New Arris Freesat 4K box officially released
Finally, months after Humax stopped producing their popular HB-1100S and HDR-1100S range of Freesat boxes and stocks of the Huamx Freesat boxes virtually zero in the UK, the new and latest Freesat boxes have been launched.
Manufactured by Arris, these boxes will be sold to retailers by Freesat themselves, and not by Arris.
Currently only the non recording box is available, but a recording box, with 500GB, 1TB & 2TB hard dives, will be released in the coming weeks.
This means that only two manufacturers are currently making Freesat boxes. Manhattan with their budget SX Freesat set top box, and Arris with their recording and non recording boxes.
The user interface on the new Arris Freesat box does look a bit like one that earlier Freesat boxes from Humax used. A bit of a step back if you ask me.
These new Arris Freesat boxes support 4k / UHD. But since there is a severe lack of 4K content on UK TV, only the youtube and Netflix apps on the box will currently support 4k.
The boxes will also support “wideband” lnbs, like those LNBs used for SkyQ. This will explain why the non recording receiver has two inputs for two tuners. The recording versions, to be released later, will have the option, with a wideband LNB, to record up to 4 channels at once. But they can still be used with the standard “universal” LNB.
The boxes will support Dolby Atmos audio. Again, a bit like the 4k compatibility, this will only be limited to Netflix and Youtube, since no broadcasters on Freesat uses Dolby Atmos yet.
These boxes are as yet untested for reception in weak signal areas like Spain. But I have a few on order to test and review. However, I would state that if you are currently using a Humax Freesat set top box like the HB 1100S, then there is no real reason to upgrade to this box at the moment.
Technical Specifications for the non recording Arris Freesat box
| Tuner Type | Freesat HD and 4K |
| Number of Tuners | 2 |
| Programme Guide | 7 days forward |
| Built In Hard Drive | No |
| Sound Type | Dolby Atmos |
| Parental Controls | Yes |
| Subtitles / Audio Description | Yes |
| TV Standard44 | PAL |
| Internet Connection | Built-in WiFi Ethernet |
| On Demand Services (Available outside the UK with a VPN / Smart DNS service) | BBC iPlayer ITV Hub Netflix YouTube Demand 5 STV Player UKTV Play France 24 Pop Fun |
| App available | Yes |
| Video Connection | HDMI x1 |
| Other Connections | USB 2.0 x1 Optical Out x1 |
| Box Contents | Freesat 4K TV Box Quick Start Guide Safety Notice Power Supply Unit Remote Control x1 HDMI cable x1 AAA batteries x2 |
| Power Consumption | 1.06W Connected / 0.32W Unconnected Full Operation: 9.1W Connected / 9.1W Unconnected |
| Colour | Anthracite |
| Dimensions | 40 x 180 x 120 mm (H x W x D) |
| Weight | 1.048kgs |
| Warranty | Yes – 1 year |
See our “unboxing” video at : https://www.satandpcguy.com/2020/02/14/unboxing-a-new-arris-freesat-uhd-x-4k-satellite-receiver/
Obvious omission – no Bluetooth!! Not all satellite stations have pictures!!! Probably costs £p to include a BT tx chip. Not very bright of the designers.
Anyone know where to find instructions on how to program the remote control? I have the recordable box but I’m assuming the remotes will be the same or similar. Cheers
Nice box but I wish the remote would not turn on the BT Youview box as well .
ii have the new Arris 4k recorder, 1TB version. there are things that i found left off/out that i miss that are available on my Humax boxes. these are:
no option in the box settings to change aspect ratio (older broadcasts that were in 4:3 cant be changed to wide screen as they can with the Humax
no ‘red (i think) button’ option to watch a program from the start, as you can with some on some channels which is available with the Humax boxes
no option to ‘Watch recording from start’ when part way through, again as you can with the old Humax boxes.
i find these omissions quite a nuisance, especially the inability to change the aspect ratio when needed. people have paid a lot for new UHD, wide screen tvs and UHD Freesat, set top boxes in anticipation of more channels being broadcast in 4k (even though 8k is being tested atm i think this will be too expensive and be too big files!) and are stuck watching some programs in 4:3. Freesat themselves are uninterested and i cant find any details to contact Arris (probably hidden purposefully by Freesat!
shame these options are omitted. overall picture is good and so far, recording/playback seems to function correctly
4:3 pictures should really be left in 4:3 mode. Otherwise, when you change it to 16:9, then you are stretching and squashing the image out of shape, so the image is fat and small…(like fairground funny mirrors)…and everything just looks weird. Which is probably why it was left off as it is a pointless option to have, just to fill a screen with a distorted image.
Highly unlikely there will be any free 4k UK TV channels in the near future. Barely enough content. And costs too much still, and takes up a lot of satellite capacity. Was pretty pointless bringing out a Freesat 4k box when there is no 4k content on UK channels. Just like everyone buying 3DTVs, when it was always known it would be just a short term thing (again), and would not catch on.
But yes, there are lots of other annoying things wrong with the box…sometime netflix starts , most often it does not. Red button works when it feels like it…, but thanks for your comments.
Non-freesat tuning is so buggy. Only 4 digits for symbol rate and then tou can’t start a search. So no CH4 HD addition or 4K demo off Astra.
Also keeps reporting HDR on switch on…annoying
So many bugs in the firmware. They seem to fix one, but create a few more…
Had mine a month stopped working,unable to get hold of curry’s when I finally got through was cut off, tried web chat no good have emailed but by the reviews on curry’s I dont hold much luck they are all saying the same unable to get some waiting 1 to 2 hrs then getting cut off what a shambles.
had problem just trying to buy using “my plan ” option .
failed after 3 hrs, not trying phone to complain as not waiting 1 to 2 hrs. so have written to head office and still no reply.
perhaps customers not important ?.
I’ve had the new Arris Recordable 4K TV Box (1TB) for a week or so. The picture & sound are fine, but it only ‘sees’ one of the 2 satellite cables, so only handles 1 channel at a time. I’ve found that either cable works in RF IN2, but nether work in RF IN1.
The System Info reports “Standard LNB (1 cable)” but there are definitely 2 connected (and they work fine with the previous Humax recorder).
I’ve emailed Freesat Customer Service about it, but had no reply. I’m about to send it back to the retailer (‘cos it smells like a hardware fault to me), but wonder if perhaps you can shed some light on it?.
Thanx.
If neither cable works in input 1, and both cables work fine in another receiver, then yes sounds like a hardware fault with the Arris Recordable 4K TV Box (1TB) .
I got one and am testing it at the moment, and still not impressed with it, in particular, it has the same remote control issue as I found with the non recording version, press a button, then you have to wait for two or three seconds before it registers another key press…annoying
Have a Feesat K box which I want to use for catchup, BBCiplayer extra only via the internet. When set up fpr internet only the shows in top left hand corner “no video” I assume this is because there is no satellite connected. Any thoughts how I can reove this or deactivate the satellite feed..hope that makes sense
Yes the “no video” is showing as there is not video coming in through the satellite feed.
As the Freesat 4K receiver is a satellite receiver, i dont think you can remove the satellite part of the satellite receiver, otherwise it would not be a satellite receiver!
Why not just go for a firestick or android box if all you want is the on demand content? If you do not want satellite content why buy a 4k satellite receiver?
Skip Forward & Rewind missing?
Can anyone confirm if the new 4K box has the same feature as the old Humax where you can press a button >>| or |<< to jump a preset time either forward or back? The times can be adjusted in settings (on Humax). It’s perfect for one-click skipping through boring bits in recorded programmes especially for tennis, uninteresting news stories, and of course commercials. I was told this is missing on the new box.
If it’s missing, I’ll probably hang on to the Humax.
I can see that you can fast forward or rewind 2x, 4x, 8x, 16x and 32x speeds, but cannot see if you can go a preset amount of time back or forward like you can on the Humax. Cannot see any settings to change it either…
Thank you for checking. It baffles me why they would drop this super convenient feature. I use it on most programmes. Pressing >> three times to get 8x then hit Play at the right moment is just not a workable alternative to one click. Another use is missing what was just said, one click to repeat last 10 seconds. Missed a great sporting moment? Instant replay, one click. Boring montage? FF one or two clicks.
I just checked Sky TV’s remote online and they don’t appear to have it either. Humax and Apple TV do so will have to hang on to these for as long as possible.
Just wondering if the “wideband lnb – with hori & vert inputs” improves reception for weak signal ie Spain?
The ones I have tried are equal or worse compared to the LNBs that I use normally.
The LNBs can only work with what signal they are getting from the dish. If you need more signal, then you need a larger dish.