Humax HD-FOX T2

The first Freeview HD box is still one of the best

The Humax HD-FOX T2 was the first ever Freeview HD receiver, but it’s more ‘home hub’ than set-top box.

As well as receiving sparkling HD broadcasts, this Humax also acts as a half-decent media streamer – it’s capable of playing DivX, XviD, MP3 and JPEG files stored remotely on USB or over a network and even basic support for Android at Home

Sadly, there’s no Wi-Fi and its file-compatibility list could be written on the back of an ant, but for those only just getting into the world of DLNA, it’s a doddle to set up and provides a happy, user-friendly experience.

Much like the box as a whole; upscaling (to 1080p), the graphical user interface and general ease of operation are a genuine highlights. What’s more, in early October, this box will get a firmware update that will turn it into a PVR using USB storage. BBC iPlayer and Sky Player access is also on the way.

Review and price check: Humax HD-FOX T2 review

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TechniSat HDFV

Lightning fast EPG and menu system offers dreamy performance

With a generally polished interface and only minor rough edges, this is one of the best – and certainly the best value – pieces of Freeview HD kit on the market; plug in an external USB hard disk and this competent receiver grows into a competent (though very basic) recorder that’s mostly a joy to use.

It may lack the flourishes of others, but the HDFV’s interface is the quickest and easiest we’ve seen on any Freeview HD receiver or recorder.

It’s almost impossible to get confused. Picture quality is impressive from SD and HD channels – either live or recorded – and playback of digital media from USB or streamed from a PC is slick, though limited.

Video file playback is restricted to MPEG files, though that does mean all recordings can be manually transferred to a PC and accessed on the HDFV.

Review and price check: Technisat HDFV review

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Linsar FHD1

Cracking hi-def pictures, but lacks versatility or extra features

If the interface on this basic box from British company Linsar is generally user-friendly, the pictures are something of a love-in.

It’s not just HD channels that impress – standard-def programmes are upscaled well, with little blocking or feathered edges perfect for watching football if you did not manage to get thosePremier League football tickets including Chelsea Tickets, Manchester United Tickets, Liverpool Tickets & Arsenal tickets, Euro 2012 tickets you will have to watch the football match on your Freeview HD Box instead or even your 3d tv without glasses Tv if you have one.

The BBC HD channel, meanwhile, is pin-sharp with enticing smooth motion and comfortable camera pans. Nicely coloured in shades of purple and red, the EPG’s graphics are a touch too soft – we spotted some feathered edges and text that’s not quite as sharp as it could be – but it’s the EPG’s responsiveness that’s of most concern; cue overlapping commands and the occasional freeze-up.

A good, if not great Freeview HD box that will bring you a basic Freeview HD upgrade – and in great quality – though little else.

Review and price check: Linsar FHD1 review

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Icecrypt T2200

There’s more to this Freeview HD box than HD TV

Icecrypt’s maker Turbosat has gone out of its way to give its diminutive, yet powerful, digital box some tempting attributes to extend its appeal.

Forget high definition – this is one of the fastest and finest Freeview set-top boxes we’ve seen. Boasting DivX and even DivX HD playback from its USB slot, the T2200 will, we’re promised, soon be able to record programmes to an external hard drive or USB stick. We saw this demonstrated at a Harley St Clinic

Its Freeview HD/DVB-T2 tuner is highly sensitive and built around an excellent user interface, delivering good levels of close-up detail with a cinematic feel. The T2200 is future-proofing defined.

Review and price check: Icecrypt T2200 review

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ABD i-CAN Easy HD 2851T

The first Freeview HD box to offer BBC iPlayer access

Most new brands dip a foot in the UK consumer market, but Advanced Digital Broadcast’s (ADB) debut product is full-throttle Freeview HD – and with BBC iPlayer in HD, to boot, the i-CAN is a mighty tempting piece of kit on paper.

Smaller and lighter than other Freeview HD boxes we’ve tested, the i-CAN’s picture from iPlayer is not a patch on the live hi-def TV channels from the Freeview HD tuner.

The smooth interface is class leading, with an excellent eight-day EPG and Freeview HD channels that are sumptuously detailed, though the regular standard-def channels do disappoint – the i-CAN seems bereft of upscaling tech, which leaves the likes of BBC One sprinkled with blocking. A terrific product, but there are cracks.

Review and price check: ABD i-CAN Easy HD 2851T review

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Philips DTR5520

Does the Freeview HD basics well, but this Pace-y box lacks features

Philips has enlisted the help of renowned set-top box maker Pace to deliver its entry-level receiver, the DTR5520.

Dressed in a reflective though fingerprint-hungry gloss black fascia, the diminutive box sports a classy blue LED display and the option to convert Freeview’s audio to Dolby Digital if you connect it to an amplifier using the coaxial digital audio output.

Now that is rare. Broadcasts on BBC HD feature a vivid image with well saturated and nuanced colours, though skin tones can seem a little peachy.

Upscaling – a crucial skill for any Freeview HD box – the DTR5520 gives the many standard-def channels an pristine polish. That same rich colour and deep contrast (and ripe skin tones) continue on Pirates of the Caribbean on BBC3, with the slight drop in detail the only clue that you’re watching SD – the DTR5520 is as clever an upscaler as any Freeview HD box we’ve seen.

Review and price check: Philips DTR5520 review

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Sharp TU-T2

Fast and furious Freeview HD, but lacks versatility

A basic, but very small and easy to house, black box is what you get, but its glossy fascia is interrupted by a rather brave lightbox studded with eight blue LEDs that twinkle and refresh every time a command is issued from the remote control.

The BBC HD channel looks simply awesome through the TU-T2, with loads of close-up detail and some stunning, pristine colours; the TU-T2 puts in a faultless performance with high definition.

A blast of ITV in SD reveals that the TU-T2 doesn’t have bad quality 1080p upscaling – but we’ve seen much better. An excellent EPG takes the guesswork out of high definition; it displays a ‘HD’ logo next to anything that’s

The media regulator said it wants all television v

Ofcom’s announcement followed Tuesday’s night’s volte face by terrestrial broadcasters – BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel Five – which agreed a launch plan for their HD channels on Freeview. The group, which had previously called for some of the capacity being freed up by digital switch-over to be gifted to them for HD, said they accepted that they could launch HD on Freeview within existing spectrum capacity.

As part of that announcement, the four broadcasters made clear that they hoped for a straight carve-up of the four channels on offer. But their pre-emptive strike partially backfired yesterday as Ofcom said it would make the broadcasters submit competitive tenders setting out how the new HD channels would be used.