A mysterious Humax device has just surfaced that could be exactly what Freeview recording enthusiasts have been desperately waiting for – the first Freely box that actually lets you record programmes.
The Humax FHR-6000T Freely PVR Recordable has appeared on several retailer websites across the UK, complete with product photos showing the distinctive Freely logo and a £249 price tag (although it’s still out of stock).
This would be the third Freely box we’ve heard about, but unlike the others, the specifications suggest a recording device: 1,000 hours of storage, 4-channel recording capability, and an aerial port that could bridge traditional Freeview with streaming-only Freely.
If genuine, this could represent the hybrid solution that some viewers have been desperately seeking.
But there’s a big catch that could determine whether this device becomes a game-changer or just another compromise in broadcasting’s streaming transition. Here’s everything we know so far.
The Freely Journey
Freely launched in April 2024 as Everyone TV’s ambitious attempt to eventually replace traditional Freeview and Freesat with streaming-only television.
The platform, operated by Everyone TV (the same company that operates Freeview and Freesat), offers more than 50 streaming channels from major UK broadcasters, delivered entirely through your broadband connection, without the need for an aerial or satellite dish.
But since some Freeview channels are not available to stream yet, Freely channels can also be “topped up” by connecting an aerial for over-the-air channels (assuming you have good reception).
The catch has always been availability. Until now, accessing Freely meant shelling out for a brand new TV from select manufacturers like Hisense, Bush, Panasonic, or Amazon’s Fire TV televisions. Got a perfectly good telly that’s a few years old? Tough luck.
That’s finally changing with not one, but potentially three different Freely boxes in the works.
The Two Boxes We Already Know About
First up is the Netgem Freely box, announced earlier this year and launching “later this year.”
This French-manufactured device promises all the core Freely features – unified programme guide, seamless switching between live and on-demand content, and access to those 50+ streaming channels.
But here’s the key detail: the Netgem box has no aerial port whatsoever. It’s streaming-only, marking a clear statement about Freely’s vision for television’s future – no more aerials, no more traditional broadcasting, just internet-delivered content.
Most importantly for this story, the Netgem box offers absolutely no recording functionality. It relies entirely on broadcasters’ catch-up services and Freely’s watchlist features.
Then there’s the second device we revealed last month: the BBC is exploring a “radically simplified” Freely box designed specifically for people who find modern streaming technology overwhelming.
This accessibility-focused device would offer a more traditional TV experience while delivering content through streaming rather than aerials.
Again, no recording capability has been mentioned for the BBC’s simplified box. The emphasis is on ease of use rather than advanced features.
Both announced devices follow the same pattern: streaming-only delivery with no recording whatsoever. Which makes this potential Humax device particularly intriguing.
Why Recording Has Become the Forbidden Feature
The absence of recording from Freely isn’t an oversight – it’s entirely deliberate, reflecting a broader industry trend that’s systematically eliminating recording capabilities across all platforms.
We’ve seen this play out with existing devices. The EE TV 4K Pro box has been one of the few devices that could actually record from streaming channels delivered via broadband.
Unlike most streaming devices that rely entirely on catch-up services, the Pro box offers local storage and the ability to record internet-delivered Freeview channels – a unique feature that made it particularly appealing to recording enthusiasts who wanted reliable broadband delivery without sacrificing recording capabilities.
However, last year, BT/EE TV changed how BBC recordings work – even when you “record” a BBC programme via internet streaming, you can’t actually play it back from the box anymore.
Instead, you get redirected to iPlayer with all its limitations: expiry dates, missing content, and no ability to skip adverts. And – the same happened with ITV recordings, which started pushing users to the ITVX streams (with their adverts).
The message from broadcasters is clear: recording gives viewers too much control. It lets you skip adverts, build permanent libraries of content, and watch programmes on your own schedule rather than when streaming services decide they should be available.
Manhattan, the manufacturer behind popular Freeview recorders like the T4-R, explicitly rejected Freely support precisely because of this limitation.
They stated bluntly that switching to Freely would mean “losing what we know you love about our boxes – the ability to record your favourite shows so they’re yours forever.”
What We Know About the Mystery Humax Box
Over the past few days, several Euronics retailers across the country – including BJs Electrical, Kings & Branhams, and Sonic Direct, have started showing product pages for the new “Humax FHR-6000T Freely PVR Recordable 4K Set Top Box”.
The discovered (prematurely?) specifications for the Humax FHR-6000T paint an impressive picture:
- Maximum recording time of 1,000 hours (suggesting a 2TB hard drive)
- 4-channel recording capability
- 4K maximum resolution support
- Both Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity
- Remote recording functionality
- Standard connections including HDMI and USB
- Dimensions: H48 x W280 x D200 mm
- Price: £249
Most importantly, unlike the upcoming streaming-only Netgem box, the photos show this device includes an aerial port.
This suggests it could work just like current Freely TVs – accessing Freely’s streaming channels while “topping up” with traditional over-the-air Freeview channels through an aerial connection.
The Big Recording Question
Here’s where things get complicated, and where expectations need to be carefully managed.
The key unknown is whether this box can record from Freely’s streaming channels, or just from traditional aerial-based Freeview channels.
While the “Freely PVR” branding might suggest streaming recording capability, the reality is likely to be more limited.
If it’s aerial-only recording (which seems most probable), then this becomes a hybrid device that offers Freely streaming alongside traditional Freeview recording – interesting and potentially useful, but not the revolutionary streaming recorder some might hope for.
The only precedent we have for streaming channel recording is the BT/EE TV Pro box, but as mentioned, broadcasters have systematically neutered those features.
Given how aggressively the industry has moved against recording functionality, it would be extraordinary if Humax had found a way to offer meaningful recording of streaming content where others have failed or been forced to retreat.
Humax’s Big Return?
This potential device would mark a major moment for Humax, a company that once dominated the UK set-top box market but has struggled in recent years to maintain its position.
Humax built their reputation on excellent Freeview and Freesat recorders. The FVP-5000T was hugely popular for years, earning recommendations from review sites and building a loyal customer base.
Their Freesat boxes were market leaders until being replaced by newer 4K alternatives from other manufacturers.
But the company’s recent track record has been decidedly mixed. The FVP-5000T was discontinued in 2023 after losing ITV Hub support and never gaining ITVX compatibility.
The flagship Humax Aura has suffered recurring stock shortages and reliability complaints from users, with some reporting crashes and interface problems that have never been properly resolved.
Humax has also followed the broader industry pattern of devices losing functionality over time as streaming technology evolves.
Older Humax boxes lost BBC iPlayer support when the BBC updated its content protection systems, while YouView-based Humax devices faced complete app meltdowns as the platform aged out of compatibility with modern streaming requirements.
Their last UK launch was the A1 Android TV streaming box in 2023 – a device that notably launched without support for any UK broadcaster apps, highlighting the ongoing challenges device manufacturers face in maintaining streaming app compatibility.
We reached out to Humax for clarification about the FHR-6000T Freely Recorder, and will add details if and when they arrive
Against the Current
If this device proves real, the timing is particularly interesting. Research suggests Freely could become the UK’s dominant TV platform by 2030, as traditional broadcasting infrastructure becomes economically unsustainable and the government pushes for an “IP switchover” by the 2030s.
A hybrid device offering Freely streaming with aerial-based recording could provide what many Freeview users want – a path into the streaming future without completely abandoning the control that recording provides.
For households with poor aerial reception, Freely’s streaming channels could solve signal quality issues while preserving the ability to record and time-shift content.
But this would be a product with a built-in expiry date. The traditional broadcasting infrastructure it relies on for recording is exactly what’s being phased out over the coming decade.
It’s a transitional solution at best, and one that would face the same pressures that have already forced other manufacturers to abandon recording features.
The Reality Check
Before getting too excited about this discovery, there are several important caveats to consider.
These product listings could represent premature uploads that will disappear once retailers realise they’ve jumped the gun, or they could indicate an imminent official announcement.
Without official confirmation from Humax, the device’s existence and specifications remain unverified.
Whether this mysterious box becomes reality (and when), and whether it can deliver meaningful functionality in an industry increasingly hostile to recordings, remains to be seen.
We’ll continue monitoring for any official announcements from Humax and update this article as more information becomes available.
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