Been waiting for this (on price grounds), also waiting for a few user reviews before I commit but it looks pretty good for 180 UK quids

http://www.joinfreesat.co.uk/review-...t-hd-receiver/

http://www.satbuyer.co.uk/manhattan-...-box-p146.html

PDF review from What Satellite

You may like to know that the Echostar is also in John Lewis - at a more expensive price. Get JL (never knowingly undersold) to match the Maplin price and you will get a 2 year guarantee instead of 1.
http://www.johnlewis.com/231218308/Product.aspx

SatBuyer also give a 2-year warranty on the Echostar. Good box

Just setting the Manhattan up now, set it to record a programme tonight and it produced a pop up with a recommendation for another programme! cool.

Not sure I'd want too many of that sort of thing!

Could you post a review after say a week?

Bump!?

Sorry over in Northern Ireland this week, will review on Sunday when I'm back.

Cheers!

This will probably be the Freesat box I will go for when my Sky contract ends next year. Sounds a great machine! Do let me know how you get on with it please.

but I'm waiting on the review from Wayne_Jackson Sounds like he's both our man for this issue!

I've had the box for a few weeks now but have been involved in Northern Ireland this past week so that has given the kit time to do some recording.

First, the only light on the box is the red/blue led, No readout on the front. Picture quality is excellent both live and prerecorded and the box has recorded without a hitch. It's a typical manhattan box so the guide is fast loading and the epg is very similar to the other stbs in the range. You can also add in non Freesat channels into the epg (now & next only)

I've not tried the on demand properly yet but connection was simple with a set of homeplugs, the box found the network without any prompting from me.

The drawback for me is the remote, it's small and with my big fingers very awkward to use. the hard drive is a 320gb and the unit had an external transformer not my ideal but that's just me.

It would make an ideal 2nd box for a study or second room, it's small enough for a caravan or mobile home and because it's not got a fan there's no noise, even late at night you cannot hear anything.

Pricing is supposed to be around £180, but I saw the Samsung pvr in store around that price so I don't know if Manhattan will bring down the price in response.

I will continue to play with the box after Wednesday and will provide an update at the end of the week. This will give you an opportunity to ask specific questions.

Wayne

£165 is the current price on satbuyer.co.uk.

The only things I'm looking for are

Reliable recording
Good PQ/sound
EPG/menus that are easy to navigate.

In those areas it sounds like the Manhattan delivers.

I do not understand someone wanting a G1 box weeks before the first G2 unit launches. Manhattan were the freesat G2 lead partner - how come the Humax G2 launch is going to be first?

A G2 box offers nothing of use to me (I live in Ireland so the internet enabled aspects re catch up services etc are of no value).

There is more to G2 than that. Anyway a VPN can provide the other services as well.

Are you selling G2 boxes?

I have looked at the specs and the prices (250 quid minimum) and am quite happy to buy a G1 box. Its that simple really.

G2 is likely to offer a lot more than just catch up services (there are ways round that as well for Irish Republic users).

Two way live media streaming for DNLA devices, ability to use as a media streamer from usb connected devices, archiving content to usb drives, HD streaming of encrypted content between compatible devices (like the HDR FOX T2 can stream to another one ot a HD FOX T2). More processing power so a faster more responsive box. A more modern UI similar to the TIVO interface.

None of which I want or need, a clue - I have a coal powered mobile phone. I'm not an early adopter as I prefer to let other people live with undiscovered glitches and design faults in expensive gear that will get cheaper.

Welcome to the 19th century . the fact that you are posting on here means you have arrived in the 20th.

If you don't need or want the extra capabilty that's fine.Just don't expect G1 boxes to to be supported for years (like old versions of windows). I happen to agree with you in many ways , but your post had a major flaw, just like the G1 boxes your isp address is not a really an issue.

.

If there are a few million G1 boxes then they'll be looked after to a point obviously. I'd say 4-5 years.

Ahhh an optimist.

Ordered one on Monday and got it this morning, spent an hour setting it up and learning the features. Very small, silent operation, the remote is fine after you get accustomed to it and that's true for every remote in my experience. It is small though - luckily I have pianists hands!

The most impressive feature is the way it integrates Freesat and other FTA channels on the one favourites list. I understand that Manhattan is the best freesat EPG in this regard (?), the actual picture and sound quality is as one would expect, albeit with somewhat saturated colour, had to use TV remote to dial the colour down about 30% but I like a subtle pallet.

What's to 'look after'?.

auto EPG updates, and of course manufacturers own bug fixes etc.

If there's no objectionable bugs, why would there be any bug fixes required?.

Same with the EPG, why would there need to be any changes?.