HDR-FOX T2 sorted?

[RobH1]

Is the FoxT2 sorted or are sales dropping in favour of other products such as YouView?
I pose this question as I've noticed the drop off in questions posted by new users. Even over on AV Forums nothing has been asked in over 9 days.

I may take a trip to Currys' et al to see what they are recommending these days. I know that a couple of years ago our local dealer (excellent) would not stock the Humax because of perceived problems particularly for their loyal elderly customers.
I did point out that they were wrong in their assumptions!

 

[Wallace]

I have been thinking along the same lines myself. As far as I am concerned, my HDR's are performing 'top notch'. It is hard to think of any additional feature/s I require.

Even the HDR I had channel issues with after downgrading from 1.03.06 to 1.02.32 appear to have settled since I loaded af123's extracted 1.03.06 and the box is in daily use now.

 

[Brian]

Is the FoxT2 sorted or are sales dropping in favour of other products such as YouView?
I pose this question as I've noticed the drop off in questions posted by new users. Even over on AV Forums nothing has been asked in over 9 days.

I may take a trip to Currys' et al to see what they are recommending these days. I know that a couple of years ago our local dealer (excellent) would not stock the Humax because of perceived problems particularly for their loyal elderly customers.
I did point out that they were wrong in their assumptions!

What do you mean is it sorted? sales are probably dropping due to the fact that many retailers no longer stock the HDR-FOX T2, so the average punter will not be able to go into their local stores and pick one up.

If you do go to Currys, you may be able to pick up a HDR-FOX T2 for £189.99 in the clearance area.

 

[RobH1]

I meant that it seems that there are fewer problems in setting up the Humax for the average punter and therefore less need to post questions. I don't know if this is the case or as you state, retailers are no longer stocking the product. If the second scenario is applicable then the question is why?

 

[Brian]

It is probably going to be discontinued, and stores are likely to be getting ready to stock the "replacement" HDR-2000T.

 

[Mike0001]

It is hard to think of any additional feature/s I require.

Catch-up players? (I do occasionally forget to record something, or a recording fails.)

I can't think of anything I miss on the CFW, but the official FW is lacking a few features.

 

[Wallace]

I don't use catch-up players. If I miss something, sooner or later it will be repeated. But I can see them being of interest to others.

 

[Michaelnuk]

I would consider a Humax youview box ..but not until custom FW is available for it or transmission running at very least.

 

[gomezz]

Consider the T2 as a mature product which if you can get hold of one cheap is a bargain to be cherished.

 

[RobH1]

Consider the T2 as a mature product which if you can get hold of one cheap is a bargain to be cherished.

Sounds almost poetic!

The T2 has been around for three plus years now and in the main has proved to be reliable and provides most of the features required of a PVR straight out of the box. I can't understand why a manufacturer would want to discontinue a product which ( to a lot of informed customers) is the benchmark for the industry.
I can't see any other product out there to take it's place and as I paid £299 at launch , I consider it an investment and I have no intention to purchase another PVR. It may not have other catch up's (no problem for me) but the guide is there!

 

[Black Hole]

I can't understand why a manufacturer would want to discontinue a product which ( to a lot of informed customers) is the benchmark for the industry.

Easy. Humax is making little or no profit out of us. The consumer goods market is sustained by the manufacturers doing their best to sell us the next better-than-ever product, not waiting for the existing installed base to break and rely on the replacement market. The next idea is to make sure products don't last too long, but they can't go too big on that one or they get a reputation for poor quality. They can't be developing and manufacturing the next product while continuing to support and manufacture an old one.

The TV industry had a field day with the switch to digital, and then the push to larger screens. 3D TV was a flop, so they are trying Smart TV instead. Very soon they will be trying to ram 2K down our throats, and thinking they will be able to follow that up with 4K or 8K. They are dead scared that we will say 'I've paid enough for this 2D 50" 1080 set, and that's all I need', and fortunately for them there are (or have been so far) enough people with nothing better to do with their disposable income than buy the latest huge TV to slob out in front of or show off to their friends (who then have to keep up with the Jonses).

I have no intention to purchase another PVR.

Neither would I, except that sooner or later it will break and a hard drive replacement won't fix it (or a suitable hard drive is not available). I have just given up on my much-loved car, because (amongst other things) it has become unmaintainable - the metal can be repaired, but the plastic connectors etc in the engine bay are all brittle. A friend's perfectly-good-enough Windows 3.1 computer had to be replaced because the printer broke and replacing only the parallel-port printer was prohibitively expensive (USB needs Win98 minimum - and a computer with USB ports!). Crap happens.

There was nothing wrong with my analogue PVRs - but they were made obsolete by DSO. Our HDR-FOXes (and TVs) could be made obsolete by another standards shift (and wouldn't industry love that!).

 

[RobH1]

I agree with all you say and I am not so naive as to think the powers that be will not foist another standard upon us. I should have qualified my statement by saying that until my T2 breaks and I can't purchase a replacement then I have little interest in the next generation gizmo.

My local dealer says that Panasonic are in financial straights as they can't make money from selling TVs, does that mean we are nearing saturation point?

 

[Black Hole]

I am not so naive as to think...

I didn't imagine you were!

My local dealer says that Panasonic are in financial straights as they can't make money from selling TVs, does that mean we are nearing saturation point?

There is no doubt (in my mind anyway) that the bubble created by DSO has burst. Panasonic's particular problem could be a lack of strategic alliances with low-cost parts suppliers - like it or not, they ultimately have to compete with Sony, Samsung, LG, etc on price, and higher production costs than their competitors would result in low or no profit. They may offer a higher quality product (I don't know one way or the other), but the mass market buys on price.

 

[RobH1]

I didn't imagine you were!

It wasn't a 'dig', just an expression!

I do believe Panasonic make a superior product actually after almost 40 years of brand loyalty

 

[selectortone]

I do believe Panasonic make a superior product actually after almost 40 years of brand loyalty

Definitely. My original 42" Panny plasma is still going strong after 10 years, despite all the horror stories about burn-in. I've put many hours on it. It's been replaced by a newer 50" HD model in the living room but is still doing sterling service in the bedroom.

 

[RobH1]

We spent the first years of marriage without a TV and succumbed to buying a 14" Quintrix model in white. (1974-£240!). We were surprised it failed in 1998! Have been a fan ever since, with headphones, cameras etc.

 

[Mike0001]

We spent the first years of marriage without a TV and succumbed to buying a 14" Quintrix model in white. (1974-£240!). We were surprised it failed in 1998! Have been a fan ever since, with headphones, cameras etc.

We had a couple of Panny TVs but each lasted no more than 10 years. The last we tried had a power button problem and also had to have its circuit board replaced after only a couple of years.

Panasonic are abandoning plasma TVs now. They were a bad move, in a time of rising electricity costs, IMHO.

 

[Ezra Pound]

I have a friend that had a 52 inch plasma (Pioneer Kuro) that had the best 'Blacks' I've ever seen on any TV, however it did consume up to 400Watts, so as you say I suppose it's inevitable that Panasonic will take the same route as Pioneer, Sony etc. and stop making Plasma TVs

 

[MikeSh]

We have a 50" Panasonic plasma, going on 7 yo now and no problems (touch wood). It is an excellent beast but IIRC it's max draw is 550W
At the time it was a much better set than the LCDs which among other things were quite blurry for action, but things have moved on.

But then again, regarding power, my wife insists on having 200W of lights on when she's watching - she has no appreciation of 'black', or indeed HD, and doesn't pay the power bill. My daughter and I generally watch in the dark for the 'cinema' experience.

 

[Black Hole]

I prefer some background lighting... but 200W???!