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Have Humax Abandoned the Foxsat? |
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#101 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: The Glorious Kingdom of Fife
Posts: 298
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What is most amazing about this product is that so many people on this forum find it acceptable.
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Leaving aside the myriad of operational quirks and bugs .......
There is no excuse for the lack of firmware updates. Fixing one problem at a time is far less likely to cause major problems than a major update will. Fixing those one at a time, assuming a release rate of 1 per week, would take some 200 years. Maybe that's why the update is taking so long to arrive ![]() Quote:
I even have to leave the front flap down to get the remote control to half work.
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#102 |
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Join Date: May 2005
Location: Black Hill Tx
Posts: 742
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I have the same problem on my computer - its fine if it runs excel or word but starts misbehaving if I start messing around in the Bios or running my own programs.
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#103 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 917
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If you are unhappy with the box either get it replaced or refunded. Why will a simple update fix your problem when the majority of boxes have no problem. If my box develops a lock up or freezing problem its Currys who will be getting it back. I won't expect posting on a form to provide a guaranteed fix.
It has been helpful coming in to this forum to diagnose issues I have had as a dodgy box, before going back to ARGOS, (no one mentioned Currys) to exchange the box. Calm down dear it's only a forum! Free and open exchange of ideas. J |
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#104 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 834
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This is the risk you take. The problems of return of foreign-purchased goods are more than compensated for by your nice weather & scenery. Where you are, why do you need to watch TV at all? Je devine que vos voisins ne trouvent pas votre grand parabole terrible.
My neighbours can't even see my dish as it's on the ground tucked away in front of a hedge. Far from being enormous it's only 90cm. If I wasn't fussed about losing signal in a thunderstorm* I could use a 60-70cm dish like my neighbours use for Canal Satellite *contrary to popular belief the annual rainfall here is much the same as Southern England it's just it rains far less often & consequently rains much heavier when it does rain. |
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#105 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Worcester
Posts: 4,185
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The Foxsat has a 7-day EPG for radio & one can schedule recordings including series links.
724 Absolute 725 Absolute Classic Rock 726 Absolute Xtreme 728 WRN 777 Insight Radio however as has been pointed out the radio programmes can be scheduled to record and those that aren't series linked can be set to repeat from the schedule list using the yellow button. |
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#106 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: London postcode
Posts: 347
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[quote=nigelbb;33426087]We actually watch very little TV but we do use the Foxsat a lot for the radio channels. Something rarely mentioned is that the radio facilities on the Foxsat are streets ahead of Sky. The Foxsat has a 7-day EPG for radio & one can schedule recordings including series links. Despite the latest Sky+HD makeover all that platform has for radio stations is a 'Now' not even a 'Now & Next'.
My neighbours can't even see my dish as it's on the ground tucked away in front of a hedge. Far from being enormous it's only 90cm. If I wasn't fussed about losing signal in a thunderstorm* I could use a 60-70cm dish like my neighbours use for Canal Satellite QUOTE] Sounds ideal.... here in Paris my wife has the old Skybox tuned permanently to Radio 4. It's nice to hear that I don't have to invest in a big dish if I were to come further south. |
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#107 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: London postcode
Posts: 347
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If I remember correctly the only Radio channels that offer series link are
724 Absolute 725 Absolute Classic Rock 726 Absolute Xtreme 728 WRN 777 Insight Radio however as has been pointed out the radio programmes can be scheduled to record and those that aren't series linked can be set to repeat from the schedule list using the yellow button. |
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#108 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Telford
Posts: 1,088
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I have the same problem on my computer - its fine if it runs excel or word but starts misbehaving if I start messing around in the Bios or running my own programs.
I see that version of the message EVERY TIME I am slightly bored and it was obviously the right advice to follow because it has exposed serious faults in at least three previous PCs that had been working perfectly well before! |
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#109 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 834
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[quote=Nick123;33433993][quote=nigelbb;33426087]We actually watch very little TV but we do use the Foxsat a lot for the radio channels. Something rarely mentioned is that the radio facilities on the Foxsat are streets ahead of Sky. The Foxsat has a 7-day EPG for radio & one can schedule recordings including series links. Despite the latest Sky+HD makeover all that platform has for radio stations is a 'Now' not even a 'Now & Next'. My neighbours can't even see my dish as it's on the ground tucked away in front of a hedge. Far from being enormous it's only 90cm. If I wasn't fussed about losing signal in a thunderstorm* I could use a 60-70cm dish like my neighbours use for Canal Satellite Quote:
Sounds ideal.... here in Paris my wife has the old Skybox tuned permanently to Radio 4. It's nice to hear that I don't have to invest in a big dish if I were to come further south.
If/when you move further south don't forget to look on eBay for one or two of the now discontinued Sky Gnome devices so that while lounging by the pool you can still listen to Radio 4
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#110 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 55
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So ..... my faulty Humax FoxSat HDR was returned to me on Monday after sending it back to them for "repair" under warranty due to all the lock up / freezes it suffered.
They told me it was a loader fault but in fact just upgraded the firmware to V1.00.03 Guess what ? ........ yes, it still has the fault ![]() It locked up Tuesday and again on Thursday. I have of course contacted Humax Support again and now await their decision whether it is best for them to "repair" it again or replace it. Before anyone tells me the problems are a result of user error all I do is watch freesat channels, watch recorded programmes and sometimes transfer recordings onto an external hard drive (ext3) The box is put into standby when I am not actually watching something. |
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#111 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Southampton
Posts: 41
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Meister,
Def ask for a replacement. I got my box in December & have not had a single lockup freeze or in fact any fault at all. I have transfered music & images to the box and taken recordings off it. Still no issues, so it seems to me that it's the box at fault for you. I have the .002 loader. Good luck. Regards Nick |
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#112 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 121
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Quote: Try using a proper dictionary. It means "countless" unless specifically used as a number.Originally Posted by Ardee View Post Leaving aside the myriad of operational quirks and bugs ....... There is no excuse for the lack of firmware updates. Fixing one problem at a time is far less likely to cause major problems than a major update will. Wikipedia (and a number of on-line dictionaries) defines myriad as "a classical Greek name for the number 10^4 = 10,000". Fixing those one at a time, assuming a release rate of 1 per week, would take some 200 years. Maybe that's why the update is taking so long to arrive Quote:
Quote: Yes. The problem is that if you put an opaque panel with a hole in it in front of the sensor you restrict its angle of view. Quite simple really.
Originally Posted by Ardee View Post I even have to leave the front flap down to get the remote control to half work. Are you really, positively, certainly, unambiguously sure that you have removed BOTH bits of film that cover the IR receiver (one on the outside of the flap, and one on the display itself behind the flap)? |
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#113 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: The Glorious Kingdom of Fife
Posts: 298
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Quote:
Try using a proper dictionary. It means "countless" unless specifically used as a number.
• noun 1 (also myriads) an indefinitely great number. 2 (in classical times) a unit of ten thousand. • adjective innumerable. — ORIGIN Greek murias, from murioi ‘10,000’. Using your "countless" definition, then the foxsat will never get fixed (doing them one at a time), at least the Greeks would limit the time to the 200 years. Quote:
Yes. The problem is that if you put an opaque panel with a hole in it in front of the sensor you restrict its angle of view. Quite simple really.
Although I usually use a Harmony I did this with the original remote/batteries. |
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#114 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 6,744
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Then PLEASE get it changed! Don't live with a piece of faulty equipment and then boast about it. You have read Swedish Cooks post immediately before yours? And wiimunkeys before that? And for good measure my unit has never locked up and it has been running since before Christmas. It's always got power, standby most of the time and operational in the evenings. It just works, and so should yours, and then you can care about the Bells & Whistles.
It's worrying that Humax have not yet managed to resolve the issue. The excuse that they want to incorporate iplayer functinality does not really hold up. Thats new functionality and not a bug fix. They could go on for ever not releasing updated because more bugs are found or they want to but new functionality in to it The standard way to work is to have a design freeze at some point. The more bugs you try to fix in one go the longer it takes to develop the software & the longer it takes to test it. In the early stages of a prouct its sensible normally for patches to be released 6 monthly. |
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#115 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,556
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Agreed, they should have fixed the bugs months ago, then started working on the iplayer.
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#116 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: The Glorious Kingdom of Fife
Posts: 298
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Quote:
I doubt it would help him. It is know that the current software is riddled with bugs. Now the frequency of the problems very and lock up etc may be increfuent but its the sum of this bugs that turn it into a significant issue.
My unit, like many others, is solid in its basic operation - recording and playback of programmes. It sits there for months going from standby for most of the time to operational in the evenings. I watch programmes, I record programmes. The only recordings it has missed are ones that others have also missed and is down to the broadcasters not sending the correct info. Elsewhere Bob-Cat made it clear it is only the universal 'niggles' that you can expect to be fixed in the release - when it comes. If you have any problems that stop the unit from doing the basics you should exercise your consumer rights and get the unit replaced with one that works, or get your money back. Posting one here about freezes will not get it fixed. |
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#117 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: West Riding of Yorkshire
Posts: 1,100
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It could be that there are bugs in the firmware.
It could be that the way I use the box (I'm on my second) causes those bugs to become apparent. It could be that the way you use the box causes those bugs to remain hidden. If Humax were to release a more up-to-date firmware we may get an answer to the above. However, the more bugs they try to fix and the more additional functionality they include in one single large update, the less successful that update is likely to be. |
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#118 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: The Glorious Kingdom of Fife
Posts: 298
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All I can do is to point you to someone who "knows" what is going on (he has also signed himself as Bob @ Humax elsewhere). It's about as official and diplomatic as you are going to get. Bob_Cat is very careful about what he says, or does not say. You have to do some reading between the lines. Quote:
In addition we have taken the time to work on some of the more challenging issues people have had with the otherwise successful products. If anyone is having issues beyond just niggles, or problems with broadcast signaling, then you should consider your consumer rights and return the product for replacement or repair*.
*Remembering your retailer is with whom your contract of sale is with, as they have sold you the product. ), but if you are one of the few who are experiencing more fundamental problems, get the box changed.Quote:
If Humax were to release a more up-to-date firmware we may get an answer to the above.
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However, the more bugs they try to fix and the more additional functionality they include in one single large update, the less successful that update is likely to be.
But either way, it is certainly well beyond a reasonable period of time for some fixes to have been addressed, unless the problem has turned out to be so fundamental that the entire package is having to be re-developed. |
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#119 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 55
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Update:
Have had a conversation with Humax Support who have now agreed to exchange my Foxsat HDR for a brand new one as the "repair" they carried out didn't fix the problem of it freezing / locking up. Despite what some on this forum would have us believe there HAVE been a LOT of cases of freezing / lock ups reported to support ! They are aware it is a major problem and NOT an occasional one so if your STB has this problem get it exchanged because it should not be doing it. |
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#120 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Black Hill Tx
Posts: 742
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Quote:
Update:
Have had a conversation with Humax Support who have now agreed to exchange my Foxsat HDR for a brand new one as the "repair" they carried out didn't fix the problem of it freezing / locking up. Despite what some on this forum would have us believe there HAVE been a LOT of cases of freezing / lock ups reported to support ! They are aware it is a major problem and NOT an occasional one so if your STB has this problem get it exchanged because it should not be doing it. |
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#121 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 253
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[quote=CPN;33751851]I think this has more or less made my mind up to return my (third) box back to Comet for a full refund as getting yet another exchange is no guarantee that that one will not lock up occasionally (since it is definitely caused by poor software in my view) as well...[/QUOTE
My view is that most of the lock ups in my case have definitely been caused by poor software too. Hopefully soon(ish) to be rectified!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Since being careful not to do one or two things I have had zero lock ups - last one was at least 3 months ago. I don't scan in non freesat mode. Don't even go into non freesat if I can help it :. Don't press any buttons whilst it is booting up. Don't go back and forth to the media screen too quickly. Don't press change channels too quickly. Don't mess around with organising channels. Don't record ITV HD Don't do a reset. I know I am probably being a bit too cautious but because I treat it with kid gloves - my box is recording and behaving ok for my purposes with most things now unless there is a mess up with the broadcasters signals.. It's NOT acceptable to have to feel that I have to do this but at least it works for me as a temporary solution. Patrick |
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#122 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Black Hill Tx
Posts: 742
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Quote:
Since being careful not to do one or two things I have had zero lock ups - last one was at least 3 months ago.
I don't scan in non freesat mode. Don't even go into non freesat if I can help it :. Don't press any buttons whilst it is booting up. Don't go back and forth to the media screen too quickly. Don't press change channels too quickly. Don't mess around with organising channels. Don't record ITV HD Don't do a reset. I know I am probably being a bit too cautious but because I treat it with kid gloves - my box is recording and behaving ok for my purposes with most things now unless there is a mess up with the broadcasters signals.. It's NOT acceptable to have to feel that I have to do this but at least it works for me as a temporary solution. Patrick ![]() Quite unacceptable in my view... |
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#123 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 253
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When you think about it, it's ridiculous that you have to tippy toe around it like that just to get a production box to behave!
![]() Quite unacceptable in my view... ![]() - I do want to keep the box if possible - mainly because of nothing else available at similar price... Have you thought about waiting a little while longer to see if the firmware update arrives and fixes things? Which is possible.. ![]() Having said that, the end of Summer Humax time could mean next year! Patrick |
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#124 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 120
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I too have had occasional lock-ups - they were getting quite frequent (two or three times a week), until I upgraded the hard disk.
After that all was fine for a few months, but I'm now getting occasional lockups again (only a couple in last few weeks so far) Lock-up is always after pushing a button on remote box 'feezes' to other input (remote or front panel buttons), but continues to play current video/audio Definitely has the look and smell of software rather than hardware to me. What I find most concerning is that, from what I've seen to date, Humax have always stated that a lockup means the hardware if faulty and should be returned for a replacement. That implies to me they haven't fixed the bugs (if they had I'd expect them to say 'we apologise for the occasional lock-ups but be assured they will be resolved in the next software update') Would be really nice to know what bugs they've fixed in the forthcoming update as I'm sure that would make a lot of us feel happier that these issues will be resolved very soon(ish) |
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#125 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 64
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Humax FOXSAT HDR.
Here are some issues I would like to address regarding the FOXSAT HDR, I look forward to any advise and if I am incorrect in anything I have mentioned below advise is always appreciated. Swapping between Freesat and None Freesat always defaults to the first channel in the list and there should be an easier way to swap between the modes like a simple press of a button instead of having to enter the menu each time. Can’t swap channels around in Freesat mode. EPG is very sluggish When a scheduled recording is about to start and another channel is being watched it is changed to the channel that is being recorded unless the popup box on the screen request is selected to don’t change channel. Boot Up time is slow. Message informing of new channels after starting up pops up too often and without intervention the receiver starts to search for new channels and most occasions finds nothing new, there should be an option to disable the function. I purchased my receiver earlier this year and to this day I have never encountered any lock-ups the receiver has been totaly reliable but after using Topfield 5800's (I still have two of them) for nearly four years I find the above issues with the Humax really irritating, does anyone know if and when there will be a firmware update and if so can anyone indicate what problems are likely to be addressed. |
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