Humax Vs Sky+

knightstyle

Well, in MSE mode we bought a Humax Foxsat and cancelled our £10 sub. to Sky.
So far the Humax box has been a real pain to use! Nowhere near as easy as the Sky one.
For example what do all the symbols and colours mean and why aren't they in the handbook?
Then when I want to record a program, unless I am watching it it takes several goes to get rid of the looking for information box!
Trying to set up a favourites list isn't easy either and why don't they use the coloured buttons for onetouch control. Had it a day so far and am not impressed!

scotsbob

You should have bought a Panasonic or an Echostar.

You would have been better to have waited until Dec/Jan when the new generation of Freesat boxes (G2 models) are released. The price of the present models will drop like a stone.

GlynD

We have a Humax Foxsat and love it. We're not having any of the problems you mention. All I could think to say is that the infra red field for the remote is perhaps a bit narrower than the one we had with Sky so you have to be sure you're pointing the remote right at the box.

macman

What colours and symbols are you referring to?

knightstyle

Day 2 of Humax. Well I have managed to find some things out but feel that the Humax is for geeks and Sky+ for normal people, does the Humax really need 55 buttons, many with more than one function??? Plus the Sky remote is nice to handle the Humax one is just a cheap plastic oblong.
Symbols, well what does G mean on the list of recorded programs? What do the coloured bands mean on the right of the i box? There was an earlier thread about the colours of the programs in the listings but why no mention of this in instructions? Lots more I can't be bothered with.
More questions not in or can't find handbook 116 pages of it! How do I do series link when the box described in the handbook does not appear when I press record? Do I have to leave the box on or can I leave it on standby when I want to record a future program? Why do they call record reserve for future programs?
At least the looking for information box hasn't appeared so far today but why isn't it mentioned in the instructions?
Perhaps I should have waited but I didn't know a new model was on the way, looked on this forum and people said the Humax was more user friendly than other makes, well the other makes must be terrible!

GlynD

Your Humax remote is a universal remote. That's why it has so many buttons. It can be easily tuned to control your DVD player and give you full control over your telly so you can chuck away all those other remotes. Unlike the Sky one which rarely controls more than volume.

"G" means "Guidance" on a recorded program. It alerts you to the fact that there may be unsuitable content in it.

Series link is just a matter of pressing the select button when you highlight the program on the guide. You don't use the record button for it - just like Sky.

debitcardmayhem

knightstyle wrote: »

Day 2 of Humax. Well I have managed to find some things out but feel that the Humax is for geeks and Sky+ for normal people, does the Humax really need 55 buttons, many with more than one function??? Plus the Sky remote is nice to handle the Humax one is just a cheap plastic oblong.
Symbols, well what does G mean on the list of recorded programs? What do the coloured bands mean on the right of the i box? There was an earlier thread about the colours of the programs in the listings but why no mention of this in instructions? Lots more I can't be bothered with.
More questions not in or can't find handbook 116 pages of it! How do I do series link when the box described in the handbook does not appear when I press record? Do I have to leave the box on or can I leave it on standby when I want to record a future program? Why do they call record reserve for future programs?
At least the looking for information box hasn't appeared so far today but why isn't it mentioned in the instructions?
Perhaps I should have waited but I didn't know a new model was on the way, looked on this forum and people said the Humax was more user friendly than other makes, well the other makes must be terrible!

If you mean searching for listings that is a know bug, which is due to be fixed in the "next few weeks" , to get round that use the cached epg, to do that press the schedule button and then the red button it then uses the cached epg (you use it from normal view ie when watching, not from the guide/list view .
The Humax has two usb ports which can be used for external disks and for firmware updates etc. I suggest you head over here http://www.avforums.com/forums/freesat/ and look for Owners thread 3 and Bundle 3. Stop moaning on day 2 you've bought it not married it;)
It will record from standby no problem, and it will switch itself on at circa 3 am to check for updates and epg etc.

GlynD

debitcardmayhem wrote: »

If you mean searching for listings that is a know bug, which is due to be fixed in the "next few weeks" , to get round that use the cached epg, to do that press the schedule button and then the red button it then uses the cached epg (you use it from normal view ie when watching, not from the guide/list view .
The Humax has two usb ports which can be used for external disks and for firmware updates etc. I suggest you head over here http://www.avforums.com/forums/freesat/ and look for Owners thread 3 and Bundle 3. Stop moaning on day 2 you've bought it not married it;)
It will record from standby no problem, and it will switch itself on at circa 3 am to check for updates and epg etc.

I'm not having this bug you mention. I've never had it and the box has been working away for 15 months.

knightstyle

Well thanks for quick replies. Started getting the "please wait for receiving broadcast information" box again when I try to record, hope the update will come soon but worried that a box which is about to be replaced still has bugs. So still can't record a whole series as box often does not appear. The G only seems to be on recorded programs, not on the guide list strange! Plus can I see a list of things I have set to record?
Anyway, off to the allotment which is another MSE initiative I have just invested in!

knightstyle

Have given up and am sending it back! Still cannot get my head round the complicated operating system. To view my favourites list I have to press list, this brings up a TV list, then press green, this brings up an auto list, press green again, the auto list changes colour, press again and at last my favorite list comes up!!! Why is the list of recorded programs called media??? Anyway back to Sky for me.

almillar

knightstyle, I wonder if it took you more than 2 days to learn Sky+, I bet it did...
Anyway, to see a list of things you have set to record, press 'Schedule' (one of the smaller buttons near the bottom IIRC).
Series record relies on the broadcaster, and I have found that actually Freesat does a better job of this than Sky! You press the OK or Select (the button in the middle of left right up down) on the programme to record, it'll let you record once, record series IF it's set as a series by the broadcaster. This option won't come up for a film! I agree that pressing record would be logical!
"please wait for receiving broadcast information" - Do you leave it in standby, you should. Don't switch it off completely, or it'll have to reload the EPG, as does Sky.