HUMAX HDR just Died (1 Viewer)

[OldAgeTravellers]

Hi all, we returned from our three month holiday on Thursday and sat down to watch some TV last night. The Humax had recorded all our favourite's while we have been away but suddenly, half way through a film it froze. No response from the remote at all. Feeling the box it was a bit hot but the buttons were un responsive so pulled the power supply to let it cool down. When it had cooled down it would not start again, no lights nothing. I know there is a company that does fixed price repairs at £80 but wondered if there was something better now. I know they don't make the HDR any more, only an internet only one and refurbished ones on the internet seem really expensive. I tried an old Denson Satellite Box I had but that doesn't seem to get any of the BBC channels which I know have now gone to HD only, or perhaps I am setting it up wrong!! Must search for the instructions. But of course it doesn't record and pause like the Humax.
I have a Firestick, which I am sure many will recommend, but I don't like the experience. I find it slow, and not as good as just flicking through Satellite channels and of course pausing or starting watching the program late so as to quickly forward past the adverts when watching an advert channel.
I know things have moved on and I shouldn't be a luddite. But Internet TV to us is just not as good, the sound seems more muffled than the Humax, I know that everyone on TV mumbles but it is better by satellite.
So, other than the internet has anybody found a better satellite receiver than the HUMAX HDR? Has anybody had theirs fail and fixed it or had it fixed? Oh, we don't have Broadband only 4G internet so possibly low bandwidth at times.
Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[Millcourt]

Our Humax HDR satellite receiver/reorder is now around 17 years old and has given good service, but the remote control has been starting to fail. In anticipation of needing to replace, I found that Freeview models are readily available but these do not give the range of channels available by satellite. The only new option I have found is sold (it seems) only by Curry’s. The link below is to the 500 GByte model. There are slightly more expensive 1 and 2 TeraByte options, if you require more storage capacity.

If you find other brand options, I will be grateful if you can share please.

https://www.currys.co.uk/products/freesat-uhd4x-smart-4k-ultra-hd-digital-tv-recorder-500-gb-10207036.html

 

[Ianbenny]

I think Humax have stopped selling the Freesat boxes.

I have now got the Aura android freeview one. Its OK but the software can be flaky at times.

I have one in a cupboard if you want to pm me. Never been used for a few years as I went back to sky for a while

 

[The Coops]

Check the temperature of the unit on the settings, if they overheat they break. We bought a replacement from Currys for recording on.

 

[rod_vw]

Our Humax HDR satellite receiver/reorder is now around 17 years old and has given good service, but the remote control has been starting to fail. In anticipation of needing to replace, I found that Freeview models are readily available but these do not give the range of channels available by satellite. The only new option I have found is sold (it seems) only by Curry’s. The link below is to the 500 GByte model. There are slightly more expensive 1 and 2 TeraByte options, if you require more storage capacity.

If you find other brand options, I will be grateful if you can share please.

https://www.currys.co.uk/products/freesat-uhd4x-smart-4k-ultra-hd-digital-tv-recorder-500-gb-10207036.html

Take the remote apart and carefully clean all of the button pads on the circuit board, it's not too difficult a job. I've had to do mine once and it needs doing again.

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[rod_vw]

Hi all, we returned from our three month holiday on Thursday and sat down to watch some TV last night. The Humax had recorded all our favourite's while we have been away but suddenly, half way through a film it froze. No response from the remote at all. Feeling the box it was a bit hot but the buttons were un responsive so pulled the power supply to let it cool down. When it had cooled down it would not start again, no lights nothing. I know there is a company that does fixed price repairs at £80 but wondered if there was something better now. I know they don't make the HDR any more, only an internet only one and refurbished ones on the internet seem really expensive. I tried an old Denson Satellite Box I had but that doesn't seem to get any of the BBC channels which I know have now gone to HD only, or perhaps I am setting it up wrong!! Must search for the instructions. But of course it doesn't record and pause like the Humax.
I have a Firestick, which I am sure many will recommend, but I don't like the experience. I find it slow, and not as good as just flicking through Satellite channels and of course pausing or starting watching the program late so as to quickly forward past the adverts when watching an advert channel.
I know things have moved on and I shouldn't be a luddite. But Internet TV to us is just not as good, the sound seems more muffled than the Humax, I know that everyone on TV mumbles but it is better by satellite.
So, other than the internet has anybody found a better satellite receiver than the HUMAX HDR? Has anybody had theirs fail and fixed it or had it fixed? Oh, we don't have Broadband only 4G internet so possibly low bandwidth at times.
Thanks for any suggestions.

Maybe worth asking on the Humax Forum if it is possible to extract your recordings by removing the hard drive from the Humax box and connecting it to a PC.

 

[The Wino]

We gave up recording stuff ages ago and just use I player etc which I know you say you think sounds inferior but we watch TV through Freesat and other stuff by i player/ prime video and I think would struggle to tell them apart. When we used to actually record stuff it was a bit of a faff and we often never got around to looking at it so I player etc is great if you find something you like you can usually go to look at the whole series and it remembers where you are up to.

 

[OldAgeTravellers]

We gave up recording stuff ages ago and just use I player etc which I know you say you think sounds inferior but we watch TV through Freesat and other stuff by i player/ prime video and I think would struggle to tell them apart. When we used to actually record stuff it was a bit of a faff and we often never got around to looking at it so I player etc is great if you find something you like you can usually go to look at the whole series and it remembers where you are up to.

Without the Humax we are using the Fire Stick at the moment. Last night it took me over ten minutes to change from watching something on iPlayer to The Last Leg on My4 which just kept crashing. Totally not fit for purpose. With the Humax it would have taken two seconds and as the programs overlapped I would have been recording The Last Leg so I could skip through the adverts. Ok some of it may be my internet connection but for me it is what it is.

 

[tonyl]

When our Humax died a few years ago, I bought a satellite box running OpenVix software. With a bit of work, loading software, etc and setting up your channels, it works well.

It's not FreeSat, though, so you can't expect some of the dedicated features which that offers, for instance channel updates. Setting the unit to record a series can be a bit hit and miss, especially if the broadcaster alters the title of the programme or the day.

The box I bought was by a company called Octagon, but there are other brands. With some of them, you can specify what tuners you want in the box - two satellite tuners, one satellite + one terrestrial, sometimes more. Some models can have an internal HD. Mine simply records to an external USB, though it would record to a network if you wanted to.

The most useful single thing is that the remote has a 4 minute skip button, which seems to be the duration of most sets of ads!

 

[VXman]

Hi all, we returned from our three month holiday on Thursday and sat down to watch some TV last night. The Humax had recorded all our favourite's while we have been away but suddenly, half way through a film it froze. No response from the remote at all. Feeling the box it was a bit hot but the buttons were un responsive so pulled the power supply to let it cool down. When it had cooled down it would not start again, no lights nothing. I know there is a company that does fixed price repairs at £80 but wondered if there was something better now. I know they don't make the HDR any more, only an internet only one and refurbished ones on the internet seem really expensive. I tried an old Denson Satellite Box I had but that doesn't seem to get any of the BBC channels which I know have now gone to HD only, or perhaps I am setting it up wrong!! Must search for the instructions. But of course it doesn't record and pause like the Humax.
I have a Firestick, which I am sure many will recommend, but I don't like the experience. I find it slow, and not as good as just flicking through Satellite channels and of course pausing or starting watching the program late so as to quickly forward past the adverts when watching an advert channel.
I know things have moved on and I shouldn't be a luddite. But Internet TV to us is just not as good, the sound seems more muffled than the Humax, I know that everyone on TV mumbles but it is better by satellite.
So, other than the internet has anybody found a better satellite receiver than the HUMAX HDR? Has anybody had theirs fail and fixed it or had it fixed? Oh, we don't have Broadband only 4G internet so possibly low bandwidth at times.
Thanks for any suggestions.

Get a decent modern smart TV and it will run all your apps quickly. Not being tied to live TV schedules is brilliant. Not watched live TV for years - some sporting events and the news excepted.

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[mikebiggles]

Hi all, we returned from our three month holiday on Thursday and sat down to watch some TV last night. The Humax had recorded all our favourite's while we have been away but suddenly, half way through a film it froze. No response from the remote at all. Feeling the box it was a bit hot but the buttons were un responsive so pulled the power supply to let it cool down. When it had cooled down it would not start again, no lights nothing. I know there is a company that does fixed price repairs at £80 but wondered if there was something better now. I know they don't make the HDR any more, only an internet only one and refurbished ones on the internet seem really expensive. I tried an old Denson Satellite Box I had but that doesn't seem to get any of the BBC channels which I know have now gone to HD only, or perhaps I am setting it up wrong!! Must search for the instructions. But of course it doesn't record and pause like the Humax.
I have a Firestick, which I am sure many will recommend, but I don't like the experience. I find it slow, and not as good as just flicking through Satellite channels and of course pausing or starting watching the program late so as to quickly forward past the adverts when watching an advert channel.
I know things have moved on and I shouldn't be a luddite. But Internet TV to us is just not as good, the sound seems more muffled than the Humax, I know that everyone on TV mumbles but it is better by satellite.
So, other than the internet has anybody found a better satellite receiver than the HUMAX HDR? Has anybody had theirs fail and fixed it or had it fixed? Oh, we don't have Broadband only 4G internet so possibly low bandwidth at times.
Thanks for any suggestions.

Same thing happened to my Humax HDR freeview box. I managed to get a second hand one from Ebay and swapped the hard drives over. When I looked there were some HDR Sat recorders there for reasonable money. BTW - the Humax support guys were quite helpful - just phone them.

 

[John-Laika]

If it is your hard drive that has then you could try buying a new hard drive like we did when it happened to ours.
I was notsure it was the hard drive when it failed but thought I would give it a try.
I'm glad idid it was easy to swop just plug and play and I took the opportunity to double the size of it lost all our recordings thought but it's still going strong now after a few years.

 

[OldAgeTravellers]

Get a decent modern smart TV and it will run all your apps quickly. Not being tied to live TV schedules is brilliant. Not watched live TV for years - some sporting events and the news excepted.

As I said in post #8 above with our internet, TV is not a good experience while Satellite TV is a very good experience, for me. If I want to watch something on the internet that I missed then the fire stick or my Android Projector is still available. Although there is a Virgin Cabinet directly across the road, I do not want to be fleeced by Virgin, Sky or BT so I am very happy with my "3" unlimited 4G for £15 per month which I can also use for 3 months at a time in Europe, because I have the old contract. Perhaps if the ITV, 4 or 5 apps ever get as good as iPlayer then I may reconsider. With the Humax all the programs are set to record automatically whether we are in or not and just like Internet TV we can watch them when we wish and also skip any adverts which is not possible on internet TV.
Oh, I use a modern smart Projector with Android TV and a good sound bar so I can have a six foot TV which is not imposing on the room.

 

[Wendo55]

I've had a Manhatten box for a few years. Easy to use. Reasonbly priced.Regular updates and good communication from the makers.

Manhattan TV: No monthly bills, no contracts, just TV on your terms

Enjoy the best of British TV, all for free, with our award-winning Freeview and Freesat TV boxes and recorders.

manhattan-tv.com

 

[OldAgeTravellers]

I've had a Manhatten box for a few years. Easy to use. Reasonbly priced.Regular updates and good communication from the makers.

Manhattan TV: No monthly bills, no contracts, just TV on your terms

Enjoy the best of British TV, all for free, with our award-winning Freeview and Freesat TV boxes and recorders.

manhattan-tv.com

Thank you, that looks interesting and good price but it doesn't record or time shift, or does it?

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[LithiumConvert]

Thank you, that looks interesting and good price but it doesn't record or time shift, or does it?

No. It does not record or time shift. Otherwise, it is very good.

 

[Millcourt]

OldAgeTravellers , I think the only option currently being marketed for Freesat recording is the models being sold by Curry’s, which I mentioned in my previous posting above.

Previously Curry’s sold Manhattan branded Freesat recorders. The range they currently have for sale do not appear to have a brand name, but look very much like the previous Manhattan branded boxes.

 

[Wendo55]

Thank you, that looks interesting and good price but it doesn't record or time shift, or does it?

Mine records, pauses live TV. I prefer to record series rather than use catch-up as I can fast-forward the ads etc.
I'm away until Thursday so can't check the model but it's higher than the basic.

 

[Wendo55]

No. It does not record or time shift. Otherwise, it is very good.

The TR 4 is a recorder and you can pause live TV.

 

[The Wino]

Get a decent modern smart TV and it will run all your apps quickly. Not being tied to live TV schedules is brilliant. Not watched live TV for years - some sporting events and the news excepted.

We got a new TV this year it's great and no separate boxes cables and remotes

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[LithiumConvert]

The TR 4 is a recorder and you can pause live TV.

But this thread is talking about Freesat. not Freeview

The Manhatten Freesat box does not record.

You cofused the thread by posting a link about a Freeview product.

 

[OldAgeTravellers]

Another Funster has kindly offered me his old identical Humax so as long as it keeps working I'm sorted, or will be soon. The annoying thing is that it appears that the recordings are specifically encrypted and tied to the original motherboard. So I will have lost all the recordings that I was keeping. But, hey, ho that's life.
Thanks to everybody for their help and suggestions. I wish I was like some and didn't watch TV. It would save so much time but I do find it a nice relaxation after our evening meal. But we did survive 3 months away in the Motorhome with no TV as the UK beam doesn't reach Norway and our iQ sim ran out far too quickly with streaming. Just watched a few DVD's I had copied on to a hard disk and the odd half hour of news and listened to a lot of Radio and podcasts. I can thoroughly recommend "The C-word" podcast on BBC Sounds, to all men, Judy enjoyed it as well.

 

[Wendo55]

But this thread is talking about Freesat. not Freeview

The Manhatten Freesat box does not record.

You cofused the thread by posting a link about a Freeview product.

Sorry!