Can you pick up Telefis Eireann on the humax foxsat ?

Run_to_da_hills · 18-10-2011 01:31PM #1

My years subscription is up with Sky at the end of the month and I am thinking of changing over to Freesat using the Humax foxsat however I don't see RTE or other Irish channels on the list. Is there a way around this?

From the brochure:

DISADVANTAGES Humax Foxsat Freesat+ Receiver
it is the most expensive satellite receiver stocked by TvTrade.ie
It does not contain the Irish Channels i.e. you will still need an a TV aerial to get the Irish stations

The Cush · 18-10-2011 01:36PM

Not available free-to-air using a satellite dish & receiver, aerial and Saorview receiver required.

jaggiebunnet · 18-10-2011 01:36PM

No way around it - you can't get the terrestrial channels other than with an aerial and Saorview(possibly with freeview HD also) TV/STB.

Looking to get this Humax too, tv is saorview so it wouldn't matter that much to me and can record via the tv for RTE etc.

evilivor · 18-10-2011 01:42PM

jaggiebunnet wrote: »

No way around it - you can't get the terrestrial channels other than with an aerial and Saorview(possibly with freeview HD also) TV/STB.

Looking to get this Humax too, tv is saorview so it wouldn't matter that much to me and can record via the tv for RTE etc.

As a longtime Humax Foxsat user, I can say it has been the best bit of tech kit I ever bought. It's more expensive than the generic fta boxes but you never have to retune it - it just works.

jaggiebunnet · 18-10-2011 01:49PM

thanks evilivor that is definitely the kind of feedback I am looking for - as you say it is a bit of cash but if it does the job it is worth it.

evilivor · 18-10-2011 02:02PM

jaggiebunnet wrote: »

thanks evilivor that is definitely the kind of feedback I am looking for - as you say it is a bit of cash but if it does the job it is worth it.

PM me if you want to get specific but yes, heartily recommend it.

t c · 18-10-2011 08:34PM

Can agree with evilivor, great bit of kit.

Had it for a month or so now, no problems, records, plays back and re-tunes as needed automatically. Got it on e-bay for about €230 delivered. Check Amazon.

For Saorview fitted an aerial, in Dublin and fitted one of these
http://www.tvtrade.ie/green-group-cd-uhf-aerial.html receiving from 3Rock, great reception.

Also fitted a Digiview box from Power City, simple and works well or try
http://satworld.ie/product-info.php?Opticum_HDT50_Irish_DTT_Terrestrial_Receiver-pid180.html
Because as I said in a different thread, they are extremely helpful and I like the personal touch.

But BEWARE.

Doing it your self is contagious....... I am now fitting a 1.1m dish for 28.2, 26, 19.2 and 13e.

cheers.

TC

drBill · 18-10-2011 11:31PM

evilivor wrote: »

As a longtime Humax Foxsat user, I can say it has been the best bit of tech kit I ever bought. It's more expensive than the generic fta boxes but you never have to retune it - it just works.

Absolutely agree. It's a bit like Nokia phones before smart phones came about - rock solid, lots of useful features, but yet the things you do most frequently can be done simply and with a minimum of button presses. Have had mine a couple of years now and it's still one of my gadgets of the decade.

jaggiebunnet · 19-10-2011 09:32AM

drBill wrote: »

Absolutely agree. It's a bit like Nokia phones before smart phones came about - rock solid, lots of useful features, but yet the things you do most frequently can be done simply and with a minimum of button presses. Have had mine a couple of years now and it's still one of my gadgets of the decade.

Thanks lads.

Just before I order, and because I am paranoid - this is the correct one isn't it?

evilivor · 19-10-2011 10:38AM

jaggiebunnet wrote: »

Thanks lads.

Just before I order, and because I am paranoid - this is the correct one isn't it?

That's the one. I bought mine from Richer Sounds in Belfast - they list them at £229.95 ex delivery but they do a Boards discount and IIRC, next day delivery.

https://www.richersounds.ie/asp/product.asp?ObjectID=930&Mode=0&productid=840&Results=true&keys=freesat

blueser · 19-10-2011 06:10PM

Great piece of kit, with just the one drawback. You can't copy any file over 4GB onto an external HD, which rules out any programme off a High Def channel much longer than half an hour.

drBill · 19-10-2011 08:13PM

blueser wrote: »

Great piece of kit, with just the one drawback. You can't copy any file over 4GB onto an external HD, which rules out any programme off a High Def channel much longer than half an hour.

No, actually you can. Although it is a bit tricky because the hard disk has to be formatted as EXT3 instead of FAT, which requires a bit of unix knowledge. And if your disk is EXT3 it can't be read by a Windows pc without a bit of tricking about with drivers.

Also I think you'll usually fit an hour or more of HD content under the 4GB ceiling, although open to correction on that one.

evilivor · 19-10-2011 08:19PM

blueser wrote: »

Great piece of kit, with just the one drawback. You can't copy any file over 4GB onto an external HD, which rules out any programme off a High Def channel much longer than half an hour.

That's not a Humax drawback it's a Fat32 issue, as DrBill says Ext3 solves it.

Formatting as Ext 3 is quite simple - hell, I could do it. Most of the Humax support forums give step-by-steps.

gordongekko · 19-10-2011 08:28PM

Slightly off topic but is there anyway to get the bbc I player working. The itv player works fine but the bbc player just won't play

John mac · 19-10-2011 09:33PM

gordongekko wrote: »

Slightly off topic but is there anyway to get the bbc I player working. The itv player works fine but the bbc player just won't play

you would need to use a proxy server . as bbc is geolocked.

muincav · 19-10-2011 10:14PM

gordongekko wrote: »

Slightly off topic but is there anyway to get the bbc I player working. The itv player works fine but the bbc player just won't play

Even further off topic...lol...but how do you get the ITV Player to work with the Foxsat HD box??? Thanks

marathont · 20-10-2011 04:35PM

I also have the Foxsat hdr for a couple of years. While I am happy with it, and it does the job quite well, there a couple of annoying things about it, that would prevent me from recommending it to someone.

The biggest annoyance is that the epg is very sluggish, when you hit guide it has to download the epg data everytime, and makes navigating the epg very frustrating after a while.

Another annoyance is that often when I turn it on the picture is a shade of green. Admittedly this may be my televisions fault. But I never had a problem with my sky box\bluray player etc.

I have no experience with a generic FTA receiver so cant compare. But having a full 7 day epg and proper series link is brilliant, and I wouldnt go without it.

If I was buying a PVR now, I would also consider some of the other freesat boxes. The more recent models might not have the drawbacks of the foxsat.

fat-tony · 22-10-2011 01:23PM

muincav wrote: »

Even further off topic...lol...but how do you get the ITV Player to work with the Foxsat HD box??? Thanks

I tried the ITV Player on the Foxsat - doesn't seem to be geographic region locked at the moment, whereas the BBC Player is.

fat-tony · 22-10-2011 01:31PM

marathont wrote: »

I also have the Foxsat hdr for a couple of years. While I am happy with it, and it does the job quite well, there a couple of annoying things about it, that would prevent me from recommending it to someone.

The biggest annoyance is that the epg is very sluggish, when you hit guide it has to download the epg data everytime, and makes navigating the epg very frustrating after a while.

Another annoyance is that often when I turn it on the picture is a shade of green. Admittedly this may be my televisions fault. But I never had a problem with my sky box\bluray player etc.

I have no experience with a generic FTA receiver so cant compare. But having a full 7 day epg and proper series link is brilliant, and I wouldnt go without it.

If I was buying a PVR now, I would also consider some of the other freesat boxes. The more recent models might not have the drawbacks of the foxsat.

There has been a new release of firmware to the Humax Foxsat (1.00.17) in recent weeks which has reduced the delay in populating the EPG. There is a workaround, which eliminates the lag entirely, though. Press the Schedule button (not the Guide button) and then press red and you will get the cached version of the EPG, which is instantaneous.

The "shade of green" problem sounds like an issue with the connector - I assume you are using SCART? Try swapping it to another socket on your TV or replacing the cable with another.

My Foxsat is coming up on three years old at this stage. I've recently upgraded the hard disk to 1 TB. It's got its foibles, but I reckon it's more stable and reliable than my SKY HD box ever was.

jaggiebunnet · 24-10-2011 09:24AM

just an update - got my humax on friday, updated to latest firmware and have had no problems...very nice...just need to get used to the differences between it and the sky box, that is all they are really differences

Can you pick up Telefis Eireann on the humax foxsat ?

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