Tuning individual channels

As far as I can see it is not possible to add individual channels to the list. For example, if I had lived without, say, the BBC Parliament channel up to now, I cannot get to it without retuning the whole lot, then deleting the dross, then re-entering all the stuff I had scheduled for recording. The Manual Tuning option seems to be intended for the geeks.

Am I wrong? Answers from intelligent laymen only, please.
 
Dunno about satellite, but certainly on Freeview (ie terrestrial) it is normal to only add services by a full multiplex worth. The automatic tuning scans all the frequencies, the manual tuning option scans just the frequency the user selects (each frequency carries a number of services). In the case of satellite, there are frequencies and polarizations.
 
Dunno about satellite, but certainly on Freeview (ie terrestrial) it is normal to only add services by a full multiplex worth. The automatic tuning scans all the frequencies, the manual tuning option scans just the frequency the user selects (each frequency carries a number of services). In the case of satellite, there are frequencies and polarizations.
See, there you go! What's a "full multiplex worth"?
 
Manual tuning is intended only for using the box as a generic free to air satellite box. The whole point of Freesat is that channel changes are handled automatically. There's no way to scan a single transponder into Freesat mode.
 
On a number of satellite receivers I have dealt with, there is a facility to tune a single transponder (often denoted TP). Each transponder is like a multiplex for freeview, handling a number of TV channels.
I haven't looked to see if it is the same on my Foxsat HD (the single transponder tunability), but suspect from the manual that you only get that sort of facility when you go fully manual (not freesat).
 
See, there you go! What's a "full multiplex worth"?
The point about digital transmission, be it terrestrial or satellite, is that a number of services can be transmitted on one frequency (instead of the old days of analogue, when only one service occupied the whole of the frequency). The process of sharing multiple data streams over one transmission channel is called "multiplexing", and a transmission channel carrying multiple services is called a "multiplex" (as any Google search would tell you).

It may be possible to add all the services carried on one multiplex (abbreviated to "mux") using manual tuning, but it is unlikely you can add just one service from a multiplex (although it is possible to do it on the HDR-FOX and possibly the Foxsat by manipulating the tuning database - that's for geeks only).

For explanation of more jargon, see HERE (click).
 
It's not possible on Freesat boxes to manually tune extra channels into the freesat channel database. There's no equivalent to non-freesat mode on a Freeview box. at 28.2/28.5E there are hundreds of channels not on the Freesat epg and the box is able to use multiple orbital locations making thousands of free channels usable. None of this can be really used in Freesat mode (though the CF does allow them to viewed within Freest mode though with no epg in either mode). The only option is to do a full freesat tune (you can't select individual transponders from the dozens providing the channels). After the tune you can manually delete any you don't want.
 
Thank you all for your help. It all makes sense now. Retuning the whole lot is no big deal, and I certainly don't expect to retune very often, although it would be nice if one could backup the recording schedule and restore it after retuning. As it is I have learned to write it all down beforehand.
 
HDR-FOX custom firmware backs up and restores the recording schedule, the same may be true of the Foxsat custom firmware. Alternatively your phone camera is a quick way to make "notes".
 
HDR-FOX custom firmware backs up and restores the recording schedule, the same may be true of the Foxsat custom firmware. Alternatively your phone camera is a quick way to make "notes".
Didn't think of that, probably because I've never, until now, had a use for a phone camera. Great idea, thanks a lot.
 
I wish I had - I don't even have a memorable photograph.

I have quite a long schedule, though, since I record almost everything I'd like to see. I then watch it in my own time, and without the adverts. There may be around twenty items at any one time.

Cheers
 
Install the Custom Firmware, it will transform your box :). It adds a whole lot of capability to the box.
I installed the CF and now the Box seems to retain the recording schedule during a retune, which is all I wanted in the end. I did not notice any other change to the Box's functions, however. I see that I can read the EPG and the Schedule on my PC now, but I don't quite find a use for this.
 
You can

Record HD without encryption
Directly copy recordings to your PC and watch them on other devices (like say a tablet)
Watch recordings on the hard disk on other kit remotely using one of the DLNA servers provided
You can control the box on any piece of kit that has a web browser
You can set up favourite channel icons for instant access on the web based remote control and use the same icons to flip to the right channel while viewing the normal epg on your TV
You can set up macros on the web based remote control to allow one button to generate a number of keystrokes (eg Schedule Red to display the epg instantly rather than wait 30 seconds or so for a new one to download)
You can watch (and record) non freesat channels without leaving Freesat mode
You can set up recording schedules from anywhere in the world that has internet access
You can set up multiple customised views of the epg
You can much more easily search for programmes and create recording reservations

And many other functions.
 
My goodness....

You do realise that experimenting with all of that is going to distract me from my knitting?

Many thanks for your help.
 
  1. Record HD without encryption
  2. Directly copy recordings to your PC and watch them on other devices (like say a tablet)
  3. Watch recordings on the hard disk on other kit remotely using one of the DLNA servers provided
  4. You can control the box on any piece of kit that has a web browser
  5. You can set up favourite channel icons for instant access on the web based remote control and use the same icons to flip to the right channel while viewing the normal epg on your TV
  6. You can set up macros on the web based remote control to allow one button to generate a number of keystrokes (eg Schedule Red to display the epg instantly rather than wait 30 seconds or so for a new one to download)
  7. You can watch (and record) non freesat channels without leaving Freesat mode
  8. You can set up recording schedules from anywhere in the world that has internet access
  9. You can set up multiple customised views of the epg
  10. You can much more easily search for programmes and create recording reservations
This is going to sound very churlish, I expect, but it's not intended that way. I have installed everything, read the documentation and played around with the WEB page on both my PC and my iPad. I enjoyed the experience, as an ex-sytems analyst/programmer (a long time ago, though), and I can see how present-day techies would do cartwheels. Now I speak as a layman.

So far (because I shall continue to experiment out of curiosity) :
  1. Any use for this? I have always recorded HD channels with no problems.
  2. I haven't yet found out how to do this, but I have a TV adapter on my PC anyway.
  3. I haven't discovered how to do this yet, but it's not an urgent requirement.
  4. I can do this, but since I'm in front of the telly I might as well use the remote control.
  5. I haven't found this useful.
  6. I haven't tried this; I don't think I would find this useful.
  7. All of the non-freesat channels I have set up are not available or encrypted (channels like Dram, Yesterday, Discovery). I tried several others, but nothing worked anyway.
  8. I can see how this is possible, but I would never use it.
  9. I assume this is not possible on the HDR box, but only on a PC or tablet.
  10. These functions were OK anyway.
Much as I admire the work and the skills that have gone into this development I find that nothing has really changed in terms of realistic day-to-day functionality. The only visible change on the box/TV is the addition of the non-freesat channels to the EPG, which remain unavailable anyway.
 
1 It allows you to both export and stream HD recordings to a PC/tablet. This means you can watch them anywhere even on a plane using a tablet like your iPad. Without the software and Nowsters patch you can only play them back on the Foxsat that recorded the content. This also means you can save your recordings off the box for safe keeping. If ever the box had to be replaced you will have lost all of your content.

2 Two ways - you can use FTP software like Filezilla on your PC, or you can map the Foxsat-hdr drive as a remote drive in Windows (File) Explorer. You can then access like any other drive you have on your PC.

3 You could view recordings on your ipad while someone else is using the box for anything else. Say watch the footie you recorded earlier while better half catches up with Corrie

4 Many find the remote control to be slow, very directional and unresponsive. After a while the OK key gets very unresponsive.
5 Say you are looking at the epg on 108 and want to add a recording reservation on 126. Getting there is a but unwieldy. Clicking on a Channel 4 HD icon on the web based remote takes you instantly there
9 Correct. The CF doesn't alter the Humax software, merely adds capability on top of it.
10 You can set up a auto search for terms contained in recordings that you may be interested in. If it finds a match it can e-mail you the details. That's not possible with the standard search capability and typing searches using the box on screen keyboard is a pain. Much easier with a proper keyboard.

Additionally if ever you need to reset the box you can save your recording schedule and reload it. If your hard disk ever gets it's File System corrupted, the custom firmware lets you run a Linux file system scan and repair utility.

As for encrypted channels in non-freesat you should have searched for free to air channels only. Sounds like you aren't using the channel editor properly.
 
"As for encrypted channels in non-freesat you should have searched for free to air channels only. Sounds like you aren't using the channel editor properly. "

I thought I had searched for FTA channels. However, you are right to suggest that I am probably not using the editor properly. I'm afraid that, after looking at the documentation and investigating all of the menu items via the Web home page I am totally confused. I think these undoubtedly superb utilities are best left to the experts like yourself.
 
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