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Freesat FreeTime Humax HDR-1010S 1TB white set top box with WiFi: Hands-on pictures

Humax’s latest Freesat FreeTime box is a 1TB white WiFi wonder and we’ve just spent some time getting to know it better. 

During a press event at Freesat’s London HQ, Humax and Freesat demoed the fetching new white box that’s the latest piece of FreeTime gear, the Humax HDR-1010S. As well as rocking a shiny new white jacket perhaps the biggest deal about this that it comes with WiFi connectivity.

FreeTime from Freesat blends free to air digital satellite channels with catch-up content available on BBC iPlayer and ITV Player. While the linear broadcast channels are delivered over the satellite connection in order to get the catch-up stuff you need an connection to the internet.

Not every home is that well set up for wired Ethernet connections, meaning for many WiFi is the best way to connect laptops and other equipment to the home router, which is why this addition is so crucial to Humax’s FreeTime range.

It’s also the first white FreeTime box that’s been produced, signalling Humax’s desire to stand out from the uniform black and dark grey set-top boxes that dominate the shelves of your local John Lewis and Currys. We’re told that a black version will be hitting shops in the near future, for those who like their TV gear like Michelle Stacy likes her coffee in Airplane!

Costing £299 now, the Humax HDR-1010S comes with a 1TB hard drive which promises 600 hours of SD recording and 250 hours of HD recording. Or, as one Freesat rep put it, five years of EastEnders in standard definition…

Internally, the box is pretty much the same as the original Humax HDR-1000S box. The same beautifully animated programme guide and menus are present and correct. We’ve got a model to test but seeing as the overall user experience is the same, in our review we’ll be focussing on the WiFi connectivity and how streaming iPlayer, ITV Player and YouTube video compares, for the benefits of those who don’t want several meters of Ethernet spooled over their living room floor.

    

   

   

   

   

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