Two months after the release of the Manhattan T4-R and T4 Freeview boxes, the company has just released another significant software update, introducing new features and addressing numerous issues.
The standout addition in software version 1.07, which began rolling out this week, is a new web remote control function. This allows users to control their T4-R or T4 using any web browser on their home network, offering a convenient alternative to the physical remote.
This update also resolves a major concern for T4-R users. The previous software release had included a warning about potential missed recordings when using certain standby modes – but this issue has now been fixed.
Whether you’re a new owner or considering buying the new T4 and T4-R, this update enhances the functionality of Manhattan’s Freeview devices – see below for the full list of changes.
Interestingly, last week, Manhattan also released a software update for its discontinued Manhattan T3-R Freeview box, which included several fixes and improvements.
Manhattan T4 and T4-R: Next-Generation Freeview Devices
The Manhattan T4 and T4-R, launched in early June 2024, are the successors of the popular Manhattan T3 and T3-R Freeview boxes, which were discontinued in recent years.
The Manhattan T4 is a Freeview Play box, providing access to over 100 live TV channels (via an aerial) and streaming on-demand content from the various UK catch-up services.
It’s designed for viewers who want to upgrade their existing TV with smart features and Freeview Play capabilities without the need for recording functionality.
In my Manhattan T4 Review, I commended the box’s swift navigation and improved EPG, with the sluggishness of some of the apps (ITVX in particular) being a pain point (which has since been improved) –
“It’s ideal for those wanting to upgrade their Freeview experience, but its appeal may be limited due to the lack of recording capabilities and major streaming services.”
The Manhattan T4-R, on the other hand, is a Freeview Play recorder. It offers all the features of the T4 with the added ability to record live TV. The T4-R comes in three variants: 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB, and it provides up to 1,200 hours of recording capacity.
In my Manhattan T4-R Review, where I awarded the box my ‘Editor’s Choice’ award, I was particularly impressed with the fast and easy-to-use interface, the smart recording options, and the unique EPG filtering.
“If you’re still committed to the Freeview ecosystem and want the best possible recording experience, the T4-R is the clear choice.”
Before launch, Manhattan released a Day 1 software update with several fixes. Then last month, Manhattan rolled out another update (1.05) with a long list of additional fixes and improvements.
Now, we’re getting Version 1.07, which has more fixes and even a brand new feature: the web remote.
New T4-R / T4 Features and Improvements
These are all the fixes, changes and improvements to the Manhattan T4-R and T4, included in the August 13 1.07 software update:
Web Browser Control: The standout feature of this update is the new Web Remote, which allows users to control their T4-R or T4 using a web browser on their local network (so only on the same WiFi network).
This addition can be especially helpful to those who may have misplaced their physical remote (though the T4-R remote is quite big, so losing it under the cushions is a bit of a stretch) or prefer the flexibility of controlling their device from a computer or mobile phone.
To enable the Web Remote feature, users need to navigate to Settings → Internet → Browsing Options → Web Remote. Once activated, the menu will display the address to enter in a web browser to access the remote control interface.
Once you go to that address from a browser, you’ll see an image of the remote – which you can then click/tap on, just like the physical remote, to control the T4 or T4-R.
It’s worth noting that this feature is turned off by default, but users can choose to enable it as needed.
Improved Subtitles: Both devices now enlarge subtitles on HD channels when Zoom mode is engaged, making them much easier to read. This change takes effect for subtitles displayed after toggling Zoom mode (via the remote).
Freeview Play Channel List Management (CLM) Toggle: Users can now turn the CLM feature on or off by going to Settings → Channels → Freeview Play Channel Management.
When installing the device with an internet connection, CLM will be turned on. When installing without an internet connection, CLM will be turned off.
CLM allows Freeview Play to manage your channel list, including assigning channel numbers, adding internet-delivered channels, and swapping HD channels with SD. Currently, only the BBC uses the HD channel-swapping feature.
This feature provides a more streamlined viewing experience, prioritising HD channels where available while maintaining access to SD versions – but you can now choose whether to turn the device on or off.
UI Improvements: Numerous enhancements have been made, including better alignment and visibility of icons, progress bars, and text across various menus and screens. Animations and transitions have been refined, particularly in the Home Screen and Featured categories.
T4-R Specific Fixes
The previous software update included a warning for T4-R users about a critical issue affecting recordings in Sleep and Smart standby modes.
Users were advised to keep their device’s ‘Standby Mode’ set to ‘Energy Saver’ to prevent missed recordings. This issue has now been resolved, allowing users to safely use Sleep and Smart modes and enable Loop Out in Standby without the risk of missed recordings.
Standby Mode Recording: The T4-R could fail to wake for scheduled recordings when the Standby Mode was set to ‘Sleep’ or ‘Smart’, and the T4-R was in networked standby. This has been resolved.
Recording Playback: After waking from ‘Sleep’ or ‘Smart’ Standby Modes, recordings could fail to play back due to a decryption error, although live pause would still work. This issue has been fixed.
Recording LED: The recording LED could fail to illuminate on standby while a recording was in progress. This has been corrected.
Hard Drive Mounting: The T4-R now monitors for mount failures and recovers automatically, addressing an issue where recording and playback features could stop working.
Recording Notifications: Even after being turned off in the Settings menu, recording notifications could still appear. This has been resolved.
In-Progress Recording Playback: When watching a recording in progress, pressing LEFT to skip back would not work after fast-forwarding or skipping to live. This has been fixed.
Series Folder Deletion: When deleting a series folder, the confirmation prompt did not display the programme title. This has been corrected.
Parental Controls: When enabled for recording playback, the PIN prompt for watershed-restricted content could be bypassed by pressing BACK, allowing playback before 9pm. This loophole has been closed.
Common Fixes For T4-R and T4
These fixes were rolled out for both the T4 and T4-R:
Standby Crashes: Both devices could crash when entering standby, potentially causing connected TVs to wake up unexpectedly. This has been resolved.
Wi-Fi Reconnection: When the Standby Mode was set to ‘Sleep’ or ‘Smart’ and the device was in networked standby, it could fail to re-connect to the last Wi-Fi network upon waking. This issue has been addressed.
TV Guide Performance: The TV Guide Grid and Channel views could be slow to respond immediately after boot while collecting programme data. Significant improvements have been made.
Home Screen Stability: The devices could crash when entering the Home Screen after performing a manual tune or when returning to the Home Screen after leaving a submenu open for an extended period. These issues have been resolved.
HDMI Configuration: The devices would automatically set the highest possible HDMI configuration signalled by the TV, which could cause issues with some HDMI cables. The maximum configuration has now been optimised for compatibility and quality.
Wi-Fi Connectivity: The devices could fail to connect to a Technicolor router configured for ‘WPA+WPA2 PSK’, resulting in a connection error. This has been fixed.
Channel List Management: When using the Freeview Play CLM feature, pressing OK in the TV Guide to select an alternative channel number for the programme currently being watched would have no effect. The devices will now exit the Guide when such a selection is made.
Remote Compatibility: The devices can optionally respond to the T3 remote. They would respond to the T3 remote’s Play button but not the Pause button. They will now respond to both.
Event Information Stability: Event information could flicker and the devices could crash after receiving invalid retry times for programme information from the Freeview Play server. This has been resolved.
How to Update Your Manhattan T4-R or T4
Users can update their devices in two ways:
Over the internet:
Ensure your device is connected to the internet via Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
The box will update automatically overnight while in standby, unless automatic updates are disabled.
To update immediately, press HOME and select: Settings > System > Software Updates > Check for update now.
Using a USB stick:
Download the full instructions and update files from Manhattan’s website.
Follow the provided instructions carefully to complete the update.
To check your current software version, press HOME and select: Information.
- Order Manhattan T4 Freeview Player
- Order Manhattan T4-R 500GB Freeview Recorder
- Order Manhattan T4-R 1TB Freeview Recorder
- Order Manhattan T4-R 2TB Freeview Recorder
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Just replaced a broken Humax Aura for an elderly lady and this seems much easier to use, still with the UK catch up apps she needs.
The browser app is no good if you have mislaid the remote as the box needs to be on in order to use the browser remote and as you can’t use this to turn the box on then you must have the physical remote to hand to turn the boxmon.
This is a really good update. Hopefully the web remote means an app isn’t far behind – or will allow a developer to turn the local URL into an app.
My biggest disappointment since getting the T4-R is the inability to renumber channels – like I can on all my TVs. Manhattan support said that is blocked by the Freeview Play rules. Favourites are a palava – as is pressing 3 buttons instead of one for some of the main channels – 103, 104, 105 for the channels that don’t support the HD CLM priority. I wonder if ITV, C4 and C5 will bother now they have Freely to deal with?