Freesat HD/SD PVR review

watty

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2009/03/05/review_dvr_humax_freesat_hdr/

There are currently three types of Freesat receivers. The most basic ones, which Freesat refers to as "Freesat digital boxes", cost about £100 and allow you to view the full range of around 140 Freesat channels and radio stations – but only in standard definition. Then, at around £150 there are "Freesat HD" boxes, such as Humax’s own, less expensive Foxsat-HD, which can also receive high-definition broadcasts - though it’s worth remembering that Freesat’s subscription-free HD offerings are currently limited to just the BBC’s single HD channel and occasional outbursts of activity on ITV HD. However, neither of these options allows you to record Freesat programmes so that you can watch them at your own convenience.

That’s where the Foxsat-HDR comes in, as this is one of the first top-tier models that can both receive and record Freesat’s full range of SD and HD programmes. Just remember that the £299 price tag doesn’t include the cost of buying and installing a suitable satellite dish. You’ll need to budget an extra £50-100 for the dish, depending on the deals that you can find from various high-street retailers. However, it is possible to connect the Foxsat-HDR to an existing Sky satellite dish and receive the various Freesat channels through the Sky dish as both services are broadcast from the same Astra satellite up there in the great blue yonder.

Actually they are the SAME signals as a Sky Box uses.

You can use an HD receiver for ordinary definition and HD (downscalled) to a regular TV and add an HDTV later.

If your TV is less than 33", its likely you wouldn't see much advantage to real HD display compared to downsampled HD on a regular but good quality CRT, Plasma or LCD. Unless you sit very close

homer911

watty wrote: »

If your TV is less than 33", its likely you wouldn't see much advantage to real HD display compared to downsampled HD on a regular but good quality CRT, Plasma or LCD. Unless you sit very close

I have to disagree - I have a 32 inch HD TV and the difference in picture quality from Freesat HD is amazing

Sam Radford

Another Humax review here:
http://www.satcure.co.uk/reviews/review125.htm#03
(Scroll down to it.)

slegs

IMO, downscaled BBC HD is a clearly better picture than the SD equivalent on a CRT TV even under 30"