Humax announces FVP-4000T Freeview Play set-box

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The new set-top box from Humax is the first of its kind to deliver the Freeview Play TV service and comes with a choice of storage and styling options.

The Humax FVP-4000T has built-in wi-fi for access to the catch-up services on Freeview Play, including BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, All 4 and Demand 5, with Netflix to be added in early 2016. There's also access to up to 12 free-to-air HD channels.

The box has three built-in tuners with recording functionality and comes in either 500GB or 1TB storage options. Humax says these will provide 300 or 600 hours of programme storage space respectively. Users will be able to see on screen how many hours worth of content is available to record, rather than a percentage.

Humax has implemented a new compact design for the 4000T, as well as a leather-look top which comes in either Mocha (pictured) or Cappuccino finishes. A third model, with a black 'Nero' finish, will be available soon with a 2TB hard drive, exlusively through Humax's website and will cost £299.

MORE: Freeview Play - What is it? How can you get it?

Freeview Play allows users to combine catch-up TV and on-demand services with live television, in a similar fashion to YouView. Users can scroll back through the programme guide to find programmes they’ve missed, provided there’s a catch-up service available for the channel. Demand 5, for example, isn't available as a service through the scroll-back function on the Humax box, even though the Demand 5 app is available on the box.

The 4000T runs Freeview Play and is DLNA certified, allowing users to stream live SD content to another DLNA device, such as a smartphone or tablet. So if one person is watching one programme on the TV, someone else can watch a different programme on a tablet - all from the same box.

Humax says it's possible to stream up to six different recorded programmes to six different devices. The 4000T can also access content from Networked Attached Storage (NAS) devices, with stored files appearing in search results on the box.

The Humax FVP-4000T is available now for £200 (500GB), £230 (1TB) or £299 (2TB).

MORE: Freeview rebrands to launch Freeview Play connected TV service

See all our Humax news and reviews

Max Langridge

Max is a staff writer for What Hi-Fi?'s sister site, TechRadar, in Australia. But being the wonderful English guy he is, he helps out with content across a number of Future sites, including What Hi-Fi?. It wouldn't be his first exposure to the world of all things hi-fi and home cinema, as his first role in technology journalism was with What Hi-Fi? in the UK. Clearly he pined to return after making the move to Australia and the team have welcomed him back with arms wide open.