Over the past few years, Humax has been the king of the set-top-box, be it Freeview, Freesat, standard or high definition.
Part of the appeal is that Humax products are very approachable – and we include the Fox T2 in this category. The supplied remote is simple, yet very effective.
The clearly labelled buttons are given space to breathe, including the one that takes you to Humax’s TV Portal – its equivalent of Samsung’s Smart Hub.
We’ve had to wait a while for this feature to roll out in Humax boxes, but it now brings BBC iPlayer and vTuner internet radio to your fingertips, once connected to your home network.
Still no Sky Player
When we originally reviewed the Fox T2 back in October 2010, we were promised access to Sky’s Sky Player streaming service, but at the time of writing we’re disappointed to report this is still absent.
The 500GB hard drive accommodates around 300 hours of standard-definition programming and in the region of 125 hours of HD.
On-screen menus are big, bold and easy to follow. The EPG (Electronic Programme Guide) is clearly laid out and nicely proportioned: there’s an on-screen window which shows the programme currently being watched.
On the whole, picture quality is impressive. Watch football in standard-def and images are extremely watchable. Edges of players are solidly drawn, while the fast motion and general levels of stability are still up there among the best in class.
BBC iPlayer is good
The BBC iPlayer picture is to a similar standard. The switch to high-definition gives a boost to clarity, and detail, and helps to subdue any onscreen noise.
Sonically, the Humax favours a lively, upbeat approach without sounding thin or edgy. Familiar theme tunes are delivered with impressive verve and there’s good weight given to dialogue and action scenes.
This is a capable, user-friendly unit with improved functionality; if you want twin-tuner recording, it’s your best bet.
See all our Freeview box reviews
