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Technisat HDFS
ary june 2009 & jantu 2010 test upda e
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n www.technisat.co.uk n £144 n www.techradar.com/591828
Technisat HDFS Technisat launches its first Freesat HD receiver throwing multimedia and streaming into the mix. A Humax-beater?
The Opposition Humax Foxsat-HD n Best of the first-wave Freesat boxes with sharp EPG, great all-round performance and a few notable enticements for multi-sat watchers
Germany’s Technisat is an established brand in the satellite market and has recently set its sights on developing products with the UK in mind. It helps, of course, that free-to-air satellite has been made more attractive to a wider range of UK residents recently, thanks to Freesat. The HDFS is its first Freesat receiver offering standard and hi-def reception. It will be followed by a potential Humax Foxsat-HDR-competing dual-tuner PVR (in late 2009/early 2010), and Freesat and Freeview IDTVs.
Build and connectivity The casing is almost identical to Technisat’s Digicorder HD S2X. Roughly the size of the average small VCR, it’s intersected with a silver band complemented by a stylish circular menu control pad on the left of the fascia. A classy blue vacuum fluorescent display shows the name of the channel you’re tuned to, or which menu you’re viewing. A flap reveals a host of data ports for slotting in storage devices for multimedia playback: USB,
Interface
Metronic Sat HD 100 n Also with multimedia playback (but not streaming or via memory card). Excellent HD pictures but SD a little lacklustre. Still worth considering
an MS/SD/MMC card slot and a Compact Flash reader. To their right are two blank spaces where CI slots would otherwise be. Rear connections are similar to those on the Metronic HD 100 Freesat receiver, though Technisat has stopped short of adding an LNB loopthrough which would enable you to feed a signal to an additional satellite receiver if required. There’s an HDMI output (but no component) twin Scarts with RGB, composite and S-video support on the TV Scart and coaxial and optical digital audio outputs. You’ll also find a second USB port and an Ethernet connection for forthcoming Freesat services such as BBC iPlayer, and streaming media from connected PCs (also achievable wirelessly). The remote control looks more like your average TV zapper than a set-top box controller, but it is still very usable, despite having lots of small similarly sized buttons. A blue ‘Nav’ button reveals context-sensitive shortcut menus for accessing the most desirable features.
Multi-sat capabilities include support for motorised and DiSEqC 1.2 systems, geo-positioning and copious search options 2 What Satellite & Digital TV
The Freesat EPG sticks largely to the standard format, though we like the added ability to skip day-by-day using the number keys
Wireless streaming is only possible using the Technisat WLAN adapter. You can configure network settings and enter WEP keys if needed
Test satellite
Setup The HDFS has two operating modes – Freesat and Technisat mode. In Freesat mode the receiver scans for Freesat channels only, prompting you to enter your postcode beforehand to set regional channels. You can only access the Freesat EPG while in this mode. The Technisat mode is for multi-satellite users and has many features offered by a conventional satellite receiver. You can specify the type of LNB you have – single, quattro or Multytenne (Technisat’s multi-LNB dish). There’s DiSEqC 1.2 support and motorised users can specify east and west limits. You can also enter your latitude and longitude to auto-find satellites. There are several search options – you can do an automatic (e.g. all free or pay-channels in range) scan or search by satellite, by frequency, polarity, symbol rate or PID. For both modes you can have multiple channel lists – a master list (in which channels can be deleted and re-sorted – including by satellite and provider in Technisat mode) and two favourites. In Freesat mode you get an additional customisable option where you can swap in regional variations.
EPG data is displayed as a grid of eight-day data (where available) for nine channels at once and you can view data for all channels or just those of a certain type (e.g. radio) or genre. This can be skipped day by day using the number keys on the remote) or in two-hour chunks. You can view a full list of data for one channel, a now-and-next list for all channels, generate a grid of programmes for all by genre, or search for shows using an onscreen keyboard. Non-Freesat channels also get a grid of channels from which you can view data for one channel, view shows by genre or perform a search. The programme information banner is attractive, displaying plenty of useful data. In Freesat mode you can browse data and synopses for what’s on other channels for the rest of the day without needing to switch over. Three timer options – a VCR timer, a wake-up timer and channel change – can be scheduled from the menu, EPG or information bar with once daily, weekly, or 2/5 day repeat options. Freesat timers are disabled when in Technisat mode. The HDFS is capable of playing media from inserted storage devices or from a PC via Ethernet or wirelessly. Wireless streaming requires you to buy Technisat’s USB-WLAN adapter (£30) which can be front or rearplugged or set apart from the receiver in the stand provided. Supported formats are MP3, JPEG or MPEG-2 (MP4 and DivX are expected to be added later) and you can create playlists and slide shows and fast-forward and rewind video at up 64x normal speed.
Performance Genre searches can be slow but the software is pretty slick on the whole. Standard-def pictures can look a tad soft (even high bitrate channels via HDMI) but are still acceptable. HD looks sharp all round, whether you’re watching BBC HD or FTA HD channel Luxe HD. Audio quality (MP3 playback in particular) is excellent even without resorting to the digital audio outputs. Streaming and general multimedia playback, meanwhile, is smooth and glitch-free n Grant Rennell
Basic use Freesat and non-Freesat channels use the same EPG framework, which works well in both cases. The Freesat EPG is structured in a similar way to that on competitors’ boxes but (as with the software in general) Technisat has eschewed black in favour of a slightly dull, mainly grey Windows-esque colour scheme, (though we do like the help pages). Analogue stereo audio out
LNB input
Composite video out
Freesat scan: 0m 24s 0
5 mins
Full scan Astra 2/Eurobird: 19m 44s 0
20 mins
Power consumption: 27W (in use)
Features Receiver: Technisat HDFS Price: £190 No LNB inputs: 1 LNB loopthrough: No DiSEqC: 1.2, USALS No. channels: 45,000 Selectable FEC: No Symbol rate range: DVB-S, 1-45000, DVB-S2 10-30000 Blind search: No Linux: No CAM: No Common interface: No Teletext: DVB decoded and re-inserted EPG support: DVB now/next, 7-day Timer: 30+ events, 1 week Hard drive: None UHF modulator tuning: None Software upgrade: RS232/ download Data ports: Ethernet, 2 x USB 2.0, MS/SD/MMC card reader, Compact Flash reader SD out: TV Scart (Composite, RGB, S-video), VCR Scart (Composite, S-video), composite video HD out: HDMI Audio out: Coaxial digital audio, optical digital audio, analogue stereo audio
Verdict With the Metronic Sat HD 100 offering similar multimedia functionality, albeit without streaming, a question mark hangs over the price (it does come with a three-year warranty). However, particularly if you demand more from a Freesat box than just Freesat channels, this is the HD zapper to go for with a feature set that exceeds what’s offered by the well-regarded Humax Foxsat-HD.
TV Scart (composite, RGB, S-video)
VCR Scart (composite, S-video)
Tech Data
HDMI
Coaxial digital audio out
Ethernet port
Optical digital audio out
USB port
Ratings PLUS
n HD Pictures/sound n Multimedia playback/
streaming n Good multi-satellite support
Minus
n A little pricey n No LNB loopthrough n Interface a bit too grey
Build Setup Searching Navigation Performance Features Value
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86% What Satellite & Digital TV 3
n www.technisat.co.uk n £144 approx
Features No LNB inputs: 1 LNB loopthrough: No DiSEqC: 1.2, USALS No. Channels: 45,000 Selectable FEC: No Symbol rate range: DVB-S, 1-45000, DVB-S2 10-30000 Blind search: No Linux: No CAM: No Common interface: No Teletext: DVB decoded and re-inserted EPG support: Freesat/DVB Timer: 30+ events, 1 week Hard drive: Via USB UHF modulator tuning: None Software upgrade: RS232/ download Data ports: Ethernet, 2 x USB 2.0, MS/SD/MMC card reader, Compact Flash reader SD out: TV Scart (Composite, RGB, S-video), VCR Scart (Composite, S-video), composite video HD out: HDMI Audio out: Coaxial digital audio, optical digital audio, analogue stereo audio
Ratings PLUS
n Recording via USB n Timeshifting n Recording quality
Minus
n Can’t play recordings elsewhere n No ITV HD recording n No series linking
Setup Navigation Performance Features Value
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78% 4 What Satellite & Digital TV
Test satellite
Technisat HDFS PVR update A free software update has turned Technisat’s Freesat HD box into a PVR, but it’s not quite Freesat+ The recipient of a Wotsat gold award in our June issue, the Technisat HDFS Freesat HD receiver benefits from a few notable features such as wi-fi media streaming (albeit requiring the purchase of an adapter) and better support for non-Freesat channels than is found on many competitors’ boxes. It remains, however, the most expensive nonrecording Freesat HD box on the market. Kudos to Technisat, then, for providing added value for free in the form of a via-satellite software update that allows users to record high and standard-definition programmes to hard or flash drives inserted in its two USB ports. Drives must be formatted by the receiver beforehand and the ‘kicker’ for some will be that, while you can move them between storage devices, any recordings you make can only be played back on the receiver on which they were made (blame copyright concerns). You cannot record ITV HD at present either. The remote was not designed for PVR use, so retrofitting it for this purpose has led to some compromises that initially take some getting used to (an instruction manual can be obtained from the downloads section at www.technisat.co.uk).
Recording and timeshifting Pressing the tick button brings up menu options for recording and playback that are mapped to the colour keys. Recordings can be scheduled via the EPG, which has recently been re-skinned from a dull grey to a uniform black. This is not a Freesat+ product, so don’t expect automatic series linking but a pop-up menu allows you to set repeat recordings – daily, weekly, weekdays or weekends. You can also tweak start and end times. A separate manual timer function offers the same features and the HDFS will happily record while in standby. The HDFS still only has one tuner so you’re limited to recording one programme at a time while playing back a
recording or streaming media from a connected device. Timeshifting is possible, occurring only after you select pause. When you decide to stop timeshifting (to change channel, perhaps) you’re given the option to ‘store’ what you’ve been recording thus far. Recordings are stored in a PVR section of the Movies menu labelled with name, date, channel, time and duration and when selected can be seen running in a quarter-screen window. A one-hour SD recording takes up about 1GB of hard disc space and you can watch a recording from the start while it’s still in progress. You can rewind at 16x normal speed, fast-forward at , 15x and 32x normal speed and skip forward in 10-minute chunks by pressing red when at 32x. You can also add bookmarks and edit them via the receiver’s Media Organiser menu. Editing is fairly straightforward, involving splitting recordings into renameable chunks using bookmarks to create start and end points. We had no incidences of failed recording and, although playback can be occasionally be jerky for the first few seconds, fast-forwarding and rewinding works very well. Most importantly, picture quality for SD and HD recordings looks as good as the original broadcast n Grant Rennell
Verdict It doesn’t really compete with the flexibility and functionality offered by Humax or Sagem’s dedicated PVRs, but this update for an already well-constructed receiver is free and (once you get used to using the remote’s coloured buttons in the absence of dedicated PVR buttons) generally well implemented. Some will bemoan the lack of recording exporting but this is out of Technisat’s hands. All eyes are now on next year’s dedicated Technisat Freesat HD PVR to really challenge the competition.