I'm planning on cancelling Sky and buying a Freesat+ HD box to avoid paying them the £10 for the privilege of using the recording functionality.

I want a box with twin tuners and around 500GB disk which will do everything the Sky+ box will do, including automatically resuming a recording from the last watched point (something an old freeview recorder I had annoyingly didn't do).

Can anyone recommend the cheapest, best box to go for, or point me somewhere I can look for up to date info and reviews (most reviews I've found are 2 or 3 years old).

Thanks very much!

The best Freesat+ box at the moment is the EchoStar box that has got Slingplayer built in so that you can watch the Freesat channels on your computer via the Internet,
other than that the Humax 1TB Freesat+ box from Humax Direct

See here for the Links

http://www.myechostar.com/EuropeRetail/Features.aspx
http://www.humaxdirect.co.uk/product...=10103&cat=stb

I hope this helps

I would highly recommend the Humax Foxsat HDR 500GB. It will resume playback from the last watched point of recordings, has twin tuners, receives 4 HD channels (BBC HD, BBC1 HD, ITV1 HD and Channel 4 HD) and has around 160 SD channels as well as pause live TV, rewind live TV, simultaneous record of two separate channels whilst watching a third (on the same digital multiplex).

BBC I-Player is supported (requires Ethernet LAN connection) and the box supports 1080i giving an excellent HD picture on HD compatible TV's. For older TV's an RGB Scart connector is provided.

There is a 500GB disk on the new model. This box might not be the absolute cheapest, but you get what you pay for and it is truly excellent in every aspect. We swapped from Sky to Freesat HD with the Humax box and never looked back.

I did a detailed review on the Foxsat HDR on my website.

if you want to read my review on this product just search "Humax Foxsat HDR Review 500GB" in Google and my review is around the forth result (it has stevelarkins in the URL)

And NHK World.

The Foxsat HDR also supports ITV player.

Hello Steve, please excuse my ignorance as I am just about to change from Sky to Freesat +, I have just bought an ex demo Panasonic DMR XS 350 EBK greatly reduced and saw in your posting when refering to the Humax it say's "and has around 160SD channels", my question is what are SD channels? and does the Panasonic also have 160SD channels there is no mention of this on the box. Any help is appreciated. I looked on the freesat web and am still trying to get a handle on it I cannot see 5* so I assume that is not available. Thanks in anticipation, Robin

SD channels means Standard Definition channel aka 576i resolution

Many thanks Joshua, Roibin

The freeview box I recommed is the Humax foxsat, not the newest but a great device. Using a firmware hack you can also watch and transfer movies to your PC as well as other things.

Thanks for all your help. I discovered someone at work also has a foxsat and highly rates it.

Hi Robin, I've had one of those for just over two years and am very happy with it. 5* and 5 USA will hopefully be joining Freesat in the next few months, once Astra 1N is up and running at 28.2°E

Echostar is the newest and the best box. If you want a box that does everything Sky does, like setting a timer to record when you're not out the house then this is your only choice.

Huh? Are there any boxes that do not let you do this?

Or do you mean setting a timer while you are out of the house? In which case there are options with some other boxes (admittedly not Freesat HD boxes that I am aware of).

i think you meant to say "not in the house".

even without the sling feature, this is still easily the best freesat box out there.

Yeah i meant when you're not in. Again. Only one box that does this.

I live in Bulgaria so only have a limited number of channels maybe 140 but not channel 5 , BBC

Channels 4 I have to add in to my current sky box by using add channels ( so it would pick up the stronger signal ) and then putting the transponder in to find channels

These channels then do not appear in favourites

I am going to keep the sky box but would like freesat recorder also


I get an EPG with sky normal channels but not with added channels and the added channels cannot be added to favourites

What would be the best recorder for my situation
and do they need any kind of activation for the Free to view

I have a single feed LNB