Expert opinions needed on humax hdci 2000!

jebusmusic

Hi, I'm looking into getting a Humax FTA HD box, as the wait for a Sky one is so long.

I have a few questions though, which I'm hoping the good people here will be able to help me with.

1) I've seen online that the best way to connect the box is to run the Sky dish signal into the Humax, then on to the original Sky box, then to the TV. Would this sound like the best way?

2) The Humax has two "Common Interface" slots, which according to Humax can be used for "a wealth of pay tv options". Can you put a Sky HD viewing card in one of these? Or will Sky even sell HD viewing cards seperately?

3) what channels will the Humax pick up without any pay tv card in it (I know BBC HD etc but what others)?

I was going to wait till September and just get Sky HD, but I dont have a phone line available and I wont really use a Sky+ box (as part of the HD box), so I'd be paying for features I dont need.

Thanks, Barry.

digiking

You will not be able to recieve any of the sky channels in this box - sky cards only work in sky boxes

Secondly, Though the bbc is free to air you are only able to recieve it on 1 or 2 models of hd box (if even) as it's transmitting in some standard thats designed for sky hd boxes.

Ring around the local installers and see if any of them can provide you with sky hd - i decided i wanted hd on tuesday and had it on thursday...

Digiking

marilynM

It'd also be possible to get another LNB installed and add some German channels to your FTA, BBC HD etc.

TVDX

digiking wrote:

You will not be able to recieve any of the sky channels in this box - sky cards only work in sky boxes

Secondly, Though the bbc is free to air you are only able to recieve it on 1 or 2 models of hd box (if even) as it's transmitting in some standard thats designed for sky hd boxes.

Ring around the local installers and see if any of them can provide you with sky hd - i decided i wanted hd on tuesday and had it on thursday...

Digiking

The Humax HDCI 2000 works with BBC HD with a software update which most retailers will put on, most without even requesting but you should ask.

You can also use Dragon cam with the latest software, you'll have to Google it and this will allow use of your official Sky HD card in this box.

watty

digiking wrote:

You will not be able to recieve any of the sky channels in this box - sky cards only work in sky boxes

Secondly, Though the bbc is free to air you are only able to recieve it on 1 or 2 models of hd box (if even) as it's transmitting in some standard thats designed for sky hd boxes.

Ring around the local installers and see if any of them can provide you with sky hd - i decided i wanted hd on tuesday and had it on thursday...

Digiking

Many channels listed as part of Sky package are Free and will work
About 45 decent channels including all BBC and ITV.

This receiver does now have a Firmware update to work with BBC HD. It is in fact one of the two non-Sky receivers.

It won't receive Sky pay channels or FTV (C4, Five and Sky3).

See the link for a list of channels that will work:
http://bytelive.com/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=Free+To+Air+on+Sky

jebusmusic

Thanks for the info guys.

Is that definate that it will work with a Sky HD card, with Dragon Cam?

And more to the point, will I be able to get a HD card from Sky without the Sky Box?

byte

I know that SkyHD viewing cards differ somehow from the cards that work in SKy and Sky+ boxes. It's a big risk to assume that Dragoncam will work, and if it did, no guarantee as to how long it would work.

Zaphod

Dragon cam does not currently support the SkyHD channels - all others OK.
http://www.satellites.co.uk/php-bin/forum/showthread.php?t=68496