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Freeview+HD Box Recommendations
- Thread starter apilbeam
- Start date
The Humax HDR Fox T2 is recommended by Which? and widely regarded. It will access via internet BBC iPlayer, YouTube, Flickr and internet radio. It will also stream audio, video and photo files from your computer via a home network.
500Gb may seem "massive" as the blurb goes but you need a bit for the buffer and you soon find that you can fill it up over the Christmas period with films 'to watch later'
A much cheaper alternative at the moment is the Sony. This is a newer box and complies with the 2011 specification for Freeview HD which includes compulsory IPTV features and two USB sockets, making it possible that it could be upgraded to a YouView box using a software upgrade if the processor and memory are adequate (NO GUARANTEE OF THAT!) So far it is the only box approved to access the Freeview HD version of BBC iPlayer although this is, in my opinion, not as good as the "app" based version used by Humax in their Portal.
Cheaper still, if you can find one, is the Philips box. A lovely design, this was made by Pace with crap software from Philips. Firmware updates are supposed to have cured the glitches so it might be worth the risk if you are after a bargain.
I have linked to one particular company because 1)they are consistently the cheapest for good new Freeview HD+ boxes unless supermarkets have special offers 2)they have their very cheap extended warranty that costs nothing if you have not used it during the five years cover. 3) they are Which? magazine's 'Retailer of the Year' and 'Electrical Retailer of the Year' and have excellent product knowledge.
Avoid Argos - consistently the most expensive store for FVHD - and anything distributed by Harvard whose brand names for FVHD include Grundig (though they have lost the rights since July), Goodmans and Alba.
500Gb may seem "massive" as the blurb goes but you need a bit for the buffer and you soon find that you can fill it up over the Christmas period with films 'to watch later'
A much cheaper alternative at the moment is the Sony. This is a newer box and complies with the 2011 specification for Freeview HD which includes compulsory IPTV features and two USB sockets, making it possible that it could be upgraded to a YouView box using a software upgrade if the processor and memory are adequate (NO GUARANTEE OF THAT!) So far it is the only box approved to access the Freeview HD version of BBC iPlayer although this is, in my opinion, not as good as the "app" based version used by Humax in their Portal.
Cheaper still, if you can find one, is the Philips box. A lovely design, this was made by Pace with crap software from Philips. Firmware updates are supposed to have cured the glitches so it might be worth the risk if you are after a bargain.
I have linked to one particular company because 1)they are consistently the cheapest for good new Freeview HD+ boxes unless supermarkets have special offers 2)they have their very cheap extended warranty that costs nothing if you have not used it during the five years cover. 3) they are Which? magazine's 'Retailer of the Year' and 'Electrical Retailer of the Year' and have excellent product knowledge.
Avoid Argos - consistently the most expensive store for FVHD - and anything distributed by Harvard whose brand names for FVHD include Grundig (though they have lost the rights since July), Goodmans and Alba.
Last edited:
Bear in mind three things.
1. The £50 cashback on the Sony is a limited time offer to 24 December.
2. Retailers are starting to begin their "New Year" sales before Boxing Day
3. The recent floods in Thailand are causing supply problems for hard drives and prices of those have shot up.
Since posting the above--- I've had a search around the site and found a huge thread about the above box --- I don't think I'll be getting one of those after all ---I'll look at some different models
Any recommendations would be helpful
Thanks
Witterings
Established Member
I was looking at that one as well and found this review which you may find useful
Samsung BD-DT7800 review | from TechRadar's expert reviews of Digital TV recorders
For me, I often record 2 programmes at once which it seems you can't do with this one so for me would be an immediate knock out.
Also it mentions there's no scart so you can't "Burn CD's" I've never done that and don't know how to but if there is a way of doing it quickly and easily I would as I like keeping music video's and would love to be able to burn them onto a DVD.
Shame if it had those 2 options available would be an absolute definite for me !!!
shoemaker666
Distinguished Member
humax HDR fox T2 i have one and think its a great bit of kit. works very much like a sky box but with a remote that's not layed out as well and its pricey about £250. great bit of kit and i wouldn't hesitate in recommending it to anyone.
does dual recording, over xmas i was recording two things and watching another channel great stuff
does dual recording, over xmas i was recording two things and watching another channel great stuff
Witterings
Established Member
Can you wirelessly connect it to the internet for iplayer, youtube, facebook and google etc or can it only be done via a wired connection ??
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