Some bad news is coming for those who are still using a once-popular Humax Freeview Recorder – as the box recently lost its support for BBC iPlayer.
In a world where technology rapidly evolves, clinging to older gadgets can sometimes lead to unexpected roadblocks.
This is precisely the case for users of the Humax HDR-2000T Freeview Recorder, a device that has been a household staple for some since 2013.
As of November 20, 2023, a key feature of this once-popular recorder has become obsolete: the BBC iPlayer app no longer functions on it, leaving many users searching for alternative ways to access their favourite BBC content (see more on that below).
Of course, with this being such an old device, not many are still using it – but for users who have relied on the HDR-2000T’s iPlayer functionality, this change can be more than just a minor inconvenience.
It’s also a stark reminder to all of us, of the fleeting nature of digital compatibility in an age where streaming services constantly update and evolve.
This scenario echoes last year’s challenges with ITV Hub and its transition to ITVX, which affected numerous devices, including older Humax models.
Humax HDR-2000T And iPlayer: What Happened?
The somewhat abrupt discontinuation of BBC iPlayer support on the Humax HDR-2000T has left users in a lurch – and some have taken to social media and Humax’s official forums to voice their concerns.
This announcement, effective from November 20, 2023, was attributed to unresolved technical issues.
Despite efforts by both the BBC and Humax to rectify these problems, a solution remained elusive, leading to the “difficult decision” to end support for the app on this particular model.
However, it appears users were not notified directly – as their iPlayer apps simply stopped working, with the only official mention of this appearing on the BBC’s iPlayer certification page, where the model simply has a note saying it’s certified until November 20.
We reached out to Humax, who were able to confirm that – indeed, BBC iPlayer no longer works on the HDR-2000T Freeview recorders.
It’s worth noting, of course, that this model is quite old, having been around since 2013 – but it appears it’s still being used by households around the country.
Furthermore, while the device is no longer being sold officially (as new) – it’s still often available on second-hand sites and online marketplaces.
This change has significantly impacted those users who have come to rely on the HDR-2000T for accessing BBC iPlayer, as the convenience of streaming BBC content directly through the Freeview Recorder was a key feature for many, and some may not have modern Smart TVs that also carry the BBC’s app.
Humax emphasised that the company’s other Freeview boxes – including the FVP-4000t and FVP-5000T models, and the newer Humax Aura, all continue to support BBC iPlayer.
The Problem With Older Devices In The Streaming Age
The removal of BBC iPlayer underscores a significant risk associated with older devices in the realm of digital streaming: obsolescence.
As streaming platforms evolve, they often update their content protection technology and overall infrastructure. These updates can render older devices incompatible, leading to a loss of access to key services.
This, of course, brings to mind last year’s ITV Hub/ITVX mess that affected a lot of older devices – including Humax ones.
ITV’s upgrade to ITVX involved enhanced content protection technology that older models like the Humax FVP-4000T and FVP-5000T could not support (the HDR-2000T never supported ITV Hub anyway – so naturally, it doesn’t support ITVX either, and iPlayer was its only streaming app).
A lot of other devices – including older Smart TVs from Samsung, and older iPhones – suffered from the same fate of no longer supporting ITV’s streaming app.
When technology changes, it can be a hassle for people who use older gadgets.
Basically, tech moves so fast that what you buy today might not work with new stuff tomorrow – and we often see this with Smart TVs.
This is why I still often recommend streaming sticks as your go-to streaming devices, as they tend to get support for longer – and are cheaper to replace.
It’s all about making sure your device can keep up with the latest updates and apps.
And even though the HDR-2000T iPlayer change demonstrates that this can happen on dedicated boxes as well – the fact that it’s from 2013, gives us hope that devices won’t become obsolete too quickly.
How Can I Continue To Watch BBC iPlayer?
If you’re still using the Humax HDR-2000T Freeview recorder, and can therefore no longer access BBC iPlayer, the app is available on many other devices.
BBC iPlayer is supported on most of the modern streaming devices sold in the UK – including Amazon’s Fire TV sticks, Roku, Sky’s boxes (including Sky Glass and Sky Stream), Freeview Play TVs, newer Freeview boxes, and many others.
BBC iPlayer also has mobile apps for both iPhone and Android, and you can always watch it directly on your browser.
It could be worse than losing i-player!
My BT-youview Humax box (aerial connection) has reached d-day , the 28th February, and it is telling me it has NO BROADBAND at all!!!!
My Freesat Humax box (Sky dish) is fine and I am watching My-5 on there instead.
So well done the BBC – I am paying them to stop my perfectly good BT box for accessing anything?
Will Humax send an upload which exclude BBC i-player or is there another way to get it to work on My-5 and other free apps?
brilliant, where can i get one!
About time the major players sky, virgin etc started selling bbc free devices
I concur with the above BBC are outdated as is the box just like an old sat nav leads you down a road and when you eventually get to your destination turns out a pointless journey.
I thought it was brilliant news, any chance it can do away with the rest of the BBC as well, it will sell millions.