Review: Humax FOXSAT-HDR: subscription-free HDTV heaven?

by Parm Mann on 17 April 2009, 16:59 4.45

Final thoughts and rating

There are a number of compelling reasons for users to opt for Freesat and the Humax FOXSAT-HDR. If you're unable to retrieve digital terrestrial, want a number of free-to-air digital channels, have an unused satellite dish lying around, or just find yourself craving for free HD material, it could be the perfect choice.

Indeed, the only major stumbling block preventing us from making an outright recommendation is the FOXSAT-HDR's £300 asking price. Despite the lure of a subscription-free HD service, it's a hefty initial investment and currently finds itself positioned as one of the most expensive PVRs on the market.

Another way to look at it, of course, is to ask what's £300 for a box that'll last you years and should - in theory - get a greater quantity of HD material over time and improved functionality via free over-the-air software updates. Think of it as a five-year investment, and you might be able to convince yourself that Freesat+ will provide HDTV goodness for just £5 a month - and that it will.

If you're willing to take the plunge, you'll be dazzled by the occasional bout of HD programming, be equipped with a fully-functional PVR, and be free of monthly subscriptions. Doesn't sound bad at all, does it?

The good

No subscription fee and widely available
BBC HD is dazzling
PVR is fully functional and generally easy to use
Smart-looking set-top box

The not so good

In desperate need of more HD channels
On-screen interface isn't perfect
Remote could be better
One of the most expensive set-top boxes available

HEXUS Rating

HEXUS.lifestyle scores products out of 100%, taking into account technology, implementation, stability, performance, value, customer care and desirability. A score for an average-rated product is a meaningful ‘50%’, and not ‘90%’, which is common practice for a great many other publications.

We consider any product score above '50%' as a safe buy. The higher the score, the higher the recommendation from HEXUS to buy. Simple, straightforward buying advice.

Humax FOXSAT-HDR

HEXUS Awards

The Humax FOXSAT-HDR offers free-to-air digital satellite to nearly every corner of the UK. Throw in a couple of dazzling subscription-free HD channels, and you've a compelling set-top box that's currently one of a kind.

Humax FOXSAT-HDR

HEXUS Where2Buy

The Humax FOXSAT-HDR can be purchased from Argos at a cost of £293.59, or Comet, Currys and John Lewis at a cost of £292.00.

HEXUS Right2Reply

At HEXUS, we invite the companies whose products we test to comment on our articles. If any company representatives for the products reviewed choose to respond, we'll publish their commentary here verbatim.

External Links

Official Humax FOXSAT-HDR product page
Official Freesat website

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you say it has three LNB sockets, but you don't say what the third one is for. Looking at the photo, it's an output. What does that do?

Useful for some, perhaps, but we prefer a nice, simple and small remote for TV viewing - the traditional Sky remote being a prime example.

A Sky remote might be simple, but it has the numbers in the worst possible place. Bugs the hell out of me trying to punch in 240 for RealTime or 520 for the Discovery channel on a Sky box :) (The standard MCE remote suffers from this as well, otherwise they are both good remotes).

Oh and a tip: don't use a flash for taking photos of a TV.

Purely from a cost point of view, I don't see how Freesat HD with the (brilliant, but pricey) Foxsat HDR can compete against Sky HD.

Comparing the costs:

Freesat

Freesat HDR - £299 - as quoted in the article.
Installation - £80-100 - ditto
Subscription - none. nada. zip.

So total year 1 cost, in one go of £379-400.

Sky HD

Sky HD box - £29
Installation - Free
Subscription - £30.25 or there abouts (figures from memory)*

*Mid range package (no sports or movies, but 4 of the entertainment mixes + the HD subscription)

So price for the year? £392.

Oh, and at the moment Sky are offering HD subscribers £30 cashback on their second bill, providing they keep HD for a year, so £362.

So you get a years worth of premium content, a HD recorder (which is not specifications wise as good as the Humax, but still good) and the installation sorted. So the premium content is free, basically. If you don't want the premium content, then cancel after the 12 month contract.

I know which I would, and indeed did, choose.

The other key advantage is though I had £400 sitting in my bank account when I signed up for sky, I'd rather not give it away in one go. Paying less over a year works out well :)

EDIT - seem to skip the value proposition page, so this is kinda duplicated - have come out with slightly different figures though.

If you've had Sky before you and still have the dish and cables etc then obviously it's a fair bit cheaper, and as the table shows, the longer you keep it the better the value as you don't have the subscription.

The biggest downfall imho is the lack of HD channels, which tbh is the whole point..

Well that was what I was hoping to point out with my post above.

Have SkyHD for a year, you cancel after the 12month contract, and you keep the box, dish and features. Just lose the premium content - so in exactly the same position as paying for the Foxsat HDR box.

Tempted, but only because we got Sky+HD already, which means a 4 output lnb and cables already in place making for a real easy install. Don't like the fact that Sky subscriptions are very high, plus as we get no terrestial tv at all, with no real chance of ever getting it soon, it may be the only way we can move away from Sky….