Humax HD Freesat receiver with recording

Rhubar

I'm thinking about getting the following Freesat HD receiver. It's £227.67 on Amazon and see it's about €350 from some Irish sites. Is there any reason I should be buying it from an Irish site, ie, are there any updates that would be done by them that I would have to do myself if I got it from Amazon.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Humax-500GB-Satellite-Receiver-Recorder/dp/B0039J42LM/ref=lh_ni_t

I hope this makes sense. The reason I'm asking this is because I saw in the Ferguson Ariva Combo thread that if you bought it from say Satellite.ie you didn't need to do certain updates but you did if you got it from abroad.

I really don't want to have to get into anything complicated but the difference in price is alot!

excollier

Buy it from the cheapest source.
You won't have anything to do to it

Rhubar

Thanks a million for that. Didn't want to get in over my head!:D

TheDriver

freesat receivers update via over the air anyways so don't worry. And freesat updates are big things so if you ever have an issue, look back here or digitalspy. Humax are generally very stable anyways.
Enjoy!
P.S. I got mine from Belfast richer sounds, try them for a price. though with amazon, its very cheap and they are usually the cheapest

Badgermonkey

The 'over the air' updates you receive on the Humax are exactly the same, whether in Glasgow, London or Kerry.

Buy on Amazon for sure, Irish e-tailers in general charge well in excess of its UK price.

JoeyJJ

Looks good. I'd say BBC iplayer would check ip address location on this also. Might not work unless you use vpn.

t c

I bought a Humax 320GB new on e-bay for €240 delivered to Dublin.
No problems at all, arrived within 3days and works perfectly.
If you get one put in a London post code for best results.

TC

mollser

Will be setting up this freesat box myself soon.

In relation to the VPN, has anyone got this to work from Ireland to access iPlayer? I see ITV, 4oD and 5 players are coming soon also.

I have UPC broadband and now have two modems. So one can be used for the PC upstairs, and the other could be wired directly into the Freesat box. Anyone got any ideas as to how to fool the box into thinking I'm a UK resident?? I should probably ask this on the broadband forum come to think of it. Also if such discussion is not allowed, please delete.

Thanks!

JoeyJJ

I think the easiest way to sort out uk ip address would be a dd-wrt router. It would save paying for a uk vpn for the ip address.

Rhubar

Thanks everyone. I've gone ahead and ordered it so hopefully will be here in a few days.

@TC I was going to put in a NI postcode. What's the advantage of putting in a London postcode?

t c

Hi Rhubar,

I tried a Northern Ireland post code first, but I found that Channel4 HD was inclined to break up, so I changed post code to a London one and no problems.
All the stations are the same but you don't get UTV but ITV which is more or less the same.

No problem changing codes so you could try either. All you have to do if you change is re-tune which is quick.

Not sure about iPlayer as I don't use it, but I would imagine that all it needs is the post code.


Cheers
TC

evilivor

Rhubar wrote: »

Thanks everyone. I've gone ahead and ordered it so hopefully will be here in a few days.

@TC I was going to put in a NI postcode. What's the advantage of putting in a London postcode?

One used to not be able to receive ITV HD in the past using a NI postcode - not sure if that's still the case or not.

AFAIK, people used to recommend using a Manchester postcode as Granada had the highest quality ITV HD stream - again, not sure if that's still the case.

On the Humax you can then customise the EPG to put BBC1 and 2 Northern Ireland as your primary BBCs if you wish, as in they will be at 101 and 102 on the EPG. Handy as most of the TV listings here use that region

Rhubar

TC, sorry for all the questions but when you got the box did you already have two cables running from your dish or did you have to add another one and if you did, was it difficult?

We just have one cable running from the dish and I'm wondering should we get someone in to do it or should I let my other half loose on it?:eek:

norbert64

Rhubar wrote: »

TC, sorry for all the questions but when you got the box did you already have two cables running from your dish or did you have to add another one and if you did, was it difficult?

We just have one cable running from the dish and I'm wondering should we get someone in to do it or should I let my other half loose on it?:eek:

Provided you have an extra output on the dish, it's easy enoug to run an extra line. You just need to check whether you have a single LNB or something more substantial like a quad. :cool:

Deep Thought

Hi

Sorry for the hijack but with this box do you need your sky card as normal to receive sky subscriptions as normal ?

Rhubar

Ok, just went out there to have a look at the dish and hope I don't bamboozle you with all my technical jargon:p.

Firstly, the dish receives Astra and Hotbird and we have two tv's in the house. The dish has two things pointing at the dish that have the wires coming out of it - one has one socket and one plug coming out of it and the other has four sockets and two plugs coming out of it. Then some of the wires seem to go into another box and out of another box and one wire totally skip those two boxes. This sounds confusing to me so I hope someone more technically minded can figure it out. I tried drawing a diagram but there are wires going everywhere and I couldn't make any sense of it.

Although what's bothering me most is where the cable goes into the wall, I don't want to have to drill it again but I can't really see any alternative.

Rhubar

Deep Thought wrote: »

Hi

Sorry for the hijack but with this box do you need your sky card as normal to receive sky subscriptions as normal ?

It receives Freesat and free to air channels. I don't know if has a slot or not for a Sky card, I can't see any mention of in the description.

Badgermonkey

Deep Thought wrote: »

Hi

Sorry for the hijack but with this box do you need your sky card as normal to receive sky subscriptions as normal ?

This box has nothing to do with Sky TV.

www.freesat.co.uk

Rhubar

Rhubar wrote: »

The dish has two things pointing at the dish that have the wires coming out of it - one has one socket and one plug coming out of it and the other has four sockets and two plugs coming out of it.

Just realised these are the LNB's so it seems we have one quad lnb and and one single one. Maybe that's why there's wires going everywhere and those two extra boxes because the single one is going to the two tv's.

evilivor

Deep Thought wrote: »

Hi

Sorry for the hijack but with this box do you need your sky card as normal to receive sky subscriptions as normal ?

No card needed, no subscription, hence also, no subscription channels.

NIMAN

evilivor wrote: »

No card needed, no subscription, hence also, no subscription channels.

.... but don't expect to pick up Sky channels on it, you won't be able to.

See the Freesat site for the list of channels you will receive free.

ocy

Have been looking at getting this box, but can't seem to find out if you can set up a favourites list for channels.

Don't think there is a cutlist editor with this, can the files be edited by computer, or what do people commonly achieve this. Want to cut adds from recorded material.

We dont have hd tv, or saorview approved tv and hope to use for FTA channels. What are the options around recording/viewing RTE channels via the humax box (without getting extra dish or motorised dish).

Is it worth spending an extra ~€100 on a VU+ Duo and then buying an external hard disk.

Sam Russell

ocy wrote: »

What are the options around recording/viewing RTE channels via the humax box (without getting extra dish or motorised dish).

You cannot record RTE on the Humax.

norbert64

Humax 320 GB for €250 on Play?
http://www.play.com/Electronics/Electronics/4-/9159265/Humax-FoxSat-HDR-Freesat-320GB-HDD-DTR-HD-Recorder/Product.html

t c

Sorry for not getting back, Rhubar, off line for awhile.
I was doing up a house and tried to plan for Freesat and ran 3 cables to main room and two else where.
2 for Foxsat (1 in other rooms for FTA) and one for Saorview aerial.
All working fine now and no regrets really, but I do miss Living and Discovery but I will got over it with the savings to be made.
Hope rumours of 5* and 5 USA coming on line happens as it will make it a great package.

TC

norbert64

500 GB Humax has now been reduced in price €299 \/
http://www.satellitetv.ie/shop/index.php?controller=product&product_id=217

Best Irish price I could find at the mo. :cool:

ubuntulinux

http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/Humax_Foxsat_HDR_320GB_Freesat_Recorder_FOXSAT-HDR/version.asp?switchc=e;)

norbert64

Add another £20 for delivery.
There seems to be quite a few horror stories about laptopsdirect here on boards too.

Badgermonkey

norbert64 wrote: »

500 GB Humax has now been reduced in price €299 \/
http://www.satellitetv.ie/shop/index.php?controller=product&product_id=217

Best Irish price I could find at the mo. :cool:

ubuntulinux wrote: »

http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/Humax_Foxsat_HDR_320GB_Freesat_Recorder_FOXSAT-HDR/version.asp?switchc=e;)

Buy it from Amazon, where it's been down as low as £217.00 (now £226.90) over the last couple of weeks.

Free delivery.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Humax-500GB-Satellite-Receiver-Recorder/dp/B0039J42LM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315423273&sr=8-1

norbert64

Badgermonkey wrote: »

Buy it from Amazon, where it's been down as low as £217.00 (now £226.90) over the last couple of weeks.

Free delivery.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Humax-500GB-Satellite-Receiver-Recorder/dp/B0039J42LM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315423273&sr=8-1

Looks like free delivery to UK only?

t c

www.play.com

Humax €249.99 delivered.

norbert64

t c wrote: »

www.play.com

Humax €249.99 delivered.

Only the 320 GB version \/

norbert64 wrote: »

Humax 320 GB for €250 on Play?
http://www.play.com/Electronics/Electronics/4-/9159265/Humax-FoxSat-HDR-Freesat-320GB-HDD-DTR-HD-Recorder/Product.html

IrishHomer

t c wrote: »

www.play.com

Humax €249.99 delivered.

I am pretty certain play.com do not sell electronics to Eire

Badgermonkey

norbert64 wrote: »

Looks like free delivery to UK only?

No Norbert, if your order exceeds £25stg, free super saver delivery to Ireland applies.

They can be selective with certain brands and items etc. but the Humax ships to Ireland gratis.

Many (myself included) have also had 32" TV's delivered by Amazon without p&p charge.

NIMAN

Bought mine from classified adverts from a guy who had owned it but who had upgraded to Sky HD.

Got it mint condition for £130.

More than happy.

norbert64

She's gone down in price somewhat
Now £224.95 on Amazon :P

I guess we could wait until crimbo though and see if she fares any better. :cool:

norbert64

Get her while she's hot folks. Now down to £219.75 :P
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Humax-500GB-Satellite-Receiver-Recorder/dp/B0039J42LM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315423273&sr=8-1