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Humax HDR-Fox T2 october 2010
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n www.humaxdigital.com/uk n £329 approx
Humax HDR-Fox T2 Humax’s first Freeview+ HD PVR is finally here and it’s more than just a TV recorder
The Opposition 3view 3VHD n Already has BBC iPlayer as well as media streaming, YouTube, widgets and a web browser. Not as well constructed as the Humax and not Freeview+ HD certified
The popularity of Humax’s standard-definition Freeview+ PVRs meant expectations were high for the release of its first Freeview+ HD recorder, though its arrival was somewhat delayed. The spec includes twin HD/SD tuners and a hefty 500GB hard disc with plans to produce a limited run of receivers with 1TB storage in selected retailers. But there’s more on offer here than just Freeview HD recording, with numerous multimedia features included and the promise of more to come – including video on demand from BBC iPlayer and Sky Player (both expected this year), shopping, photo browsing and the ability to stream from one receiver to another.
Build and connectivity Elegance is the watchword here, with a design slick enough to make even a potentially garish red LED display look good. This performs myriad functions such as showing the status of the receiver and the name of the channel you’re watching while occasionally scrolling. It’s accompanied by a large illuminated power button, smaller pads for volume control and channel zapping and a concealed USB port on the bottom right. At the rear we find a common interface slot, currently
Setup As with the current HD-Fox T2 zapper, the menus have a pleasing hi-res appearance throughout (everything
Interface
Digitalstream DHR8205U n Also with MP3 and JPEG playback, plus a CI slot for ESPN (but not Sky Sports). Poor standard-def pictures and frustrating remote let it down
usable for watching ESPN with the requisite CAM and card but not Sky Sports channels. Alongside sits an aerial loopthrough, a reasonable assortment of AV connectors comprising an HDMI, RGB-capable Scart and separate composite output for video, and stereo phonos and an optical S/PDIF connector for audio. The latter is supported by the PVR’s ability to transcode BBC HD’s sporadic AAC surround sound broadcasts for outputting in Dolby Digital 5.1 format (a rarity on the first generation of Freeview HD boxes). An Ethernet connection and another USB port also lurk here, ready for exploiting the receiver’s networking capabilities as well as applying software updates (also broadcast over the air). A tactile universal remote control looks and feels classy. While it could have done with a bit more variation in button size, the pads are sensibly labelled and arranged with the most oft-used intuitively located around the central navigation pad. Coloured buttons also function as shortcuts, signposted on screen.
The 8-day EPG displays data in easy-to-digest fashion and you can search for shows by keyword or view lists of programmes organised by genre 2 What Satellite & Digital TV October 2010
Recordings are accessed in the video menu. You can record two channels at once and watch a third live if two are on the same multiplex
Onscreen indicators (top left) show which channels are being recorded and you can browse what’s on other channels from the i-plate
Test freeview HD
including video and TV can be upscaled to 1080p) and are logically organised. Once the automatic scan feature (not the fastest we’ve seen) is complete you can lock and delete channels from the main channel list (which can ordered alphabetically or numerically or toggled to show TV, HD, radio, recently viewed or favourites only) and create and name (using an onscreen keyboard) up to five favourites lists.
Basic use The EPG layout has a design not dissimilar to that found on other Freeview HD boxes. Information for seven channels at a time is clearly presented in a three-quarter screen timeline grid with the selected channel appearing in a window in the top left next to a synopsis. You can schedule reminders and recordings, use an onscreen keyboard to search by keyword (the receiver memorises previous searches) and view programme lists sorted according to pre-set genres. Full eight-day DVB data for the current channel and others (without needing to change channels) may also be browsed from the programme information bar (or ‘i-plate’). This is stuffed with icons showing, among other things, what sound type is being broadcast, the programme resolution and whether it’s set for recording.
PVR and multimedia It’s possible to record two channels at once while playing back a recording or, if two are on the same multiplex, record two (SD or HD) channels while watching a third live channel. Recordings (of both TV and radio) can be set up via the EPG, i-plate, using a manual timer or by pressing record while watching a programme and you’re prompted as to whether you want to record the whole Common interface
HDMI
Ethernet
series or just the current programme. You can set a buffer either side of recordings. Timeshifting (up to two hours) is also supported with the receiver constantly caching what you watch rather than you needing to press pause beforehand. If you want to keep what you’re watching you can rewind the programme to a desired point and press record. You can fast-forward or rewind at 2x, 4x, 8x, 16x or 32x normal speed and there are skip and instant replay options for which length can be specified (e.g. 60 seconds). Other trickplay features include slow motion and the ability to create bookmarks by pressing a key while watching. Recordings are accessed in the video menu along with anything else you might have stored on the internal or external drives and all are tagged with thumbnail images. Copyright restrictions mean that, while they can be exported, you can’t play recordings on any other device. For media playback you can plug in ext3, FAT or NTFS formatted flash or hard drives or music players, stream from DLNA, or CIF share compatible sources including computers and copy files to the internal hard disc. Wi-Fi is not built in, so you’ll need to add a dongle. Format support is currently confined to MP3, JPEG and XviD but there are plans for expansion. Files can be renamed, sorted into folders and (for video) locked. Each type gets its own player/viewer (labelled Music, Video, Photo) with slideshow options for images (including with music) and playlisting supported.
Performance Most Freeview HD products come with upscaling but few do it as well as the HDR-Fox T2, to the extent that after initial tuning was complete we temporarily mistook a BBC1 SD broadcast for HD. It’s never going to be a substitute for native HD broadcasts but detail is boosted effectively without glitchiness. Native HD broadcasts also look exceptional, with natural colours throughout and recordings of SD and HD live up to the source. The HDR-Fox T2 also happily played files stored on our flash drives, PC running Windows Vista Home Premium and networked NAS drive n Grant Rennell
Verdict The HDR-Fox T2 is well worth considering as your first Freeview HD recorder, particularly if you plan to take advantage of its multimedia and networking capabilities for which tantalising developments are planned. On the basic level of recording and viewing, it’s easy to use, reliable and produces excellent pictures and audio.
Features Freeview HD: Yes Hard disc size: 500GB MHEG-5: Yes Teletext: Yes EPG support: 8-day DVB Upscaling: 576i/576p/720p/1080i/1080p UHF modulator tuning: None CI slot: Yes Timer: Yes Software upgrade: OTA/USB HD out: HDMI SD out: 1x Scart (RGB, composite), composite video Audio out: Optical S/PDIF, stereo phonos Media formats: XviD, MP3, JPEG
Ratings PLUS
n Excellent build quality n Sharp, well-considered
software
n Good all-round performance
Composite video
Stereo phonos
Minus
n No built-in Wi-Fi n No Sky Sports support
Build Setup Searching Performance Features Value
Aerial loopthrough
Optical S/PDIF
USB 2.0 port
Scart output
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85% October 2010 What Satellite & Digital TV 3