Many Freesat users with Humax boxes have been facing recording problems since yesterday, mostly with scheduled series and individual programmes not getting recorded.
The problems were showing up on various Humax Freesat boxes, including the Humax HDR-1000, Humax HB-1100S, Humax Foxsat and others.
Disgruntled Freesat users have taken to social media to voice their complaints, with some suggesting a few workarounds that worked for them so far.
- Update: Humax notified us that the issue has now been fixed – See their full statement below.
Freesat has been around since 2007, offering more than 200 free-to-air TV channels and radio stations, all transmitted via digital satellite.
Last year, a big shakeup was announced, when Freesat and Freeview came under the roof of a single company, Digital UK, which is owned jointly by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.
To watch Freesat, you need a dish outside your house and a Freesat receiver (see our recommended Freesat boxes here).
Until 2020, Humax ruled the Freesat world – but eventually, they stopped making Freesat boxes. At that point, Freesat launched a new set of boxes from Commscope (formerly Arris) – both regular and recording boxes that also support 4K.
However, even though the old Humax Freesat boxes are not being manufactured anymore, many people in the UK still use them. Therefore, the problem that popped up this week is affecting many households.
It’s important to note that, as far as we know, none of the newer 4K Freesat Boxes have been affected by this issue.
Freesat Recording Problems on Humax Boxes
Freesat users started reporting the problems on Monday (February 14) – both on Twitter and on several Freesat and Humax boards.
https://twitter.com/Chrisdu04861426/status/1493507967492276225
The main issue seems to be with scheduled / future recordings, though some are also reporting problems with the electronic TV guide on their Humax boxes.
People who had programmes, films or continuing series scheduled to record, have had all those recordings fail.
#humax @HumaxUK I also see all of my #Freesat progs scheduled to record last night failed. Any answers please? https://t.co/FKvXYYQLOZ
— Anne (@2AMAnnie) February 15, 2022
Some users have found a workaround that seems to work, for now – before you schedule a programme to record, go to your Humax box’ setting and add a “padding time” of at least 1 minute before and after the recording – that seems to make the recording work, at least in some cases.
Another workaround, suggested by Humax, is to use Instant Recordings (simply press the record button for what you’re watching right now) – that seems to work, though obviously, it’s not a solution for things you want to record when you’re not near your telly.
Humax And Freesat’s Response
Update: Humax and Freesat’s technical teams were able to find and fix the issue. Their full statement follows:
“As of 3PM, February 15, 2022, the technical team at Freesat has implemented a fix that should prevent any further instances of this problem.
“If you require any further assistance, please do get in touch. Thank you all for your patience and again, we’re really sorry for the disruption this has caused.”
It’s worth noting that failed recordings from the past 24 hours will most likely not show up on your device even after the fix – so you would have to find and record them once again, if that’s at all possible.
If any of our readers are still facing issues with this – please let us know in the comments.
Humax’s original response, before the issue was fixed, remains here:
“We’re advising customers to use the instant record function in the meantime”, they said in a statement sent to us.
“We will post an update on our social channels when we have more information. Thanks to our customers for their patience while we look into this with Freesat.”
Freesat has also issued a statement, saying they’re aware of the issue. “Our team is working hard to resolve this as soon as possible.
“We understand the inconvenience caused during this time and appreciate your patience”.
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My freesat FoxSat HDR stopped recording the scheduled list suddenly, I tried rebooting but that did not work. I removed all the scheduled recordings from the list, rebooted, put the programs I wanted to record back on the schedule and it worked again.
Ever since Humax dropped BBC1 from channel 106, without any warning, and despite me transferring all BBC1 recording to channel 951 (BBC London), I am now getting many recordings often showing as ‘0m’ (no minutes recorded) on Channel 951 (BBC1 London), Channel 102, Channel 5, channel ITV 3, etc. This is immensely frustrating as we are missing lots of episodes of ongoing series and Quiz Programmes we like (Eggheads, Pointless, Only Connect, QI, etc.). I had not realised that Humax no longer make FreeSat boxes – so presumably they don’t care a bit about users of their previous boxes. It is time they fixed this problem (restoring BBC1 to channel 106 would be a start!).
I have several freesat box’s. I have noticed that on a few of them they will only record one channel at a time and if two are set up one gets missed or is blank. I have a suspect that the capacitors on the PCB may be failing. This is common on equipment that is around 5 years old depending on power on time. The life of the capacitors is worked out to be 30,000 to 35,000 hours. They can be replaced and I am considering having a tinker and change them all en block. If it is successful I will post an answer because it seems I am not alone.
Hi John have just seen your info. Re capactor failure
I have a Humax freesat box, humax hdr-1000s that won’t now record to the hdd. I have removed and checked/tested the hdd and it’s working ok. I have tried a replacement drive with no luck and I have tried to record to an external drive via the usb port again with no luck. Can you tell me which capacitor number/type and location on the pcb that may be worth changing to see if it resolves the recording problem. Other than this problem the box works fine. Hope you can help. Please email to me your response. Regards Jay
I bought a new Humax freeview.
Almost every morning I want to set some programs of the days lots of channels say “no program information. It has never happened to me in the past with other makes. Very frustrating and a waste of money.Please help.
A. Matthews
When i set a recording on one channel and go to watch another channel i keep getting message ” The receiver is not receiving a sugnal or the signal is too weak”. What is going on. Am using Humax 1100 on Freesat. Any help welcome
Do you have two satellite cables going in the back? maybe one has come out or even out the satellite on wall with all the recent storms. Always good idea to check the cables first.
Thanks will do that today. Cheers👍
Had trouble with original Freestat, was advised the new 4 channel recorder was the 2muts nut” How wrong can you be! It fails to record 3 programme not 4! It cuts off before it ends! it also wastes time telling me it is adjusting my dish! It’s bloody useless. AND Humax are not bothered, they hope we will go away! If we band together we could go to court…….but for £200 its not worth the agro!
£10 its yous for scrap or spares> Collection requires
d to much to post!
I have an 1100s in my living room. The worst recorder I have ever purchased.
I purchased a returned Humax Fox Sat T2 freeview recorder.
Best box the ever made. Take a look and see if you can view your channels on Freeview and then consider dumping the dish!
John
Our Humax Foxsat HDR ITB Freesat HD satellite stopped recording and lost all recordings 20/8/ 2022.TV reception still very good. The hard disc was replaced a year ago. There is a message on general settings which says add an USB which we had never seen before. We have tried other things suggested on the forum but they did not work. What should we get to replace for recording if adding a USB does not work?
I have said it before, try replacing the heat sink paste between processor and heat sink. Cured all my problems.
Good advice for Humax users Tony. No hint of any heat sink paste on my Humax HB1000S CPU. Clearly the heat sink was fitted dry at some stage, allowing excess heat to build up. The CPU now heats up rapidly after switch on and has taken out the CPU. I only discovered the lack of heat sink paste after the thing had failed and as I have neither the equipment, parts or patience to replace the CPU, it’s a write off. Also, it’s a multilayer board. It’s been a good bit of kit for the money. I purchased it as a refurb in 2016 for £40 so I’m not complaining.
As of today’s date, 13 August 2022, I still cannot record a scheduled programme at all on my Humax Freesat box, or even use the record button to instantly record a programme I’m watching. I have tried all the “workarounds” suggested and a factory reset but none of this has had any positive effect. The box always tells me I have no recordings at all, but briefly one day all my old recordings did appear in the “recordings” list, but I was unable to open any of them and they soon disappeared again. I also get a problem with the “buttons” being unable to move the cursor to the right. It is all very annoying!
See my reply above.
My problem is I am supposed to be able to record 2 programs while watching a 3rd but since February if I set it to record while watching another channel as soon as the recording start it turns over to the channel I want to record I had the dish rewired and its still doing gone back to factory settings any advice
I think this is the common problem – as you can see from below we even went as far as purchasing a newer model but the problem persists. I am able to record one channel whilst watching another but still can’t do the promised (and previously possible) watch one , record two others situation.
Hi, I have had problems with my Humax recorder too, and like many other comments thought it was a problem with my box getting older and was thinking about getting a new one. Having read all these comments maybe not!!! Wish I had seen these messages sooner. Really disappointed with Humax as the box has been great until the past 2 months.
It is all to do with wether the channels are horizontally or virtically polarised. Sometimes you can watch a third channel, sometimes you can’t. If you can watch a third channel, your choice is usually restricted.
We have continued with our humax box which will manage to record one programme and watch something else – frankly the occasions when we used to try recording two at the same time are few no and we tend to use catch up instead
I have had recordings fail on my Humax box. It work briefly after being switched off completely for a while. The problem returned after it had warmed up. I dismantled the box and found the heat sink paste applied to the main processor to be indequate. After a good clean and fresh paste, all is now good.
Still having the problem.
i am having the same problem i WAS THINKING OF GETTING NEW BOX NOW NOT SO SURE.dOES ANYONE HAVE ANSWER BEFORE i BUY A NEW ONE?
The problem was cured for a short time but seems to be returning. This is very disappointing as the these used to work perfectly when they came out.
I have just found this page – we had an old humax foxsat which had worked well until recently when it refused to record some programmes and showed a conflict message. Bought another humax this week only to find the same problem!!! this seems to mean it is something to do with transmission and only seems to have started with the shuggling of programme channels (110 was BBC1Scotand – is now BBCScotland and similar).
Having bought a factory refurbished Humax HB1100 s a while back in light of this recent problem I’ve made the decision to dump Freesat. I can’t help that in my view Freesat is seen as the poor relation in the digital uk world having only just got channel 4 HD back but still no all4 player, and despite the Humax box being the bench mark for Freesat even with it’s slow and clunky interface and the arris box not exactly getting glowing reviews it’s goodbye Freesat. Having read the reviews online and this site in particular I’m now the happy owner of a Manhattan T3-R Freeview play recorder boy what a difference slick and smooth is the byword for this baby, thank you cordbusters uk.
Hey Roger,is there a satellite version of this Manhattan box available.
Cheers to you and thanks for your review.
John O’Brien
Hi John could I suggest the following website: manhattan-tv.com hope yhis helps.
Cheers Roger.Shall contact them tomorrow
Will let you know then.
Thanks, John
Why is it not recording my schedule programme instead it record something different that I didn’t schedule
Thanks Humax. I assumed my box was broken having tried many things to fix the problem. Thanks to you I have wasted £200 buying a new Freesat box.
16th today and the situation is the same. Doctors didn’t record on BBC1. Wife most upset. However, I did try to programme Spotlight last evening, which worked. Someone needs to get off their backsides and sort the problems out.
Only seems to do a schedule record when one programme is programmed so fix isn’t complete
Nothing said to suggest this requires a software update. I hope it doesn’t, as some of their boxes haven’t been supported for years.
A pity the item did not tell us what the fix was.
After “fix”, programme timing starts in plenty of time but cuts out really tight to programme end it seems.
Had the no recording and then no signal but on a Humax and a Manhattan box that does not record. It’s been pixellating for a while also. I suspected the LNB was misaligned or damaged in some way so had a new LNB fitted. This had cured all problems so far. Makes you wonder if the satellite has moved off its trajectory a small amount.
Hi
Iv had same issue all recordings failed on Monday and yesterday. My problem now is that I turned on BBC1 Scotland last night at 8pm the time showing on my schedule for Eastenders but it was Holby City that was on it also shows on my recordings Eastenders but when I go into it it is Holby City can you advise how to fix this please
We’ve just fitted a freesat box ,but the programs won’t come up on the guide,so not sure as I’m not very technical minded..
Here we are on the 16th and still not recording scheduled recordings. This has been ongoing with occasional missed recordings but now all recordings are missed. This seems to a fairly regular occurrence and happens during Olympics. Something to do with the red button I suspect.
Same problem here, I started trying to fix myself before I found out it’s a general fault.
I reset my box to factory settings so lost all my recordings and planner. Was just going to order a new box until I saw little message on top of freesat website.
Lost half a day on this and now behind on my tv watching, shame.
This article talks about this being an issue on FREESAT recorders but does not mention HUMAX FREEVIEW recorders.
Please be assured that this has been an issue that has been steadily getting worse over at least the past 2 months on FREEVIEW. The last 2 weeks has been a waste of time. The issue is only being able to set a single event recording to record. Trying to set up series recordings has become a complete waste of time as they just drop off the scheduled recordings list…. just states getting information but won’t record. It has to be canx and re-entered.
Question is then…. has this fix cured the free view issues too or is this still a problem for FREEVIEW users?
I have been having this trouble with a human box for ages
I have just sent the human box back to human as it just doesn’t seem to be working very well at all
Hopefully they will sort the problem with it
I have been having the same problem for weeks with Freeview. I have phoned complaining on several occasions and I get told every time that they are ‘looking into it’. I have also sent them an email complaining which they haven’t had the decency to even reply to!
All of my recordings have failed and I rely on this as I’m disabled and hardly get out.
My sister & I live in Jersey and from Monday afternoon until Tuesday afternoon all scheduled recordings failed. It must have been an update (not notified) or an error which was fixed. Thank goodness!
Unfortunately I have just shelled out £259 on a new box as I had no notification even though checking out problem on internet. Will Freesat compensate for this. I don’t think so. Freesatbox doesn’t seem so user friendly as Humax. Unable to connect to My5. Search facility will be “available soon “
I feel for you Patricia, I was 5 mins away from buying a new box myself. Spent half day trying things to fix myself though, lots of time wasted and now behind on my tv watching.
Ditto Tom
Hi Patricia. I did the same thing having assumed my Humax box was broken. However, I will just store the new Freesat box as the Humax is 5 years old and will not last forever. Also the new box is covered for 6 years with Richer Sounds.
All of my planned Freesat recordings have failed since yesterday (Monday 14 Feb 2022) on my HUMAX HDR1100s.