30-second review
What is the Freesat UHD4X? This 4K-ready set high field is an apparent improve for dish house owners trying to churn away from premium pay TV, or just change an historical satellite tv for pc receiver.
The Freesat consumer interface is intuitive to make use of, whereas the standard of recordings is great – identical to a Sky Q or Virgin V6 field, it’s clear to supply. The provision of high line streaming companies and catch-up TV means there’s in all probability not a lot incentive to splurge on the costlier editions with extra storage, too, so worth is excessive.
Those of you who primarily use streaming companies might need to contemplate a less expensive streaming system or dongle – whereas these after an HDMI 2.1 port will probably be higher served by the Humax Aura – however should you nonetheless have one foot firmly in terrestrial and satellite tv for pc tv, this could possibly be the set high field for you.
Price and availability
The Freesat UHD-4X is out there in three laborious drive configurations. Our pattern had a 500GB drive, however should you’re aspiring to download a complete TV present with Series Link, you may need to contemplate the 1TB or 2TB iterations. The trio provide 125, 250 and 500 hours of HD recording respectively.
Available now, the 500GB version sells for £199, with the 1TB priced at £230 and the 2TB at £270.
Design and options
- HDMI 2.0 output
- Stylishly compact and quiet to run
- Freesat tuner and built-in catch-up TV
The UHD-4X is a handsome, compact (250 x 150 x 35 mm (H x W x D) TV recorder; it gained’t hog a lot house in your AV rack. It’s additionally whisper quiet. During our testing it was sonically no extra intrusive than a Sky Q field.
And identical to the Sky field, it additionally options twin F-connectors on the rear for terrestrial tv. If you solely have a single LNB (satellite tv for pc) feed out there, it’ll nonetheless work – however you’ll solely have the ability to report one channel at a time. The UHD-4X works with normal, wideband and hybrid LNBs, in addition to MDU satellite tv for pc dish variants that connect with a number of properties.
In addition to a single HDMI output, there’s a digital optical audio out and Ethernet to assist Wi-Fi. The provided distant management is ergonomically chunky, and has devoted buttons for BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, Netflix and On Demand.
Humax Aura specs
HDD sizes: 500GB, 1TB or 2TB | Tuner: Freesat | 4K: Yes | HDR: Yes | Smart platform: Freesat | Wi-Fi: Yes | Dimensions: 250(w) x 150(h) x 35(d)mm | Weight: 596g | Inputs: 1xHDMI 2.0, Ethernet, optical audio
Just like Freeview Play, Freesat combines a mixture of on-demand content material, catch-up TV companies and linear channels. There’s additionally a retrospective seven day programme information, so you'll be able to meander backwards over the previous week to search out exhibits you may need missed.
Initial set up is quick and easy. The field asks to your postcode to make sure right native protection.
The consumer interface is crisp and clear. The dwelling web page presents up a menu left and a number of curated content material to the correct.
If you need to leap to the important thing catch-up or streamers, use the bespoke buttons (iPlayer, ITV Hub, Netflix and On Demand) on the zapper. An On Demand key press will take you to a wider number of streaming apps, together with My5, STV participant, Britbox, Prime Video, UKTV play, BBC sounds and YouTube. The solely apparent omissions are All4 and Disney Plus – although an affordable, further streaming stick ought to repair that fairly shortly if these apps are vital to you.
Performance
- 4K HDR streaming
- Simultaneous 4 channel recording
- No Channel 4 HD
Obviously, for the absolute best recordings it’s finest to stay to HD companies. Freesat presents a good quantity of Hi-Def, amid a sea of SD channels, though the shortage of Channel 4 HD is an ongoing irritation.
If you unintentionally choose the SD iteration of an HD channel, the field prompts you to leap over to the HD various.
While the Freesat atmosphere is a walled-garden, the set high field does will let you take a peek at different (Euro-centric) channels, utilizing a non-Freesat mode. You’ll lose the trapping of the Freesat wrapper although, which is a giant unsettling, nonetheless it’s fascinating to nostril round.
Thankfully, restoring Freesat requires simply a few clicks. While it’s price a take a look at the uncooked satellite tv for pc feed, you’ll quickly come again to the Freesat fold.
Image high quality, as we’ve stated, is extraordinarily good. Record one of many BBC News HD or NHK (often the most effective broadcast HD channels out there), and also you’ll be laborious pushed to inform the distinction between dwell transmissions and recordings. Colour constancy, sharpness and distinction are subjectively similar.
If you’re swapping out a Sky field for the Freesat UHD-4X, your wideband LNBs will will let you report 4 channels concurrently.
The field helps each 4K and HDR, neither of which can be found from Freesat channels. However, the field outputs the whole lot in 2160 UHD regardless, though this upscaling doesn’t convey any advantages to Freesat SD. Stream some native 4K Netflix, nonetheless, and also you’ll see simply what the {hardware} is able to. The UHD-4X isn’t Dolby imaginative and prescient succesful, however common HDR10 has loads of visible snap.
It’s price noting that (at present) the BBC iPlayer app doesn’t assist Live UHD sports activities, however it does play BBC UHD library content material, when it’s made out there.
Sound
- Dolby Audio with Dolby Atmos
- Acceptable sound
- Issues listening to Atmos by means of Amazon Prime Video
The UHD-4X is Dolby Atmos succesful, and thus justifies inclusion as a house cinema supply. However that is solely out there through appropriate OTT streamers. Playing Okja from Netflix (additionally in 4K HDR) is gloriously involving – the early sequences of the titular super-pig at play within the Korean forest are subtly immersive.
The field additionally does a grand job with excessive octane motion flicks too, on the subject of steering and dynamics. Overall audio high quality is akin to different media gamers.
Oddly, the Amazon Prime app didn’t need to stream in Atmos – although there’s comparatively little 3D audio on the platform, so it’s not a significant drawback. Doubtless this will probably be resolved with a firmware replace in the end.
Should I purchase the Freesat UHD-4X set-top field?
Buy it if...
You need contract-free viewing
The UHD-4X presents fewer strings than a premium pay TV service like Sky.
You have have entry to a satellite tv for pc feed
Those of you with satellite tv for pc feed (both a standalone dish or communal feed) quite than a terrestrial aerial will probably be supported right here.
You’re upgrading from an older generic satellite tv for pc tuner
The UHD-4X presents a no-fuss mixture of linear TV and streaming content material, and will probably be an important alternative to replace your setup in comparison with an older tuner.
Don’t purchase it if…
You’re a devotee of Channel 4 HD
Channel 4 HD is nowhere to be seen, both as a broadcast channel or catch-up service.
Your main supply of entertainment is streaming
While the UHD-X comes with a good suite of streaming apps, it shouldn’t be your first port of name for a streaming-first expertise.
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