Sagemcom DSI86HD
It may look like the bastard offspring of a bedside alarm and a teasmade, but you’ve got to admire the DSI86HD’s staying power. This distinctive set top box has been delivering Freesat telly to dishes since 2009. It’s also now one of the cheapest hi-def set top boxes around (along with the Logik LHDFSAT11), typically selling for around £70. Unsurprisingly, build quality is lightweight and plasticky. This slimness can be attributed to the separated 12V power supply. Backside connectivity is routine: there’s a single LNB input, HDMI, twin Scarts, digital coaxial audio and Ethernet. While this odd-looker sports a USB to the left of its amusingly retro LED channel number display, it doesn’t appear to do much. You certainly can’t use it to stream media. In operation, the DSI86HD behaves much like any other budget Freesat box. On the plus side, HD image quality is high.
Reg Rating 70%
Price £70
More info Sagemcom
Sagemcom DTR94500S HD
While Freesat DVRs share basic functionality, they tend to disagree when it comes to aesthetics. This Sagemcom, which incorporates a healthy 500GB HDD, continues to celebrate the brand’s distinctive flat design, first seen on the earlier DS186HD. While easy to squirrel away in an equipment rack, the constraints of the cabinet keep the unit’s cooling fan busy. Despite its slim profile, the DTR94500S HD still has room for a full forest of connectivity. However, while there’s a front-facing USB, the receiver can’t play MP3s or render JPEGs. And unlike the brand’s Freeview DVR it can’t export recordings onto an external storage device either.
Reg Rating 75%
Price £250
More info Sagemcomm
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COMMENTS
FoxSat can have ADDED functionality!
Re the FOXSAT DVR.
One advantage you neglected to mention is the firmware is Linux and has been used to implement a vast range of extremely useful addons:-
http://www.avforums.com/forums/freesat/1517610-media-file-server-bundle-foxsat-hdr-release-4-0-a.html
""A fully functioning web interface for the Foxsat HDR.
A package management system with web based repository for the downloading and updating of applications.
This can be accessed both from the web interface and from the command line.
A service management system to display status of custom applications, start or stop them, and disable/enable boot-time autostart.
Again, this is accessible from the web interface and the command line. ""
Applications allow use of various streaming media servers to allow playing recordings on other media devices, uploading recordings from the Foxsat to your PC, downloading media files to play on your Foxsat, editing and setting recording times from anywhere in the world on a PC and more!!
These added abilities makes the Foxsat stand out head and shoulders above all other FreeSat devices!
cheers
P
not just for cash strapped.
Some of us don't want to subscribe to the Murdock Monopoly. We have freeSat in thePanasonic TV and a Humax HD recorder. Very pleased with both and also not giving £££'s to the evil empire.
Humax Foxsat HDR remote response / Deleting lots
As well as making sure you have removed both films from the front panel (there is a second one behind the flap) look to see if you have one of the models which has the coating all the way across with no clear hole left where the sensor is. If so you can scrape the coating off in front of the sensor to significantly improve the remote response.
To delete lots and lots and leave it to chug away move all recordings to be deleted to one folder (or to the top level) then Select All in that folder then Delete. Time for lunch.
I have a Foxsat HDR
It's a good device and stable but it does have some annoyances. The remote control is fine but the IR beam or the receive on the box is incredibly weedy. Unless you are standing directly in front of the device it will often ignore you completely.
The device also allows series link but it is a very bare bones feature. You can record shows but you cannot say (for example) that members of that series should be deleted after being watched or some period of time. It means if you record something long running like Coronation Street that show after show after show will build up and the box has no auto setting to clean them out. Which brings me to...
Deleting stuff on the box is a huge pain in the arse. Everything is nested hiearchically so if you have 4 or 5 series links then you have to manually navigate into each folder and tediously check off each item and then wait 5 minutes for the box to delete them all before moving onto the next folder. The box blocks while it is deleting so you can't queue up a bunch of stuff to delete until the last delete action is complete. This stuff should be a queue.
So the box would be improved immeasurably with some fairly modest but useful changes to the delete behaviour.
That aside it's a pretty good box. HD output great, the software is reliable and it has a usable UI though no Freesat box is a patch on Sky for usability.
Strange list
Couple of bedroom TV boxes along with a few proper boxes.
TBH with Freesat I cannot see a reason in buying a non HD box, nor one missing the vital HDD.
Happy Humax HDR owner
