[The News Bot]

<p><img style="margin: 6px; float: left;" src="http://www.homecinemachoice.com/files/hcc_content/hardware/freesathumaz.jpg" title="Humax will be the first to launch a Freesat HD PVR" width="261" height="100" />Will Freesat’s first PVR deal a knock blow to Sky+HD? That’s what Humax is hoping when it launches its Foxsat-HDR* in a matter of weeks. </p>
<p>The no-subscription Hi-def satellite recorder has been price confirmed at £299 and comes with a 320GB hard drive. <span class='read-more'><a href="http://www.homecinemachoice.com/blogs/team_hcc/freesat+pvr+coming+soon">&nbsp;read&nbsp;more&nbsp ;&raquo;</a></span></p>

[steve69]

i dont think it will bother sky untill freesat have a good selection of channels.
the humax looks nice but with skys hd box down to £75 it sounds a bit steep at £299 even though there wont be any subs, but when theres more channels then it might just hit sky a little.

[domtheone]

Will we need a Sky Dish for one of these?

I don't subscribe to Sky but i think there's a Sky socket in my flat

[steve69]

yep, you do need a dish for this, but it doesnt have to be a sky dish but one of those will do the job

[lostinspace]

For anyone like me, who refuses to pay sky's ridiculously high monthly rates, Freesat is the way I will go. Maybe not with this first box as I agree it looks a bit pricey. but as with sky, prices will fall.

A 320gig hard drive is huge, but my existing 80gig box has never been more than 15% filled anyway, though I know the more channels, the more I may need.

There will be other companies making Freesat boxes and that will drive prices down. With sky, you can only go to sky, so they can set the price.
Sky is only for those who want to watch sport IMO, and I don't. So Freesat here I come.

So, yes. Sky needs to look at its pricing, or be very worried. But as they sell many of their boxes based on football coverage, they may not have much room to move.

[Chester]

Minimum subs for Sky HD is £30 p/mth, £360 anum, plus £75 for the box and £30 (I think for half price) install, so that's £495 in the first year. Don't know how much it would cost to install a dish and down lead for Freesat customers, but if it comes to a similar overall amount, at least it's free then on.

[dazza74]

I'd happily pay £300 for this if I had it. My freeview reception is so unpredictable that my topfield PVR is very hit and miss and getting ITV HD in addition that's not available on my pace HD box would be a bonus.

[charker]

A 320gig hard drive is huge, but my existing 80gig box has never been more than 15% filled anyway, though I know the more channels, the more I may need.

You might think so but a HD film will happily consume 5-6% in on go!

[lee634]

Originally Posted by Chester

Minimum subs for Sky HD is £30 p/mth, £360 anum, plus £75 for the box and £30 (I think for half price) install, so that's £495 in the first year. Don't know how much it would cost to install a dish and down lead for Freesat customers, but if it comes to a similar overall amount, at least it's free then on.

Not quite true they have Sky HD min is £27/ mnth = £ 324 +£75 for 1/2 price HD box therefore only £399 free install

only £100 more for the first year thats £8.33 a month more expensive over a year

considering sky has many more channel with the basic package thats not a bad deal at the moment

[jwball]

Originally Posted by charker

You might think so but a HD film will happily consume 5-6% in on go!

Or even up to 9% in some cases