Forgive the short-cut question in preference to reading all threads where search shows usb and hdd!

As a freeview Hummy 9200 user that never got the isb to HDD drive working - I'm looking for a freesat+ tuner that will allow easy downloading of programmes to a connected HDD via USB so that I can watch recorded programmes whilst I'm traveling. I'd appreciate pointers to boxes that can provide this easily please.

Thanks.

The foxsat-hdr has this capability for all SD programmes and currently BBC1-HD. The other HD channel recordings are encrypted unless you record them manually in non-freesat mode.

That's great news - thanks.

What software is required to play the programmes on the PC please?

Also - does the new Slingbox provide the same USB function or does it just act as extra storage for the slingbox eg MP3 etc? Or can it be seen as an attatched network drive?

Thanks.

Jeff

vlc player (free) and splash lite (free) will play the hdr's transport stream files.

afaik the new slingbox enabled pvr lack usb archiving.

So the encryption is likely under software control then as I doubt there is any hardware configuration difference between the two modes. If that's the case it may be possible for somebody with the right skills patch the firmware to either turn off encryption in Freesat mode or turn it on in non-Freesat mode.

It's a broadcaster controlled flag in the data stream. Recordings can also be set to copy once or copy zero. The actual transmission is not encrypted in any way. Any generic fta pvr ready HD satellite box will record.

This is, presumably, why timers are not available in non-Freesat mode.

Not sure but the new Samsung allows timers for non-freesat but as there is apparently no usb archiving it's not much help.

You only have to start recording manually though as you can adjust recording duration.

Lack of buffer recording is likely related though. The transport stream buffer file 0.ts is not encrypted so if you have direct access to the HDD it's possible download this file.

Thanks again.

A further question or two.

1. Does the FOXSAT-HDR transfer programmes to a USB connected HD at the painfully slow speed of my old Humax 9200 - or is it now much faster? If it's slower - can they be queued for overnight archiving?

2. Also confused by the reasons why some boxes only allow stuff archived to usb hd to be played only on the original pvr and others seem more relaxed about it ie you can play archived recordings on a PC. Is this a license issue ie are foxsat breaking a broadcaster agreement - or do some pvr manufacturers arbitrarily decide to make customers' lives difficult for the sake of it?

3. My primary purpose is to create archived recordings to play back on a PC whilst traveling. Is the FOXSAT-HDR the best box for this purpose? I'm thinking of the new 1tb box.

Thanks.

Transfer speed on my hdr is about 4 x times real time. A 1 hr HD recording takes about 15 mins, it can be speeded up a bit by tuning to an off air channel.

You can select mutiple items for copying using edit mode.

The 9200 can't transfer content to a HDD because it has a host usb controller so has to connect to a PC. This has the advantage that it does not care what file system the data is going to. The Foxsat will only work with FAT partitions (Max 4GB) or Linux EXT3.

Much faster transfers are possible by connecting the Foxsat to a home network and using custom firmware developed by Raydon based on an original idea by Mogie. You can even stream different recordings at the same time to other displays on the network.

Like all Freesat+ boxes when operating as a Freesat box it complies with the broadcasters encryption flags. Currently BBC1-HD has no encryption flag so recordings are made in the clear. Switched to non-freesat mode the box does not have to conform to Freesat's drm requirements. Like all generic fta sat pvrs it simply records the transmitted data to the hdd.

Not having other freesat+ pvrs I can't comment on others but afaik know other current Freesat+ box has this degree of flexibility

In any case presuming you will be using a relatively small display it would make sense to use SD recordings, the file sizes will be smaller and the picture quality very little different unless you have a really high res laptop.

Forget the USB, as pointed out above, with an unoffical firmware add-on the Foxsat HDR will allow transfer of recordings over your home network (at proper speed without locking up the HDR for other uses, like USB copy does) - or the echostar sling enabled so you can view over the web.

I have no problems copying HD content on to a Linux EXT3 partition from my Humax FOXSAT-HDR. It is very slow.
Have copied from BBC One HD, BBC HD and ITV1 HD.
Will try 4HD when it arrives on the Freesat EPG.

To view or transfer files from the Linux partition to your PC use:
Linux Reader (Freeware)
http://www.diskinternals.com/download/

It's far far faster using ftp.