FVP-4000T

russd2219

New Member
Hi, I've had most of the Humax boxes over the years back to the earliest ones etc. They have always been brilliant.

However, reading reviews of the new FVP-4000T leaves me a bit disillusioned. If the reviews are correct cannot understand why have they removed the quick access button for the recordings, the skip forward and back buttons, and cheapened the remote? Reports of a sluggish menu system also concerning.

If these reviews are correct, it seems to me the most of the best features from the older models have been removed. Can anyone reassure me that actually none of this is true and the reviews are wrong?

I normally recommend Humax to everyone but I guess I'm gonna have to look around if the reviews are correct. Does anyone have any suggestions for an alternative? Thanks in advance.
 
Nope the reviews are correct unfortunately.

Moving from and HDR-FOX-T2 to a FVP-4000T is a definate backward step with regard to speed and menu navigation - why press one button when 3 will do :laugh: The skip forward/backward facility is still there, but you just need to press the OK button before the left/right arrow. The best thing about the 4000 is the triple tuners which has so far meant I have never not been able to set anything due to clashes and I have never had a failed recording. The worst part of the interface was the Guide, but this has been massivley improved with just the odd quirk. The next thing that needs an overhaul is the Library and timers listing as that is just a clunky mess..... I live in hope :thumbsup: I use the the YouTube App daily and that works a treat, unlike the HDR.

Having said the above, if it packed up tomorrow I would go straight out and buy another!
 
Thanks for your feedback, that's really interesting to know. I find it disappointing because I always hoped Humax would continue to be an innovator rather than cheapening things like the remote, and interface.
 
I've just purchased this model and on the whole I'm impressed. However the remote recording facility is massively a total pain in the ass. No series record, no ability to delete remotely.

Secondly I own a 4k TV and setting the box to output 2160p gives a softening effect to the picture sharpness which looks awful. Switching back to 1080p resolved this. Also in 2160 output the on-screen font is awful.

All in all I don't mind the GUI but as I say the android apps need a massive overhaul. They look quite dated when using them but no series record is a massive omission.
 
I own a 4k TV and setting the box to output 2160p gives a softening effect to the picture sharpness which looks awful. Switching back to 1080p resolved this. Also in 2160 output the on-screen font is awful.
All that means is that the upscaler in the TV is better than the upscaler in the 4000. There is no broadcast material in greater than 1080, mostly it's less than 1080, and if it ever goes greater than 1080 it will be incompatible, so 1080 out of the box is all you will ever need.
 
You really think Humax et al have built in >1080 codec capability without advertising it as "UHD ready"?
 
Of course. Silly me.:oops:
But why would it have the option of 2160p output if it can't handle UHD?
 
In any case, there is no agreement on the standard for UHD broadcast yet, and only Internet services delivering it (each using their own variation).
 
I bought this model about a month ago as an 'upgrade' to what was (and still is) the excellent HDR-Fox T2, foolishly thinking as it's newer it will be better. I couldn't have been more wrong! Apart from a few obvious additions, such as the 3 tuners, the 'on demand' extras and an hdmi connection everything else about it is a backward step. I've had several Humax PVR's and even a TV but I'm really disappointed with this model.

Firstly, I experienced many of the problems reported here - lock-ups, lost recordings, slow interface, etc - but expected things to change with the new software. They didn't and after several calls to Humax, factory resets, manual channel searches and anything else they suggested I asked for a replacement. Humax obliged and I must admit many of the 'physical' problems have gone.

Unfortunately it's done nothing about the 'usability' and performance. Up until now I've been a great fan of Humax - in my experience they turned out good products and had an excellent support service - but this model is so far removed from any others I've used I'm sure it must have been a test product for their apprentices to create!

Here's some of my findings, all of which are backward steps compared to previous models and all of which have become a source of intense irritation:
  1. The interface is awful and navigating the EPG guide is like walking in treacle. Everything takes more button presses than it needs and is sooooo slow to react.
  2. The guide no longer has the small screen showing the current programme but instead shows over the top of the running programme. With the small font used and the confusing delinations between programmes it looks muddled and is much harder to read.
  3. When you scroll down the guide the last item becomes the first item on the next page, which is confusing and wastes a line of programming.
  4. There is no INFO button and to see details about a programme it now needs at least 2 key presses. Press OK and it shows the channel info - why? - then press OK again and it displays the info. Pressing OK again closes the info but NOT the channel info. To close this you have to press back (or exit) which in turn loses the 'favourites' group (see below). Why doesn't OK just close the lot?
  5. To see info about any channel that's currently running it switches to that channel. Whatever's the point of that - why would you want to change channels? That's really annoying.
  6. As I always do, I've set up groups of favourites. However, they don't remain 'sticky'. When you're in the EPG if you hit the back or exit buttons to escape from any screen, or if you accidently click on a channel not in that favourite group, it reverts to the default TV group. It's a complete waste of time setting favourites because you're forever changing the groups. They were permanently 'sticky' on the HDR-Fox T2 so why change it now?
It's as if Humax have gone about producing a new unit from scratch and have forgotten about all the good stuff they've developed over the years. I look forward to the next update!
 
To be fair, the HDR-FOX took a couple of years of software updates to iron out (most of) the wrinkles, but then of course we took over! However, it does look like they threw the baby out with the bath water.
 
To be fair, the HDR-FOX took a couple of years of software updates to iron out (most of) the wrinkles, but then of course we took over! However, it does look like they threw the baby out with the bath water.

Yes, but they ended up with an interface that was intuitive and simple to navigate. Why not at least start from that point in the next model and tweak if necessary?
 
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