Complained to BBC Watchdog

T

thomasperkins

New Member
I have had endless problems with my DTR T1000 Youview box crashing/ hanging/ not booting up/ missing recordings/ failing recordings etc.

I bought my box reconditioned from Humax Direct website last October and have had problems pretty much from the beginning.

I have had 3 different T1000 boxes all with these faults. Last time Humax offered a newer T1010 as replacement - the 4th box! This is now developing the same faults after only 3 weeks! Not a surprise really as it is essentially the same thing but with a different front.

I have researched this online and found hundreds of complaints of the same or similar faults and poor customer service from Humax.

They repeatedly refuse a refund and insist on fobbing me off with yet another replacement. I think I've given them more than a fair chance now so I have emailed BBC Watchdog.

If anyone else on here has had the same or similar experiences please share by replying to this thread.
Also, maybe you could email Watchdog too! If they get enough complaints then maybe they will look into it!
 
Quite a few of these have been given away by BT and I haven't heard an uproar against the service. It is annoying you are having so many problems with all of yours.

Is your Humax Warranty about to run out? Although, you should be covered indefinitely as you have had replacements that have not worked. Have Humax offered a 2000 series box as a replacement? Pester them for that, and if that also fails then I would look for some cause in your house. Having said that, any box should be robust enough to cope with anything it meets in a house. I have seen people discuss ways to avoid conflicts with their router, which is just plain ridiculous; any box that conflicts with a router is not fit for purpose IMHO.
 
Thank you for your reply. I have read of similar issues with the BT ones as well but I suspect they are keener to sort these as you are paying a subscription to BT for it. I presume BT would deal with it then. I suspect that the issues with mine are because they are reconditioned units. I suspect that Humax just clean them up and send them back out and the problems just keep re-occurring - like someone has suggested on this forum with the serial number thread for HDR-FOX T2.

Is the 2000 different from the 1000 and 1010? Do you think it would be any better? I really would like a refund from Humax because I want to buy my own NEW box from another retailer. It will probably be another Humax because (unfortunately) they seem to be the only units that have the features I would like and supposedly are more reliable. I probably wouldn't have another Youview box given the chance.
 
To BlackHole:
Sorry. Wasn't thinking. Of course it is - that's the one I've been looking at buying instead if I get the refund I hoped for.
 
thomasperkins said:
Is that one different to the other YouView boxes?
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I haven't got any direct expereince of any Youview but it is still basic in features. I've seen both formal reviews and user reviews of the T2000 that say that its naviagation speed is improved. The T1010 has a better reputation for stabilty/reliability over the T1000, as far as I can tell the T2000 is not a backward step. It would be good to find someone who has gone from a T1010 to a T2000 or wanted both models.
 
I have gone from a T1xxx to a T2xxx and the T2xxx is much faster reacting, though with exactly the same interface. It uses a bit less power, too, and starts up quicker. (Could anything be slower than the T1xxx or use more electricity?)

I am not a fan of Youview, though, and any Freeview only box is probably better, though whether these will overcome thomasperkins' problems I have no idea. Thomas, do you have a colleague with another box that you can borrow?
 
This topic could have been written by myself, as it almost exactly mirrors my experiences with my box(es!).

I got a 1000 from Humax direct, and am averaging about 3 weeks for each box. All the errors seem to be related to freezing/not responding to user input. I can beat you with numbers though - I have had 4 x 1000's, and 1 1010 which has just gone. This time I can get to the factory reset option, but then it doesn't respond to the ok (power button) so I can't reset.

I have found their support team ok - but they probably have lots of practice! Quite simply this is an embarrassing situation, with a poor product.

I don't know what to do next. I feel like throwing it away. Happy days!
 
MrC said:
This topic could have been written by myself, as it almost exactly mirrors my experiences with my box(es!).

I got a 1000 from Humax direct, and am averaging about 3 weeks for each box. All the errors seem to be related to freezing/not responding to user input. I can beat you with numbers though - I have had 4 x 1000's, and 1 1010 which has just gone. This time I can get to the factory reset option, but then it doesn't respond to the ok (power button) so I can't reset.

I have found their support team ok - but they probably have lots of practice! Quite simply this is an embarrassing situation, with a poor product.

I don't know what to do next. I feel like throwing it away. Happy days!
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Thanks for that reply. I felt like throwing away too but actually (touch wood) after the original post this T1010 box seems to have been OK. It has only crashed that once (so far) so not bad since October. A record so far I think!!

After my email to Humax regarding this box crashing (at the time of my original post) they did basically agree to a refund eventually but by that time the box had been working without problem for a couple weeks since I emailed them. I didn't want to return it and them come back and say it was not faulty so I kept it and told them if there were any more problems I would come back to them. I don't know if I would actually have got a refund because they have promised this before and then not got back to me and when I chased it they said they couldn't offer a refund. What they actually said was along the lines of 'sales would contact me to arrange a refund' but as before they didn't contact me at all. And last time when I phoned the sales department myself they said they knew nothing about it.

Hopefully you will eventually get one that works OK as when it is working its not that bad. Course now I've said all this I expect it will go wrong again now!! Whatever happens, whenever the time comes for me to buy another PVR, I would not buy a Youview box again and, if there was any alternative worth considering, would think twice before buying a Humax again.
 
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Mike0001 said:
I have gone from a T1xxx to a T2xxx and the T2xxx is much faster reacting, though with exactly the same interface. It uses a bit less power, too, and starts up quicker. (Could anything be slower than the T1xxx or use more electricity?)

I am not a fan of Youview, though, and any Freeview only box is probably better, though whether these will overcome thomasperkins' problems I have no idea. Thomas, do you have a colleague with another box that you can borrow?
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My aunty and uncle have a YouView box but is T1010 same as mine but they have had no problems (yet). They did buy it new though so if the problem is with the reconditioning this could explain it! To be honest, without tempting fait too much, this one has been OK since the original post (fingers crossed, touch wood etc.)

I have another freeview PVR which works perfectly and we have various freeview TVs and boxes in other rooms in the house so I cannot believe it could be a problem with our setup either.
 
thomasperkins said:
I have had endless problems with my DTR T1000 Youview box crashing/ hanging/ not booting up/ missing recordings/ failing recordings etc.

I bought my box reconditioned from Humax Direct website last October and have had problems pretty much from the beginning.

I have had 3 different T1000 boxes all with these faults. Last time Humax offered a newer T1010 as replacement - the 4th box! This is now developing the same faults after only 3 weeks! Not a surprise really as it is essentially the same thing but with a different front.

I have researched this online and found hundreds of complaints of the same or similar faults and poor customer service from Humax.

They repeatedly refuse a refund and insist on fobbing me off with yet another replacement. I think I've given them more than a fair chance now so I have emailed BBC Watchdog.

If anyone else on here has had the same or similar experiences please share by replying to this thread.
Also, maybe you could email Watchdog too! If they get enough complaints then maybe they will look into it!
Click to expand...
Hello, I'm just waiting for a reply to the latest of my emails to Humax Direct. I bought a DTR T1000 on 9th January and it was terrible. That went back and another one came along to swap. It lasted 3 days! It's now back in it's box and I dearly wish I had never heard of Humax. I'm exhausted and massively disappointed. Over the past couple of weeks there were many things I wanted to record and have missed all of them. I've wasted so much time messing around trying this and that suggestion to get the damn thing up and running. Or sending emails and waiting for replies. Just as I am now! I have lost all confidence in Humax and want a refund so that I can buy a simple PVR. I'm no longer interested in Youview. If only I had seen the multiple reports of common problems with this useless thing. I believe it's not fit for purpose and they know it.

I've really had enough and if they don't issue a full refund, I will be joining you down the Watchdog road. I will also be going to Trading Standards and have learned a lot about the Sale of Goods Act 1979.

That's how sad this experience has made me!!
 
It is a frequent observation that Humax support only answer emails once an enquiry has been set up by phone.
 
They have answered my many requests for help over the past 10 days or so and I have no problem (so far) with the operators. In fact we have been writing backwards and forwards on a first name basis. I have actually been talking to two guys simultaneously. I think now that I have told them I will not accept another replacement, they are dragging their feet. I sent my email on Sunday night and have still had no reply. I strongly object to spending money on phone calls, but if I get nothing from them tomorrow I suppose I will have to.

I would be prepared to accept a decent Twin Tuner PVR if it was a good one, but don't know if they do anything like that. I never really wanted Youview/On demand, but got carried away by reading amazing feedback on the Humax Direct website. Well that's been taken down now and I feel like a complete idiot!

Now, I just want to get my money back and buy a new basic twin tuner from Argos or Currys. Probably a Logik - I had a refurbished one from Ebay and it was dead cheap. It lasted 3 years and I loved it.
 
pansy said:
They have answered my many requests for help over the past 10 days or so and I have no problem (so far) with the operators. In fact we have been writing backwards and forwards on a first name basis. I have actually been talking to two guys simultaneously. I think now that I have told them I will not accept another replacement, they are dragging their feet. I sent my email on Sunday night and have still had no reply. I strongly object to spending money on phone calls, but if I get nothing from them tomorrow I suppose I will have to.

I would be prepared to accept a decent Twin Tuner PVR if it was a good one, but don't know if they do anything like that. I never really wanted Youview/On demand, but got carried away by reading amazing feedback on the Humax Direct website. Well that's been taken down now and I feel like a complete idiot!

Now, I just want to get my money back and buy a new basic twin tuner from Argos or Currys. Probably a Logik - I had a refurbished one from Ebay and it was dead cheap. It lasted 3 years and I loved it.
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This is exactly as my experiences. They were great offering help and advice and always responded promptly but as soon as you start pushing for a refund they become very unhelpful and either stop responding to emails or take days or weeks. I did phone eventually and still got me nowhere so I'm not sure that will be any help. They repeatedly refused to exchange for a different model for me and originally said this was not possible. Of course as I said previously they did eventually change it for the newer T1010 but still didn't offer a standard Humax PVR that I wanted. Touch wood the T1010 is still OK and hopefully it will continue. I too was swayed into buying it by all the positive feedback on there and also positive reviews in magazines and tech websites etc. Of course these are focussed on features and had I looked further into I would have seen the 10s or 100s of negative user reviews on Amazon etc. If this one continues as it has been I will (finally) be satisfied with it as when its working it is very good and the YouView features are great. If only all of the boxes worked all of the time! My old Matsui PVR (manufactured by now defunct Access Digital/ Step01) has been 100% reliable and still is. Given all my previous problems I now have most of my recordings scheduled on that one as well just in case.
 
Thought I would update on the situation. I eventually rang them and spoke to an operator (one I had been emailing actually) and he was very nice. After asking me a few questions, he eventually told me that I was entitled to a refund, which would be given to me after they have collected the recorder. Now I am trying to get some response in order to arrange that! I got an email requesting a convenient date for them to pick it up, which I replied to last week. The days I gave have been and gone so I'm now getting worried.

I have now bought a cheap PVR from Argos Outlet, which seems to be working ok so far. Although I can't tune it to the East Midlands without losing all the EPG. I have had to tune into West Mids which is not really my area. Doesn't bother me unless I want to watch local news. I've had to borrow from peter to pay paul (that's the name of my new recorder..) and badly need my refund.

Will keep you posted.
 
pansy said:
Thought I would update on the situation. I eventually rang them and spoke to an operator (one I had been emailing actually) and he was very nice. After asking me a few questions, he eventually told me that I was entitled to a refund, which would be given to me after they have collected the recorder. Now I am trying to get some response in order to arrange that! I got an email requesting a convenient date for them to pick it up, which I replied to last week. The days I gave have been and gone so I'm now getting worried.

I have now bought a cheap PVR from Argos Outlet, which seems to be working ok so far. Although I can't tune it to the East Midlands without losing all the EPG. I have had to tune into West Mids which is not really my area. Doesn't bother me unless I want to watch local news. I've had to borrow from peter to pay paul (that's the name of my new recorder..) and badly need my refund.

Will keep you posted.
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UPDATE

Just to let you know, I have finally settled this episode. I had become really stressed about the problems I was having with Humax and the last contact I had with CS was a request for them to collect the item. I was ignored all week, until the last minute when a driver called completely unexpectedly and picked it up. I had threatened them with Trading Standards so maybe they didn't like that.

It then occurred to me that I had paid by PayPal and within a couple of minutes of speaking to them, the weight was lifted from my shoulders instantly. They were wonderful and have found in my favour. A full refund. I will never buy anything from Humax again and have settled for a cheap PVR. It sometimes clicks and pixellates briefly, but it does what I want. So far...

Anyway, thanks to all who took the time to advise and help.
 
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