Have just had my internet connection upgraded to be useable for on-demand so I checked out BBC iPlayer using the Freesat Humax HDR. I viewed a programme on BBC2 and selected Higher Quality. I encountered a lot of stuttering and stopped display, which was unexpected as I'd tested the connection speed and it appeared more than OK. The Humax is connected via a homeplug connection, so it should have been perfect.
To test my connection I went onto BBC iPlayer using my Panasonic Blu-ray player, which offers this as an extra. I selected the same programme and it played perfectly. I viewed the programme for a while and decided that the internet connection was OK and switched back to using the Humax. This time the programme played perfectly. What was obvious though was, even using Higher Quality setting, the picture was nowhere near as good as on the Panasonic.
Comparing the two iPlayers, I noticed that the interface was totally different. On the Panasonic I have to select the BBC HD channel, before I can view HD. On the Humax I am only offered BBC1, say, and then have to select 'Higher Quality'.
I'm not sure this is the same as HD, as this morning I tested it using Jules Holland's 'Later' only to find that the Panasonic BBC2 HD interface said 'Not yet available', while the Humax 'Higher Quality' setting was available through BBC2 iPlayer.
BBC HD channels aren't shown as a channel option on the Humax.
Can BBC HD be viewed using the Humax HDR BBC iPlayer or are we just selecting a slightly higher quality of an SD recording?

As far as I'm aware there is no HD option for BBCiPlayer on any current Freesat box.
I'm pretty sure that HD will be available on the new G2 boxes that are soon to be released in the next couple of weeks.

Hmm, good point. I believe the options are 640x360 and 832x468. The "HD" 1280x720 option is not available on my Humax box. It's there on my PS3 though (better quality picture all round, the Humax is pretty poor with iPlayer and I don't believe the firmware has been updated since 2008).

PS3 also has ITV Player and 4oD.

[quote=Blackjack Davy;61335291]Hmm, good point. I believe the options are 640x360 and 832x468. The "HD" 1280x720 option is not available on my Humax box. It's there on my PS3 though (better quality picture all round, the Humax is pretty poor with iPlayer and I don't believe the firmware has been updated since 2008).
QUOTE]

The last firmware update was a a few days after the Olympics started. V1.0.21 - 21st July 2012. There have been numerous updates since 2008.

The version of iplayer used by the Foxsat (afaik all current freesat boxes are the same) only offers the SD HQ version. Humax Freeview-HD boxes have the 720p service.

It has been academic for me up to now because of the poor internet connection so I never investigated it in depth. I must admit I had assumed Higher Quality meant HD, simply because the box is an HD box. It seems a strange omission not to include iPlayer HD capability on an HD box. Perhaps the processor can't cope with the throughput.
I assume the new Humax will be able to receive these channels.

The processor isn't the problem, it can cope with recording two HD channels at the same time and replaying a 3rd from the hdd, way more than all but the superfast broadband could ever manage.

Any news on whether the new freetime box can play the HD content on BBC iPlayer yet? If it can't I'm not gonna buy one

There will be some delivered on 28th October. If you wait till then you should get a definitive answer. As the HDR FOX T2 has the 720p service it seems very unlikely the new box does not.

I thought some were being delivered next week or has there been another delay?

Typo should have said 18th

The new HDR-1000S does do BBC iPlayer in HD. An iPlayer setting lets you default to HD (when available).

what is the setting because when i watch iplayer i have to scroll along and set HD on....

If you access by the epg the content isn't HD though it says it is. Accessing by the red button does produce HD though.

I got it to stick by opening the iPlayer home page and selecting the settings tab (bottom right-hand corner). Select the quality (or similar) option and then HD.

cool will try that thx....

cheers worked a treat