Humax freeview

Yorkie1

I'm starting to think about replacing / upgrading my current combo of VCR / DVD player / standard freeview box.

I see from Richer Sounds that I can get the Humax PVR 9300T for £140 http://www.richersounds.com/product/digital-set-top-boxes/humax/pvr9300t-500gb/huma-pvr9300-500gb

And the Humax HDR-FoxT2 for £220 http://www.richersounds.com/product/digital-set-top-boxes/humax/hdr-foxt2/huma-fox-t2-hdr

And the Humax HD-FoxT2 on clearance for £80 http://www.richersounds.com/showclearanceproduct/HUMA-HD-FOX-T2/Humax+Hd+Fox+T2.html#

Apart from the HD aspect (I currently have an old CRT TV set and when that breaks I have a flatscreen TV to substitute for it - though unclear if it has HD capability or not at present), is there a lot of difference between the products other than the price?

debitcardmayhem

I [STRIKE]beleiev[/STRIKE](try again) believe the T2 has iPlayer built in

closed

another one to throw into the pot

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Humax-DTR-T1000-YouView-Digital-Recorder/dp/B008J0QMYG

on the expensive side as it has no built in wireless.

fenlander_uk

The 9300T is a previous generation PVR. The HDR-T2 is a much better-specced machine with more capacity and a much slicker interface. It also has an active user community that has created an impressive range of add-on utilities. The HD-T2 is a tuner, not a PVR, though you can attach an external hard disk for single-programme recording (the other two can record 2 channels simutaneously).

There is a Humax forum on DigitalSpy and the community website at hummy.tv. You will find much more information there. You might also like to look at the Humax UK Direct Sales site. Purchases made there get a 2-year warranty and even though the headline prices are similar to the ones you quote, you will also find some manager's specials, including the 9300T at £89 and the HDR-T2 at £169.

Yorkie1

Many thanks all. Hadn't appreciated that the HD-T2 didn't have the recording capability so that prevents an expensive mistake!

Will look at the other info later on return from work.

macman

Hard drive size varies from model to model. The 9300 starts at I think 320GB. The Fox D2 is 500GB up.
Obviously for HD recording you need a lot more disk capacity.
The 'R' signifies a recorder, as opposed to a straight digibox.

googler

This Panasonic has HDD, Freeview, VHS and DVD all in one box.

You'd still be able to play any VHS that you have, or transfer them to DVD... (via the HDD to edit them neatly, of course)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-DMR-EX99VEBK-250GB-Recorder-Freeview/dp/B0038VZXPK

Neil49

I received an email from Comet last week with the HDR - FoxT2 being advertised at around £160.

The problem will be finding a store that has one.

Yorkie1

Thanks all for the advice. I went for the HDR-FoxT2 eventually. Richer Sounds had reduced it to £199 so an extra bargain!

Now, connecting it up. My old freeview box had the aerial connector in, and then both a SCART to the TV and an aerial connector to the TV. I imagine this was to give the possibility (now defunct) to record a digital programme while watching an analogue signal programme?

Do I need to still use the aerial connection from the HDR to the TV? Obviously, I'll use the SCART - but is that sufficient?

The manual just lists all the different ways you may connect the two; it doesn't tell you whether particular combinations are required.

macman

Use HDMI if your TV has it.
You feed the signal aerial>Humax>TV.
You only need a direct aerial connection into the TV if you want to use it without the Humax. When using the Humax, the TV just displays the image that is sent to it-the TV tuners are not used.

Yorkie1

Thanks, no HDMI so SCART and TV aerial connectors only.

I have picture.

Now to sort out the sound ...

[edit] - sorted, wretched SCART cables!!