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TechniSat have confirmed that through a software update, you’ll be able to record directly to any USB storage device via the existing TechniSat HDFS Freesat receiver.
It will be possible to record both standard and high-definition programmes, though broadcaster restrictions mean that you’ll only be able to playback on that specific receiver. Some broadcasters like ITV HD flag their programmes so you’ll not be able to record them at all.
The new feature will enable you to record the channel you are on, or record one whilst playing back another; you’ll not be able to record two channels at a time as the TechniSat HDFS is only a single tuner unit. Time-shift and pausing live TV will be available.
All this will be possible via the existing remote controls coloured buttons, and you’ll be able to manually record and schedule recordings using the existing Freesat EPG / TV Guide.
The software update will be sent over-the-air to all TechniSat HDFS receivers at the end of October.
October 10th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Excellent news for TechniSat owners, and justifies the silly price now. They need a firmware update next to make it a media player that can play h264/mkvs/Divx etc from the external hard drive and it will sell loads.
Lee BQuote
October 10th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
If only Humax would do the same….. too much to ask i guess.
Dan MQuote
October 10th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
We will be lucky if we get any kind of Humax firmware upgrade now the engineers are working on their new product.
Lee BQuote
October 10th, 2009 at 6:44 pm
@Lee B
They’ll have to update for the BBC iPlayer service. If not, it’s trade description act time….
Peter (bobmarleypeople)Quote
October 10th, 2009 at 6:54 pm
Hope with the iplayer update, they will fix the other bugs. Such as when scanning in non-freesat mode, it doesn’t delete your programmed recordings.
The ability to record on a external hdd would be very nice too.
We can only just wait and see though…..
AlexQuote
October 10th, 2009 at 9:02 pm
I’ve just ordered one for £169 delivered. Cheapest Freesat PVR by a large margin.
I have three 500gb usb hard drives ready to go.
Prison WardenQuote
October 10th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
Not ideal if it won’t record ITV HD, also the external drives have to be formatted by the receiver.
.
Lee BQuote
October 10th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
Not that green either, if you have to leave your EX HDD on for recording. I take it you can set a recording from the EPG ?
Robert LangdonQuote
October 11th, 2009 at 8:28 am
Can’t record ITVHD eh? What’s the position on the right to time-shift public broadcasts? I thought we had this right, so I didn’t think they could prevent recording… just any copying and distribution. Has the move to HD been an excuse to change the playing field and rules?
JasonQuote
October 11th, 2009 at 8:50 am
@Lee B,
Thanks for telling me that the drives have to be formatted by the receiver.
I wonder how much space Ihr of BBC HD takes up?
ITV HD? What’s that
@ Robert Langdon,
My two Buffalo 500GB HDD’s shut down when they are not being accessed by my PC. Not sure if that would work with the Technisat though.I suspect not.
Prison WardenQuote
October 11th, 2009 at 11:57 am
@ Prison Warden. Approx 3.6gb per hour. I think one 500gb HDD will be more than sufficient!! What on earth are you going to record?
derek500Quote
October 11th, 2009 at 6:39 pm
Only one tuner, not enough of a PVR for me, Humax still king (despite lack of long promised iplayer firmware). More competition will do the market good though.
SteveQuote
October 11th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
just out of interest, does the usb device need to be mains powered or could you put an 8gb memory stick in?
Al CatrazQuote
October 12th, 2009 at 1:14 am
@Steve: You’re right, it’s certainly gone very quiet about iplayer on Freesat. If I remember right it was going to be a 3rd qtr event. Any updates Admin? I was reminded just now as I used iPlayer to watch Ian Heslop slap down Yvette Cooper about Inheritance tax on last Thursday’s Question Time. A Classic.
John RQuote
October 12th, 2009 at 5:09 am
@derek500. So a 32gb SD HC card would store about 10 hrs. That’s not bad and is green into the bargain
.
I’m not sure what I would record but it’s nice to have another option other than Freeview via my PC.
@Al Catraz. You can ‘record to any USB storage device’ so that has to include memory sticks and cards.
Prison WardenQuote
October 12th, 2009 at 8:31 am
Seems like a useful addition. How will we know when the software has been updated?
PaulQuote
October 12th, 2009 at 9:43 am
Perfect for all us people who live in New build flats and don’t use the 2nd tuner. I might look into getting one of these now.
zagQuote
October 12th, 2009 at 10:20 am
When this update is available your machine will give you an on-screen message stating new software available, and whether you want to upload or not.
Non powered HDD drives and memory devices are obviously more Green.
The TechniSat is now available in Currys.
SteveQuote
October 12th, 2009 at 10:22 am
Hi there,
Nice story. As first broken exclusively here…
http://blog.wotsat.com/page/whatsat?entry=technisat_freesat_box_to_get
Just thought we’d mention that!
Grant Rennell What SatelliteQuote
October 12th, 2009 at 10:34 am
This is good news and perhaps this feature will become available on some cheaper receivers, but as the Technisat costs £190 by the time you’ve added the external hard drive there isn’t much cost saving when compared with the purpose-built twin-tuner Humax at £244.
Laurence UptonQuote
October 12th, 2009 at 10:47 am
@This is good news and perhaps this feature will become available on some cheaper receivers, but as the Technisat costs £190 by the time you’ve added the external hard drive there isn’t much cost saving when compared with the purpose-built twin-tuner Humax at £244.
But you have to remember this was never released as a PVR, and also offers wireless streaming, 3 year guarantee and card readers, so perhaps the comparison should be with a Humax Foxsat receiver instead.
John Lewis are selling the Foxsat at £149 with a 1 year guarantee, you have to add another £24 ( £173 total ) for a 3 year guarantee, this then starts to make the TechniSat unit a really good proposition
SteveQuote
October 12th, 2009 at 11:38 am
@Grant
Thanks for the link, but our news came directly from TechniSat, not your article. Useful for everyone to read both though.
adminQuote
October 12th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
Nothing to do with this subject, HOWEVER have just bought Humax freesat HD box, it is brilliant. The HD progs are amazing, plus all the others are certainly a lot better, this can clearly be seen when we compare the sky box to the freesat box. Well done freesat.
footyQuote
October 12th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
Would a class 2 SD HC card be fast enough for HD or would I need a class 4 or class 6 card?
Prison WardenQuote
October 13th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
* Class 2: minimum sustained DTS of 2MB/sec
* Class 4: minimum sustained DTS of 4MB/sec
* Class 6: minimum sustained DTS of 6MB/sec
Quote; SDHC cards are classified to guarantee a specific sustained DTS. This potentially saves consumers money, as flash cards are priced not only according to capacity, but also to speed. For example, if a product’s maximum DTS is 2MB/sec, dishing out extra cash for Class 4 or Class 6 SDHC cards would be a waste of money. Conversely, devices that can utilize the 4MB/sec or 6MB/sec DTR will perform significantly better with Class 4 or Class 6 SDHC cards, respectively.
Any help ?
Robert LangdonQuote
October 13th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
So even a class 6 card is too slow to record BBC-HD which is a minimum of 9.4MB/sec.
Prison WardenQuote
October 13th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
Many USB sticks have much faster write speeds why mess about with sd cards
Lee bQuote
October 14th, 2009 at 10:32 am
Because they fit my camera.
Prison WardenQuote
October 14th, 2009 at 11:59 am
What a neat piece of functionality and perfect for the user who only ever wants to record the very occasional programme. Come on Humax – please please please can we have something like this on the standard Freesat box?
BobQuote
October 14th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
It could be done using the rear mounted USB port on the Foxsat box. It would just need a firmware update to make it happen.
Prison WardenQuote
October 15th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
@Prison Warden the transfer rate quoted there for the SDHC cards is in Megabytes per second whereas the transfer rate for video is in Megabits per second which is 8 times smaller than a Megabyte so even the slowest card should give 16Mbps (Megabits) per second which should be fine for all the Freesat HD channels.
markQuote
October 15th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
Mega bits Mega bytes. It does make life confusing.
Prison WardenQuote
October 16th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
I’m thinking of getting a disecq motor for my dish so I can get the free German HD channels On my Technisat HDFS box.
SES ASTRA unveil HD+ service
* http://www.ses-astra.com
SES ASTRA has announced it will be launching its service for high-definition television, HD+ on 1 November.
The market launch of the service for customers in Germany will showcase HD content from broadcasters RTL and VOX. HD versions of Sat.1, ProSie-ben and kabel eins will be added in January. In addition to the HD content from private broadcasters, all unencrypted HD content from broadcasters such as, Das Erste, ZDF and ARTE as well as all other digital offers broadcast via ASTRA, will be available, according to ASTRA.
Prison WardenQuote
October 29th, 2009 at 11:41 am
Here we are at the end(ish) of October and no sign of the promised update to add recording functionality. The current Technisat update plays until the 4th of November.
Was it just a ruse to sell more over priced boxes or has the Harvard debacle scared them off?
http://www.dtg.org.uk/industry/download_schedule.php
Tony HalesQuote
October 29th, 2009 at 11:47 am
@Tony Hales
We are being told that it is due within the week, so fingers crossed.
adminQuote
October 29th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
Thanks admin. Good news. I look forward to it.
Tony HalesQuote
October 31st, 2009 at 12:31 am
November 4th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
August 23rd, 2011 at 5:12 pm
Just bought TechSat HDFS & I am happy with it, I am trying to find out if a 16Gb stick would be enough to record an hour or so of programs, & also do I need to “format ” the stick , if so how do I do this. There is no mention in the manual how to play back your recording.
LindsayQuote
August 23rd, 2011 at 5:16 pm
Try this, http://www.technisat-daun-fs.de/downloads/man/man_v2_0_0_usb_recorder_instructions_hdfs_6852.pdf and this, http://www.technisat-daun-fs.de/downloads/man/man_leaflet_hdfs_6996.pdf for more information.
adminQuote