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Alternative Freetime boxes? |
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#1 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Hadfield
Posts: 528
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Alternative Freetime boxes?
Does anyoen know if there are any plans for alternatives to the Humax Freetime set top box?
It seems strange that there are no other options to provide competition, are there any rumours of a manufacture working in this market? |
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#2 |
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Kent
Posts: 8,954
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A Manhattan branded G2 box was in the works, but not heard anything since FreeTime was launched.
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#3 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,288
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Quote:
Does anyoen know if there are any plans for alternatives to the Humax Freetime set top box?
It seems strange that there are no other options to provide competition, are there any rumours of a manufacture working in this market? Perhaps manufacturers want to concentrate on YouView which is being promoted better! |
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#4 |
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Join Date: May 2005
Location: Redditch Worcs
Posts: 17,289
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Quote:
Perhaps manufacturers want to concentrate on YouView which is being promoted better!
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#5 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 8,098
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Quote:
Does anyoen know if there are any plans for alternatives to the Humax Freetime set top box?
It seems strange that there are no other options to provide competition, are there any rumours of a manufacture working in this market? |
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#6 |
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Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Hadfield
Posts: 528
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While it does seem that Humax are committed to improving the box they have, I just wonder if there were some competition then, even if not competing on price we would have competition on quality. With both manufacturers trying to be the box of choice.
It also seems strange, from Freesats point of view, to have all their eggs in one basket. If there were more manufacturers they would each have a product to push and the overall reach of Freetime would increase. |
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#7 |
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Join Date: May 2005
Location: Redditch Worcs
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Quote:
While it does seem that Humax are committed to improving the box they have, I just wonder if there were some competition then, even if not competing on price we would have competition on quality. With both manufacturers trying to be the box of choice.
It also seems strange, from Freesats point of view, to have all their eggs in one basket. If there were more manufacturers they would each have a product to push and the overall reach of Freetime would increase. |
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#8 |
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: North Derbyshire
Posts: 41,783
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Quote:
A Guardian article got this wrong yesterday when it said something like "YouView for Freeview and Freesat...."
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#9 |
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,425
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Probably better if we don't see G2 boxes from the likes of Bush and Grundig anyway tbh
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#10 |
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Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 20,371
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Seems the best way is to get a free YouView box from an ISP and use that for catch-up and keep existing Freesat box for DSAT.
At £26 a month from TalkTalk (line rental, unlimited broadband, free calls 24/7 and a Freeview HD PVR), you can't go wrong. Without ISP subsidies, off the shelf YouView and <free time> are going to struggle. |
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#11 |
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Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 272
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and <freetime> on freesat intergrated TV's ! http://www.freesat.co.uk/help/faqs/freetime Quote:
Q. Will free time be available on TVs? as derek500 suggests - may be best to aquire a youview box from an ISP. I currently use an old TUTV box for recordings, and if require to record a freesat channel that's not available on freeview, use a USB drive on the TV. I was going to update to <freetime> but the problems freesat seem to be having - has changed my mind.A. Yes, this is something we’re definitely looking into for the future. Strange that a Humax youview box can access 4oD, demand 5, and other content - yet a Humax <freetime> box has yet to deliver these services. However with TalkTalk, if you upgrade to its youview service, you are likely to loose any legacy free services. (e.g. free international calls) |
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#12 |
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,288
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Quote:
Without ISP subsidies, off the shelf YouView and <free time> are going to struggle.
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#13 |
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 3,593
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Quote:
Freesat have a long history with Humax, they made the first HD non recording box (Foxsat-HD mid 2008), First twin tuner pvr (Foxsat-hdr late 2008), first G2 box (HDR-1000s - late 2012). They would appear to be Freesat's manufacturer of choice.
Quote:
Without ISP subsidies, off the shelf YouView and <free time> are going to struggle.
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#14 |
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Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 20,371
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Quote:
There is no doubt that freesat and Humax have a very close working relationship which is great in developing the brand/services; however, it isn't the reason why they have the first product out. Humax have their own in-house development team for the software, where as Sagemcom and Manhattan (the other <free time> approved manufacturers) were using the development team associated with freesat...before they fell out leaving Sagemcom and Manhattan a long way back. Whether this fall out was to ensure Humax would launch first, who knows, but it seems (my opinion, not theirs) Sagemcom and Manhattan now have the luxury and slowing down the development to see if the service is a success before jumping in. It might be that YouView becomes the service of choice as originally intended, but figures so far don't seem favourable, but time will tell.
To a extent I would agree with you there, but to date, <free time> is far out selling YouView from an off-the-shelf point of view. Whereas paying full whack is the only option with <free time> TalkTalk give their YouView box free by default with their unlimited BB/calls package. No wonder they're shifting 10,000 boxes a week!! Shame that Freesat didn't go with YouView and the ISPs could give out a choice of DTT or DSAT boxes. Just confusion for consumers instead. |
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#15 |
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Kent
Posts: 8,954
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Quote:
Whereas paying full whack is the only option with <free time> Ok, so maybe not such as a good deal as the YouView offers from BT & Talk Talk seem to be, but Richer Sounds are selling the 500GB <FreeTime> box for £239.95 which is £40 cheaper than other retailers. |
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#16 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 273
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altho the benefit of freetime is its a 1 off outlay and no tie to ISP, whereas with TT there are no doscounts available if u take out youview its full price or nothing, works out just shy £30 month over 18/24 months. only discouns is if u take out VLR and pay line rental upfront at a cost £114...
so costs as below... 18 months with VLR = £450 24 months with VLR = £600 18 months without VLR = £548.10 24 months without VLR = £730.80 so in my opinion its well wortth buying freesat outright, (even tho i'm lucky enuff to get at trade price) |
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#17 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 20,371
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Quote:
altho the benefit of freetime is its a 1 off outlay and no tie to ISP, whereas with TT there are no doscounts available if u take out youview its full price or nothing, works out just shy £30 month over 18/24 months. only discouns is if u take out VLR and pay line rental upfront at a cost £114...
so costs as below... 18 months with VLR = £450 24 months with VLR = £600 18 months without VLR = £548.10 24 months without VLR = £730.80 so in my opinion its well wortth buying freesat outright, (even tho i'm lucky enuff to get at trade price) |
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#18 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 273
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Quote:
What about the separate costs of broadband and line rental if you buy <free time>? Where are they in your figures?
happy days
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#19 |
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Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 20,371
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Quote:
well i bought my freetime outright and i pay £1.25 per month for my BB, i paid line rental up front at cost £114 which equates to £9.50 per month, then, cos i dont have youb=view and dont want youview, as i am out of contract i ring up CS and haggle a new deal, hence i get 24 meg BB for £1.25 a month
happy daysBut for existing Freesat PVR owners who pay regular prices for their phone and BB, they'd be better off getting YouView through TalkTalk for their catch-up than buying a <free time> box. And they'll get 4OD and Demand5, not just a promise. And there's been a few of those broken by Freesat!! |
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#20 |
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 273
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Quote:
OK for you.
But for existing Freesat PVR owners who pay regular prices for their phone and BB, they'd be better off getting YouView through TalkTalk for their catch-up than buying a <free time> box. And they'll get 4OD and Demand5, not just a promise. And there's been a few of those broken by Freesat!! |
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#21 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 20,371
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Quote:
but theres nothing wrong wi those ppl paying regular prices to ring up there supplier and haggle a deal, every isp will give u a deal to keep ur custom, and dont forget over the course the youview contract it works out quite costly....
I still think £26 a month for unlimited broadband, line rental (annual), 24/7 calls and a free Freeview HD PVR is unbeatable. |
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#22 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 273
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Quote:
I haggled with BT and got nothing, so switched to TalkTalk. They're always trying to get me back but they charge so much more.
I still think £26 a month for unlimited broadband, line rental (annual), 24/7 calls and a free Freeview HD PVR is unbeatable.
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#23 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Redditch Worcs
Posts: 17,289
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Quote:
OK for you.
But for existing Freesat PVR owners who pay regular prices for their phone and BB, they'd be better off getting YouView through TalkTalk for their catch-up than buying a <free time> box. And they'll get 4OD and Demand5, not just a promise. And there's been a few of those broken by Freesat!! ![]() You ignore the fact that the current Youview boxes are just as crippled in so many ways as a Sky box. Quite why anyone with a twin tuner Freesat+ box is so interested in catch up is a tad baffling ![]() With +1 channels and repeats how many programmes does anyone need to watch on vod ? |
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#24 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 8,098
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Quote:
Seems the best way is to get a free YouView box from an ISP and use that for catch-up and keep existing Freesat box for DSAT.
At £26 a month from TalkTalk (line rental, unlimited broadband, free calls 24/7 and a Freeview HD PVR), you can't go wrong. Without ISP subsidies, off the shelf YouView and <free time> are going to struggle. |
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#25 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Kent
Posts: 8,954
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Quote:
Quite why anyone with a twin tuner Freesat+ box is so interested in catch up is a tad baffling ![]() With +1 channels and repeats how many programmes does anyone need to watch on vod ?
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