Sky v Humax

almillar

dodger1 - yes you can. But there's a difference between satellite and aerial - 1 cable from the aerial into your Freeview recorder is good enough to allow 2 recordings. This isn't the case for satellite (Sky or FreeSat) - you need 2 cables coming from the dish, into 2 inputs on the box. Any Sky+ installation will have 2 feeds installed, and probably a quad LNB. So as long as you have feeds, yes, you can do all the watch one, record one stuff that you're used to. And watch a recording, whilst recording 2 others.
What's your reason for switching though?

dodger1

almillar wrote: »

dodger1 - yes you can. But there's a difference between satellite and aerial - 1 cable from the aerial into your Freeview recorder is good enough to allow 2 recordings. This isn't the case for satellite (Sky or FreeSat) - you need 2 cables coming from the dish, into 2 inputs on the box. Any Sky+ installation will have 2 feeds installed, and probably a quad LNB. So as long as you have feeds, yes, you can do all the watch one, record one stuff that you're used to. And watch a recording, whilst recording 2 others.
What's your reason for switching though?

I live opposite Southampton docks and when a cruise ship is docked in a particular place the freeview signal from the IOW sometimes get blocked and the recordings are too pixilated to watch. I then watch TV via Freesat. I've just checked and there are two feeds and both work.

almillar

Good - sounds like it would be worthwhile for you to switch then. I would take either the Humax Freetime box (if you want to use catchup stuff) or Humax Foxsat HDR if you don't, which will be cheaper. It does still have some catchup (including the most important iPlayer) but not as nicely integrated. Both have the recording/viewing features you need with your 2 feeds connected.

teffers

I hope Humax Freesat boxes have come a LONG way in the last few years.

We got rid of SKY two years ago and have been using a Humax PVR from 2011 and it's a living nightmare to use: Slow, full of errors, missed timing recordings, ends/beginnings of recordings missed, clunky menus, terrible remote etc.

I hate the fact that we're having to buy SKY again (half price deal though so not all bad) but the Humax / freesat option was just awful.

Like I said, hopefully HUMAX has come a long way in the last few years but Freesat definitely hasn't.

agrinnall

One of the good things on my (quite old now) Humax Freesat HDR box is that the USB port actually works, which I believe is not the case with Sky+. I use that to copy programmes that I want to keep onto USB drive and then onto my laptop and an external hard drive, and I can free up the space on the HDR.

knightstyle

As I said before I agree with teffers 100% Sky is so much better.
Teffers, how about getting Freesat from Sky? It only costs £10 a month.

Mr_Toad

mustang121 wrote: »

HUMAX are great!

oh and an Apple app is going to be released later this month which allows you to record programmes whilst you are away.

I have a HUMAX Youview box a there's already a Youview App for iPhone and Android. It's basically a program guide that you link to your box and just like the EPG on the box you can set programs to record.

I didn't think I'd use it but it's amazing how often I'm out and someone will say "there's a great program on tonight that I'm recording" that I didn't know about. I can now get the phone out and set it to record and so far it has worked perfectly every time :T

Norman_Castle

teffers wrote: »

I hope Humax Freesat boxes have come a LONG way in the last few years.

We got rid of SKY two years ago and have been using a Humax PVR from 2011 and it's a living nightmare to use: Slow, full of errors, missed timing recordings, ends/beginnings of recordings missed, clunky menus, terrible remote etc.

I hate the fact that we're having to buy SKY again (half price deal though so not all bad) but the Humax / freesat option was just awful.

Like I said, hopefully HUMAX has come a long way in the last few years but Freesat definitely hasn't.

There was a fix for missed recordings and poor menu on Humax pvr's about six months on this forum which worked for me. You could try asking here http://myhumax.org/

TadleyBaggie

dodger1 wrote: »

Can you record two programmes at once while also watching a programme live...

No, it has two tuners and so if you are recording two programmes there is no way towatch a third live. If you try it you get a pop up that says either cancel one of the recordings, or leave it as it is.

dodger1 wrote: »

...and record two programmes at once while watching something you have already recorded?

This works fine.

Mr_Toad

TadleyBaggie wrote: »

No, it has two tuners and so if you are recording two programmes there is no way towatch a third live. If you try it you get a pop up that says either cancel one of the recordings, or leave it as it is.


This works fine.

Actually that's not entirely true.

If the third channel is on the same mux as one of the two channels being recorded, or if both channels being recorded are on the same mux , I'm not sure which, you can watch a third.

Not long after I got my Humax I changed channels and then realised I was supposed to be recording two programs. I was concerned that one of the recordings had failed but when I checked both were showing as recording and it was letting me watch another program. I was confused but someone on one of the Freeview forums explained the above.

It doesn't often work but sometimes you can be lucky.