Amazon Prime, Netflix, Disney Plus plus freeview on a recorder box

saffasy

Novice Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2020
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Points
26
Age
49
Location
blackpool
Hi Guys and Gals

Just wondered if there was a freeview or Youview recorder box that has amazon, netflix, freeview and the ability to record the freeview channels.

Apologies if in the wrong category

Cheers
Simon
 
I'm not sure if you can get YouView boxes any more - most seem to be Freeview Play these days.

If you want a simple, off-the-shelf solution then Humax, Manhattan and Panasonic are the three main major manufacturers still making Freeview recorders. As they're all Freeview Play boxes, this means they should all support the main catch-up services for channels 1-5 and some may include UKTV Play.

Not all will give you the other streaming apps you want though. The current Humax FVP-5000T, for example, appears to include YouTube and Netflix but there's no mention of Prime or Disney+. Their upcoming 4K Aura recorder will support YouTube, Netflix and Prime (in 4K) but you'd be advised to check the specs for any other apps you want and wait for reviews once it's released.

While a one-box solution sounds tempting, the implementation isn't always great and interfaces can often be slow and buggy. App stores are not regularly updated either and there's no guarantee the newer streaming services (eg. Disney+ or Britbox) will be added to older models.

Personally, unless the Humax 4K Aura ends up being a revelation, I would probably try and find a box that's good at the recording aspects and consider a streaming device like a Firestick, Chromecast or Roku for the Prime/Netflix/Disney+ streaming side of things, many of which are reduced today (Prime Day) or most likely will be again on Black Friday weekend. Their interfaces are often slicker than those provided on the recorders you're looking at, plus they'll have a far larger choice of apps and they'll get regular system and app updates too. Just something to consider.
 
Yes it doesn't look like it, but you could check the specs for each model to be sure.

Most seem to have Netflix and YouTube, but Prime support seems a bit varied and it's likely that only the newest boxes will stand a chance at supporting the latest services like Disney+. As an example, I have a 2019 Panasonic OLED that doesn't currently support Disney+, so it's highly likely that their Freeview recorders won't support it either.

You'd also need to consider whether you'd like 4K streaming, as not all current models will support that. If the Humax 4K Aura box has Disney+, then it might give you everything you need.
 
You have been misinformed. BT Youview boxes are freely available from Amazon and other retailers and you do not need a BT account to use as a Freeview recorder without BT subscription channels. It includes Apps for Amazon Prime and Netflix, provided you have the necessary subscription to these you don't need account. Both are in HD only unless you buy the UHD box which will give you 4K on the apps.

You can also now set up remote recording via the BT TV app, again without a BT account.

I operate one of these boxes in this way so don't be misled by others who claim otherwise.
 
Humax 4K Aura box? News to me! Looks like it’s update on the 5000. Haven’t seen anything about this, so thanx for the heads-up. Lucky, as I was just about to press the button and order a 5000.
 
@saffasy You've not been misinformed, as claimed above. YouView boxes are no longer 'freely available' from any of the common high-street or online electrical retailers (Richer Sounds, John Lewis, Currys/PC World, Argos, Crampton and Moore, Peter Tyson, AO etc). Even BT no longer sell them in their store, presumably because they only currently provide TV services in addition to their broadband packages.

A determined hunter might be able to dig up a few old models from specialist satellite retailers, but some of these boxes date back as far as 2012 and would be a very ill-advised buy in 2020.

While it's true that you can still get a couple of the BT YouView boxes from Amazon, even they date back to 2014 / 2016 and with 1Tb and even 2TB Freeview recorders becoming common, both have a relatively small 500GB capacity. Note that wi-fi isn't supported on either model so you'll need an ethernet cable connection to your router. If you discovered that the newer 4K box supported all the apps that you want then it might be worth a punt, but you'll need to decide if you want to buy it via Amazon's site from companies called 'TopGeezer' or 'Sky-Deals'... :D

I'm not dissing YouView as a platform in any way BTW and it obviously makes sense for existing users to continue using their boxes while they're supported and for BT, PlusNet and Talk Talk customers to subscribe to their TV packages if the ongoing expense isn't an issue, but for those looking for a subscription-free option for recording the Freeview channels in 2020, I'm just not convinced buying an old YouView box is a particularly good, future-proof option.
 
Humax 4K Aura box? News to me! Looks like it’s update on the 5000. Haven’t seen anything about this, so thanx for the heads-up. Lucky, as I was just about to press the button and order a 5000.

Yes, I stumbled across it on a Humax site link earlier but the info page was password protected !
 
@saffasy You've not been misinformed, as claimed above. YouView boxes are no longer 'freely available' from any of the common high-street or online electrical retailers (Richer Sounds, John Lewis, Currys/PC World, Argos, Crampton and Moore, Peter Tyson, AO etc). Even BT no longer sell them in their store, presumably because they only currently provide TV services in addition to their broadband packages.

A determined hunter might be able to dig up a few old models from specialist satellite retailers, but some of these boxes date back as far as 2012 and would be a very ill-advised buy in 2020.

While it's true that you can still get a couple of the BT YouView boxes from Amazon, even they date back to 2014 / 2016 and with 1Tb and even 2TB Freeview recorders becoming common, both have a relatively small 500GB capacity. Note that wi-fi isn't supported on either model so you'll need an ethernet cable connection to your router. If you discovered that the newer 4K box supported all the apps that you want then it might be worth a punt, but you'll need to decide if you want to buy it via Amazon's site from companies called 'TopGeezer' or 'Sky-Deals'... :D

I'm not dissing YouView as a platform in any way BTW and it obviously makes sense for existing users to continue using their boxes while they're supported and for BT, PlusNet and Talk Talk customers to subscribe to their TV packages if the ongoing expense isn't an issue, but for those looking for a subscription-free option for recording the Freeview channels in 2020, I'm just not convinced buying an old YouView box is a particularly good, future-proof option.

Amazon product ASIN B00ISS61KE
" Dispatched from and sold by Amazon". That's Amazon, you know that insignificant internet retailer.
 
"Dispatched from and sold by Amazon". That's Amazon, you know that insignificant internet retailer.

While it's true that you can still get a couple of the BT YouView boxes from Amazon...

You're absolutely right and I'm not saying the Humax T2100 is a bad machine, but it was launched in Feb 2014 and as I mentioned above, an almost 7-year old recorder with no wi-fi, a small capacity and (in this case) no access to 4K streaming services is, IMO, not a great choice if you're buying in 2020.

If budget allows, an extra £50 would get a Manhattan PVR from 2020 for example, with a 1Gb capacity, wi-fi and 4K HDR support for the streaming services. They're not without their issues of course, but unfortunately none of them seem to be perfect these days.

But, saying all that... if the OP has a 1080p TV with no intention of upgrading to 4K in the next few years, watches recordings regularly enough that they don't need a large capacity and their router is sat next to the TV (so lack of wi-fi isn't an issue), then maybe that YouView box is worth a go if the price is right. I would be concerned about how much longer a 7-year old device will continue to receive updates though, particularly as it's no longer made by the manufacturer and no longer supplied by BT, because there'll be far less incentive for the manufacturer or YouView to keep those boxes updated and supported.

If I was in the market for a new PVR, I would be holding off to see what this new Humax 4K Aura is like.
 
You're absolutely right and I'm not saying the Humax T2100 is a bad machine, but it was launched in Feb 2014 and as I mentioned above, an almost 7-year old recorder with no wi-fi, a small capacity and (in this case) no access to 4K streaming services is, IMO, not a great choice if you're buying in 2020.

If budget allows, an extra £50 would get a Manhattan PVR from 2020 for example, with a 1Gb capacity, wi-fi and 4K HDR support for the streaming services. They're not without their issues of course, but unfortunately none of them seem to be perfect these days.

But, saying all that... if the OP has a 1080p TV with no intention of upgrading to 4K in the next few years, watches recordings regularly enough that they don't need a large capacity and their router is sat next to the TV (so lack of wi-fi isn't an issue), then maybe that YouView box is worth a go if the price is right. I would be concerned about how much longer a 7-year old device will continue to receive updates though, particularly as it's no longer made by the manufacturer and no longer supplied by BT, because there'll be far less incentive for the manufacturer or YouView to keep those boxes updated and supported.

If I was in the market for a new PVR, I would be holding off to see what this new Humax 4K Aura is like.
But going back to the OPs post, the BT Youview box does everything he asked whether a box was able to do, albeit he also does mention Disney+ in the subject title which of curse the BT box does not currently do.

I don't disgaree in some respects with what you are saying about the box. I have two, a UHD one connected to my BT broadband account and the HD version in the kitchen which I use purely for Freeview TV and streaming IPlayer and Netflix mainly. I used get around the lack of wifi by using a homeplug adadptor which worked perfectly and now have it plugged into a BT wifi disk. I have no complaints. with either box.
 
Humax 4K Aura box? News to me! Looks like it’s update on the 5000. Haven’t seen anything about this, so thanx for the heads-up. Lucky, as I was just about to press the button and order a 5000.
It’s on its way in November. I am part of a test panel and am product testing one in the coming weeks.
 
It’s on its way in November. I am part of a test panel and am product testing one in the coming weeks.

Interesting. I'm a product tester/trailist for other companies. How does one apply to be a Humax one?

And BTW @mikej, Youview Retail HAS withdrawn from the market and are now subscription only. Any new boxes still available for sale are the last of the old dwindling stock.
 
With the aura being android it won't have the same issues with compatibility and lack of apps.

It should be very similar any android tv out there like on Sony and Philips tvs. Not sure how the processor compares but bring a dedicated STB can imagine it being better than tv set and would need to be able to record 2 or 3 channels whilst watching a 4k movie on Netflix for example.
 
Last edited:
With the aura being android it won't have the same issues with compatibility and lack of apps.

It should be very similar any android tv out there like on Sony and Philips tvs. Not sure how the processor compares but bring a dedicated STB can imagine it being better than tv set and would need to be able to record 2 or 3 channels whilst watching a 4k movie on Netflix for example.


It has 3 tuners. One tuner can record two channels from the same Mux. Guessing it will have the same recording capability as the FVP-5000T.

If you record from the HD-PSB3 mux available on all UK Freeview transmiitters. This has 5-HD channels.

BBC1-HD, BBC2-HD, ITV-HD, Channel4-HD and Channel5-HD..

If correct (and based on the current 500T Performance) . You could set any 4 of the 5 channels on this Mux and add a watch reservation on the 5th.,

The watch reservation switches the box to display the 5th channel as the broadcast starts, and as a result buffers the live stream to to the time shift buffer file. that allows live pause etc,

Give the box a minute or two to generate some live TV in the timeshift buffer file. You can press the instant record button to record the the 5th channel as well.

So that's recording 5 channels at the same time. Of course if you record from another MUX then the total number of channels you can record will be reduced (to 3 if they are all on different Mux)

It would be surprising if the Aura cannot emulatre this)

The quad core procecesor built in should in theory make the UI more responsive than the 5000T,.

Catch up does not need a tuner so On Demand services should not be affected.

Additionally the box has a built in Chromecast.

Anything you have on a mobile device like say Youtube should be able to transfer the the data stream to the box without affecting the 5 recordings.

So in theory you could record 5 HD channels and and at the same time watch a third party Chromecast enabled source like say Youtube , iplayer , NOW TV, Amazon Prime etc.

Of course it needs someone with the box to actually try this out, The 5000oT dos not have the built in Chromecast,.

Looking at the published specs is all I have,

There may be some other limitations without the box, it's purely a guess based on the pubilished specs and the software having no bugs. ( Seems unlikely)

I have presented the facts as known as released by Humax.
 
The software will be andorid TV which already has proven track record of delivering FVP TV sets so other than the tuner integration I believe the rest should be pretty standard experience.
 
The app. support is important to many, me included. I can live without ATV and Netflix, as I have other sources for those, but NowTV with Boost pack support is a must. It’s now been released for Sony android-based TVs, but of course that’s no guarantee that it’ll work/be supported on the Aura.
 
Just got an email from Humax announcing the Aura box. Nothing new per se, but Netflix was conspicuously absent ...
 
Apparently Netflix can be downloaded from the app store so doesn't appear to be an issue.
 
Last edited:
Good to know. Will the same apply to the NowTV app., I wonder?
 
Now TV app is there, but when fired up says 'not supported on this device'!!
 

The latest video from AVForums

Is 4K Blu-ray Worth It?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom