Is Aura my best choice ?

[Sargan]

(repost here - erroneously used FOX T2 forum)

This is a generic sort of question
I have a Fox T2 running customized f/w 3.13
I had HDD fail, and lately, T2 often freezes .. and have to power cycle to clear. This is becoming more frequent so it is time to start thinking about 'what box next' before total failure.

I now have a Samsung 4k TV which has HDR10 & Dolby Atmos ... and it would make sense if I replace T2 to get a box that can handle that, plus be able to select record direct from TV guide.

Is the Aura 4K 2TB the one to consider?
Any disadvantages to this box? are there better options ?

The FoxT2 has worked well but with no 4K support, and pretty old hardware its now showing its age.

 

[trog]

My only gripes after going from a T2 to an Aura is that there are no frame advance or slo-mo options. Manhattan have a new Ultra HD HDR model coming out soon but it has fewer tuners than an Aura.

Manhattan T4•R Freeview Play 4K TV Recorder

Record, pause and rewind over 100 channels, and instantly access 60,000+ hours of on-demand and catch-up TV.

manhattan-tv.com

 

[MikeSh]

I now have a Samsung 4k TV which has HDR10 & Dolby Atmos ... and it would make sense if I replace T2 to get a box that can handle that

That depends how you will use them.
4k services are all streamed and unlikely to ever appear on (terrestrial * ) broadcast, so if the TV has an internet connection then it makes more sense to use that to pick up the streaming direct (which is what we do). In that case the Freeview box only needs to handle the usual HD stuff (1920 x 1080).
[Edit. Posted seconds before Martin below. Catchup is perhaps the exception to the HD thing in that if you choose catchup from the guide then the Aura (or whatever) could be handling 4k.]

OTOH if the box is going to be your 'master' device and used to pick up streaming services a 4k capable like the Aura is going to be a better choice.

As @trog mentions, the number of tuners is worth considering too.

( * for freesat there may be a chance)

 

[MartinLiddle]

Is the Aura 4K 2TB the one to consider?
Any disadvantages to this box? are there better options ?

It has a number of "quirks" (in my opinion because the software development was stopped too soon) that can be irritating, but I use the Aura in preference to the other Humax boxes I own because it is very responsive, will record four programmes at once and has a full set of catch up players.

 

[SemiRamis]

I now have a Samsung 4k TV which has HDR10 & Dolby Atmos ...

None of the broadcasters handle 4k with atmos.

 

[MikeSh]

Any disadvantages to this box?

Obviously lacks a lot of stuff the CFW does, but my only real gripe is the lack of a malleable folder structure for grouping programmes. (It does group series - though sometimes rather too enthusiastically.)

 

[gomezz]

Does the Aura let you set manual start and finish timers? That is the big irritation with the BT Youview box I use and why I also keep my aging Digitalstream PVR going. I also have a Chromecast dongle to take care of any catch up services not otherwise available such as Discovery+ which has taken over providing BT/TNT Sport content.

 

[bottletop]

Page 28 of the manual mentions it allows you to set
Time based schedule (ie. manual) or Event based schedule.
It looks similar to what you get on the HDR Fox T2.

 

[Steppy]

I haven't yet had any program not record in full due to a programme starting early or running late.

The only exception I can think of where It could have happened is when a programme was changed from BBC1 (Eastenders) to BBC2 during sports coverage (I think), but that was to be expected. When that happened I just set up it on BBC2 as a scheduled recording as well as keeping my normal BBC1 timer and that stays in the timer list for several weeks, just sitting there in case they do it again

 

[MikeSh]

just sitting there in case they do it again

Don't rely on that too much. There's a recent thread about the broadcasters playing fast and loose with the series IDs for some programmes. There's no guarantee that if they do a similar shift it will use an ID that your box recognises.

 

[Steppy]

Agreed, but it did work once when they kept chopping and changing every other time.

Long time change I would always double check.

The old timers are supposed to delete after 13 weeks, but I’m not sure I have seen that happen. I just do a cull every now and then

 

[trog]

I haven't yet had any program not record in full due to a programme starting early or running late.

The only exception I can think of where It could have happened is when a programme was changed from BBC1 (Eastenders) to BBC2 during sports coverage (I think), but that was to be expected. When that happened I just set up it on BBC2 as a scheduled recording as well as keeping my normal BBC1 timer and that stays in the timer list for several weeks, just sitting there in case they do it again

The recent back to back 2 episode repeats of Taskmaster nearly always cuts off the end of the first episode and the second episode starts with the end of episode one then cuts short its end.

 

[gomezz]

I haven't yet had any program not record in full due to a programme starting early or running late.

There are other reasons for wanting to set a manual timer: One is if there is coverage of a sports event spread out over the day with other programmes in between the live coverage. A single long hammock recording is less of a faff for skipping through to watch all there is to offer even if you disregard the potential for Accurate Recording signal bloopers. For example, when BSB and WSB are both on the same weekend and coverage switches between the two (although the Discovery+ app can be useful here for filling any gaps in this case).

Another reason is wanting to watch a cup final that has the potential to go to extra time and penalties. If you happen to see that the total recording length has extended beyond the scheduled time then that is a big klaxon of a spoiler. Set a manual timer of fixed length that allows for a possible over-run and you can enjoy the jeopardy of watching normal time as if you had been able to watch live.

 

[SemiRamis]

If you happen to see that the total recording length has extended beyond the scheduled time then that is a big klaxon of a spoiler. Set a manual timer of fixed length that allows for a possible over-run and you can enjoy the jeopardy of watching normal time as if you had been able to watch live.

That's why when I play stuff like that, I look away from the progress bar. Thankfully pausing/playing does not bring it up.

 

[gomezz]

Unfortunately on a Youview box the playbar pops up whenever you skip which is the first thing I tend to do to get straight to the kick off as I can't be doing with puerile pundits telling me what it is I am about to watch.

 

[MikeSh]

The old timers are supposed to delete after 13 weeks, but I’m not sure I have seen that happen. I just do a cull every now and then

If I'm sure the series has ended I cull too, though on the Arris 4k satellite box I can't. It hides schedules with no upcoming episode, so even where it's just skipping a week because of sport, charity, Christmas, the entry disappears which can be a bit unnerving. It also means an episode of something unrelated can sometimes appear in the schedule, presumably because the CRID has been reused - then it can be killed off.