ITV has announced that its streaming app, ITV Hub, will stop working on yet another set of devices this month – but this time two very popular Freeview Play boxes from Humax were added to the growing list – a move that will affect many households around the country.
The Humax FVP-5000T, which was launched in 2017, was one of the top Freeview Play recorders for a long time (and it’s still on our list of recommended Freeview boxes, as well as the lists of many other review sites.)
Furthermore, the FVP-5000T is still being sold today, both directly from Humax and on many 3rd party retailers, with new buyers potentially unaware that ITV Hub will cease to work on these devices from September 28.
The Humax FVP-4000T Freeview box, which is a bit older (from 2015), has also been added to the ITV Hub red list (see the full list of affected devices below).
As we’ve been reporting these past few weeks, ITV is upgrading the content protection technology on its streaming platform, ahead of ITV Hub being replaced by ITVX, the new streaming service from ITV.
But the upgrade is incompatible with many older devices – including Smart TVs from brands such as Hisense and Panasonic, several specific TV models from Samsung, and Humax’s Freesat boxes.
ITV Hub is normally available on a large number of streaming devices like the Amazon Fire TV and Roku, as well as on some Freeview Play boxes and TVs, and connected Freesat set-top boxes (but only the newer 4K ones, as of September).
The app relies on broadband, and you can use it to watch catch-up programmes and box-sets on-demand, as well as watch ITV’s live feeds (on some devices).
In November, ITV Hub will be replaced by a new streaming service – ITVX, which will include more than 15,000 hours of content (compared to 4,000 on ITV Hub, up until a couple of months ago).
Most of the content on ITVX will be free (with adverts), but there will also be a premium tier that will add BritBox to the mix.
The plan is for the ITVX app to be available on every device that currently supports ITV Hub (as well as some new ones, such as Sky Q), but devices that are now losing access to ITV Hub – including the Humax FVP-5000T – will most likely not support ITVX either.
ITV Hub Leaving Humax Freeview Boxes
By the end of September, ITV Hub will stop working on two of Humax’s Freeview recorders: FVP-4000T and FVP-5000T.
While the FVP-4000T is no longer being sold as new (at least not officially), the FVP-5000T Freeview Play recorder is still available on many retailers’ websites.
When we previously queried a Humax spokesperson about ITV Hub leaving their Freesat boxes, we were told that “Customers are currently being advised through email and their set-top boxes. If customers have any questions regarding their specific Humax device, our customer support team will be happy to help on 0344 318 8800.”
We contacted Humax regarding the FVP-5000T being added to the list, and will update this article if they have more to add.
It’s important to note that the linear ITV Freeview channels – the ones you’re getting via an aerial (or satellite, on Freesat) – will not be affected by this change.
The only part that will stop working, on affected devices, is the broadband-based ITV Hub app, which is mainly used to stream catch-up content and box-sets.
ITV started publishing the list of affected devices a few weeks ago – but what started as a list of a few older models, has been growing bigger and bigger every week.
In the past few weeks, viewers with affected devices have been getting pop-up notifications on their screens, telling them that ITV Hub will stop working on their devices after September 28 (and some have been getting e-mails from ITV).
The full list of affected devices, as of this writing includes:
Freeview Play TVs / Boxes:
- Hisense – Smart TV models from 2016 and 2018.
- TCL 6586 6 Series – Smart TVs from 2018.
- Avtex – TVs and devices from 2016 and earlier.
- CTVE – TVs and devices from 2013 and earlier.
- Samsung TVs Prior to 2015, Running Orsay (Linux) OS
- Samsung TV Models Running Tizen OS 2.3 (2015)
- Humax FVP-4000T (2015-2016)
- Humax FVP-5000T (2017)
- Panasonic TV 2015 C range models
- Panasonic TV 2016 D range models
- Panasonic TV 2018 F HD range models
- Sharp UMC 2017
- Sharp UMC 2018
- TCL 6586 (2018) 6 Series
Humax Freesat Boxes:
- Humax Freesat G2 Boxes from 2012-2018 – Hb1000s, Hb1100s, Hdr1000s, Hdr1010s, Hdr1100s
The best way to know whether your TV or set-top box is affected by this change is to look for the pop-up message on the TV itself.
How Can I Continue To Watch ITV Hub?
If you own one of the affected devices, and ITV Hub stops working for you, there are a few devices where you can continue to use ITV’s streaming app.
With the Humax FVP-5000T box losing ITV Hub support, if you’re on the market for a new Freeview Box, your options include the Humax Aura recorder and the Manhattan T3-R, which is currently our Editor’s Choice Freeview box.
ITV Hub is also compatible with many other streaming devices (and Smart TVs), including:
- Amazon Fire TV (Sticks and Edition TVs)
- Android TV: Sony Android and Chromecast with GoogleTV
- Apple iPhones and iPads (OS v12 or later)
- Apple TV (Gen3 onwards)
- Chromecast devices
- Freesat 4K Boxes and TVs (Panasonic TVs 2015 and earlier with built-in Freesat, first-generation Freesat boxes and the second-generation Humax boxes are no longer supported)
- Android Mobiles (OS v5 and later)
- NOW Streaming Devices
- Roku streaming devices
- Sky Glass
- Virgin V6
- Virgin TV360
- Virgin Media Stream
- YouView (BT & TalkTalk) (first-generation YouView boxes are not supported)
- Samsung TVs (running Tizen OS 2.4 and later – mostly 2016 and up)
- YouView Sony TVs
- Nvidia Shield
- Xbox One
- Xbox Series S
- Xbox Series X
Sky Q doesn’t have the full ITV Hub app, but it’s meant to support the upcoming ITVX app when the new service launches.
You can also access ITV Hub by going to its website directly on a computer browser.
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Humax just confirmed that our DTRT2000 box from 2018 will not be updated with ITVx
Have to use chromecast from my phone to get ITVx
I’ve just bought the Humax FVP-5000T as we were told by ITV that our Freesat box would stop Hub working with it. But both Humax and Argos, where we bought it, knew, some time ago, full well that ITV Hub would not work on it. And their boxes still advertise it, talk about wilfull deception!
We are going to return this to Argos, especially as there are other reception issues with the Humax. This episode has not done Humax any favours, especially as I rang them up, their excuse being there wasn’t time to change the packaging.
I shall not buy anything else from them.
It’s 1st October 2022 and I’m sat here watching ITV hub via my Humax FVP-5000T. 😁
I pressed the ITV hub icon to see if it would disappear. All I got was a message saying my device was no longer supported and I’d need another device in order to watch it. I clicked through not expecting it to work, but it did. Let’s hope it continues…
My guess is that it’ll stop working once ITV Hub turns into ITVX (with a new app), around November. Hard to say whether it’ll keep working until then…