Hi there

I am having a motorised satellite system installed and the engineer who came around recommended the Humax freesat PVR receiver over a Technomate 7102. Reading posts on here, it certainly seems that there is plenty of user support for the freesat receive and it's cheaper to buy. For example. I've already come across Raydon's firmware update for the Humax, which would be very useful as I have had a cat6 network installed.

However the unless i'm mistaken the Humax receiver can't do a timed recording in non-freesat mode, which is the mode I will be mostly using. So if there is a programme on late at night on a non-freesat channel, I would either have to stay up late to start it or waste GBs of disk space and leave it running from the time I go to bed. If there were two different programmes then I can forget it. Are there ways around this?

Also is there anyway to get EPGs for the different satellites broadcasting FTA on the Humax or any FTA receiver? The sort of programmes I might be recording and wanting to keep, are blues; jazz and some european folk music, which may not be repeated that often. The sort that Sky don't broadcast in enough quantity to interest me.

Thanks for reading

There are some channels on other satellites that use a 7 day DVB-S EPG which would be shown on many generic receivers but not the Humax. There are at present 3 different EPG systems in use on European satellites none of which are compatible with any other and virtually no receiver (except some hobby Linux boxes) are capable of using more than one. Beware that there are not many channels broadcasting 7 day DVB-S EPG - mainly German channels on 19.2.

Thanks for your reply dave.

Is there a useful internet site for program listings information because I'm thinking this might be a better way to go. Would it be? I do have an iPod but I imagine most TV listings apps are country specific.

Of course given a lot of things are software and firmware driven, so it's surely possible that the Humax box will at some point be updated to support after EPGs on the DVB-S besides freesat.

I've heard of the Dreambox but given the price and the fact, the software isn't guaranteed, according to the engineer I spoke to, I wasn't keen on it. I also don't wish to have to get involved in programming. I do understand a certain amount but not enough to quickly dive into working with config files of the Dreambox or similar.

As it so happens, my main reason for getting a motorised system is to watch German TV, as well as Freesat. That having as you say a DVB-S EPG. It;s mainly the regional channels or 3sat that I'll interested in watching. Although once I get into the world of european satellites, I might be watching channels I'd never thought i'd be interested in.

If there is a disappointment on the Humax HDR its the fact it does not have a timer in non freesat mode and its not likely to have one either going by the the posts from Bob cat.

I ended up getting myself a remote which can be configured with timers. So the remote learns the IR commands, and then you can program it to change the channel (if necessary) and start recording (pressing the record button multiple times increases the record time).

Hope this helps,

Rob

There's no need to increase the recording time usually, the default matches the now and next scheduled end of the recording.

Use a Clarke-Tech - Xtrend ET9000 - with Vix.

This will get Freesat and Non Freesat programme schedule EPG data. I imagine that the Vu+ Duo or a Dreambox with Vix would be the same.

The Humax HDR is not ideal for Non Freesat operation, and I think that you can only connect one tuner if you have a motorised dish.

Thanks for all your replies. I got the Humax FreeSat PVR in the end and despite some issues I happy with it over all as I can over come some of the issues. It can connect to multiple LNBs, I currently have it connected to 2.

I also believe that an update created by Raydon and others, will allow me to add non FreeSat channels to the EPG. That way timer recording can be set up on them. http://www.avforums.com/forums/frees...ase-4-0-a.html

I've not got that far yet as I'm still in the process of having cat 6 wiring installed and terminated.

Kind regards