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Goodbye Topfield hello Humax :-)

H

Heathy65

New Member
Probably my 1st of many posts on this forum (hopefully).....Just saying hello here:)

I've been a loyal Topfield user for years (TF5800PVR then TF5810PVR). The thing I loved about the Topfield DVB-T PVRs is the TAP (Topfield App) feature where it's easy to install additional functionality without too-much hacking. The Topfield with the MyStuff EPG is just amazing.

So why am I here? Well my 2nd Topfield just died and I started looking for a replacement. I'm a self-confessed geek/hacker and love tinkering but SWMBO used the Topfield and I needed to replace it with a reliable unit.

I looked at the like of the Technomate TM-7102 and VU+ Ultimo, being interested in the combined FreeView & FreeSat features. However TBH it seemed they would require "an amount of modding" to get them to do what I want, as I (+SWMBO) needed a new unit quickly and without too much pain I opted for the HDR-FOX T2. I got my parents one of these sometime ago when their Topfield died and I quite liked it, but not the lack of mods available (so I thought back-then).

Then I happened on this website/community and wow! I'm so pleased to find a good selection of easy to apply mods and a thriving community to match www. toppy. org. uk!

Cheers Ian
 
Hi, Yes I'm already pretty-much up and running add-on wise thanks :-)
I was very impressed how quickly I could get the mods installed, very slick (and having an Ethernet interface instead of a USB i/f is so useful :-)
I have a few queries already but will post them later in a separate thread.
 
Heathy65 said:
Well my 2nd Topfield just died
Click to expand...
I hope you did not just bin it. They can usually be easily repaired or failing that a useful source of spare parts for repairing other units. There are a couple of guys over on the Toppy user site who specialise in doing this.
 
gomezz said:
I hope you did not just bin it. They can usually be easily repaired or failing that a useful source of spare parts for repairing other units. There are a couple of guys over on the Toppy user site who specialise in doing this.
Click to expand...
Hi, Nope I didn't. It actually didn't totally die it seems. It was just suffering from memory corruption I think, too many channels and too many TAPs I reckon! I'm going to totally wipe it and see if it settles down, and then use it as a 2nd machine.
 
gomezz said:
Sounds like a typical case of failing capacitors in the PSU.
Click to expand...

It does - I ran two 5800s for some years and that happened to both at different times. Andyfras on the Toppy forum sorted both PSUs for me, so he's highly recommended. I passed both my old ones to a friend who had one 5800 (and now has three!) as he still loves the boxes. I moved on as I bought an HD TV so wanted to be able to record high definition content, which the Topfield obviously couldn't do, otherwise I'd have kept them for a few more years.

Mick
 
Hi all – I am in almost exactly the same position as Heathy65. A long time Topfield Tf5800 user and loved the amazing user interface of MyStuff.

It’s time to go HD and Topfield seemed to have dropped the ball. Anyhoo been looking around and the only company that sound right for me is Humax. Been eyeing up the Humax HDR-FOX T2.

Looks very cool and loving the sound of some of the features. Really glad there is a thriving Hummy community (over the years I have found Toppy community invaluable).

I have used quite a few PVR’s (however not Humax as yet) and am always dismayed at how awful the user interfaces are when compared to the slick user definable MyStuff.

Can I please ask – what the experiences of Toppy tf58xx (with MyStuff) owners have been when moving to Humax?

I really rely on certain features and want to know if the Humax HDR-FOX T2 can do them or has its own version of the following:

Recording clash warnings
Definable Skip forward Skip back buttons for navigating adverts
One touch now and next info
Full page of now next and later info without going into EPG
User definable prime time option (one button) – I have mine set to 6pm so I may jump from today to Tomorrows and the day afters schedule etc
User definable folder creation

Any opinions or advice would be gratefully received.

Cheers

Acoustism
 
Recording clash warnings

Limited, only warns when setting. If a conflict occurs later in the series there is no warning. This can be ameliorated using the custom Remote Scheduling Service.

Definable Skip forward Skip back buttons for navigating adverts

Yes

One touch now and next info

"i" = now, ">" = next (and after, once the "i plate" is on screen), up/down to get info on other channels.

Full page of now next and later info without going into EPG

As above plus another "i".

User definable prime time option (one button)

Not as standard, could be added to the custom web browser interface.

User definable folder creation

Can create and rename folders as standard, but not control where recordings go. Available in custom.

See links below (signature panel) for more info.
 
Black Hole said:
Recording clash warnings

Limited, only warns when setting. If a conflict occurs later in the series there is no warning. This can be ameliorated using the custom Remote Scheduling Service.

Definable Skip forward Skip back buttons for navigating adverts

Yes

One touch now and next info

"i" = now, ">" = next (and after, once the "i plate" is on screen), up/down to get info on other channels.

Full page of now next and later info without going into EPG

As above plus another "i".

User definable prime time option (one button)

Not as standard, could be added to the custom web browser interface.

User definable folder creation

Can create and rename folders as standard, but not control where recordings go. Available in custom.

See links below (signature panel) for more info.
Click to expand...

Hi Black Hole

Thanks for the reply - very quick and great info.

I have followed some of your links and had a read. Very well organised! Thanks - I will do some more reading but I really think the HDR-FOX T2 is the one for me. Also sounds like custom will be the way forward for me. Point taken though to stay 'standard' for a while to make sure it's happy. Will need to get used to it anyway before changing things I reckon.

How user friendly and slick is the user interface would you say? Do any of the 'customs' alter the UI experience or is that all about back end functionality etc?

The Remote looks good - particularly interested in the fact that it can control other devices. Just out of interest - is there a known code for control of Topfield tf58xx series. I suspect I will keep my Toppy and run them both until it finally dies .

Regards

Acoustism
 
The Humax was voted the best PVR (out of 3) in a test for "oldies" usability on the Gadget Show, if that counts for anything. IIRC the Sky+ box was also in the test.

If you've read my intro to the custom firmware you will know it is mostly back-end (user interface via web browser).
 
Yes cheers I have read your intro to custom firmware. Just trying to get my head round something different - it seems I have an ingrained Toppy and Taps (Topfield Aps) mindset.

Also wondreing if my partner will take to the change.
 
Black Hole said:
The Humax was voted the best PVR (out of 3) in a test for "oldies" usability on the Gadget Show, if that counts for anything. IIRC the Sky+ box was also in the test.
Click to expand...
The Gadget Show tested the following 3 PVR's,

Icecrypt T2400 (1TB)
Humax HDR-Fox T2 (500GB)
Sagemcom RT190 (500GB)

so it's not surprising that the Humax came out the best.

The Sky+ box was not in the test.
 
brian said:
The Gadget Show tested the following 3 PVR's,

Icecrypt T2400 (1TB)
Humax HDR-Fox T2 (500GB)
Sagemcom RT190 (500GB)

so it's not surprising that the Humax came out the best.

The Sky+ box was not in the test.
Click to expand...


Don’t mean to sound sycophantic but aren’t Humax about as good as it gets for this sort of thing?

Certainly seems like the closest to the experience I am used too…
 
Hi Acoustism

For explanation of the Custom Firmware for the Humax, take a look at the WiKi (link at the top of each forum page), Also HERE
 
Acoustism said:
Don’t mean to sound sycophantic but aren’t Humax about as good as it gets for this sort of thing?

Certainly seems like the closest to the experience I am used too…
Click to expand...
In my experience, I would say that the HDR-FOX T2 is the best Non Topfield PVR that I have owned. I still use a pair of TF 5800's for all of my SD recordings, and three HDR-FOX T2's for my HD recordings.
 
The HDR Fox T2 wins for me too! I also have a Topfield 5810 (Well 2 actually, only one is in use, the other is a working spare). I only use the Toppy for SWMBO. She tends to ask me to record something then its is days, weeks , months before she wants to watch it. I have to remind her that if the HDD fails, and one day it will, she will loose an awful lot of programmes. I am afraid that goes in one ear and out of the other!

I am a bit OCD and like to keep a 'tidy ship'. She also isn't bothered about HD, whereas I am. Needless to say, I use the HDR for my 'stuff', archiving off anything I wish to keep.

The HDR, with custom firmware, is an excellent PVR. Go for it!
 
Black Hole said:
The Humax was voted the best PVR (out of 3) in a test for "oldies" usability on the Gadget Show
Click to expand...
Eh? Usability is definitely one thing that is Humax do not excel at. The UI on my Foxsat HDR is clunkiness personified compared to the Gold Standard of a Toppy/MyStuff. The other contenders must have been *very* bad.
 
I've never used a Topfield, but the test was for HiDef PVRs (so the Topfield doesn't count), and how much of this famed Topfield usability is down to the user group? It would be measured off-the-shelf.
 
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