My Humax Forum » Freeview HD » FVP 4000T, 5000T

Suggestions for an improved EPG page

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    bobbicat

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    Until recently I have been a very satisfied user of a 9150t.
    It gave good service for a number of years, was trouble free, excellent value for money, easy to use and is actually still going strong.
    Because of this and as I was going to get a new PVR I decided to stick with Humax and now I have a 4000t.
    It seems okay in its way and I will need a little time to get used to it, but I feel that the EPG display, needs work.
    It does looks more whizzy than the 9150, but unfortunately the whizz creates a distraction, which means that the info displayed is not so easy to read.

    I'm pleading for a simplified display. Text only is fine, take the 9150t as an example, no need for thumbnails and logos that don't inform.

    What do I want from an EPG page?
    1. Easy to read
    2. Fast, trim
    3. Easily viewed, relevant info only
    3. Title, date, times
    4. An additional small description to each program slot, easily accessible at a click
    5. With instant return to EPG display at a click when done with description
    6. Easy access to options for record, live play, reminder, remove record etc, then straight back into EPG when done

    Does the EPG page need improvement? I think so.

    | Sat 21 May 2016 20:05:54 #1 |
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    Faust

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    Did you look at the 2000T as well as the 4000T before you made your purchase. That model has a pretty boring but functional EPG and appears to fulfil a lot of what you are looking for. Download the manual as there are plenty screen shots to view.

    | Sat 21 May 2016 22:06:51 #2 |
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    bobbicat

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    Thanks for your comment, Faust.
    I did not search deeply for alternatives to the 4000t as it is, as far as I know, the only three tuner PVR made by Humax and offerings from other manufacturers were not in abundance.

    There were two main reasons for purchasing the 4000t

    1. It was Humax and our past experience with that brand was good
    2. It had three tuners giving us added flexibility

    I took a look at the 2000t manual as you suggested and yes, I would have preferred that type of program guide page.
    I feel it displays program data efficiently and facilitates setting up reminders and recordings and performing searches. It gets the job done which is its reason for existence.

    To be honest, looking at it now, I think the 2000t remote control is better too. Try using the 4000t remote in a darkened room. Finding and distinguishing buttons in the dark is difficult when they are nearly all similar flat squares.

    None of these factors is a complete game killer but I get the impression some changes in design were simply for change's sake and might have been better left as they were. I would rather function not be interfered with in an attempt to avoid being 'boring'.

    Having said all this I do love the three tuner innovation.

    | Sun 22 May 2016 8:51:43 #3 |
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    Faust

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    From your previous post I thought the 2000T might be more 'your cup of tea' bobbicat. I believe it has much in common with previous models though the software is a closed garden now.

    I love the remote on both the 2000T and our 1000s though I know some hate the fact that the centre OK navigation area is 'clickable' both for feel and sound. I find it both positive and reassuring rather than 'soft buttons'. What you really need is a 2000T with 3 tuners - sadly though that's not available.

    I get round this by having both the 2000T and the HDR 1000s Freesat model sat under our TV. Oh and a Panasonic HWT-120 in another room making six tuners in all.

    | Sun 22 May 2016 9:52:50 #4 |
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    Luke

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    bobbicat - 2 hours ago  » 
    ... I get the impression some changes in design were simply for change's sake and might have been better left as they were.
    ...

    That presumes that the FVP-4000T has its pedigree in the HDR-2000T.
    The FVP-4000T is very similar to the Australian 4tune HMS-1000T. Comparing the two user guides for the HMS-4000T and the FVP-1000T the FVP-4000T user guide is obviously a copy with updates to match the main differences (e.g. visual hardware box style, remote apps not available yet, no removal drive and just 3 tuners instead of 4).

    The FVP-4000T includes 7 day details for VOD. Between the HDR-2000T and the HMS-1000T it probably appeared to make more sense to base it on the HMS-1000T as the HMS-1000T also has the 7 day VOD guide.

    It's not really a change of any individual features from the HDR-2000T but a change to a totally different pedigree for Humax's UK DTT newer recorder.

    | Sun 22 May 2016 11:36:32 #5 |
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    bill63

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    As I own both the Humax 4000T and the 2000T, I find the 2000T is a much better product for the guide, information and graphics for the guide, and is more easier to use than the 4000T.
    The 4000T is great for catch and recording 3 programmes at once, and not as easy to use, but still a very good product.
    Its a shame they did not keep the graphics for the guide and the library like on the 2000T for the 4000T or something very similar.
    And why on earth they got rid of the information button on the 4000T remote that beats me, such a silly idea that was, as other makes still have a info button on their remotes.
    I don't know about the Panasonic Freeview play remote though.

    | Sun 22 May 2016 11:51:44 #6 |
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    Luke

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    bill63 - 29 minutes ago  » 
    Its a shame they did not keep the graphics for the guide and the library like on the 2000T for the 4000T or something very similar.
    And why on earth they got rid of the information button on the 4000T remote that beats me, such a silly idea that was, as other makes still have a info button on their remotes.

    I've posted what is likely to be half the reason earlier on myhumax.org. See https://myhumax.org/forum/topic/suggestions-for-an-improved-epg-page?quote=48793#post-48791

    The second half the reason is financial. It is cheaper to leave things as they are than change them. When designing the FVP-4000T it would have been cheaper to leave most things as they were on the HMS-1000T especially as the HMS-1000T already has a 7 VOD integrated into its guide.

    | Sun 22 May 2016 12:27:40 #7 |
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    bill63

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    Yes Luke I agree, but it would not have cost that much more to still include the info button, after all the 2000T is fairly cheap and a is good a very good quality product. Even Panasonic I have still got a info button, but saying that the Panasonic Freeview play box is lot more expensive.

    | Sun 22 May 2016 18:55:25 #8 |

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