FOXSAT HDR: Poor quality product and poor Humax service

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FOXSAT HDR: Poor quality product and poor Humax service

(5 posts)

jbaker

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Joined: Oct '11
Posts: 8
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Dear All,

It was a difficult decision, to spend a couple hundred pounds on a FOXSATHDR when other cheaper brands of FreeSat receivers were available, but I thought I was buying a quality item with good support. However, I am rapidly concluding Humax support is awful, and the FOXSAT HDR firmware is full of bugs that render it almost useless.

1. Green screen

I've seen this discussed elsewhere but there appears to be no solution. I have a Samsung 40" LCD television, which is six years old. I've never had a problem with any other device, such as my old Sky/Sky+ boxes, but if I turn the TV off and on whilst the PVR is on, the screen turns green. The only way to make it work is to power cycle the Humax box.

2. Favourites

As reported in a previous post, this functionality is broken and the list menu always resets favourites to automatic. I don't want an automatic list; I want the favourite list, which is why the feature should exist.

3. Sound loss

The FOXSAT is connected to an amplifier via an optical cable. The center channel will fade/disappear at random intervals. The audio to the TV is fine. As with the green screen issue, this problem is only evident when the amplifier is connected to the FOXSAT.

4. Electronic Program Guide

The EPG has now started to fail. It will say "Receiving program information.." and locks up, with no way to exit or interact with the system. I'm happy to wait a few moments, but I'd expect this to be a background task and include a timer.

4. Support response

I've written to Humax and received no response. Two weeks later, I wrote again and received no response. They have a premium rate (0844, not a cheap 01/02/03) number I could call, but why should I pay a premium rate to speak to their support people? Why don't they respond to email? I run an IT product company and the success of our business is pivotal on responding to emails and providing quality support. If we ignored emails, we wouldn't gain customers and existing customers would complain as I am doing now.

I believe all of the above (aside from the awful support response) could be solved via firmware updates, but it seems as if Humax has lost interest in the FOXSAT HDR.

Perhaps someone at Humax can respond to my emails (address starts with jbaker at dryfish) and offer the kind of service one expects from a reputable company.

I would advise others looking for a PVR to read this forum post and think carefully about purchasing a FOXSATHDR.

John

| Sun 29 Jan 2012 19:35:23 #1 |
damian

special member
Joined: Jan '12
Posts: 597
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Hi John,

I've had a FoxSat for a couple of years now with no problems.

1) Green Screen, more to do with crappy hdcp that we all have to live with, not a problem with my FoxSat, but a major problem with my HDR Fox T2. Try using the v-format buttton to cycle through available resolutions, you shouldn't need to power cycle. The HDR Fox T2 decides what resolutions are available on start-up and after that you're buggered, can't change anything, however the FoxSat is fine, no problems even with old equipment.
2) Favourites, never used them, not quite sure what benefit they're supposed to bring.
3) Sound Loss, never had a problem, ever. FoxSat connected via spdif to amplifier, never been a problem!
4) EPG, again, never had a problem. Are you sure you're getting a decent signal? Loss of sound as reported above could be due to poor signal.
4) Support, not had to use them for a while, had very good support a few years ago. Somebody in IT, such as yourself, should be able to see what firmware is installed and what firmware is available. If you believe all of the above could be solved via firmware updates then why not try it?

I've had a FoxSat HDR now for a couple of years now with no problems.
"I would advise others looking for a PVR to read this forum post and think carefully about purchasing a FOXSATHDR"
Good advice!
It's a great machine

| Sun 29 Jan 2012 22:19:56 #2 |
Paul

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Joined: Mar '11
Posts: 90
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I want to echo damian's comments.

| Sun 29 Jan 2012 22:32:08 #3 |
jbaker

junior member
Joined: Oct '11
Posts: 8
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Damian

1. I've only seen green screen with the Humax. Other HDMI devices don't have the same problem, and one of my favourite faults is watching it switch on correctly so a picture is clear as expected, and 30 seconds later, fail. That must be a firmware bug.

2. Favourites: This bug was discussed in another thread and another user was equally frustrated that favorites are broken. The list -> favourites functionality forgets the favourite selection, so switches to auto. If I select favourite list 2, it should remember that list after exit is pressed. Again, a really simple bug that could quickly be fixed, but has been ignored.

3. Sound loss; Again, mentioned on other posts. Given I'm not making it up, it's broken.

4. EPG: Quality 100% on both feeds. The problem is intermittent but if the signal quality is a problem, it should be handled by the firmware.

5. Support: I don't think I need to remake the point. I have checked the firmware and it hasn't been updated on the website. No change in six months (20 Sep 2011 was the last update, 1.00.17).

Unfortunately, this would be a good box if more care and attention was applied to firmware updates and support. However, there are some very basic faults not being addressed, and apparently very poor support. I don't believe my email is broken; I believe a very simple set of questions were ignored.

John

| Sun 29 Jan 2012 22:42:37 #4 |
damian

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Joined: Jan '12
Posts: 597
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Hi John,

you may be on a different board revision, I don't know, however..

1) HDCP, this is a major problem for me with the T2 and also my PS3 going through a hdmi switch, switching between TV and older projector, it's only a problem with the older projector, newer TV is fine. The FoxSat has never ever been a problem. I've no idea about sky and sky+, but if these boxes didn't have hdmi or full 1080 output then you may never have seen a problem that hdcp handshaking can and does cause.
2) never used it, wouldn't miss it
3) never had a problem with digital sound from the FoxSat. I do however see problems with the T2 when watching live chase-play and jumping forwards and then backwards to skip adverts it does sometimes come back quieter, never on recorded material. I've never noticed a problem with the FoxSat though.
4) again, never seen this problem over the years.
5) I've never had to update my washing machine. It's possible, but there's never been an update. Some products, if they're designed properly in the first place don't need regular updates. Not everything has to be mickysoft with poor programming and daily updates. I honestly don't know what would need to be fixed in a new firmware. Granted, favourites is obviously an issue with some people, but I've never used it and wouldn't know whether it worked properly or not.

You are right of course with lack of response to emails. There's no excuse, however I don't know where support comes from any more. I had very good support a few years ago, but if it's now in China then they have their new year around this time and nothing happens for a couple of weeks, I know from experience with other companies.
I'm with you on 0844 numbers, they should be banned, however in this day and age I feel I can find almost all answers online with a bit of looking, I can't remember the last time I ever used support for anything recently.

You didn't mention signal strength, just quality at 100%. I have 100% quality and 80/85% strength at the moment and don't experience any noticeable problems. I only have a T2 as I have a line of trees off my boundary that blocks the sat signal 6 months of the year. I've never seen any EPG problems, it's either there or it isn't, the trees get their leaves and one day it's there and the next it's gone, around start of April until end of October, which makes me wonder whether you have alignment and/or cable problems.

If you're still having problems with your FoxSat then return it for a replacement. It really is a good machine normally, however as another thread here posted, nowadays companies don't bother with testing equipment before sending it out, and who can blame them with such high reliability and low factory output cost of the device, unfortunately the odd defective box does slip through.

Let us know how you get on

| Sun 29 Jan 2012 23:47:39 #5 |