So after 20 years with Sky, we are cancelling in the next few weeks due to being unable to afford the costs.

One of the options we're considering is getting Freesat+HD (specifically the Humax Freesat+ HD box)

One of the reasons which I like Sky is for the radio stations (the widest choice available on any DTV platform) and the ability to record them.

I know that Freesat doesn't have all the UK FTA radio stations that broadcast on satellite in it's EPG (as Sky has), but is it possible to manually add the FTA radio stations that are not in the Freesat EPG, and then record them to the Freesat hard drive?

Any info would be appreciated, as I'd like to know the answer to this BEFORE I spend £250 on a top-spec Humax Freesat+HD box!

You can add any free to air channels you can point a lnb at. (Radio or TV).

You normally have to access these outside Freesat mode (Non Freesat) and you have to start recordings manually (no timer or epg).

If you install the custom firmware you can access these while remaining in Freesat mode and set manual timers. You can't though record channels that aren't on the epg at the same time as those that are not. Channels that may not be on your epg as a result of your postcode can however be added, they get a epg entry and can be recorded normally. eg you can have both ITV1-HD options in your epg.

http://www.avforums.com/forums/frees...-part-2-a.html

Is it possible to then instantly save radio recordings to a USB device or connected laptop via a USB port on the Humax Foxsat box? It takes an age for me to 'transfer' radio shows off my current Sky box via the audio optical out, in 'real time' to an ancient Hard Disc recorder.

Thanks for the info btw.

Yes you can transfer the original digital recording files (video and audio) to a usb drive, not instantly but much faster than real time.(You can replay direct from USB and while copying you can still use the pvr). HD recordings included but due to encryption these only play back on the hdr that recorded them. Non Freesat can in fact be used to record HD without encryption as well. The custom firmware lets you transfer files directly to a PC using a home network either by ftp or mapping the Foxsats HDD so it appears on a PC as any other drive on your PC.

The audio transport stream files can easily be burnt to CD or converted to MP3 for use with portable music devices. SD TV can also be simply burnt to DVD. HD recorded without encryption can be burnt in HD to DVD blanks (AVCHD) if you have a blu-ray player or BD discs.