The writing’s on the wall: traditional TV recording in the UK is on life support, and the industry is doing everything it can to pull the plug.
Where once we had shelves full of VHS tapes and hard drives packed with hundreds of hours of recordings, we’re now being shepherded toward a streaming-first world where “ownership” means adding something to a playlist and hoping it doesn’t disappear from the broadcaster’s on-demand service.
But here’s the thing – recording isn’t quite dead yet. While the major players are systematically dismantling the infrastructure that supports it, there are still devices out there that let you capture TV programmes the old-fashioned way.
Some work brilliantly, others are hanging on by a thread, and a few are so compromised they barely deserve the name “recorder” anymore.
If you’re one of those who still value the ability to record programmes, skip adverts, and build your own permanent library of content, this guide is for you.
We’ll explore every recording option still available in the UK – from the last great Freeview recorders to the increasingly compromised “cloud recording” solutions that streaming services reluctantly offer.
Just don’t expect any of these options to be around forever.
Goodbye, TV Recorders: How We Got Here
The assault on TV recording has been relentless and systematic.
Over the past few years, we’ve watched popular Freeview recorders, such as the Humax FVP-5000T, get discontinued. Streaming services have launched without any recording functionality whatsoever – looking at you, Freely.
Even some devices that do offer recording are being compromised by broadcaster restrictions, with services like EE TV now redirecting your “recorded” BBC programmes to iPlayer instead of allowing you to watch them from your own hard drive.
The message from the industry is clear: they don’t want you recording programmes anymore. They want you streaming on their terms, watching their adverts (unless you pay extra), and accepting that your favourite shows might vanish from their platforms at any moment.
Meanwhile, the infrastructure supporting traditional recording is crumbling. Freeview faces an uncertain future as the BBC openly discusses transitioning to internet-based television by 2040.
Freesat’s mobile apps have been losing capabilities, and the satellite infrastructure on which it depends is only guaranteed until 2029.
Even Virgin Media has quietly made recording boxes a “by request only” option that costs extra and isn’t available in all areas.
- July 30 Update: Ofcom just released data showing that on-demand streaming now beats TV recording in the UK.
The Future: Streaming Whether You Like It or Not
The government’s own research paints a clear picture: by 2040, more than 70% of UK homes will rely entirely on internet streaming for their television.
Traditional broadcast methods – the aerials and satellite dishes that make recording possible – will become the preserve of a dwindling minority.
Everyone TV’s Freely service, launched in 2024 as the intended successor to Freeview and Freesat, exemplifies this new reality.
You can pause live TV for a whopping 15 minutes, but recording? Forget about it.
As Carl Pfeiffer from Everyone TV told me, they believe people are shifting away from recordings toward streaming – although one has to wonder if that’s a chicken-and-egg situation.
Freeview itself is facing technical challenges that could force changes well before 2040. The UK still uses broadcasting technology from the 1990s, and after 2031, TV broadcasters might need to share their frequencies with mobile phone companies.
This could mean fewer channels available over the air, accelerating the push toward internet delivery.
But until that happens, recording is still possible. Here are the devices keeping the tradition alive.
Freeview: The Last Stand
Manhattan T4-R: The Final Champion
If there’s one device that represents the peak – and potentially the swan song – of Freeview recording, it’s the Manhattan T4-R (see my full review).
Launched in 2024 as the successor to the beloved T3-R, this box offers everything you could want from a modern Freeview recorder.
The T4-R’s interface is genuinely impressive – fast, responsive, and packed with smart features that make recording feel modern rather than dated.
You can record two channels simultaneously while watching a third, search across both live TV and catch-up services, and enjoy features like series linking and smart recording that automatically chooses HD versions when available.
Available in 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB versions, the T4-R can store hundreds of hours of programmes. More importantly, once you’ve recorded something, it’s yours to keep – no expiry dates, no licensing restrictions, no sudden disappearances from streaming platforms.
The box also includes Freeview Play apps like BBC iPlayer and ITVX, creating a hybrid experience that bridges traditional recording with modern streaming.
However, don’t expect Netflix or Disney+ – the T4-R deliberately focuses on Freeview content rather than trying to be an all-in-one streaming device (but a YouTube app was added this year).
At around £170-220, depending on storage capacity, the T4-R isn’t cheap, but it represents excellent value for anyone serious about Freeview recording.
Just remember – Manhattan has made it clear they won’t be adding support for Freely anytime soon (if ever), the streaming replacement for Freeview, citing the lack of recording functionality as a deal-breaker.
The Discontinued Manhattan T3-R: Still Worth Considering
While no longer in production, the Manhattan T3-R remains one of the best Freeview recorders ever made. If you can find one secondhand or from remaining stock, with a cheap and cheerful price tag, it’s still an excellent choice.
The T3-R offers similar recording capabilities to its successor – two simultaneous recordings while watching a third, series linking, and a solid if slightly slower interface.
Feature updates have stopped, so you’re stuck with whatever features it already has, but Manhattan does release occasional bug fixes for it.
I would still go for the T4-R (as it’s better and will be supported longer) – but if you find a bargain (on eBay, for example), the T3-R is worth considering.
Humax Aura: The Android TV Hybrid
The Humax Aura (see my review) takes a different approach, combining Freeview recording with Android TV streaming capabilities. Available in 1TB and 2TB versions, it can record up to four programmes simultaneously – more than any other Freeview recorder.
Beyond recording, the Aura offers apps like Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and YouTube, making it closer to an all-in-one entertainment device. There’s even a smartphone app that lets you stream your recordings to your phone.
However, the Aura comes with significant drawbacks. It’s expensive – starts at £250 – and hasn’t received major software updates in years.
Some important streaming apps like Netflix are missing entirely. At this point, the Aura feels like a device stuck between two worlds, trying to be both a traditional recorder and a modern streaming device – it’s a great concept, but could certainly use some more love and attention from Humax.
Older Humax Boxes: Bargain Hunting
Humax made several excellent Freeview recorders over the years, many of which can still be found secondhand. Models like the FVP-5000T (discontinued in 2023) offer solid recording capabilities at bargain prices, though you’ll miss out on newer features and app support.
The main risk with older Humax boxes is app compatibility. Many have already lost support for services like ITVX, and more streaming services will likely stop working over time.
Budget Options: USB Recording and Smart TV Solutions
For those on a tight budget, some basic Freeview receivers allow recording to external USB drives. These devices typically cost under £50 but offer minimal features and often require you to buy a separate USB stick or hard drive.
More interesting are certain smart TVs, such as some Roku TV models, that can pause and even record live TV when combined with a USB storage device.
While not as sophisticated as dedicated recorders, these solutions can work surprisingly well for basic recording needs.
- Also See: My roundup of The Best Freeview Boxes
It’s also worth noting that there are a few more complex Freeview recording methods – you can connect a Freeview tuner card to a PC and record programmes that way, or use certain external hard drives connected directly to smart TVs for basic recording functionality.
However, these solutions require a fair bit of technical knowledge and aren’t really suitable for casual users who just want to plug in a box and start recording.
For this guide, I’m focusing on the straightforward, user-friendly options that don’t require you to become an IT expert just to record Coronation Street.
Freesat: Satellite Recording on Borrowed Time
Modern Freesat Recorders: The 4K Recording Box
Current Freesat recorders might not get the same attention as their Freeview cousins, but they’re actually quite capable devices.
The latest 4K-capable Freesat recorders offer multiple tuner recording (Up to 4 programmes at the same time), decent storage capacity, and access to Freesat’s broader channel lineup – including more HD channels than you’ll find on Freeview.
These boxes handle the usual recording tricks like series linking and pause-and-rewind live TV, while giving you access to some channels that simply aren’t available terrestrially (but it works both ways – there are channels the Freesat has lost).
The picture quality can be excellent too, since satellite signals are often more reliable than patchy aerial reception.
It’s important to note, however, that the Freesat boxes suffer from infrequent software updates – and I’ve been hearing about glitches and other issues from our readers.
The elephant in the room is Freesat’s uncertain future. With satellite infrastructure only guaranteed until 2029 and the platform serving just around 1 million homes, you’re investing in a technology that might not be around much longer.
But if you’re in an area with poor Freeview reception or you want access to those extra channels, a modern Freesat recorder can still make sense.
Legacy Humax Freesat Boxes
Older Humax Freesat recorders like the HDR-1000S and HDR-1100S can still be found secondhand. These boxes lost app support years ago, but they remain capable of recording satellite TV to local storage.
The main concern is longevity – Freesat’s mobile app recently lost the ability to control these older boxes remotely, and with the satellite infrastructure only guaranteed until 2029, you’re buying into a platform with a limited lifespan.
Pay-TV Options: Recording Under Siege
Virgin Media TV 360: Available If You Ask Nicely
Virgin Media’s TV 360 is a convenient recording platform, capable of recording multiple programmes simultaneously and offering a slick, responsive interface.
It includes streaming apps alongside traditional cable TV, creating a comprehensive entertainment package.
The problem? Virgin Media no longer offers TV 360 as standard. New customers automatically get the Stream box instead – a streaming-only device with no recording capability.
You can request TV 360, but expect to pay extra for installation, and in some areas (particularly new Full Fibre installations), it’s not available at all.
Of course, you’ll also need to be a Virgin Media Broaband subscriber to get any TV box from them – this isn’t something you can buy separately to use with another provider.
TV 360 represents everything that made traditional pay-TV recording great – massive storage capacity, the ability to skip adverts, and complete control over your viewing library.
So if you’re a fan of recording, it’s worth the extra cost, but Virgin Media seems to be slowly phasing it out in favour of streaming-only solutions.
Older Virgin Media Boxes
Virgin Media’s previous generation V6 boxes are still in use in many homes and offer solid recording capabilities. While not as advanced as TV 360, they’re reliable workhorses that can record multiple programmes and offer decent storage capacity.
If you’re already a Virgin Media customer with a V6 box, hold onto it – in a few years, you might not get the option to replace it with another recording-capable device when it eventually fails.
There’s one exception worth noting: if you’re stuck with one of Virgin Media’s ancient TiVo boxes (launched way back in 2011), you’re in luck.
As we recently reported, these boxes have lost BBC iPlayer support entirely, making them pretty useless for modern viewing. Virgin Media will replace them with TV 360 boxes free of charge – one of the few times you can still get a proper recording box without having to specifically request it.
EE TV Pro Box: Two Faces of Recording
EE TV’s Pro Box deserves special mention because it’s actually two different devices depending on how you use it.
You’ll need to be a BT Broadband or EE Broadband subscriber to get one, but assuming you are, it offers a unique approach to recording.
In traditional Aerial Mode, the Pro Box works exactly like any other Freeview (or YouView in this case) recorder. Connect your aerial, and you can record programmes to the internal hard drive without any of the complications we’ll discuss next.
It’s actually quite a capable recording box in this mode, with decent storage and all the features you’d expect (along with streaming apps).
But switch to Internet Mode, and things get weird. In this mode, the box streams some Freeview channels over your broadband connection, eliminating the need for an aerial. You can even record these streamed channels – something no other device offers.
The catch is that broadcaster restrictions mean you sometimes can’t actually watch these recordings. BBC programmes now automatically redirect to iPlayer when you try to play them, while ITV recordings lost ad-skipping capabilities in 2023.
You’re “recording” programmes that take up storage space on your device, but you can’t actually watch them without an internet connection and ongoing access to the broadcaster’s streaming service.
This transformation of recording into glorified bookmarking represents everything problematic with the industry’s current direction.
Still, if you live in an area with poor aerial reception, Internet Mode can give you access to some Freeview channels you might not otherwise receive.
Meanwhile, EE TV also offers a custom Apple TV Box with EE’s own Freeview app, and they’re even offering Sky Stream in some of their bundles – so, again, the future is certainly in streaming.
Sky Q: The Hidden Option
Sky Q remains one of the most capable recording platforms available, with massive storage capacity and the ability to record multiple programmes while watching others.
The interface is slick, the features are comprehensive, and it includes access to Sky’s extensive streaming library.
The catch? Sky barely promotes Sky Q anymore, instead pushing customers toward Sky Stream and Sky Glass.
While Sky Q is still available, you might need to specifically ask for it, and Sky’s long-term commitment to the platform is questionable given their streaming-first strategy.
Unlike Virgin Media and EE, you don’t need Sky broadband to get Sky Q (or Sky Stream) – you can have it installed with any internet provider, though you’ll obviously need to pay for Sky’s TV subscription.
With satellite infrastructure guaranteed until 2029, Sky Q buyers have some breathing room, but this is clearly a platform in managed decline.
Sky Stream and Sky Glass: Cloud Recording with Caveats
Sky’s streaming-first devices offer what they call “Playlist” functionality, which includes some behind-the-scenes cloud recording.
According to Sky, they’re actually recording quite a lot of content to their servers, but it’s invisible to users who simply add programmes to their playlist and expect them to be available later.
Like the other Sky options, you don’t need Sky broadband – just a Sky TV subscription and any reliable internet connection will do.
This approach works reasonably well in practice, but it’s entirely dependent on Sky’s licensing agreements and server capacity. You can’t record everything, there’s no guarantee programmes will remain available, and you have no control over the process.
Furthermore, MOST content you watch will not come from cloud recordings – but, instead, from the main broadcasters’ streaming app – BBC iPlayer, ITVX, etc. Only the content from (some) smaller broadcasters, that don’t have their own apps, is potentially being recorded to the cloud.
For Sky, this represents the future – users don’t need to understand recording, they just need content to be available when they want it.
But for traditional recording enthusiasts, it’s a poor substitute for the control and permanence that local storage provides.
The Streaming Reality: Freely and the End of an Era
When Everyone TV launched Freely in 2024, they positioned it as the natural successor to Freeview and Freesat.
It’s a nice idea in theory – plug your TV into the internet, get dozens of live channels plus catch-up services, and forget about aerials and dishes entirely.
I’ve spent time with Freely, and there’s definitely potential there. The interface is clean, the channel selection covers the basics, and the integration with streaming apps works well when it works.
For someone who just wants to watch live BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and several other prominent channels, without faffing about with aerial positioning, it does the job.
But here’s what’ll frustrate anyone who’s used to recording: Freely treats your viewing as entirely disposable. You can pause live TV for 15 minutes – and that’s your lot.
No recording to build up a library of programmes. No ability to skip through adverts on your own schedule. No way to keep that documentary you loved so you can watch it again next year.
Everything depends on the broadcasters keeping content available in their streaming libraries. Missed last night’s programme? Hopefully it’s on iPlayer.
Want to rewatch that series from six months ago? Better hope it hasn’t been moved to a subscription service or disappeared entirely due to licensing issues.
It’s the ultimate expression of the industry’s new philosophy: they’ll provide the content when they want to provide it, and you’ll watch it when they decide you can watch it.
The idea that you might want to control your own viewing experience – to record programmes and keep them – is treated as an outdated concept that modern viewers have supposedly grown out of (and, frankly – many, if not most – have indeed).
The Verdict: Record Now or Lose the Chance Forever
Here’s the funny part – Cord Busters is a website that heavily promotes streaming and on-demand services, and personally, that’s how I do most of my TV watching these days.
But I know many of you still value the ability to record TV programmes, skip adverts, and maintain your own personal library of content.
If you’re one of those people, the time to act is now. The devices listed above probably represent the last generation of traditional recording equipment, and they’re disappearing fast.
For Freeview enthusiasts, the Manhattan T4-R is the clear choice – it’s modern, capable, and designed by people who still believe in recording. The Humax Aura offers more features but at a higher price and with fewer software updates.
Pay-TV customers face tougher choices. Virgin Media’s TV 360 and Sky Q are excellent recording platforms, but you’ll need to specifically request them and accept that they’re living on borrowed time.
EE TV’s Pro Box shows how recording can be undermined by broadcaster restrictions, serving as a warning about the industry’s direction.
Whatever you choose, remember that traditional TV recording is becoming a niche interest. The infrastructure supporting it is under pressure, the devices are being discontinued, and the industry is moving toward streaming-first solutions whether consumers want them or not.
The golden age of TV recording – when you could capture anything broadcast and keep it forever – is drawing to a close.
Maybe, in the end, we’ll all just go back to VHS tapes.
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The Manhattan T4-R, even after numerous firmware updates, is far from perfect or a ‘champion’ in my opinion.
I still get random (albeit not often) lockups where the box needs a power cycle to work again. And the interface navigation, which really should be lightning fast for a system like this, is on the sluggish side.
The only reason it’s faster than my really old Panasonic is that that had to spin up the dvd drive when booting, and that is on 10+ year old hardware. In terms of absolute reliability though, the panny still has it, which really doesn’t say much.
I’d also add that another issue with the T4-R is that the CEC implementation has problems. Even if you disable it in the menus as I always do anyway, there are still rogue signals going through the control pin that can (and did, in my case) interfere with other devices especially on ARC/eARC.
Took me a while before I realised the T4-R was the culprit as to why my new Q990F soundbar paired with an A95L Sony TV was constantly fltting between inputs, sending sound to the TV speakers intermittently, and sometimes locking up altogether. Resolved it with a CEC block adaptor that basically has that control pin removed but lets the rest of the signals through and all is good. But one shouldn’t have to jump through such hoops on a product that came out in 2024, and many users may assume either their soundbar (or whatever device) is faulty, or the T4-R is and can’t be used in their configuration.
I like this article but you overlooked the Panasonic Blu-ray recorders which can be used in a similar way to the Humax devices, recording onto a built-in hard drive but they can do much more, such as archiving onto Blu-ray or DVD discs like my DMR-BWT700.
The latest equivalent is the Panasonic DMR-BWT850 Blu-ray recorder currently available from John Lewis and Richer Sounds for £519 – yes, that’s a lot of money but it’s a versatile machine.
If you budget can’t stretch to that or don’t need the Blu-ray capability, there’s the Panasonic DMR-EX97 DVD recorder available from Richer Sounds for £319.
Panasonic also do hard disk only recorders equivalent to the Humax machines.
I have just loved the past 40 years being able to record just what i want when i want, from VHS Tapes through to the superb DVD.
How great are these, i have so meany films now and DVDs of my children and Grandchildren. These are now becoming harder to find.
I hate these greedy people who wish to push us to watch only and not be able to record, I have been with one or other of the top three for years at last i have had enough and ditched them with their inflated prices.
I am 81 now so what happens in the coming decades will not be my worry.
I’m only sorry for the next generation they will miss out badly.
Only the BBC out of all the five main streaming broadcasters streams in in full HD, and also UHD for selective programmes, the other four offering SD only, despite the fact that they all offer full HD on Freeview for viewing and recording.
Full HD is important for image clarity, particularly on larger TV screens and this factor seems to be overlooked, unless of course the other 4 broadcasters intend to up their game and then probably will want to charge for it !
Hi John, thank you for reply after leaving virgin now on freeview and freesat plus firestick so for a few years am happy, I was paying £ 125 a month no sport or movies.
My near neighbour is getting the lot for £ 90 a month.
I will never beg for discounts again. Thank you again.
That’s not true now. ITVx and My5 all offer HD streaming and catch up. It isn’t in HD on some devices but certainly is on Amazon Firesticks. Firesticks My5 app also live stream all Channel Five’s other channels in HD instead of the poor low redolution versions seen on Freeview. This is a quite recent change however.
Thank you for such an extensive, properly-researched and well-written article.
Streaming has its place obviously, but so – definitely – does recording. ITV pack there primetime dramas with so many ads that I couldn’t bear to watch without skipping through them. I know I could pay a premium for ad-free ITVX but I won’t do that.
And then there are the times when multiple good programmes are released within a week or two of each other – it is great to record and keep some for the long dry months when nothing new and decent is available. The fact is I’d have forgotten about them if they were just available later to stream.
Doing away with recording feels like a massive retrograde step, especially when motivated by an industry drive to deny customer choice rather than any technological or financial constraint.
The Virgin 360 refers you to streaming if you try to record from the aerial.
I had problems with the EE pro box too when recording, it kept on saying my aerial was faulty. Only with their box. I use the Manhattan now.
I too have had for over 12 months the ee tv box pro set up in aerial mode apart from the mandatory freeview retune, the box is capable of doing this itself automatically but the odd manual retune doesn’t go amiss, and occasionall software update the box as worked faultless for this period I have the full sports package which is all streamed but this box allows to record these channels too. Happy days.
I still regularly use my old trusty Sky+ HD box, i only subscribe for record and pause discounted to £5 from £15 monthly, it’s very handy for my needs of pausing and recording certain programmes on various channels.
When in business, I used to recommend all the Humax series to my customers through the years, inc setting up and generally looking after them knowing Humax would sort their end out.
When I retired I bought myself an Aura( wished I’d hung on to a 5000T)! It’s been a pain right from the start with various issues currently switching off and rebooting.
Patience running thin waiting for upgrade fix.
I’m an avid recorder of the selection of programmes wife and I watch ( totally different ) as neither of us can stand adverts after seeing first time.
So, now thinking of buying a T4 as back up.
Come on Humax , don’t give up on us.
I personally think that Humax as a company have given up on the uk market since being ditched by freesat in favour of the latest boxes currently available. There are certain websites offering new and refurbished boxes for sale but one has to bear in mind as highlighted in this article they have lost a lot of their functionality and software fixes and updates are few and far but they can still function as a capable recorder
How dare we be dictated to like this! The industry have no right to take this option away. I am upset by this as have always loved my recordings to watch in the future. Why can’t programs be recorded by streaming? Does anyone know.
I am a longtime YouView box owner but my Humax DTR2100 had become increasingly slow and flaky. I was planning to replace it with the Manhattan T4-R and was checking out the prices on Amazon during Prime Day, when I saw a returned EE TV Pro Box for a very reasonable price on Amazon Resale. The vendor said that an EE or BT subscription wasn’t necessary, that the only thing you needed to do was to make sure an aerial was connected when first booting it up. I checked out the reviews, which tended to confirm this, and bought it.
Sure enough, it slotted right in instead of my ageing Humax and so far, I’m very pleased. It has the familiar YouView interface and features, records 3 or possibly 4 channels at once, and recordings can be set up via the EE TV app, which I find very convenient. It was also very easy to get working with my Logitech Harmony Hub remote control and it has WiFi as well as ethernet connectivity.
They seem to be readily available new from Amazon resellers and there are plenty available second-hand on eBay, possible from ex-EE/BT customers who didn’t return them at the end of their contract.
I love to record. Total control. I have a freesat box but will probably stop in 4 years time. As the satellite contracts end. Do you think free view will carry on but only having the main 5 channels? I might buy a free view box and put it into storage for the future.
Your thoughts on where the industry is heading are worrying to me as a die hard long term record anything I want (or might want) to watch at my leisure.
I used Humax Freesat/Freeview recorders for many, many, years culminating in an Aura which has been a huge disappointment – slow interface, unreliable and as you rightly say absolutely no updates or bug fixes for years – I will never buy Humax again.
My current device is the EE TV box Pro a huge improvement over the Aura – generally fast and slick user interface, for example whilst watching a film in Netflix you can press “Guide” to select something to record on Freeview then just press “Back” and you are right back watching your Netflix film, brilliant. The main problem is the increasing cost with their yearly price rises and although I pay £6/month for everything in HD there is now another increase to keep my Netflix add-free!
Basically the industry does not want anyone to have the capability of recording to enable skip ads – they want your subscription money to let you do that! Why I only ever RECORD anything I need to watch on the likes of ITV, CH4 and CH5 etc.
My BT/EE contract is ending in a couple of months, cost has risen more than 25% during the 2 years so possibly my best option is a a Manhattan 4R to maintain my ad skipping for ITV and the like, although only 2 simultaneous recordings is a bit limiting on occasions, plus a streaming stick for Netflix and Prime which would cover most of my needs?
I am sorry I am one of those dinosaurs you touched on I do a fair bit of recording freeview TV and then transferring those that are worth keeping to DVD’s I won’t bore you with how many. But DVD discs are now becoming rarer. I love your column and find it very informative keep up the very good work.
This article seems to consentrate on the future of freeview but what is happening with freesat and how much longer will this be available to use keeping your old dish and
freesat recorders, what will the
people be able to use when the current recorders give up the ghost, my HUMAX box doesn’t seem to have had a software update in years!