Simplest way to get free view HD in our bedroom?

iMacMart · 14 Apr 2021 at 07:46

Morning all

We have an aerial cable in there, what’s the best (cost effective) way to get HD terrestrial in there?

We currently have a SkyQ mini box which has been nothing but trouble!

Thanks

Haze · 14 Apr 2021 at 09:57

Buy a free view box, if your TV is so old it's not built in...

That was hard to work out....

iMacMart · 14 Apr 2021 at 11:32

Haze said:
Buy a free view box, if your TV is so old it's not built in...

That was hard to work out....

It has an old built in free view but the picture quality is shocking! Any recommendations on a fair priced box that plays HD ...

Thanks

Armageus · 14 Apr 2021 at 11:34

Manhattan T3

iMacMart · 14 Apr 2021 at 12:53

Armageus said:
Manhattan T3

Thanks, will take a look

Fluffybob · 14 Apr 2021 at 12:59

If you don't need a recording function, you can get a Freeview HD box for around 30 quid from your local supermarket.

Armageus · 14 Apr 2021 at 13:18

Fluffybob said:
If you don't need a recording function, you can get a Freeview HD box for around 30 quid from your local supermarket.

You can, but you get what you pay for. The Manhattan T3 is regarded as a decent performing box and will likely be supported for a while, versus whatever is available in your local supermarket

iMacMart · 14 Apr 2021 at 16:37

Thanks all! Will take a look

lucid · 14 Apr 2021 at 17:41

Armageus said:
You can, but you get what you pay for. The Manhattan T3 is regarded as a decent performing box and will likely be supported for a while, versus whatever is available in your local supermarket

I haven't tried the Manhattan boxes, but broadly this ^

I generally keep a couple of used Humax Freeview boxes kicking around as spares or to sell, and recently used one at a customer's place in his home cinema. He had an older Sagem recorder which was flaky. The image from it was going on to his 12ft screen. I swapped it out for a HDR-T2000 and the difference in PQ was immediately noticeable. Everything looked much clearer, cleaner, better saturated. SD from the Humax looked like HD from the Sagem. It took me by surprise just how bad the cheap Sagem must have been.

TheVoice · 14 Apr 2021 at 18:49

A second-hand BT TV box might be worth a look, I haven't checked but I'd imagine there are plenty floating around cheap as BT were giving them away and they're built by Humax. If you can get the UHD one (think it's T4000) it's a bit quicker and more responsive.

iMacMart · 14 Apr 2021 at 19:14

Humax foxsat-hdr?

lucid · 14 Apr 2021 at 21:27

That would do.

iMacMart · 14 Apr 2021 at 21:44

lucid said:
That would do.

£30 for a 500gb without the remote £10 from the forest ....

lucid · 15 Apr 2021 at 06:50

iMacMart said:
£30 for a 500gb without the remote £10 from the forest ....

At that price you could probably buy it, try it, then sell it on (with remote) for what you paid in total if you do then decide to splash out on the Manhatten.

NOP · 15 Apr 2021 at 07:47

Out of interest, have you tried complaining to Sky about the mini? In what way is it giving you grief?

Armageus · 15 Apr 2021 at 07:57

iMacMart said:
Humax foxsat-hdr?

That's Freesat not Freeview? :confused:

lucid · 15 Apr 2021 at 12:43

Armageus said:
That's Freesat not Freeview?

Yep, you're right. Senior moment getting it mixed up with the Humax HDR-FOX T2 500GB Freeview + HD Digital TV Recorder: Amazon.co.uk: TV for a moment there. Oops :cry:

stuie · 16 Apr 2021 at 13:50

Are you sure its the built in freeview causing the problem and not low or degrading signal coming from your aerial