New Freeview Play Box from Humax called Aura

RoyRoy Member, Super User Posts: 17,696 ✭✭✭
in Community
Details here:-

https://mediaserver.responsesource.com/mediabank/51982/HumaxAURAAndroidTVFreeviewPlayRecorder191020.pdf

A competitor to YouView perhaps; or just filling the vacuum left by the cessation of the T2000 retail box?

‘Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful’ Wm Morris
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Comments

  • jimbjimb Member, Super User Posts: 1,424 ✭✭✭
    edited 24 October 2020, 4:13PM
    Wot no Netflix?  :o
  • kodikidkodikid Member Posts: 1,083 ✭✭
    3 tuners, 4K  WI FI and app store, what's not to like. £249 isn't unreasonable either. 
    Retail wise this will almost certainly bury the app free Manhattan. 
    Deacon Blue hit from October 88
  • RoyRoy Member, Super User Posts: 17,696 ✭✭✭
    edited 24 October 2020, 4:26PM
    jimb said:
    Wot no Netflix?  :o
    ......access to Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, BT Sport and thousands of other apps via the Google Play Store.

    Which I dare say you will find Netflix is included in:-

    https://www.android.com/intl/en_uk/tv/

    Even when we are being careful to distinguish the Play Store at large from the Android TV Play Store.

    No dedicated button, though.
    ‘Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful’ Wm Morris
  • AshAsh Member Posts: 279 ✭✭
    edited 24 October 2020, 4:46PM
    Roy said:



    Even when we are being careful to distinguish the Play Store at large from the Android TV Play Store.

    No dedicated button, though.
    To tell you the truth. I always forget about the existence of the dedicated button for Netflix anyway and end up finding Netflix the Long Way round anyway
    @roy
  • kodikidkodikid Member Posts: 1,083 ✭✭
    edited 24 October 2020, 4:56PM
    Looking at it the front it's not too dissimilar to the T400 with the horizontal blue strip,  hard to tell but it looks smaller then the T4000. Nice sleek design though. Bizarrely no Netflix button but prime and freeview play have dedicated buttons. Remote looks a good design. 
    Deacon Blue hit from October 88
  • jimbjimb Member, Super User Posts: 1,424 ✭✭✭
    kodikid said:
    ... Bizarrely no Netflix button but prime and freeview play have dedicated buttons... 
    I rest my case  :p
  • kodikidkodikid Member Posts: 1,083 ✭✭
    Interestingly BT surely will need a replacement for its T4000 in the not too distant future,  As Humax got the contract in the past wonder if they might rebadge this for BT tv?.
    Deacon Blue hit from October 88
  • jimbjimb Member, Super User Posts: 1,424 ✭✭✭
    edited 24 October 2020, 5:51PM
    kodikid said:
    Interestingly BT surely will need a replacement for its T4000 in the not too distant future,  As Humax got the contract in the past wonder if they might rebadge this for BT tv?.
    I think you'll find there's probably a new YouView box coming and it will be very much designed to please BT. 
  • kodikidkodikid Member Posts: 1,083 ✭✭
    By Humax??
    Deacon Blue hit from October 88
  • jimbjimb Member, Super User Posts: 1,424 ✭✭✭
    kodikid said:
    By Humax??
    Time will tell.
    But that's a very interesting question, especially in the light of this current announcement.
    It might be from someone completely unexpected - Huawei perhaps?
  • RoyRoy Member, Super User Posts: 17,696 ✭✭✭
    jimb said:
    kodikid said:
    By Humax??
    Time will tell.
    But that's a very interesting question, especially in the light of this current announcement.
    It might be from someone completely unexpected - Huawei perhaps?
    Chinese products don’t have updates any more. They just get Gain of Function....
    ‘Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful’ Wm Morris
  • TomWTomW Member Posts: 508 ✭✭
    edited 24 October 2020, 10:22PM
    Definitely one to watch. Although I’m really not that interested in the apps since pretty much every TV and video device now offer access to almost all the commonly used apps. I’m much more interested in how it performs as a PVR. It’ll be interesting to see how responsive it is and whether it has things like remote recording capability via a mobile app, ability to add padding, and a decent EPG etc.
  • TomWTomW Member Posts: 508 ✭✭
    edited 24 October 2020, 10:22PM
    Some more info here from AV Forums: https://www.avforums.com/news/humax-launches-aura-4k-freeview-play-recorder.18101?cmpredirect=

    Disappointed that the programme synopsis isn’t surfaced in the EPG. That’s a +1 for the Manhattan.
  • Rob PRob P Member Posts: 115 ✭✭
    Very interesting. Top wins for me in this are:
    - Ability to stream around the house
    - Download recordings to mobile device
    - that lovely LIST of recordings in one of the product images
  • RoyRoy Member, Super User Posts: 17,696 ✭✭✭
    TomW said:
    Some more info here from AV Forums: https://www.avforums.com/news/humax-launches-aura-4k-freeview-play-recorder.18101?cmpredirect=

    Disappointed that the programme synopsis isn’t surfaced in the EPG. That’s a +1 for the Manhattan.
    Pleased that the much-missed mini screen is, which YouView told us was ‘too complex’ to do in NextGen. That’s a -1 for YouView.

    And it’s got wifi. Another -1 for YouView.

    And HDR.....

    Let’s hope it’s not as sluggish as its predecessors, and let’s see what an actual review brings.
    ‘Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful’ Wm Morris
  • Ken Hill1Ken Hill1 Member Posts: 261 ✭✭
    Looks good have to look into it more what apps as it got ? 
  • kodikidkodikid Member Posts: 1,083 ✭✭
    edited 25 October 2020, 1:47PM
    Read the Express review and all the major ones are there (including Netflix) plus it's android so the app store awaits. 
    Express reckons it's a serious contender to Sky/Virgin. 
    Deacon Blue hit from October 88
  • Ken Hill1Ken Hill1 Member Posts: 261 ✭✭
    kodikid said:
    Read the Express review and all the major ones are there (including Netflix) plus it's android so the app store awaits. 
    Express reckons it's a serious contender to Sky/Virgin. Thanks for the infoi
  • Jeffuk1Jeffuk1 Member Posts: 89 ✭
    edited 26 October 2020, 1:15PM
    It's great to see a new box on the market. 

    I was hoping that a new box like this would be realeased onto the market with Slingbox type function. 

    Does "Humax AURA App for iOS and Android enables remote planning, recording and viewing on the go" ... imply Slingbox functionality or is it simply a download function?
  • joneshjonesh Member, Super User Posts: 1,706 ✭✭✭
    According to this website, it's a download function. It says:
    There’s even an accompanying app for iOS and Android which will let you watch recordings on your home network, or download them to your device to watch on the move.

  • RoyRoy Member, Super User Posts: 17,696 ✭✭✭
    Jeffuk1 said:
    It's great to see a new box on the market. 

    I was hoping that a new box like this would be realeased onto the market with Slingbox type function. 

    Does "Humax AURA App for iOS and Android enables remote planning, recording and viewing on the go" ... imply Slingbox functionality or is it simply a download function?
    @Jeffuk1

    Tech specs should be read like a love letter (©️Ketty Lester)

    Thanks to the Humax AURA app, many features of AURA can be accessed on a mobile device, such as streaming recordings around the home or downloading shows to watch later on the move.

    So a kind of Slingbox Lite, when you are in Wi-fi range, but not the full thousand miles jobby.

    But more than we can do now, even with two YouView boxes, when the thing you want to watch in bed is on the box in the lounge, or vice versa.

    Another neat feature of this box is:-

    Creating a home screen that is completely personalised to the viewer’s preferences, AURA allows app icons to be moved around easily, keeping all frequently-used apps and content in one place

    as compared with YouView’s ‘one size fits all’ (or possibly nobody, quite) rigid fixed layout.
    ‘Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful’ Wm Morris
  • VisionmanVisionman Member, Super User Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭
    edited 26 October 2020, 3:56PM
    This looks awesome on paper. But I want to read the feedback from those that actually buy it when its out in November.
    IF its as quick as a YouView box or Manhattan it looks like a market killer, dependent on price.
    It has great features to be sure, but what I want to know is what's its like as PVR? Which after all is it's primary function?
    I'm now happy with the disagree icon, because its gone.
  • jimbjimb Member, Super User Posts: 1,424 ✭✭✭
    Visionman said:
    IF its as quick as a YouView box or Manhattan it looks like a market killer, dependent on price.
      "suggested retail price of £249 for the 1TB model and £279 for the 2TB model"

    Just a bit expensive I think  :(
  • VisionmanVisionman Member, Super User Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭
    edited 26 October 2020, 4:11PM
    @jimb
    They always are when first released. But if proves popular the price soon drops. Their are dedicated fans of Humax on various websits who are straight onto this new innovation. Its packed with features which for a Freeview box in my opinion are/could be enough to take on Sky, BT and Virgin Media IF its interface is quick. Hence why I'm looking forward to the hands-on reviews.
    I'm now happy with the disagree icon, because its gone.
  • RoyRoy Member, Super User Posts: 17,696 ✭✭✭
    jimb said:
    Visionman said:
    IF its as quick as a YouView box or Manhattan it looks like a market killer, dependent on price.
      "suggested retail price of £249 for the 1TB model and £279 for the 2TB model"

    Just a bit expensive I think  :(
    That’s what we paid for T1000s when they came out in 2012, and we thought they were market killers too, then.
    ‘Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful’ Wm Morris
  • VisionmanVisionman Member, Super User Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭
    edited 26 October 2020, 10:55PM
    Roy said:
    That’s what we paid for T1000s when they came out in 2012, and we thought they were market killers too, then.

     We did.
    I'm now happy with the disagree icon, because its gone.
  • joneshjonesh Member, Super User Posts: 1,706 ✭✭✭
    edited 27 October 2020, 6:33PM
    jimb said:
    Visionman said:
    IF its as quick as a YouView box or Manhattan it looks like a market killer, dependent on price.
      "suggested retail price of £249 for the 1TB model and £279 for the 2TB model"

    Just a bit expensive I think  :(
    The 1TB model is the same price as the two tuner 1TB Panasonic, dating from 2016.
    On that score the Humax Aura is an absolute bargain.
  • zulu17zulu17 Member, Super User Posts: 1,167 ✭✭✭
    Looking at the spec in the link provided it does indicate that the box storage is  “Expandable via USB” .
  • Jeffuk1Jeffuk1 Member Posts: 89 ✭
    I find myself in the odd position of finding no advantage to me even though I'm always desperate to buy the latest box.  I never need to view recorded stuff in a different room, don't want to download for overseas trips. 

    I'm still extremely pleased with having a couple of BT Ultra HD T-T400 1tb which I use together as a sort of 4 channel 2TB recorder.  I've just bought another new one as insurance for £125 ....



  • VisionmanVisionman Member, Super User Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭
    edited 28 October 2020, 2:59AM
    Ahhh... a 1TB box recorder. Just try finding the time to watch them whilst watching live TV. 
    I'm now happy with the disagree icon, because its gone.
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