Humax FVP-5000T. Anyone use one?

[smokeysmoo]

So I'm still thinking of binning Virgin off and going Freeview with the above box.

I'm not interested in these streaming devices as I hate the Firestick thing we have.

So thinking of the Humax and cancelling VM for TV and Phone and just keeping the Broadband for Netflix and Prime.

Anyone done similar, thinking of similar, got any advice on such a move?

T.I.A.

 

[heathenking]

Yes I use one with a satellite dish and obtain most of my viewing from hundreds of channels but you can use it with a Freeview digital aerial no problem. I do all of my recording on it any channel while watching something else. Good value box.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Yes I use one with a satellite dish and obtain most of my viewing from hundreds of channels but you can use it with a Freeview digital aerial no problem. I do all of my recording on it any channel while watching something else. Good value box.

My understanding was that Freeview boxes don't work with satellite dishes and need a digital aerial, only Freesat boxes work with dishes, is this not right then?

 

[ColinJ]

My understanding was that Freeview boxes don't work with satellite dishes and need a digital aerial, only Freesat boxes work with dishes, is this not right then?

That is true for every one that I have ever seen! I can't think why a dish would be attached unless it is a Freeview AND Freesat box!

One thing to be aware of if one happens to live in the wrong area, is that there are two versions of Freeview. 'Full strength' Freeview is the one that most people living in big towns and cities get, with a big selection of channels. 5-10% of the population, however, only get 'Freeview-Lite', which consists of the main channels and a few others. That's what we get in the Calder Valley. Broadcasters are obliged by law to transmit the main channels, but they were given the right not to bother with the others in places that they considered to be not financially worth their while.

Check what transmitter you will be receiving from. In Bolton I imagine that you will get a good signal from Winter Hill and therefore receive all of the Freeview channels?

 

[Fab Foodie]

We have a Humax connected to our old SKY dish and it works a treat!

 

[ColinJ]

We have a Humax connected to our old SKY dish and it works a treat!

So you are using a dish as an aerial and it picks up enough of a signal to work with Freeview?! Or is is a FreeSAT Humax?

There is no aerial on this rental property. I tried using an indoor aerial but couldn't get a reliable signal. There was already a SKY dish though so I bought a Humax Freesat box to connect to that and have been very happy with it.

 

[Archie_tect]

[Edit: just seen FF's Colin's post which I agree with cpmpletely].

Don't get a freeview box- we got one and it couldn't connect to our Sky cables- the Humax could only connect via a TV coaxial cable.

I'd recommend getting a 1Tb Freesat box instead which connects via the twin screw-in cable connections that our Sky dish uses.... best check that your Virgin cables are compatible first. Humax no longer make a Freesat box, we had to get a different make.

The day I phoned Sky and told them I was stopping it was a fantastic day... no more rip-off charges!- the free sat box paid for itself within 4 months!

 

[Drago]

Don't write off all streaming devices. Chromecast is a breath of fresh air compared to the awkward, klunky and buggy Firestick.

 

[ColinJ]

Don't write off all streaming devices. Chromecast is a breath of fresh air compared to the awkward, klunky and buggy Firestick.

I got one for Christmas. An excellent device!

My smart TV has a decent iPlayer app but its All4 app is really bad so now I start All4 streams on my phone or laptop and then cast them across to the Chromecast dongle - much better quality! And All4+ is nearly ad-free. Some shows have a few 15-30 second ads "for contractual reasons" but no more annoying 5 minute ad breaks. The last straw for me was having to watch the same 5 minutes of ads 4 times on the trot to get a stream to work properly!

I also cast Eurosport Player to the dongle which means I can have the cycling on in the background on TV while I work on my laptop.

The YouTube app on the TV is good quality but controlling it on the TV is awful, so I cast it across from my laptop too.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Well than, decision 85% made

As I don't have a terrestrial aerial I think I've decided to go Freesat. I still have a Sky dish and the twin cables are coiled up behind a chair, so it should just be plug and play.

I was thinking of keeping VM for Broadband, (just for simplicity really), but I'm sure if I changed my contract they'd nail my hat on for another 2 years and I am hell bent on not being tied to a contract for anything.

So I'm thinking of trying the Three Home Broadband for t'internet. We have unlimited data on 3 phones anyway, so BB would only really be needed for streaming the likes of Netflix/Prime.

So there we have it, whether I follow through on it is another matter, but I am determined to bin VM and save some money.