HDR-1000S Freesat HD+ 500GB Satellite PVR with Free Time EPG & SD Channels

I have finally taken the plunge and changed my much loved Humax Foxsat HDR for the Humax HDR 1000s. I would have made the change before now but have been put off by some of the revues on here.I wish I had done it sooner, I love it.The first thing I noticed is how quick it is to set up, no waiting for it to search for channels, it is almost instantaneousThis new one is much faster to boot up too (less than 30secs) which was one of the things I disliked about the old model, it is also smaller, quieter and in my opinion better looking than the previous version.Others have commented negatively on its looks but I think it's great, but it does show the dust and fingerprints due to the shiny finish so maybe they ought to have stuck with the matte finish of the old model.I love the new look menu system and although I found it strange at first, I soon got into it, and I can now zip around the menu system faster than on the old model.So far I have not experienced the problems that others have had, my recordings have all been successful and I have had no lock ups. I can delete the recorded files easily after I have watched them, which is another thing I disliked about the old model.One thing someone else has highlighted is the small text on the program info panel which is hard to read from a distance, I hope that issue gets fixed in future updates. Until then I just use my TV's zoom button.Another difference with the new model is that it has an external power supply which should make the inside of the box cooler as they can get quite hot. It also means that if the power supply fails you can just buy a new one, no need to send your box away to be repaired.I especially like the YouTube app which I use quite a lot and I look forward to finally getting the 4oD and Demand5 to complement the BBCiPlayer and ITV Player that is already included.I can only give it 4 out of 5 stars at the moment due to the small text problem and the missing catch up TV from Channel 4 and 5 but fingers crossed that they will be fixed in the near future but even so I will be sticking with this one.

I bought this as a replacement box for Sky+ HD after getting fed up with spending money on a monthly subscription which I didn't use. My review is therefore somewhat comparative.Installation took all of ten minutes. I disconnected the dish cables from my sky box and connected them in turn to the Humax. Ethernet, HDMI and power cable followed and I switched it on. Immediately I was taken to the installation wizard which is clear and speedy. After entering my postcode (so you get regional TV) I was up and running.The picture quality is stunning - even better than Sky in my opinion. HD is superb and not as sharp as Sky's which gives a smoother picture with no loss of detail. You can of course adjust sharpness on your TV but with my existing settings this is better.The interface is slick and works well - it doesn't feel cheap at all and is well thought out. It's different from Sky's but not better or worse. I like it since as they say, a change is as good as a rest. I saw some negative comments about the remote but I really like it. The buttons are positive and it fits better in the hand than the Sky one. It also controls volume on the box itself which I like since my TV sound is routed through my hi-fi.Freesat have still to come up with the goods with 4OD and Five on Demand for Freetime but that's not Humax's fault. iPlayer and ITV Player work really well. 4OD is now expected in June 2013.There are a number of built in apps - the youtube one is great and you can pair it with your mobile to search for and play videos on the TV. Very nifty. There is also the option to play content from a USB drive connected locally or via a DNLA server - my NAS box (hard drive connected to the network) was recognised and movies played straight away. My PS3 is now being moved to the study for gaming and streaming and now can be retired from the lounge.As a straight Sky replacement, this is worth the money. I paid £220 on Amazon, cheaper than John Lewis by £40. Register with Humax for a free year's extension to the one year warranty. Well done Humax, let's see what more goodies this box can bring with firmware updates. It's a brilliant start!