Make sure you have enough diskspace on your PVR’s hard drive
This one is obvious, but you will not be able to leave it until the last minute! To clear space, you need to either watch those series recordings or movies or transfer them off the internal hard drive. To watch them, you need a little time. Once you’ve watched the all the episodes you can delete the series folder in which they have recorded with a few button presses to make more space.

Transfer Recordings to External Disk Drive

To transfer the recordings off you need an external USB drive. If you don’t have an external USB drive, you can source one from our recommended purchases page . This will take time to copy, so order an external hard drive now and start transferring!

Upgrade your internal Hard Drive
Another route is to expand your internal hard drive by upgrading it. Source an internal hard disk drive from our recommended purchases page for you particular Humax PVR and replace it. If you are installing a bigger disk than the supported size, you need to do it now as it will take sometime to setup.

Put your internal Hard Drive into an enclosure
Once the internal has been replaced, you can insert this is a caddy or enclosure to either transfer the recordings off or play them connected up to your PVR, if it supports this. Find an appropriate hard drive caddy on the recommended purchases page for your hard disk. You can even purchase a cheap NAS enclosure to share your converted or plain recordings over the network.

Convert, compress recordings to AVI or MP4
Once you can access your recordings using a computer, you can start to convert them to a smaller format to save disk space. To do this you need to source a video conversion program and convert to which ever format you like (to on that is supported by your PVR or smart TV would be recommended.) The video conversion application we recommend is AVS Video Converter, and by following these links, you can support this blog when you purchase a copy. You can also download a copy for preview and if you purchase an unlimited license you can also use ALL the AVS applications including audio editors, DVD burning, and anti-spam tools!

Well which is a better container format for converting your HD recordings into? No doubtedly MKV has a better lead on MP4 for HD container format due the availability of tools for converting, editing and creating but this situation has recently been changed and MP4 has gained popularity and the tools with it.

The Humax PVRs capable of playing external media do play some MKVs but are not officially supported. MP4 are officially supported and so you expect a better chance of getting them to play on your Humax.

I’ve also found that DLNA servers tend to give better support to MP4 than MKV, having served both from my NAS, and my Humax HDR-FOX T2 plays the MP4 rather than the MKV (even though that plays via USB).

Converting your HD recordings to MP4/MKV

I’ve asked around on video converting forums to what the best settings for conversions of stuff recorded on your Humax PVR to MP4 or MKV, and unfortunately no one came up with any. The general advice is to experiment and see what best works for you. So using my favourite conversion software – AVS Video Converter (donwload a trial version), I’ve have come up with the following.

Taking a recording of Alexander at 10GB or so and loading it into MediaInfo gives: BDAV: 10.3GB, 2h54mins – 1 video stream: AVC – 2 audio stream: AAC/AAC – 1 text stream: DVB Subtitle. First video stream: 1440*1080 (16:9) at 25.000fps, AVC (High@L4.0) (CABAC/$ Ref Frames). First audio stream: English, 48.0KHz, 2 channels, AAC (LATM) (LC)

So the point of conversion to any other format is to reduce the size of the file. Why not drop the resolution (b) down to 720p (1280×720) and see if this is good enough to view on my 37″ LCD from 4ft. Convert to MP4 using AVS VC:

With the latest version (8.2) of AVS Video Converter, it fully recognises a recording made by a Humax HDR-FOX T2, including the audio tracks (see box a). (Purchase an unlimited license and get to fully use other applications such as DVD, video and audio editing tools!)

I keep all the settings the same (see box b), especially setting the Frame Rate to 25fps or original (if set it lower, then there will be stuttering on playback! Be careful when using the predefined profiles such as HD video for the iPad since they have set the frame rate at 24fps which will make picture stutter on playback on any other device [except the iPad, probably, but I don't have one to test this out!])

For sound (see box c), I will set the bit rate to 19skbps as a closer examination using MediaInfo, the max bit rate for sound is 183kps and for channels I will set it to ‘stereo’ because: (1) most HD programmes (on ITV1 HD) are 2 channels wrapped in DD5.1, and (2) to avoid lip sync’ing issues.

But select use 3/2+LTE 5.1 from the Channels dropdown list, for recordings of BBC HD programmes that have 5.1 sound to keep the surround sound facility on playback. (Here, using MediaInfo the max bit rate for sound was 303kps, so I set it to the closest setting at 288kps.)

So first of all conversion to MKV produced a 5GB file – no surprise that if we drop the resolution to 720p we get a reduction in file size. The surprise is that from 1080p to 720p is not half the resolution! But will the PQ be noticeable on screen? This is all down to individual perception and preference but, for me ‘no’ and I certainly think a reduction of space by a half is well worth making the conversion.

What about conversion to MP4? This produced a bigger file at about 6GB – more than the MKV format – what accounts for the difference, I don’t know (but will have to find out!).

So which of these two will playback on the HDR-FOX T2? Well both will via USB, but only the MP4 conversion will playback via my D-Link 320 NAS using DLNA UPnP (and also tested on my new IOMEGA Home Media Network Hard Drive, with the same result). So MKV produce a smaller file, but MP4 plays via DLNA server – so in terms of the contest  - it is about even so far.

So what if you’ve been converting to MKV but now want them in MP4 format? Don’t worry, I’ve recently found this great FREE tool! It is called MkvToMp4 (download it here from the AV Programs page). This utility will convert MKV into MP4 without re-encoding – which means it doesn’t take hours to do the task. It works very well with all the MKVs that been converted using AVS Video Converter, and the HDR-FOX T2 is able to play via USB, but again not via DLNA.

Examining the file produced by the conversion with no re-encoding using the MkvToMp4 utility, reveals that it is pretty much identical in size as the original MKV produced by AVS VC. This leaves me with an initial conclusion to why the MP4 produced by AVS VC is 1GB bigger than the MKV – that is the extra data makes it playable via the DLNA server.

So, back to the contest, conversion straight to MP4 using AVS Video Converter wins if you are using a DLNA server, but MKV wins if you are using a direct USB hard drive to play converted recordings.

To post a message on the Forums, you need to register and login. To do this click on the register link and once completed you should get sent and email with your password. Login (1) and click on the Add New » link (2):

This will take you to the compose page. If you are a new user, you can post a hello message to practice and introduce yourself to the forums:

Type in a topic title, pick the forum section (leave on Welcome! for an introduction post). Type in your message in the Post box, and click on the Submit Post button. Your post will now appear in the forums for everyone to read and respond to.

To get help, it is a good idea to post in the right section of the forums. To do this, when composting a new post, pull down the drop-down list and select the appropriate section.

To help users search your post, include a few ‘tags’ in the tags textbox (1). If you need to attach a file or image to illustrate what your subject is about, the you can upload it with the Choose File button (2). Click and select your file. When you press the Submit Post button or the Upload button, the attachment will be uploaded and associated with your post.

If the forums is quiet, your post will appear on the front page (at http://myhumax.org/forum/ otherwise you can click the appropriate on the forums links (Welcome! or PVR 9150T, 9200T, 9300T in this example).

What is a Personal Message (PM)?

A Personal Message or PM is a message sent from one user to another within a forum. There is such a facility on MyHumax.Org’s Forum, and it is called Private Messages.

When you login to MyHumax.Org’s Forum, under the welcome section (top-right-corner of screen), there is an item that says Private Messages (if you have no new messages in your inbox). Click on this to go to the Private Messaging (PM) page.

How do I send a PM?

On the PM page you can view or create a Private Message. To create a new PM, click on the ‘New>>’ link. This will then take you to the new PM compose screen (very similar to the new Topic screen):

Sending a PM is very similar to posting a Topic. Fill in the title text box (a) with a title of the PM. Type in the username of the person you wish to send the message to in the to text box (b). When you start typing the username, a drop box will appear with matching names, select one that appear to be certain that the user exists or type the name in completely.

Once the recipient is selected, you can type your message in the large text box, and send it by clicking on the Send Message>> button.

How do I read my PMs?

If you have new PMs, the same location of the top right corner under the Welcome section, it will tell you how many new PMs you have.

By clicking on the link, you are taken to your PMs and there you can read them.

To read your PMs, click on the message you want to read:

Once you have read your message, you can reply to it by pressing on the reply link. The Reply box will be revealed and you can type in your reply.

Click on the Send Message button once you have finished composing your message.

Conversations with PMs

The new Private Messaging system is not strictly a one-to-one conversation; it allows you to invite other members into a conversation you are having. To do this, enter the name of a member you want to invite in the text box (a) under the Members: section (b):

How do I Delete a PM?

There is no delete action in the PM system. Instead we have an ‘unsubscribe’ facility. When you no long want to view the conversation you are having, click on unsubscribe:

The PM will then disappear from your inbox, and will be deleted once all members of the conversation have also unsubscribed from it.

Wikipedia has an entry on YouView of course, so you can read all about it there, but the long and short of it is:

There was something called Project Kangaroo, which proposed video-on-demand platform offering content from BBC Worldwide, ITV.com and Channel 4′s 4oD that failed on competition grounds. From this Project Canvas was created (whilst Kangaroo turned into SeeSaw) with the same idea of offering on-demand services, internet content, TV and radio (Freeview) all from a set-top box. This venture is a partnership between four broadcasters (BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5 and ITV) and three communications companies (Arqiva, BT and TalkTalk) and was renamed YouView.

YouView has been Launched!

It was ‘soft’ launched on 4th July 2012, with Humax YouView boxes being shipped out to 2000 trialists or so across the country. Today, 26th July, the Humax YouView boxes are available to buy directly from Humax and from other retailers – just a day before the opening ceremony of the London Olympics!

Is YouView for You?

Is the question of this blog post in which I will attempt to answer, and to do so I will have to nail what this YouView box essentially is. So what is it?

It is essentially a box that allows you to watch the contents offered by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Five. You can do this already using various devices that can connect to the internet and access iPlayer, ITVplayer, 4OD and Demand5. However, YouView integrates this with live broadcasts viewing and recording from Freeview. No STB on the market at the moment currently offers you this facility. If you had a computer with a Freeview tuner (with recording facility) and internet access to the OD services, then you could say this is what YouView offers.

The question ‘Is the YouView content worth an extra £50′ has been asked in the forums (here), and this question supposes that the YouView box is just a Humax HDR FOX T2 with the added OD content access. My answer to this question is ‘yes’ if the PVR facilities of this YouView box is the same as the FOX T2. But of course, the YouView box’s Freeview recording facilities and features are not going to be anywhere as rich as they are on the FOX T2 – a quick read of the DTR-T1000 FAQ’s will reveal this!

So who is YouView for?

I would say it would be perfect for people who (1) do not have a Freeview recorder, and (2) have no means of accessing OD content otherwise (e.g. via a computer or a smart TV) and would like to record their TV programmes and catch-up on those they’ve missed, and (3) for those (parents and grandparents) who are less technically capable of doing this by other means.

Conclusion

If you currently watch a lot of OD content, say from iPlayer, or from the other major broadcasters, and would like to be able to do this in the lounge on your big TV screen and Series Record your regular soaps and other programmes on Freeview, and don’t want to mess about with computer set-ups, then this is the box for you. It is also a box to purchase for your elderly relatives – you just set it up once, show then how to use it and it should be ‘support’ free.

I am sure the box and service won’t be perfect at launch but hopefully, because Humax are involved, then bugs will get fixed and new services will be added and improved.

Support this blog and purchase the Humax DTR-T1000 (or other Humax PVRs) using the links below:

If you can not see the Amazon products above, please turn off your Ad blocker for MyHumax.Org!

MP4 (or MPEG-4 part 14) is a multimedia container format specified by the Moving Picture Experts Group. It is most commonly used for containing AV streams allowing subtitles, menu and picture data as well.

In my previous posts I have been advocating the conversion of recordings to either the AVI or MKV container format, but I have now seen the light and suggest  all recordings be converted to MP4. Here are the reasons why:

1. MP4 is better supported by CE devices.
2. MP4 is better for streaming.
3. MKV is not supported on Humax boxes.
4. MKV is a bit of a ‘pirate’ format.

Although the first two points apply over MKV only, AVI are not supported in iTunes, for example, and hence on iOS devices.

You can convert your recordings to MP4 without fuss using AVS Video Convertor – download a trial copy here, and if you like it, purchasing an unlimited license allows you to use all of the other Video and Audio tools, as well.

So with no funding whatsoever (read this post), MyHumax.Org has attracted 1345 members, making 5,075 posts in 773 topics (threads). Not bad!

Happy Birthday! May you live long and prosper!

Top 5:

1. Too many movies and programmes on TV that I want to record!
2. Having an HD- along side a HDR- FOX T2 allows you to watch TV or record a third channel if needed.
3. Buying an external HDD before getting one as a present on Xmas day allows you to transfer recordings off the internal HDD as space runs out is a must.
4. Transfering recordings (and decrypting) recordings off the HDR takes a very long time, and should be done way before the Xmas period.
5. Having AVS Video Convertor to instantly turn a recorded programme to DVD is handy for visitors who don’t want to miss an episode of their soap fix!

However, if you’ve not done any of this then there’s always next Xmas, and of course it is not too late to prepare for the New Year…

1. Did you know that this Freeview HD (PVR ready – add a USB hard disk and record) receiver is coming up to its 3rd Birthday?
2. You can get this box from Humax Direct for £65 (‘grade A’ with 1 year warranty)? (Or for £105 brand new with 2 years warranty?)
3. You can stream all (SD and HD) recordings from your HDR-FOX T2 PVR (or any other media servers) onto this box?

Yes, this is amazing! and in this post I will be taking you from unboxing and setting this box up for recording, streaming and using its TV Portal!

Three years old next February

Well, this little gem of a box was released in February 2009 as the BBC started broadcasting Freeview HD on some UK terrestial transmitters. Now there are many manufacturers with Freeview HD receivers and at cheaper prices, but none can beat this box for features and picture quality.

£65 from Humax Direct

You can get a ‘graded’ HD-FOX T2 from Humax Direct for just £65 now. A graded box is a returned box that’s tested, checked and readied for re-sale, but Humax Direct will put a 1 year warranty on it. (There’s £6 for delivery, but you can choose which day for it to get delivered.)

My HD-FOX T2, itself, came in perfect condition – the only sign that it was a graded box was the containing box – it was a bit battered.

Unboxing the HD-FOX T2

As you would expect all the items you need is in the package. A quick start guide and user manual, remote and batteries, HDMI and SCART leads, as well as the HD receiver. The receiver is the same small and compact size as the other Humax HD receiver – mainly the FOXSAT-HD. It has an internal power supply, and looks exactly like the picture!

One thing to notice straight away is the LEDs on the front – they are very bright!

Setting Up

After connecting the right cable to the right connections, e.g. HDMI to HDMI, or SCART to SCART, on the TV, and connect your aerial to the aerial in – you are ready to power up the box. The graded box should have been sold to you set with a factory reset start up. So when you power up the box connected to the TV you should be start the installation screen. Follow this through, from choosing language and screen options to channel tuning.

Weak Signals

The setup takes you through an auto channel tune. If you live in an area with multiple transmitters, you are better off cancelling this auto process, and perform a manual channel tune. I live in such an area, and went through the autotune to my confusion, I got really bad reception on the channels discovered and thought the box was faulty! A call to Humax Support, sorted this out, and I got an email of instructions to manual tune.

You can always check transmitter via digital uk website: http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/. On the right – enter postcode and house number and tick ‘I am in the aerial installation trade’. This should give you a list of transmitters for your locale. Then you can look up the channels to use to manual tune.

I had to use channel 57 in my manual tune to get the HD channels. Once manual tuning was done, all my channels were 75%+ power and 100% quality and there were no drop outs due to weak signals.

Attaching a USB Hard Drive

The HD-FOX T2 was able to record to an attached USB drive since the v1.01.12 firmware update (see updates here). My box came with version 16 of its firmware and could record on to a USB drive if it was the right size and formated to EXT3.

Attach any USB drive and you are able to read and playback supported media files, but attach the right size and formatted drive you are able to set timers or make an instant recording of the channel you are watching.

Initially, I attached a 4GB USB stick, but that did not work (although it attempted to assign it as a recording disk after formatting, it refused to record on to it.) The mystery was revealled when I attached a bigger drive to the USB port and proceeded to format it and set it up as the recording HDD.

To record, the HD-FOX T2 needs a disk big enough to reserve 20GB of it for recording/buffering purposes. So an external USB HDD that is double that – say at least 40GB should work. I attached an 80GB HDD in place of my 4GB USB stick and it formats and records just fine.

Test the newly formatted and assigned HDD by performing an instant record – press the record button.

After a minute or so you can go into Media, and see the recording appearing there:

Half a HDR-FOX T2

Now with an attached USB drive to the HD-FOX T2, you’ve got yourself a single tuner Humax PVR! It has all the recording and tricks as the HDR, but with a single tuner, it will have some dual tuner facilities missing.

So now you can go to the EPG and schedules some timers – manual or series linked reservations:

If there’s a clash of recording timers, because the HD has only one tuner, then reserving timers the box will inform you so. If you start a manual recording, this will always override any timers and if you have have clash the scheduled timer will fail. You will notice this in the Media listing:

Media Streaming Client

Before I go on to watching recordings from another device on the HD-FOX T2, I want to mention that the box can playback external media files such as AVI, VOB, and some MKV containers via an attached USB drive. So if you have such video files lying around on a USB drive, you can connect it up and play them directly. The HD has only one USB port, but you can attach a USB hub and connect a number of USB drives to it and it will see them all.

In the coming months, I will make a list of compatible media files that the HD-FOX T2 can play, but in the meantime, I suspect that those formats that can be played by the HDR-FOX T2 (as detailed here) can also be handled by the HD.

DLNA Client and Media Servers

The HD-FOX T2 is a DLNA Client, which means that if you have other devices on the network are DLNA servers, then the HD will be able to access the media that is served out.

Windows 7 can be set up as a media server that the HD can see. I have a NAS  (a D-Link DNS-320) that is a UPnP server. Most importantly, I have the Humax HDR-FOX T2, which is a DLNA server.

I can now, instead of accessing a USB device, access the network (attaching a network lead and attaching it to my home network switch, or using Humax’s own wireless dongle) and playback the files served out by the three media servers.

Windows 7 serving Music. (You need to using the Media button to change to see Music mdeia.)

My NAS device serving Video.

Doing this conversion with AVS Audio Converter is breeze. Remember you get all the AVS tools including this Audio Converter when you buy/register an unlimited license for £35! I say this for those who have already purchased the AVS Video Converter following my other posts. And for those who are going to purchase the Audio Converter – you will be able to download and use the Video Converter too!

First step is to move/copy your radio recordings to move/copy your recordings to a USB drive. Second is to startup AVS Audio Converter once it has installed on your PC, and click on the Import from Video button. This will show up the .ts files of your recordings. Import all the files you would like to convert.

You can now edit the recording(s) – removing pre/post-ample talk and introductions by pressing on the Editor tab. Select the section you wish to remove by highlighting the area. You can perform various tricks such as fades and other processing on your audio if you wish. Once you are happy back to the Convert by the tab and choose what output format you wish to convert to. If converting to formats which have metadata, you can also edit the filenames and tags of the files.

Finally, one neat feature of AVS Audio Converter is the facility to create an ‘audio book’ – attaching covers and making chapters out of a set of audio recordings!