Humax FVP-5000T

Humax FVP-5000T Review

Do you want to watch your favourite TV show again? Worry not! Humax FVP-500T Freeview Smart TV Recorder is here for you. It has a 2 TB hard drive storage that allows you to record up to 1000 hours of content. It is a wireless device that uses WiFi to record your favourite TV shows.

Humax FVP-5000T 500 GB Freeview Play HD TV Recorder - Black
1,211 Customer Reviews
Humax FVP-5000T 500 GB Freeview Play HD TV Recorder - Black
  • Record up to 500 hours of SD TV, Record, pause and rewind live TV. UPnP compatibility
  • Over 100 TV and Radio channels 15 in HD. Frequency Range - 470MHz to 862MHz (UHF)
  • Catch up TV from BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4, Demand 5 & UKTV Play
  • Built-in Wi-Fi for easy connection to your Home Network
  • Record up to 3 programmes simultaneously whilst watching a recording or catch up.

The device provides you with entertainment exploration; it can record more than 70 radio and TV channels. Also, you can record 14 programmes in full HD for free. With an onscreen TV guide, you can forward, pause, rewind, and record live TV shows at any time. In addition, the device allows you to record up to four different shows at the same time. In a situation where your recordings clash, the device notifies you and gives you some alternatives.

With the Humax Freeview Digital TV recorder, you can find all your favourites streaming services such as BBC iPlayer, All 4, Netflix, YouTube, and ITV Player.

The product offers excellent performance, and its reviews tell it all.

Product Overview

Humax FVP-500T is a device designed for home entertainment. It gives you access to TV shows streamings such as Live TV, YouTube and Netflix. The device uses an HDMI port for your HD TV and connects it to your home network through an ethernet cable or Wi-Fi.

Freeview boxes are in different shapes, sizes and prices. The Humax FVP-500T package tops all other Freeview boxes in terms of features and performance. Yet, it is among the most expensive Freeview in the UK.

You can record a full TV show at the button’s touch. When you want to record a whole series, you first select the show you wish to record; the series recording then gives you the option to record the whole series. 

The device has three tuners that allow you to select up to four TV shows simultaneously while still watching other recorded TV shows or live. Currently, Remote Recording is now available for use in the UK only via the Humax Live TV application, whereby you can access the app using your phone’s Play Store or App Store. 

Along with remote recording, it is possible to watch live TV and your recordings simultaneously, provided that FVP and your mobile are connected to a similar network. You will also be required to select choose your most preferred settings on the app. Under settings, there is an option for Advanced settings whereby you can select Remote Recording. 

Product Features 

  • Brand: Humax
  • Connectivity technology: USB, Ethernet, Wireless
  • Colour: Black
  • Supported services: YouTube, and Netflix
  • Product dimensions: 20 x 28 x 5 mm ( L x W x H)
  • Weight: 1.07g
  • HDMI ports: 1
  • It has a built-in Wi-Fi
  • Records up to 4 programmes
  • It has a smart application
  • 2 TB hard drive
Humax FVP-5000T 500 GB Freeview Play HD TV Recorder - Black
1,211 Customer Reviews
Humax FVP-5000T 500 GB Freeview Play HD TV Recorder - Black
  • Record up to 500 hours of SD TV, Record, pause and rewind live TV. UPnP compatibility
  • Over 100 TV and Radio channels 15 in HD. Frequency Range - 470MHz to 862MHz (UHF)
  • Catch up TV from BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4, Demand 5 & UKTV Play
  • Built-in Wi-Fi for easy connection to your Home Network
  • Record up to 3 programmes simultaneously whilst watching a recording or catch up.

Using  the FVP-5000T

When you look at FVP-5000T’s features, then you look at its physical appearance; it is hard to believe it can offer all these services. 

The package contains a remote control with batteries, an Ethernet cable, an HDMI, an RF cable, a manual, and a “ Get Started” guide.

Inside the box, on the back, there is an aerial socket where you plug in a TV aerial cable which may be from your outdoor or indoor antenna. Also inside is an optional audio port, RCA(yellow/red/white)ports, USB ports, an HDMI port and a power socket.

While SCART connection is absent for old-model televisions, RCA connection inclusion is a plus in this case. If you still use the old-model television which uses SCART, you can easily get a converter in an electronic shop. 

The Ethernet cable is used to connect the recorder to the internet. Yet, you can use built-in WiFi, which is suitable if your broadband router is away from your TV set. 

The broadband connection function is to power the apps used for streaming and to update FVP-5000T software. 

Once you finish connecting everything, turn the device on and wait as it scans for channels. It will only take a few minutes when your aerial is correctly set. Sometimes you may need to try several times scanning for channels as you adjust your aerial to a position where the device can scan all the channels. 

After the device is through with the scanning, the next step is to connect the device with the internet, followed by downloading and installing a software update.  

The device’s remote control is easy to operate and is quite versatile as you can also use it to switch on and off your television. The remote also contains a button dedicated to FreeviewPlay. The button loads the main watching Menu, which in turns loads and present other streaming apps. The buttons for playback control are on the top part of the device’s remote. The recording button, which is very important in this case, is very conspicuous on the remote. Other key buttons include buttons for volume, standby, and channels. The device has some functionalities within it in case the remote is faulty or get lost.

What and who is this Product useful for?

If you love watching TV shows, this product is for you. Freeview on your TV give you the utmost entertainment experience; the device has a guide that allows you to watch what you wish.

A dedicated recorder box such as FVP-5000T provides you with a wide range of options that are absent on conventional televisions. Using an electronic guide, you can record programmes into the 2 TB hard drive and watch them later. 

Sometimes, your favourite shows may be available on different channels at the same time. This device ensures you do not miss any moment in all your favourite programmes. It can record up to four TV channels whilst watching the fifth one. You can choose to watch the other programmes you have recorded any time you wish.  

If your TV has Freeview for casual watching, and most of the time, you use a streaming device like Amazon Fire TV Stick, you may not need FVP-5000T. However, if you are a voracious Freeview watcher, the FVP-5000T box will upgrade your experience. You might even not need paid streaming services such as Netflix. Freeview has excellent content, and with this smart recording device, it is straightforward to find shows and enjoy them at your convenience.  

Pros of the product

  • The product is from a reliable company: Humax.
  • It has a Freeview explore that gives highlights from the catch-up players on a well-designed page. Similarly, Top Picks presents a page for content selection. 
  • The device can track all your most-used TV channels and make them appear in the Live TV section, thus reducing the long searching route. 
  • It is very efficient: This Humax product never misses the start to the end of the programme.
  • With this device, you can chase play. Chase play is the capability of a device to let you start watching a programme before it ends. If you want to avoid adverts breaks, this feature allows a continuous run of a programme to the end.
  • FVP-5000T device has three in-built runners, which allow you to record up to four programmes while enabling you to watch the fifth programme.
  • The hard drive can record up to 1000 hours of content.
  • You can watch the recordings on another TV set within the house.

Cons of the product

  • Compared to some other recorders, the quality of pictures is more inferior. 
  • It might take you quite some time when turning on the device, and sometimes it might require you to carry out multiple attempts.
  • Frequently, the recorder may turn on without sound. You have to switch off the device at the plug for it to restore the sound.
  • It provides extremely poor quality recordings with sound problems.
  • The loading time for the smart guide is too long.
  • Some channels cannot be accessed using this device
  • The device has some problems with the user not being able to determine whether the device is on or not because it lacks a front display. Sometimes it is hard to tell the channel selected.
  • Some televisions can’t display FVP-5000T’s recordings; some can display them but fail to play.
  • Skipping forward and back is more complicated than in other devices while the programme is running.
Humax FVP-5000T 500 GB Freeview Play HD TV Recorder - Black
1,211 Customer Reviews
Humax FVP-5000T 500 GB Freeview Play HD TV Recorder - Black
  • Record up to 500 hours of SD TV, Record, pause and rewind live TV. UPnP compatibility
  • Over 100 TV and Radio channels 15 in HD. Frequency Range - 470MHz to 862MHz (UHF)
  • Catch up TV from BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4, Demand 5 & UKTV Play
  • Built-in Wi-Fi for easy connection to your Home Network
  • Record up to 3 programmes simultaneously whilst watching a recording or catch up.

Our honest review

The FVP-5000T Freeview recording box is an excellent device that offers you multiple functions. It is a game-changer for integrating catch-up apps and live Freeview channels as part of the electronic TV guide. This feature enhances your watching experience. 

However, your watching experience may be interfered with by the laggy interface; Humax should soon fix this problem; most users get annoyed by this slow interface. Yet, this interference is no good reason to stop you from purchasing this product.

If you need a compact device that will fulfil most of your needs as an avid TV watcher and you are not searching for 4K at the moment, Humax FVP-5000T is the best product for you. In the future, I hope Humax will add NOW TV and Amazon Prime Video apps. These apps will make this device a code cutter for many viewers.  

There are many cheap Freeview recording boxes; Humax FVP-5000T is not one of them. As the wise say, “cheap is expensive”, thereby the value for money for this device is decent. When you consider what you will be getting after purchasing this device, you just can’t afford to buy it. You can find this device and learn more about it on Amazon

 

About Mat

A complete novice trying to navigate in the world of DIY. I bought my first home about 2 years ago & ever since I've been trying to research & learn how best to tackle common household problems.

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