Humax Foxsat-HDR digital TV recorder

The Humax Foxsat-HDR is the first device for Freesat+, the branding being used for hard disk recorders on the BBC/ITV-backed Freesat satellite service.

It’s a slim standard-width device with a front panel featuring just a bright display that shows channel and recording names.

There’s also a standby button, a power switch on the rear, along with the connectors. Inside is a 320GB hard disk, and one of the latest system-on-a-chip PVR designs.

For full functionality, you’ll need two satellite feeds; the Humax detects whether you have them or not during initial installation, then asks you for your postcode – so you get the right BBC and ITV regions – and scans for channels, of which there are around 140 so far, including radio and regional variations.

Picture quality is, on the whole, excellent via HDMI, though little can redeem the low bit rates on some SD satellite channels. And with two feeds, you can record two channels simultaneously; with just one, the box dims out those channels you can’t select. Picture quality from BBC HD is stunning, but the claim of space to record 80 hours HD is a bit optimistic – we reckon it would be around half that.

There are quirks, though; press the Record button when in the Electronic Programme Guide (EPG), and you just get a single recording of that programme. To get a series recorded, you press OK instead, then answer successive questions about recording the series, and the HD version if available. We’d like this to be simpler; and be able to delete programmes more easily, and faster. You can’t customise the EPG, and the remote control layout is very long yet still feels a bit cramped.

But there are plenty of good touches; you can archive programmes (though not presently BBC HD) to a USB hard drive, and the Ethernet port will allow iPlayer access in future. There are configurable ‘skip’ options that mean you can avoid adverts easily, too. In day-to-day use, we had few problems, and no missed recordings – but as with Freeview+ you will be at the mercy of the broadcasters sending the right signals for series and over-runs.

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