Having a Freesat recorder that does everything whilst still remaining small and discrete hasn’t always been readily available. That is until now, thanks to the new Humax HDR1100s offering you everything you need in one small package…
If you’re new to the world of PVR’s (Personal Video Recorders) it might be worth checking out our handy introduction here for tips on what to look out for and how they can help you get the most from your TV entertainment.
In the world of Freesat (free to air digital satellite television) Humax has undoubtedly been one of the biggest receiver manufacturers, ever since they released the FoxSat HD on the same day that Freesat was launched. Having been there since its inception Humax Freesat boxes have evolved with new additions that have come to the Freesat world. This fruition of quality is no more apparent in the new HDR1100s, which boasts just about everything you need without losing Humax’s easy to master usability.
The HDR1100s is small in size, but big on entertainment.
Opening the HDR1100s the first thing you’ll notice is the minuscule size, at just 280mm x 200mm x 48mm, in comparison to last year’s much larger HDR1010s. This size reduction has been accomplished by removing the scart socket from the rear of the unit and the front LCD display, a worthy sacrifice in my view as both functionalities are not necessary. There are also two finishes available for both sizes (500GB/1TB).
One thing that hasn’t changed is the actual functionality of Freesat so the HDR1100s will let you watch subscription-free TV when connected to a satellite dish; this gives you easy access to over 200+ TV and radio channels with 12 of them being HD. As well as watching TV you can also pause, rewind and record live TV – the 1TB machine lets you to record a whopping 600 hours of standard TV and 300 hours of HD TV.
The main advantage though has to be Freetime and catch up functionality, with Wi-Fi built-in you can connect it straight out of the box and control it remotely using the nifty smartphone app – this also allows you to set up all of your recordings. Freetime allows you to go back up to seven days on channels which are supported by catch up services (All4, BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, Demand 5) and watch any show you may have missed. Humax have also included their own on demand portal that lets you easily access YouTube, BBC Sport/News and Curzon Home Cinema.
As for connections, there’s plenty to satisfy most people’s needs with a HDMI 1.4 with HDCP, an optical, two USB 2.0, and many more options. So you can easily enjoy any films, photos or music you may have stored elsewhere, and the dual feed satellite inputs so you can watch and record Freesat TV.
With all these factors combined it’s not hard to see how this is another huge improvement from Humax year on year. The result is a small but mighty Freesat recorder!
Author – Hal, Plymouth store
