BT YouView box (aka Humax DTR-1000) - Page 2 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

julie_m · 12th Feb 2014, 9:41 pm

Swapping-out HDDs is a good way to increase capacity, but you need a good filing system to keep track of what is on which drive .....

Nymrod121 · 13th Feb 2014, 12:50 pm

A very interesting thread! - thanks everyone

With regard to earlier postings regarding file transfers:

I use Humax Foxsat-HDR / Sagemcom RT190-320 for time-shifted viewing.

My Humax allows copying to an external USB drive provided it's been formatted properly. I use a free program for this (Ext2FSD) and have a 160GB transportable drive connected to the Humax' rear-most USB socket for longer-term saving. With Ext2FSD installed, I use VNC Viewer to watch recorded [albeit non-protected] programmes saved on this drive, either by 'sneakernet' (if away from home) or via a custom firmware-based interface over my local area network.

Would this be capable of use with the BT YouView box / Humax DTR1000? (I haven't got either so can't try it - sorry)

The Sagemcom is a different beast and my experiments to date with USB devices via its front socket have been unsuccessful. High on my 'to-do' list is "remove HDD from Sagemcom and investigate file format"

Regards

Guy

hamid_1 · 15th Feb 2014, 6:17 pm

Many set-top boxes have USB ports on them, and some can be used to copy recorded programmes to external hard drives or play music, photo or video files from USB drives, thus turning your TV into a media centre.

The functions of the USB port are determined by the software in the set-top box. Unfortunately Youview have not implemented USB recording or playback in their STB software. I'm not sure if they ever will. Likewise, Sky+ boxes have USB ports but no playback or copying is allowed, perhaps understandably. Sky want people to pay for their programmes; they don't want people playing movies they've downloaded elsewhere, or copying programmes and giving them to their friends to watch for free.

Currently, the only way to copy a recording from a Youview box is to connect a VCR or DVD recorder to the analogue output of the box and record in real-time. No digital copying is possible.

Other broadcasters have imposed restrictions on set-top boxes. Official Freesat+ and Freeview+HD boxes are required to encrypt high-definition recordings as part of the specification. This means that even if the box allows a recording to be copied to USB (and many boxes don't) , the recordings from the HD channels will be encrypted and 'locked' to the box that made them. You can't play the recording on any other device, not even another STB of the same make and model.

Standard definition recordings are not required to be encrypted. This means for example you can record a standard-definition TV channel, copy the recording to USB if your box allows, then watch it on your laptop on the train, but you can't do this with HD recordings.

The Freesat HD and Freeview HD broadcasts are not actually encrypted, it's only the official branded set-top boxes that encrypt them. It's possible to buy generic "Free To Air" or FTA receiver boxes which don't encrypt HD or SD recordings. However, the FTA boxes usually lack the Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) meaning the channels may be listed in no particular order and you have to set timer recordings manually. Other EPG features like Series Link and Accurate Recording are not usually available on FTA boxes.

The Humax Foxsat HDR can be switched to "non-Freesat mode". It will then behave as a generic FTA box. HD recordings will not be encrypted but you'll have to set up the receiver manually, which means scanning for and adding the HD channels, then setting a timer recording. If this gets tedious, luckily there's a solution. Custom Firmware can be installed to some Humax receivers. This can overcome some or all of the EPG and copying restrictions. Custom Firmware is not a topic for this forum but you can look here for a starting point.

Going back to Nickthedentist's Panasonic DVD recorders, the hard drives are unfortunately not swappable nor readable in a PC. At least that's been my experience with the DMR-EX75/EX85EB and DMR-EX77EB hard drives. The only way to copy recordings digitally from the hard drive is to use the DVD writer drive in the recorder itself. High speed copying is possible only if you have enabled that option in the recorder's function menu BEFORE making a recording. By default, Rec. For High Speed Copy is set to OFF. Recordings made with high speed copy switched off can only be copied in real time (i.e. a 2 hour recording will take 2 hours to copy from hard drive to DVD), even if you switch the option on again later.

Okto1984 · 17th Feb 2014, 11:19 pm

The youview box has two USB sockets, and their under utilisation is surprising.

Currently, the only uses for them I know of it to update the software, and apparently a keyboard program allowing use of a USB keyboard is coming. Hopefully other uses will be added in time. The box has received a few updates in the time I've owned mine, mostly to add extra features for visually impaired people (high contrast interface) and some new on demand programs for other content providers. The fact it's still being updated and added to is a positive, many devices never gain new features as you own them. It's still not certain what more may be added however, and the ability to store and share data is limited. From what I've seen, I wouldn't recommend this box for doing either of those as other devices do this better, but it has other positives.

Telleadict · 18th Feb 2014, 6:48 pm

Hello

If you are looking for a PVR with export facilities I have one from from DigitalStream that should, though I haven't tried, copy to a USB hard drive that it will format as XFS -- readable in Linux. SD is apparently "clear" HD can be played on any DigitalStream box. There's a user written wiki here and an ongoing disscussion at AVForums.com the only thing is whether it is still available as I got mine around digital switch over when John Lewis had them on sale offer -- it might have been discontinued

Sorry this has gone on a bit.

William

Okto1984 · 24th May 2014, 5:07 pm

Just a quick update as a few people were interested in using this box with a VCR. I've had the chance to try it out with a VCR with scart input, and also through a modulator, and it recorded fine. This is a quite modern VCR (2002) that I'm sure would have developed problems with macrovision if it was present.

12th Feb 2014, 9:41 pm	#21
julie_m Dekatron Join Date: May 2008 Location: Derby, UK. Posts: 7,735	Re: BT YouView box (aka Humax DTR-1000) Swapping-out HDDs is a good way to increase capacity, but you need a good filing system to keep track of what is on which drive ..... __________________ If I have seen further than others, it is because I was standing on a pile of failed experiments.

13th Feb 2014, 12:50 pm	#22
Nymrod121 Nonode Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Worcestershire, UK. Posts: 2,052	Re: BT YouView box (aka Humax DTR-1000) A very interesting thread! - thanks everyone With regard to earlier postings regarding file transfers: I use Humax Foxsat-HDR / Sagemcom RT190-320 for time-shifted viewing. My Humax allows copying to an external USB drive provided it's been formatted properly. I use a free program for this (Ext2FSD) and have a 160GB transportable drive connected to the Humax' rear-most USB socket for longer-term saving. With Ext2FSD installed, I use VNC Viewer to watch recorded [albeit non-protected] programmes saved on this drive, either by 'sneakernet' (if away from home) or via a custom firmware-based interface over my local area network. Would this be capable of use with the BT YouView box / Humax DTR1000? (I haven't got either so can't try it - sorry) The Sagemcom is a different beast and my experiments to date with USB devices via its front socket have been unsuccessful. High on my 'to-do' list is "remove HDD from Sagemcom and investigate file format" Regards Guy __________________ "What a depressingly stupid machine." [Marvin: HHGTTG]

15th Feb 2014, 6:17 pm	#23
hamid_1 Heptode Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: High Wycombe, Bucks. UK. Posts: 811	Re: BT YouView box (aka Humax DTR-1000) Many set-top boxes have USB ports on them, and some can be used to copy recorded programmes to external hard drives or play music, photo or video files from USB drives, thus turning your TV into a media centre. The functions of the USB port are determined by the software in the set-top box. Unfortunately Youview have not implemented USB recording or playback in their STB software. I'm not sure if they ever will. Likewise, Sky+ boxes have USB ports but no playback or copying is allowed, perhaps understandably. Sky want people to pay for their programmes; they don't want people playing movies they've downloaded elsewhere, or copying programmes and giving them to their friends to watch for free. Currently, the only way to copy a recording from a Youview box is to connect a VCR or DVD recorder to the analogue output of the box and record in real-time. No digital copying is possible. Other broadcasters have imposed restrictions on set-top boxes. Official Freesat+ and Freeview+HD boxes are required to encrypt high-definition recordings as part of the specification. This means that even if the box allows a recording to be copied to USB (and many boxes don't) , the recordings from the HD channels will be encrypted and 'locked' to the box that made them. You can't play the recording on any other device, not even another STB of the same make and model. Standard definition recordings are not required to be encrypted. This means for example you can record a standard-definition TV channel, copy the recording to USB if your box allows, then watch it on your laptop on the train, but you can't do this with HD recordings. The Freesat HD and Freeview HD broadcasts are not actually encrypted, it's only the official branded set-top boxes that encrypt them. It's possible to buy generic "Free To Air" or FTA receiver boxes which don't encrypt HD or SD recordings. However, the FTA boxes usually lack the Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) meaning the channels may be listed in no particular order and you have to set timer recordings manually. Other EPG features like Series Link and Accurate Recording are not usually available on FTA boxes. The Humax Foxsat HDR can be switched to "non-Freesat mode". It will then behave as a generic FTA box. HD recordings will not be encrypted but you'll have to set up the receiver manually, which means scanning for and adding the HD channels, then setting a timer recording. If this gets tedious, luckily there's a solution. Custom Firmware can be installed to some Humax receivers. This can overcome some or all of the EPG and copying restrictions. Custom Firmware is not a topic for this forum but you can look here for a starting point. Going back to Nickthedentist's Panasonic DVD recorders, the hard drives are unfortunately not swappable nor readable in a PC. At least that's been my experience with the DMR-EX75/EX85EB and DMR-EX77EB hard drives. The only way to copy recordings digitally from the hard drive is to use the DVD writer drive in the recorder itself. High speed copying is possible only if you have enabled that option in the recorder's function menu BEFORE making a recording. By default, Rec. For High Speed Copy is set to OFF. Recordings made with high speed copy switched off can only be copied in real time (i.e. a 2 hour recording will take 2 hours to copy from hard drive to DVD), even if you switch the option on again later.

17th Feb 2014, 11:19 pm	#24
Okto1984 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Winchester, Hampshire, UK Posts: 288	Re: BT YouView box (aka Humax DTR-1000) The youview box has two USB sockets, and their under utilisation is surprising. Currently, the only uses for them I know of it to update the software, and apparently a keyboard program allowing use of a USB keyboard is coming. Hopefully other uses will be added in time. The box has received a few updates in the time I've owned mine, mostly to add extra features for visually impaired people (high contrast interface) and some new on demand programs for other content providers. The fact it's still being updated and added to is a positive, many devices never gain new features as you own them. It's still not certain what more may be added however, and the ability to store and share data is limited. From what I've seen, I wouldn't recommend this box for doing either of those as other devices do this better, but it has other positives.

18th Feb 2014, 6:48 pm	#25
Telleadict Hexode Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Nr. York, North Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 348	Re: BT YouView box (aka Humax DTR-1000) Hello If you are looking for a PVR with export facilities I have one from from DigitalStream that should, though I haven't tried, copy to a USB hard drive that it will format as XFS -- readable in Linux. SD is apparently "clear" HD can be played on any DigitalStream box. There's a user written wiki here and an ongoing disscussion at AVForums.com the only thing is whether it is still available as I got mine around digital switch over when John Lewis had them on sale offer -- it might have been discontinued Sorry this has gone on a bit. William Last edited by Telleadict; 18th Feb 2014 at 6:49 pm. Reason: Typos!!

24th May 2014, 5:07 pm	#26
Okto1984 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Winchester, Hampshire, UK Posts: 288	Re: BT YouView box (aka Humax DTR-1000) Just a quick update as a few people were interested in using this box with a VCR. I've had the chance to try it out with a VCR with scart input, and also through a modulator, and it recorded fine. This is a quite modern VCR (2002) that I'm sure would have developed problems with macrovision if it was present.