Humax HD-Fox T2 Freeview HD receiver

You can delve in to the menu system to alter settings such as the transparency level of the menu screens, parental controls and the video output, which is scalable to 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 576p or 576i. Several menu functions also have dedicated buttons on the remote. For example, the Opt+ button lets you select five channels as Favourites. To change channel you either open the EPG via the Guide button or press List and scroll to select Favourites, TV, HDTV or Radio. All quick and easy to do.

Menu options abound

In some ways the eight-day EPG is one of the best around, attractive to use and extremely responsive. Pressing the green button allows you to search by genre or keyword but a major disappointment is there’s no way to skip 24-hours ahead or back, which is a real drag even if you can scroll between channels and programmes like Usain Bolt on ProPlus.

Press the yellow button to schedule shows and the box will tune automatically at the right time. Press blue and you can choose to show the EPG for TV, radio, HD-only or recent channels. Go to HD and you see a rather bare cupboard, pending C4’s imminent arrival the only options are BBC HD and ITV HD.

The decision to add HD to Freeview was taken at such a late stage in the UK’s digital TV saga that, not only are there masses of highly peeved viewers facing expensive equipment upgrades it also means the number of HD channels available is limited to just four, with the BBC, ITV and C4 taking three of the current slots. Auntie is expected to take up the fourth channel following a decision by Ofcom to give (channel) Five the red card.

As for image quality, the 1080i BBC HD channel is every bit as sparkling and detailed as it is on Sky and Freesat. Anyone with a Full HD TV can enjoy an upscaled 1080p image, but even on a 40in screen the difference is negligible between 720p, 1080i and 1080p. The BBC’s HD channel, number 50 on the EPG, is a bespoke selection of content that usually only comes to life late in the afternoons and evenings whilst the days are filled with previews plus occasional live sporting and cultural events.

Rare sighting: Freeview HD content is still fairly limited on the whole

Over on channel 51 meanwhile ITV’s HD channel is a simulcast with the standard definition ITV 1, as opposed to being accessed from the red button only on Freesat. But most of the broadcasts are upscaled SD, and frankly no better than their original.