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The highly rated TechniSat HDFS Freesat HD receiver has seen a massive price drop over the past week which now puts it firmly in contention with the cheaper Humax FOXSAT-HD.

The TechniSat HDFS originally retailed for £199 but recent trade price drops and price matching has meant that this fantastic unit can be picked up brand new for as little as £139.99.

The price difference between the HDFS and FOXSAT-HD is now just £20 and with the TechniSat widely regarded as the best for reliability and picture; plus inclusive of a 3 year manufacturers warranty and USB record facility, the fractional additional cost must surely make this a bargain!!!

Don’t forget iPlayer will be available very soon too!

The TechniSat HDFS can be picked up for just £139.99 inc delivery from Amazon UK…

or £145 inc delivery from Satbuyer.

We have been tipped off that TechniSat will be receiving BBC iPlayer as part of their new software update due for release on the 16th March 2010.

In the same week, and maybe on the same day, Harvard Group is expected to also launch new software to give access to iPlayer, though at this stage we do not know if it will be their entire HD range of Grundig, Bush and Goodmans.

According to What Hifi, Sagem receivers will also have BBC iPlayer on the 15th.

iPlayer is currently available on Humax receivers and Sony IDTV via the red button home page or using page 7001.

Following what we thought was the expected launch of iPlayer on Panasonic televisions today, it would seem that the secrecy has been over the new range of televisions launching soon, rather than anything else!

This is still good news though, especially for those with access to both Freesat and Freeview reception, as the new range shown below now include both Freesat HD and Freeview HD receivers built-in; a first in this country.

The range are as follows and will begin roll-out in March this year:

Plasma Televisions

Panasonic TX-P42G20B
Panasonic TX-P42V20B
Panasonic TX-P46G20B
Panasonic TX-P50G20B
Panasonic TX-P50V20B
Panasonic TX-P50VT20B
Panasonic TX-P65VT20B

LCD Televisions

Panasonic TX-L32G20B
Panasonic TX-L32D28BP
Panasonic TX-L32D28BW
Panasonic TX-L32D28BS
Panasonic TX-L37G20B
Panasonic TX-L37V20B
Panasonic TX-L37D25B
Panasonic TX-L37D28BS
Panasonic TX-L37W20B
Panasonic TX-L42D25B
Panasonic TX-L42W20B

It has been brought to our attention by one of our readers (thanks Mike!) that according to DTG, Panasonic’s current software version is due to be updated on Monday 15th February 2010.

We know that Panasonic have been working with the BBC to introduce iPlayer across their range of televisions (following Sony a few weeks back) but is this the date when it launches? We hope so!

We have contacted Panasonic and they have stated that they cannot release information coincidently until that very same date;

our 2010 line-up is under embargo until 9.00 GMT 15th Feb

We know quite a few of you have Panasonic televisions with Freesat built-in and are eagerly awaiting the availability of BBC iPlayer, so lets hope this is it!

Humax have released a new software update for the Humax FOXSAT-HDR (version 1.00.13) and Humax FOXSAT-HD (version 1.00.26), which is available for download over-the-air (OTA) today.

The update for the FOXSAT-HDR is said to just resolve MHEG issues for iPlayer, whilst the FOXSAT-HD the same plus issues with loss of signal on high-band vertical channels.

Do let us know by commenting below how you get on with the update and whether it resolves any problems you have been having.

(thanks to hummy.org.uk for the information)

Sony yesterday released their latest software (1.630SA) to enable BBC iPlayer on all their Freesat built-in Sony televisions. If you have one of these televisions, you should now be able to access BBC iPlayer from BBC1 by pressing the red button followed by code 5483. (instructions on how to connect your Sony television to the Internet to receive iPlayer can be found here)

Other manufacturers will be added as and when they have carried out the initial testing with the BBCi Tech Team. All Freesat HD receivers are expected to have BBC iPlayer enabled within the next few months.

The TechniSat HDFS has been awarded ‘group test winner’ in a recent feature review in What Satellite Magazine.

The magazine tested the existing range of Freesat HD single tuner receivers against each other, including the TechniSat HDFS, Humax FOXSAT-HD, Sagem DSI86HD and Metronic SATHD100, with the TechniSat winning by some margin, though not really a surprise to most (we are unsure of the absence of any of the Harvard range – Grundig, Goodmans and Bush).

The final review scores were:

TechniSat 86%
Humax 80%
Metronic 75%
Sagem 69%

Humax last night announced details of their next generation Freesat receivers due to launch in Autumn 2010.

The Humax FOXSAT-HD2 single tuner Freesat HD digital box will replace the existing FOXSAT-HD and include additional features such as PVR functionality via USB storage device (similar to how the TechniSat HDFS currently does). The receiver will also have an automatic re-tune function and be able to read file formats from USB including MP3, JPEG and XviD, as well as access media streaming over your home network.

The Humax FOXSAT-HDR2 twin tuner Freesat+ HD digital box, successor to the existing FOXSAT-HDR, will include new features as above, apart from USB recording instead opting for the increased size of a 500GB hard drive compared to the existing 320GB.

At the same time as announcing this information, they also confirmed an almost identical product range for the Freeview platform, due to launch in February 2010 in keeping with the availability of high-definition channels for the first time on terrestrial television.

Following a brief absence of the latest software from TechniSat including the PVR functionality, we are pleased to confirm that it will return Wednesday 9th December (downloadable from website) followed by an OTA version on Monday 14th December.

An official statement from TechniSat has been sent to us to confirm;

TechniSat would like to announce the latest revision of a software update that allows recording of TV programmes to an external hard disk drive from the TechniSat HDFS. Software version 1364c will be on air for automatic download and update from Monday 14th December – however, from Wednesday 9th December, it can be downloaded from www.technisat.co.uk and updated manually.

After the update, the HDFS is ready to record, pause live TV and timeshift with the addition of an external hard disk drive connected to one of the USB ports. A user guide detailing the new functionality is available from www.technisat.co.uk.

Following on from 3 out of 5 stars back in September; What Hi-Fi have been so impressed with the software updates and additional functionality that they have now given it the highest 5 out of 5 honour, ranking it as the best single tuner Freesat HD receiver on the market.

Read the review here

This rating is a credit to the development TechniSat have put in to the device and the unique PVR functionality which despite a current set back with availability, has proven very popular so far. Congrats TechniSat.

The TechniSat HDFS can be currently be picked up for as little as £162 including delivery and 3 years manufacturers warranty; visit our price comparison page for details.