partion on a Windows PC & Also read EXT3 drives. I have a NAS drive which is Linux based so can format in EXT3 & read the drive through that.

[grahamlthompson]

Originally Posted by psikey

I have a 16GB USB drive which should be enough to transfer anything off as the Humax shows it can store about 37 hours in 285GB or 7GB/hour for HD so a 2hr movie should copy. An SD file is around 1/4 the size or approx 1.5GB/Hour I think.

Not copied anything off yet as I only got it yesterday but unless files are split, the USB drive would only handle files around 4GB if formated in FAT32 so the drive may need to be formated as NTFS or Linux format.

The foxsat does not split large files so won't copy more than 4Gb to a fat32 partition

You can get 16GB USB flash drives for around £15.

I also have a pocket USB hard drive at 40GB but these can go to 500GB (i.e. larger than the Humax itself).

::EDIT::

Just read that the Humax can oply see USB drives formatted as FAT16/32 or the Linux format EXT2/3.

Only EXT3 works at the moment

Plus............ Think the BBC HD content my be copy protected to prevent transfer to USB (maybe not all of it).

If you switch to non freesat mode. Switch Off and reboot into non freesat mode you can record (manually only) BBC HD and it's not encrypted

I intend to give it a try out over Christmas. There is software available to create a EXT3 partion on a Windows PC & Also read EXT3 drives. I have a NAS drive which is Linux based so can format in EXT3 & read the drive through that.

There is a problem under windows with accessing an ext3 usb drive even with the necesary drivers. For a PC to read the EXT3 drive it has to be properly unmounted. The foxsat does not unmount the drive so the only way to read the drive under windows is to mount and unmount it under Linux first. As Linux can access NTFS anyway it's just as easy to transfer the files under Linux

Hope this helps

[nwhitfield]

On Freeview, SD will range between 2GB/hour for BBC1 to less than 1GB for channels like ITV4; for the main terrestrials other than BBC1, it's typically 1.2-1.5GB/hour. In the case of ITV, they tend to use lower rates on satellite.

[Geoff_W]

I used a 4Gb USB stick to copy a 1 hr C4 programme (SD). File size was about 1.3Gb and took 5mins to copy. VideoReDo TV Suite inputs the .ts file without any problems.

I don't think you can copy off any HD stuff due to copyright restrictions.

Geoff

[grahamlthompson]

Originally Posted by Geoff_W

I used a 4Gb USB stick to copy a 1 hr C4 programme (SD). File size was about 1.3Gb and took 5mins to copy. VideoReDo TV Suite inputs the .ts file without any problems.

I don't think you can copy off any HD stuff due to copyright restrictions.

Geoff

read posting 3

Hi Everyone,

I have tried contacting Humax UK support and I have had no response. I have the Foxsat-hdr which is great.

I can see that your able to copy from the HDD to USB, however, I'm getting a odd problem.

I can connect a portable usb device or stick, go into file manager and be able to browse the device. However when I try to copy anything the copy function is not active. the same goes for function. Its as if I can't copy anything...

Anyone know if I have a setting turned off!? Why would the copy option be greyed out all the time?

Many thanks

Huw

[CanaryPhil]

It works slightly differently to how you would expect. Once you have the File manager screen up, press the right arrow to select the USB device and then click copy and select the file(s).

[jlearmonth]

I've ordered a 16G Bytestor from Amazon (£14.99 all in ).
In pink I am afraid so will need to use it with the curtains closed!.
Should arrive today so will try it tonight. I have lots of films from Christmas to archive off.

Originally Posted by CanaryPhil

It works slightly differently to how you would expect. Once you have the File manager screen up, press the right arrow to select the USB device and then click copy and select the file(s).

Phil, thank you for your response and it did the jobs. odd, but I'm now able to copy material.

Thanks again, Huw

[bknewhaven]

I have a bytestore 16GB stick, but even when I click on USB in the right column Copy still greyed out.

[grahamlthompson]

Originally Posted by bknewhaven

I have a bytestore 16GB stick, but even when I click on USB in the right column Copy still greyed out.

Having told the foxsat where to send the copy you need to click on a file to transfer and then the foxsat has enough info to copy. Just remember it's destination first source second. (The opposite to windows)

[bknewhaven]

Thanks for that.

Well I have managed to copy a file, but it wasn't what I would call easy! It took several attempts to select the USB stick before the copy button would go green. You seem to have to get up the change device panel and select USB there as well. I will have to write down each move until I have the exact sequence.

Bill

[jlearmonth]

Anyone know if you can play recordings from the USB stick or do you have to copy them back ?
Might try it this weekend.
JimL

[grahamlthompson]

Originally Posted by jlearmonth

Anyone know if you can play recordings from the USB stick or do you have to copy them back ?
Might try it this weekend.
JimL

You can replay direct from the stick.

Forget about usb sticks - I have a USB hard disk. Provided it is formatted as FAT32 (which limits each partition to 40gb) it works fine. My drive is an old 120gb one that I partitioned into 3 x 40gb FAT32 partitions using a windows PC.

[6950rpm]

The 32GB size limit is not down to FAT32 but a Windows restriction.

You could create a single 120GB partition within Windows then use a 3rd party utility to format it FAT32

[Stephen Neal]

Originally Posted by foxsathdruser

Forget about usb sticks - I have a USB hard disk. Provided it is formatted as FAT32 (which limits each partition to 40gb) it works fine. My drive is an old 120gb one that I partitioned into 3 x 40gb FAT32 partitions using a windows PC.

You can format FAT32 partitions much larger than 40Gb (the usual limit is 32Gb isn't it?) however you can't do it from the Windows XP/Vista formatting utilities, you have to use a 3rd party formatting program.

The limitation is purely arbitrary - intended by Microsoft to force you to use NTFS on larger discs.

However FAT 32 has a limitation of file size at 4GB - which is quite small - considering BBC HD is around 8Gb/hour - so unless the Foxsat splits long shows into multiple files, you may find Ext2/3 formatting (also used by the Popcorn Hour on its internal drive) more useful as it supports larger files. (You can get Ext2/3 drivers for Windows to allow them to read/write discs - and it has native support in many - all? - Linux distros)

[grahamlthompson]

Originally Posted by Stephen Neal

You can format FAT32 partitions much larger than 40Gb (the usual limit is 32Gb isn't it?) however you can't do it from the Windows XP/Vista formatting utilities, you have to use a 3rd party formatting program.

The limitation is purely arbitrary - intended by Microsoft to force you to use NTFS on larger discs.

However FAT 32 has a limitation of file size at 4GB - which is quite small - considering BBC HD is around 8Gb/hour - so unless the Foxsat splits long shows into multiple files, you may find Ext2/3 formatting (also used by the Popcorn Hour on its internal drive) more useful as it supports larger files. (You can get Ext2/3 drivers for Windows to allow them to read/write discs - and it has native support in many - all? - Linux distros)

The current firmware has a known bug that stops it working with EXT2 so currently only EXT3 works.

Sadly the foxsat won't split large files into 4Gb chunks

[Stephen Neal]

Originally Posted by grahamlthompson

The current firmware has a known bug that stops it working with EXT2 so currently only EXT3 works.

Sadly the foxsat won't split large files into 4Gb chunks

So it sounds like Ext3 is the only solution for large files then?

[grahamlthompson]

Originally Posted by Stephen Neal

So it sounds like Ext3 is the only solution for large files then?

Correct, short of moving the internal disc to an external esata caddy. The caddy has usb port that a pc can access and copy directly to a ntfs volume. Even encrypted HD files can be archived in this way

[T-800]

Hi,

My wife kindly bought one of these for me, I've installed and yet to have a good play.

Thought I would start with AVForums to get some idea on what it can and cant do.

Im interested in the transfer to USB - can i ask a stupid question, if i transfer a program to USB does this mean i can play this back on a laptop?

If so what addition software do i need to play it back?

Be great if this is the case as i travel and stop over every week I could take some programs with me ;o)

Regards

T-800

[grahamlthompson]

Originally Posted by T-800

Hi,

My wife kindly bought one of these for me, I've installed and yet to have a good play.

Thought I would start with AVForums to get some idea on what it can and cant do.

Im interested in the transfer to USB - can i ask a stupid question, if i transfer a program to USB does this mean i can play this back on a laptop?

If so what addition software do i need to play it back?

Be great if this is the case as i travel and stop over every week I could take some programs with me ;o)

Regards

T-800

If it's SD material then yes you can. Get a copy of VLC media player from here

VLC media player - Overview

This plays the foxsat transport stream files (.ts).

You can also burn them to DVD to play on DVD player.

[T-800]

Thanks for the link, sounds great - downloaded and installed - now all i need is a whopping USB stick ;o)

Regards

T-800

[seagate]

I have a 1TB external USB drive used to backup my pc. I made a 190GB partition and formatted it to FAT32. This works fine (though I haven't tried anything longer than an hour so far) and you can play back straight from the USB. You can't record direct to the USB. You have to copy from the HDD and so far copying any HD content is prohibited.
My big disappointment with this HDR is the lack of editing facilities. I like to top and tail and strip out the ads - a breeze on my Pioneer freeview HDR. I tried editing the .ts file using VideoRedo and kept the same name to match the HTM and NTS files that are recorded along with the .ts. Result Garbage!
Anyone know how to do this?

[grahamlthompson]

Originally Posted by seagate

I have a 1TB external USB drive used to backup my pc. I made a 190GB partition and formatted it to FAT32. This works fine (though I haven't tried anything longer than an hour so far) and you can play back straight from the USB. You can't record direct to the USB. You have to copy from the HDD and so far copying any HD content is prohibited.
My big disappointment with this HDR is the lack of editing facilities. I like to top and tail and strip out the ads - a breeze on my Pioneer freeview HDR. I tried editing the .ts file using VideoRedo and kept the same name to match the HTM and NTS files that are recorded along with the .ts. Result Garbage!
Anyone know how to do this?

Not yet ASFAIK, at least one of the pair of files that support the .ts file need altering to reflect the changes that you have made. So far nonone seems to have completely figured out exactly what these files contain. AS far as HD is concerned if you goto Non Freesat mode, switch off and back on again you can record BBC HD in a non encrypted format that you can copy to USB (and play back from their). Using a FAT32 partition though you won't get much HD into the FAT32 4Gb file limit. Skipping the ads is a breeze anyway on the Foxsat, if you have not tried this already, set the forward skip to 2 mins and instant replay to 15sec. Press the forward skip till you see the ads have ben skipped and then instant replay to back up to the ads end

[grahamlthompson]

Originally Posted by foxsathdruser

Forget about usb sticks - I have a USB hard disk. Provided it is formatted as FAT32 (which limits each partition to 40gb) it works fine. My drive is an old 120gb one that I partitioned into 3 x 40gb FAT32 partitions using a windows PC.

Forget this I should have read the later postings

You can format a fat32 partition to any size but not using XP (It's a limitation of XP not Fat32). There are loads of free utilities that allow this. Most large USB drives come formatted with FAT32 in a single partition to maintain compatiblity.

[casanfra]

I have had the Foxsat pro for 4 months now and I am very pleased with it. However I went on holiday for 2 weeks recently and when I returned I found that that a week's scheduled program recordings had not been recorded, even although the events appeared in the schedule list. I was using my external HD before I left but had reset the Foxsat pro to its HDD.

Has anyone else had similar problems with the schedule listings after using a USB/external HDD? How can I get over this problem?

I would appreciate some help.

regards,

[grahamlthompson]

Originally Posted by casanfra

I have had the Foxsat pro for 4 months now and I am very pleased with it. However I went on holiday for 2 weeks recently and when I returned I found that that a week's scheduled program recordings had not been recorded, even although the events appeared in the schedule list. I was using my external HD before I left but had reset the Foxsat pro to its HDD.

Has anyone else had similar problems with the schedule listings after using a USB/external HDD? How can I get over this problem?

I would appreciate some help.

regards,

Did you by any chance have a power cut while you were away. If the power goes off while the stb is in sby then on power restoration the clock does not reset until the stb is manually turned on. Result NO RECORDINGS until the box is booted

[casanfra]

Thanks for the idea. However I don't think I had a power cut. Also, since coming home, I have used the external drive again and some scheduled recordings did not take place. I had to go on the EPG and re-schedule.

I read in an earlier posting that using the Foxsat in non-freesat mode can cause problems/cancel the scheduled recordings. Might there be a similar problem here?

Regards,