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Thought it was about time we started a new poll. Thanks for all those that participated in the last one, which is still available in the poll archive.
This time we’d like to know what Freesat digital box or integrated receiver you already have. Whilst it won’t give an accurate measure of viewing figures etc, it will give an amazing insight into which Freesat digital boxes are selling more than others.
Get involved, vote on the left hand column.
(if you have any ideas of a poll we can run, let us know, with thousands of votes, its a great tool to take advantage of).
June 26th, 2008 at 7:24 am
Ideally I wanted to hold out for a PVR but I just couldn’t miss Wimbledon in HD so I went for the Humax HD while I await a decent PVR with baited credit card - voted accordingly.
June 26th, 2008 at 7:34 am
Tim - yes, can appreciate a large number of visitors to this site are waiting on the PVR (the 70% vote on the previous poll proves this) so this poll is more intended for those that have purchased, so we can see which manufacturers are selling most. We know Humax will be top, but wonder if brand awareness will play a part with the Alba Group boxes? hmmm
June 26th, 2008 at 7:49 am
Didn’t want to wait for a PVR so went for an option not on your list - a Hauppauge WinTV-Nova-HD-S2 satellite tuner card. That way I can watch all the FTA channels offered by Freesat and more on my PC and record shows too.
June 26th, 2008 at 7:57 am
Rick - we had considered adding PC cards as an option, but then we’d also need to include for FTA receivers too, and it all gets a little messy. We should stick to official freesat products on this one
June 26th, 2008 at 8:08 am
I was also waiting for a Freesat PVR, but wanted catch Wimbledon and some HD football, so I purchased the cheapest HD box, the Bush model from Argos, not bad for £119 inc a free HDMI lead. I think all the Alba models are the same so why pay more. When I get the PVR i’ll just move the Bush box to the bedroom.
Really impressed with the bit of kit, its very compact, runs cool, silent and provides an excellent SD and HD picture. I believe the new firmware update will be available in the next couple of days to tune in extra FTA channels as well.
Looking forward to more HD material already, hope ITV make a bigger HD offering soon…maybe some HD films?
June 26th, 2008 at 8:39 am
Bought a cheapie Goodmans SD to keep me going while awaiting a decent PVR with freesat and freeview receivers…
June 26th, 2008 at 9:19 am
I’ve got the Human Foxsat-HD. The fact it has a hidden advanced menu which allows use of DiSEqC and USALS in non-Freesat mode is brilliant - I’m particularly enjoying the MelodyZen HD channel on 9°E; and the Euro1080 HD1 channel on 23.5°E is good (if you like documentaries about the flora and fauna of Latin America).
I was originally holding out for a Freesat HD PVR, but now I’ve got a Freesat box I think I might wait for the all-singing, all-dancing Dreambox DM8000 to turn up (though I suspect a Freesat PVR will come to market sooner - the DM8000 is already at least 18 months late!).
June 26th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
I choose the Humax as it seemed to be made to a higher standard compared to Alba’s offeerings (more connexions)
I also liked the fact that the EPG screens were not branded with the cheaper manufacturing logo ie: goodmans, sorry for being a snob!!!
I love the fact that it has a usb connection at the back, hopefull the bright people at Humax will create a PVR/External hard drive software, (wishful thinking I know!!!)
The HD picture is great and the sound is impressive through my home cinema, the only slight problem with the Dolby Digital sound is when you scroll from a standard channel to the BBC HD channel. Due to the change in sound source my centre speaker tends to make a short sharp high pitch crack, this only lasts for 0.5 second but is a bit annoying!
The non freesat mode is good though in the extra channels you gain you seem to lose ITV+2, FILM 4 and Channel 4!! Therfore you still find yourself going back and forth between Freesat and non-freesat. (I do like the paranormal channel and Luxe HD looks amazing even though there is nothing ever on!!!)
Also the EPG doesn’t seem to picks up the programmes very well, (you have to scroll through each channel in tern and wait or the information bar at the bottom of the screen before the EPG will pick it up, even when it does pick it up it will only give you information about the next hour’s schedule!!!
In freesat mode the EPG is excellent and provides you with the full days worth of scheduling from the minute you switch the thing on.
Very impressed freesat and can’t wait for more HD channels
June 26th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Mat - I hope they add now and next program data to the FTA channels on both the Humax and Alba boxes. As this data is available to all FTA receivers.
I was interested to read that the FTA channels will be added to the bottom on the EPG on the Alba boxes, which will save lots of button presses.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Admin - just to add to my earlier point: I went for the Humax Foxsat HD because it’s a better brand than the Alba group units (rightly or wrongly). I thought with there only being £30 or so price difference I may aswell go for the Humax with their track record of PVRs and STBS. In all honesty the price of the lesser units would have to be considerable before I considered them over a brand like Humax (or any other, hmm how to word this lol, more ‘premium’ brand than Alba etc.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
[Above correction: - read… ‘In all honesty the price of the lesser units would have to be considerable before I considered them over a brand like Humax (or any other, hmm how to word this lol, more ‘premium’ brand than Alba etc]
June 26th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
nice feature in the what satellite magazine,review of all freesat sd and hd boxes,the grunddig was the winner of the sd recivers,whilst the humax won the HD recivers(although they said that there was little difference between the recivers and the bush HD got an exellent review for its stunning hd and sd picture and sound quality
June 26th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
As a stop gap while waiting for the PVR to launch, I personally did not see the point in spending an extra 25% for the better brand name. I am extremely happy with the Bush purchase and find the HD Picture breath taking and the SD picture superior to my current freeview…..just looking forward to the 200 channels by Christmas promise being met!….;)
June 27th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
MAT hope you read this. ch4 is Called 8350 or 8530,, can’t remember which one. As ive renamed it ch4 but it is there. Hope this helps.
June 27th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Many thanks Luke
Things are looking up!!
June 27th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
I bought the Bush HD box primarily for the LNB out connection which should allow me to daisy chain my Sky FTA box - but it does not work!!
However, I am happy with the the Bush box and have the Sky box upstairs connected to a video sender with the receiver alongside the Freesat Box downstairs.
Would like to know when the downloads for the manual scan of the FTA channels will be available.
June 29th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
can explain how to find the hidden menu on the humax box
June 29th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
i have a sky dish
July 7th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Message for Anne: The LNB out connection can be used but ensure your first stb i.e. your BUSH brand is in standby as you can only use one stb at a time as the LNB will still be recieving its switching voltage from the first box and unless you are on the same polarity an band i.e channel your SKY FTA decoder will show no signal recieved.
Hope this helps
July 17th, 2008 at 11:05 am
I’ve been told to go for the Humax HD but I don’t see one with a pause or record so will not get one as yet, many who I have talked too have said the same, come on Humax what’s the hold up?